Free From Sleep May Come: Contemporary Romance by Julie Miller

turned his head and glanced at his chief in command. He turned his head to look ahead again. He was like a stone on a dark cloudy snowy day.
     
    He was being let out of the game. He had been forced to move to a different hospital and now, he had discovered a young woman who made him feel alive. His first day went reasonably well and so did his first week. Little did he know that he would meet Rachel Abram. Michael dreamed of talking to Rachel again. She almost moved when he had sung Samantha’s favorite song. Now, she was like everything else that was gone. It upset Michael that Rachel would no longer exist in his life, he gritted his teeth and said, “stupid bastards”.
     
    Chief Anderson understood that his efforts had been a disadvantage to the overall case. Anderson waited for Michael Randall to exit his office. When Michael finally did, Anderson did not make a call this time. He did what any other upset man would do, not knowing how to help out a dear friend. He looked to the ceiling.
     
     
     

A Perfect Woman
     
    Everything was mighty terrific. Rachel Abram finally waked up after two weeks when Michael had spoken into her ear. She had memories but she had not been aware whether she was simply dreaming. Mrs. Abram went out to the grocery store to buy cupcakes. There was to be a celebration! Her daughter finally woke up from a coma state of mind. Mr. Abram called the entire family relatives to share the good news. Dr. Reese was happy too but he rarely smiled about the case. He knew that Michael Randall had done all of the magic. It was not fair that the lonely good hearted doctor was receiving no thanks or pleasure of being with his second love. Instead, he nearly was fired from the medical community and it upset him that the Abram parents caused him even more grief. As a good doctor, he refused to speak his mind openly because he too did not want any trouble.
     
    “Okay, Rachel. How are you feeling this morning?” Reese said as he avoided eye contact.
     
    “Oh doctor! She is perfect. She does not have any memory loss. Isn’t that lovely, doctor?” Mrs. Abram spoke with a cheerful optimistic mood. Reese looked to the vanilla cupcakes with blue frosting that sat open on the counter.
     
    Dr. Reese just nodded as in agreement.
     
    “Thank you so much. I’m happy to be alive without a life support machine.” Rachel said with hesitation. Something was not right. Someone was missing. A man who spoke of a Paris themed café just down the street. He spoke of a wife who was… who was very ill. No, wait. His wife, Sam is mentally ill. Things were starting to come back. Should she ask about the guy? She felt herself twitch. She stared at her gleeful parents. Her father was hugging his wife. And everything was as it should be but without the sleep.
     
    “Who’s Randall?” The random question had caught everyone by surprise. Reese no longer minded eye contact. He stared with all certainly that she had woken up only because of Michael. Mrs. Abram said, “nobody, honey” and then nodded her head in disgust. Dr. Reese stared at his patient then to the patient’s parents.
     
    “He helped wake you up.” Reese admitted.
     
    Rachel’s mother stated, “No, we did. He was nothing but trouble.” Mr. Abram agreed with his wife. Saying more, “Nobody to worry about. You’re here.”
     
    “But I want to know. I remember him, Mom. Who was he?” Rachel said. She produced the same look in her eyes that spoke of delight combined with sadness.
     
    Dr. Reese continued. “He woke you up.”
     
    “Don’t tell her that. We woke her up. We waited for a year!” Mrs. Abram battled.
     
    An intent for unwanted frustration happened. “No. You just turned that little sad doctor to be even more depressed since the loss of his wife. He spoke with your daughter and now, that is the only reason she has woken up. And I am sorry, thank you for paying me all of the expensive fees. I know you will most likely not recommend