Dreams Within Dreams

"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." ~ Edgar Allan Poe.

         Kailey Andersen sat across from her boyfriend, billionaire Quincy Templeton, while dining al fresco at an expensive restaurant.

         Quincy looked into Kailey's eyes. "You are the most gorgeous woman in the world," he said to her. "The beauty of the moon pales in comparison to you. You shine brighter than the stars..."

         "That's beautiful," said Kailey with a smile.

         With a lump in his throat and slightly shaking hands, Quincy pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it. A diamond ring sat in the box. Quincy kneeled before Kailey with the words, "Kailey Andersen... will you marry me?"

         "Yes! I would love -" she began, but couldn't finish because a piece of food lodged in her throat. "I would-" She coughed and collapsed from the lack of oxygen.

         Kailey sat straight up in bed upon awakening in an ornately decorated room not her own. She looked at Quincy, who remained asleep next to her. She noticed a crinkled piece of paper in her hand. Upon unfolding it, she read the words on it - "You're Beautiful. Love, Quincy". She lay down, and closed her eyes.

         Suddenly, she was back at the restaurant, sitting across from Quincy. "You are the most gorgeous woman in the world," he said to her. "The beauty of the moon pales in comparison to you. You shine brighter than the stars..."

         A waiter arrived at their table. Kailey gazed at his perfectly groomed face. Damn, he's hot as hell, she thought. She read his name tag, which said, "Duke". After taking their orders, Duke walked away. Kailey rose to follow him. As he turned to face her, she drew close to him and began to kiss him.

         Just before her lips touched his, she found herself back in the ornate bed. Quincy lay to her right, while Duke lay to her left. Love notes from both men rained down from the ceiling. An unusual coldness filled the room. Kailey gathered up the notes and took them to the fireplace, placed them inside, and struck a match. Before she could light them, she dropped the match on the floor. Within seconds, the room was ablaze. Kailey woke the men and all three ran outside.

         "What the hell happened?" demanded Quincy. "I bought this house for five million dollars!"

         "I tried to start a fire in the fireplace because I was cold and dropped the match," said Kailey, wiping a tear from her eye.

         "Are you freaking insane? Why would you burn down our house?" said Quincy.

         "Dude, chill! It was an accident!" said Duke.

         "I don't believe that! And what the hell were you doing in bed with us?" Quincy and Duke began to throw punches at each other until the cops broke it up.

         Quincy grabbed Kailey by the shoulder and shoved her into a nearby cop car. "Take her away," he told the cops.

         The cops took her to a psychiatric hospital. Later, Quincy and Duke stood over her as she wore a straitjacket. Duke caressed Kailey's face and the two kissed.

         "What the deuce?" said Quincy. "I bought you that diamond ring and you go with a poor busboy?!"

         "Duke may not have money, but he has what money can't buy," said Kailey. Duke removed her straitjacket and the two made out.

         Kailey opened her eyes and found herself in her own bed. The elaborate, ornate room was gone, as were the men. What weird dreams within dreams! she thought.

         Her phone rang. She picked up with the word, "Hello?"

         "Hey Kailey, it's Quincy. Want to go out for dinner tonight?"

         "I would love to!" said Kailey. Later that evening, Quincy picked up Kailey and they headed to an expensive restauraunt. After being seated, Kailey said, "I had the weirdest dreams within dreams last night. I dreamed you were a billionaire who proposed to me and fought a waiter over me, and we had a mansion that I accidentally burned down."

         "Speaking of proposals..." said Quincy. With a lump in his throat and slightly shaking hands, Quincy pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it. A diamond ring sat in the box. Quincy kneeled before Kailey with the words, "Kailey Andersen... will you marry me?"

         "Yes!" cried Kailey. Thank heaven I'm not choking this time, she thought.