Take My Breath Away

When Erica was eight weeks along, the ultrasound showed she was carrying more than one baby—she was having twins! Matthew was a mighty baby-maker! At least, that was what Erica thought. He should be feeling proud of himself now.

She looked at the man who had done this to her. He was as calm as ever. Erica felt like weeping, but had no tears. She wanted to strangle Matthew again. Why did he always produce so many at once? Wasn't one child good enough?

But since she was pregnant, she could give Matthew hell. After all, what was the point of being bloated and miserable if she couldn't take it out on him? At the thought of this, Erica lost her temper. "Get out!" she ordered.

"What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

"The moon's not full tonight.

We're not sleeping in the same bed. No way," she said. "What does the moon have to do with anything?" What he could do? He couldn't change the phase of the moon.

"It is because I say it is. It's your fault it's not full!" she spat.

Matthew was confused, but he knew she was mercurial. There was no arguing with her when she was like this. He could only go downstairs to whip up a bowl of noodles for her. That was probably the best thing for his pregnant wife.

It did make her feel better, though. And he was able to sleep in the same bed with her.

But in the dark of the night, Erica rested an arm and a leg on Matthew.

It was uncomfortable, but it was meant to be. It was just to make sure he was awake for one more of her demands. "Don't wear a blindfold to bed!"

Well, he could only do as she asked.

"Don't close your eyes!" she ordered again.

Well, he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Don't breathe!"

On the verge of collapse, Matthew still kept his cool. "Don't breathe? Don't be silly! So...how can I make you happy?"

The woman thought for a while

and answered, "Well, um... you could dance for me."

Matthew was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He walked into the study. He knew the one person who could answer his questions: Sheffield. He picked up the phone and dialed his number.

After riding him for how late it was, Sheffield listened patiently as Matthew described what was going on. After Matthew concluded his tale of woe, Sheffield burst into laughter. "I guess you'll have to figure out what you can do to make her happy. So it's your fault that the moon's not full. It'll probably be your fault when it's cloudy, too.

All you can do is love her, and try to be patient. Now here's what I want you to do..." After hanging up, Matthew thought Sheffield was right. And he started dialing—he had more calls to make.

Erica woke up early. She was ravenous, and not real happy. But when she emerged from the elevator, the sight that greeted her eyes was a treat.

Matthew walked towards her and said affectionately, "Honey, I know you don't feel good because you're pregnant, so I got these flowers for you, because I love you." He gestured behind him, and there was a huge dome of flowers on the table.

In the center of that arrangement, held in bamboo shoots, were some red roses and globe amaranths. "Wow! That's a lot of flowers. How many flowers did you get?" There were so many flowers there was no way she'd be able to hold them all.

"Th

to sleep themselves.

Matthew got comfortable in the bed and fell asleep himself, his wife in his arms.

However, before long, he was awakened by the sounds of crying.

He opened his eyes and saw his wife's face, streaked with tears.

Matthew moved to hold the woman in his arms. He asked worriedly, "Honey, what's wrong?"

Erica kept crying without saying anything.

Turning on the bedside lamp, Matthew looked at the crying woman and asked, "Are you in pain? Tell me!"

Erica nodded sadly.

"What's wrong? I'll call the doctor over!"

"My tummy hurts."

Matthew picked up the phone and was about to call the doctor, but before he could unlock it, she put her hand on his. When he looked into the woman's eyes, he heard her say, "I'm just... I didn't have enough food last night, so I woke up hungry. Just get me some food..."

'So... she's crying because she's hungry.'

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Matthew breathed a sigh of relief. He put the phone back on the nightstand and asked, "What do you want to eat? I'll cook it."

"I want some lobster." In her dream, a giant lobster bit her belly and threatened her to eat her children. Erica was so angry she swore to eat the lobster.

Then she woke up.

She wanted lobster, which was easy for Matthew.

Erica liked seafood noodles a lot. That was why Matthew cooked them for her, and kept all kinds of seafood in the fridge.

Matthew called the maid downstairs and asked her to fetch an Australian rock lobster. He would cook it later. Then he put on his pajamas and said to the pregnant woman, "Go back to sleep. I'll call you when it's ready."

Shaking her head, Erica said, "I slept too much already. I'm not sleepy now. Help me downstairs?"

Unable to refuse her request, Matthew lifted her up from the bed and the two entered the elevator together.

At three o'clock in the morning, the villa was brightly lit and buzzing with activity. Two maids helped prep the lobster, and Matthew steamed it.

At four o'clock in the morning, the pregnant woman ate the lobster from her dream like she was hoping.

Afterward her husband carried her upstairs, and she fell fast asleep.