One Missing Piece

         I awoke feeling out of sorts. In between reality and fiction. I looked around the room realizing something was wrong. I stepped out of bed and scanned the room. I wasn’t quite sure what was different but I was sure going to find out. I reached out and touched the dresser next to my bed. I felt the intricate pattern of flowers that had been carved in the wood. My hand followed the petals of the flower. One, Two ,three, four, five. Where was the six petal? I felt a butterfly begin to form. I took a deep breath and reminded myself to calm down. I probably had counted wrong. My hand followed the petals again. Five petals maybe I had counted wrong before.
          I moved on to mirror next to the dresser. Something was wrong. My reflection was different. My hair, it was longer and there was a bruise above my left eye. I took another deep breath just as I felt another butterfly come to life. Maybe my hair had just grown and maybe I had fallen out of bed in my sleep. I had done that before. Or maybe something was really wrong.
         I took another deep breath and went to my favorite picture. I could always count on it to relax me. I knew ever inch of that picture and would definitely know if something was missing. I placed my hand on the frame and ran it down the picture. All ten birds were still flying free. Then it caught my eye. The clouds where were the clouds? I know they had been there before. I could remember feeling the white fluff of those clouds as they brushed through my hands. It was made me feel free. Butterflies, more butterflies they were multiplying by the dozen.
          Sleep that is all I needed. I ran back to my bed and jumped in. I laid my head on my pillow, closed my eyes and tried to fall back to sleep. My mind began to float away and then I felt his arm as he reached out to me. I recognized the touch but I knew it wasn’t my husband. I turned away too afraid to look. I couldn’t possible... No I wouldn’t do that. I had to be dreaming. I loved my husband. I wouldn’t cheat.
         "Honey what’s wrong?” the man said.
          "Look,I am not sure what took place here last night but I love my husband and want you out of here.”
         His hand grabbed a hold of me and pulled me closer. “ I hope you love me. I know I have made mistakes but ....”
         I turned around abruptly just as I recognized the voice. “ No, No this can’t be. What are you doing here. I left you. What did you do to Craig?”
         Tracy pulled his arm back and began to scream,” Who is Craig. Someone you slept with. I have been faithful to you since we got married. How could you do this to me?”
         I stepped back out of bed and ran. I wasn’t sure where I was going but I had to get away. I wasn’t going to wait for his fists to start flying. I ran out into the living room and headed for the front door. Just as I reached for the knob I heard it. “Where are you going? Don’t you think you should at least get dressed before you go any where.”
          It was the tender, comforting, loving voice. I had heard it so many times before and knew in an instant who it was. “ Craig, it’s you where have you been?”
         "Watching TV. Not all of us sleep all day.”
         I grabbed a hold of Craig and kissed him. Every nerve ending in my body come to life as the electricity flowed through my body. I didn’t want the kiss to end but I needed to be sure everything was back to normal.
         I ran into my bedroom and glided my hands across the dresser. Six petals. My hair was the normal length and the bruise had disappeared. The missing pieces all seemed to be in place, but there was one final test. I rushed to my picture and reached out to the clouds. The white fluff was back and I was free.