8 | Full Moon
987 Words
Mira spent all of Sunday trying not to think about the moon.
Which was difficult.
Mostly because everyone seemed determined to remind her.
The moon appeared in advertisements.
On social media.
On a shirt worn by a random stranger at the mall.
Even her coffee shop loyalty app had somehow chosen a moon-themed promotion.
At this point, the universe was being obnoxious.
"You're thinking about it."
Mira looked up from her drink.
Darren sat across from her at a café table near the bookstore.
"About what?"
"The thing you're pretending not to think about."
Mira frowned.
"I hate when you do that."
"Do what?"
"Know things."
Darren looked pleased with himself.
"You make it easy."
The worst part?
He really did.
After nearly a decade together, Darren could read her moods faster than she could.
He knew when she was stressed.
When she was tired.
When she was pretending everything was fine.
And right now?
She was definitely pretending.
Not because she was hiding anything.
Because she genuinely didn't know what to do with any of it.
The dreams had started as a joke.
A funny story.
A weird monthly occurrence.
Something she and Darren laughed about over breakfast.
Now?
Not so much.
Not because Noah had done anything.
Actually, that was the problem.
He hadn't.
The dreams themselves were still harmless.
But they lingered longer now.
Stayed with her after waking.
Little details refusing to fade.
And that bothered her.
Because dreams weren't supposed to do that.
~
The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly enough.
They wandered through the bookstore.
Argued over which books deserved shelf space.
Lost twenty minutes because Darren insisted on reading ridiculous titles aloud.
At one point, Mira disappeared into the romance section.
Five minutes later, Darren found her sitting on the floor.
Reading.
Smiling.
"What are you doing?"
"Research."
"You write now?"
"No."
"Then it's not research."
Mira held up the book.
The cover showed two beautiful people staring dramatically at each other.
Darren immediately looked suspicious.
"What's it about?"
Mira checked the synopsis.
Then burst out laughing.
"What?"
"It's about a woman who keeps dreaming about a man she doesn't know."
Darren froze.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He held out his hand.
"Give me that."
Mira was laughing too hard to stop him.
Darren read the back cover.
Then looked personally offended.
"This author is stealing our content."
"Oh my God."
"We should sue."
"On what grounds?"
"Emotional copyright."
Mira nearly fell off the chair.
The bookstore employee glanced over.
She lowered her voice immediately.
"You're ridiculous."
"And yet charming."
Unfortunately true.
~
That evening, they ordered takeout.
Neither felt like cooking.
Or cleaning.
Or functioning like responsible adults.
By nine o'clock, they were sitting on the couch sharing fries from the same container while watching a movie neither was paying attention to.
The notebook still sat on the coffee table.
QUESTIONS FOR MOON-BOY.
Darren's masterpiece.
Mira picked it up.
Read it again.
Then shook her head.
"You know, normal husbands don't prepare interview questions for dream people."
"Normal husbands don't have dream people to interview."
Fair.
Mira laughed.
Then turned another page.
Additional questions had appeared.
She narrowed her eyes.
"When did you add these?"
Darren didn't even look guilty.
"Earlier."
Mira read them aloud.
"Do you have hobbies?"
Darren nodded.
"Important."
"What's your favorite food?"
"Building rapport."
"Do you pay taxes?"
"Critical information."
Mira threw a fry at him.
Darren caught it.
Because apparently he could catch anything except social cues.
~
Around ten-thirty, the apartment grew quieter.
The movie ended.
The takeout containers disappeared.
The city lights beyond the balcony seemed softer somehow.
Darren stretched.
Then looked toward the window.
The moon had finally risen.
Full.
Bright.
Waiting.
The joking stopped.
Mira looked down at the notebook in her lap.
Then back at the moon.
Her stomach tightened unexpectedly.
Darren noticed immediately.
"Hey."
She looked over.
"You don't have to solve everything tonight."
His voice was gentle.
Steady.
The same voice he used whenever she started carrying too much inside her head.
Mira smiled faintly.
"I know."
"And if moon-boy gets dramatic, tell him I'm unavailable for emotional triangles."
She laughed.
"There isn't a triangle."
"Good."
Darren reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Such a simple gesture.
One he'd done hundreds of times before.
Yet somehow—
tonight it felt important.
Maybe because she was suddenly aware of everything.
His hand.
His smile.
The familiar warmth of sitting beside him.
The life they'd built together.
Mira leaned forward and kissed him.
Quickly.
Softly.
Just because she wanted to.
Darren blinked.
Then looked pleased with himself.
"Nice."
"Don't ruin it."
"Too late."
He grinned.
Mission accomplished.
~
Later, when they finally went to bed, Darren fell asleep first.
As usual.
The man could fall asleep anywhere.
Mira remained awake for a while.
Watching the moonlight stretch across the room.
Listening to the quiet rhythm of Darren's breathing.
Thinking.
Not about Noah.
About answers.
About why this kept happening.
About whether tonight would be any different.
Eventually exhaustion won.
Her eyes drifted closed.
The room disappeared.
And when she opened them again—
she was standing on a train platform.
The station was busier than before.
People moved around her.
Announcements echoed overhead.
The scent of coffee drifted from somewhere nearby.
For a moment, she simply stood there.
Taking it all in.
Then a familiar voice spoke behind her.
"You brought the notebook."
Mira spun around.
Noah stood a few feet away.
Hands in his pockets.
Looking equal parts amused and exhausted.
Mira stared.
Then looked down.
The notebook was in her hands.
The actual notebook.
With Darren's questions.
Noah followed her gaze.
Then sighed.
"Oh no."
Mira blinked.
"What?"
Noah pointed.
"Please tell me your husband didn't actually write interview questions for me."
Mira looked down.
Then immediately burst out laughing.
Because somehow—
question number four was circled.
ARE YOU EMPLOYED?
- Writer
