The dream felt so real I could taste the salt in the air.
“JOHN! Please don’t leave me… John!” a woman screamed as she fell to her knees in the sand, clutching at my husband’s arm.
I jolted upright in bed, my heart pounding. The bedroom was quiet, empty. Just a dream. But the unease clung to me like wet clothes.
“Rosa? You okay?” John’s voice called softly from the hall. He stepped into the doorway, concern etched across his face.
I exhaled shakily. “Just a nightmare. What time is it?”
“Almost nine,” he said, his frown softening into a smile. “Coffee’s ready. And… happy anniversary, sweetheart.”
I blinked, startled. Of course—our tenth wedding anniversary. How could I have forgotten? I threw my arms around him. “Happy anniversary, John!”
He kissed my temple, his eyes twinkling. “I’ve got a surprise for you. Close your eyes, hands out.”
I obeyed, and when I opened my eyes, two plane tickets lay in my palms.
“The Dominican Republic?” I gasped.
He grinned. “We leave in three hours. Better start packing.”
The next thing I knew, we were stepping off a plane into the thick, tropical air. Lush greenery, blue water as far as I could see. A sleek car carried us to a breathtaking beachfront resort, all glass windows and swaying palms.
“John, this must have cost a fortune,” I whispered, overwhelmed.
He winked. “Nothing but the best for my girl.”
Our suite overlooked the ocean, waves stretching to the horizon. That first night we danced barefoot on the beach, the sound of bachata mixing with the crash of waves. For the first time in months, it was just us—no deadlines, no distance.
By the third day, my guilt had faded into bliss. John had been so wrapped up in late nights at the office, and I’d been carrying a secret of my own: the pregnancy test I’d taken before the trip. Tonight, under the sunset, I would tell him.
We walked the shoreline at dusk, the sky on fire with pink and gold. I slipped my hand into my pocket, fingertips brushing the tiny gift box that held the locket I’d chosen to share my news.
“John, there’s something I need to tell you—”
And then, out of nowhere, a figure ran toward us across the sand. A woman in a white swimsuit, barefoot, hair wild from the wind. She stopped in front of us, dropped to her knees, and cried out:
“John! You’re the love of my life. Stop pretending. Leave her. Be with me. Marry me!”
The world tilted. My hand tightened around the box in my pocket. My dream—the nightmare—was unfolding in front of me.
John’s face went pale. My pulse thundered. And then, to my shock, he burst out laughing.
He pulled the woman to her feet and hugged her. “You really picked your moment, didn’t you?”
I stared, breathless. “What’s going on? John—who is she?”
John turned quickly, guilt flickering across his face at the sight of my tears. “Rosa, this is Julia. We went to college together. She… she got me back for an old prank.”
Julia smiled sheepishly. “We were in theater once, and he made fun of me during a performance. I swore I’d get revenge. When I recognized him just now, I couldn’t resist.”
The tension snapped, leaving me shaky and half-laughing. A prank. An unbelievably awful prank.
“You’re not leaving me?” I whispered.
“Never,” John said, pulling me into his arms. “I had no idea she’d do this.”
I punched his chest lightly, half laughing, half crying. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
And then, I remembered the box in my pocket.
“Actually,” I said, stepping back, “I have something too. Not a prank, I promise.”
I handed him the box. John opened it—and froze. Inside was a delicate silver chain, with a tiny locket shaped like baby feet.
His head snapped up, eyes wide, joy flooding his face. “Rosa… you mean—?”
I nodded, smiling through tears. “I’m pregnant.”
John lifted me into the air, spinning me around as we both laughed. “We’re going to be parents!”
Julia clapped her hands, grinning. “Guess I really lost my chance now. Congratulations, you two.” She snapped a photo of us with the sunset blazing behind, then headed down the beach, leaving us in our own world again.
John kissed me deeply, then rested his forehead against mine. “I’ve never been happier. I love you, Rosa.”
“I love you too,” I whispered.
Hand in hand, we walked back toward the resort, the waves whispering beside us. The trip had begun as an anniversary surprise, but it had become something so much bigger. The start of an entirely new chapter.
And this time, I knew it wasn’t a dream.