Nightmares

"Want to move to Key West?"

"Hmm?" My husband woke up.

"It's a canal front, gutted, fixer upper. Bank owned. I'll go put a bid on it, just say the word."

"Huh?" he rolled over. "What is?"

"The house is. I have family there you know. Well it's on Saddlebunch Keys actually. 75 by 75 lot. I saw it online today on my lunch break."

"What about horses?" he asked. I rolled over and sighed. "What's wrong?" I made grumbling noises in protest until he pressed me further.

"I don't know... Sometimes... Sometimes I think it'd be easier without them", I added, "I mean on you."

"I don't mind. And you'd be sad without them."

"Well and sometimes... Sometimes I... I get... worried. About..."

"About?"

"About... riding, showing. All that time I spend. And money. But..."

"But?"

"You know... I never... admit when I'm... scared. What if I fail? Maybe it'd be better to go to Key West. We could get a great deal on that house and fix it up." My husband made a grunt of disbelief. "Well... I could sit on the beach, drink margaritas while you fix it up. Anyway, maybe it'd be easier. We could get easier jobs, live for the moment, forget horses." I paused. "I want to succeed. But maybe it'd be easier if I don't even try."

"Of course you are going to succeed." He said with certainty.

"I am? How do you know?"

"You take horses seriously. It is more than just a hobby. "

"Ya, I guess." I said.

"All I heard about in college was 'horses this' and 'horses that'. You ride every day. You take lots of lessons. You are always at the barn. You have a high level instructor," my normally non-communicative husband explained, "and a lot of friends. Weren't you just telling me how good your horses are? Other people are always trying to buy them." Yes, I've been known to tell tall-tales, I thought. But he continued, "You are completely set up to succeed. I know you will. You are the bravest person I know. I believe in you." He sounded completely serious.

"Oh?" I said more brightly. I was suddenly glad I brought it up.

He gave me a hug and yawned. "But success will have to wait. Right now I'd like to get to sleep."

Key West will have to wait too, I thought.