Be Careful What You Wish For - Champagne Chall. #178 - PG-13

[allegrita]

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The plot is the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's note: Written for the "Star Light, Star Bright" Champagne Challenge, #178. Rated PG-13.

Be Careful What You Wish For

“Star light, star bright,” Ray said. We were forking up a dinner of tasteless K rations, sitting on the ground next to a Jeep, somewhere in Italy.

I looked up. “Whatcha wishin’ for?”

Ray grinned, his cheeks going red. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

I chuckled. He had been missing Lilah like crazy. He had this wistful look on his face as he gazed up at the darkening sky.

“I want a wish, too,” I said. “Someday, I want to find a girl who’ll love me the way Lilah loves you.”

“Man, I hope you do,” Ray said. “She’s one in a million, Mick.”

Ten months later, I was lying on the grass in Ray’s back yard with my head in Lilah’s lap.

“Star light, star bright,” Lilah said. There was a little catch in her voice.

I reached up to cup her cheek. It was wet. “I miss him too, honey,” I said. “If I could trade places with him, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

“I know. I just… I’m not sorry about us, Mick, honest. But I miss him so damn much,” she said.

Three months after that, she got her wish.

Damn star, anyway.

[MickLifeCrisis]

Short, but powerful. (And I have to say, I love the image of Mick with his head in Lilah's lap. )

Great response to the challenge, Alle!

[cassysj]

I love this! You do have to be careful what you wish for.

[Luxe de Luxe]

Yikes. That was a punch in the gut, Alle. I really felt that, as poor Mick himself did. He got his wish too, though. It just took a little longer.

[choccyterri]

This goes to prove that you don't need a million words to say something powerful Alle. It's beautifully timed. I love it. Thank you for sharing! And woo for your muse!!

[Lucy]

that hurt in all the right places......

[allegrita]

MickLifeCrisis, cassysj, Luxe de Luxe, choccyterri, and Lucy, thank you all so much for your wonderful comments! This little voiceover came to me one evening, and I hurried to write it down before it floated away. I see it as taking place a few years after Ray came back, but long before Mick met Coraline. I figure he had a few years when he felt pretty hopeless about ever finding happiness. So by the time he met Coraline, he was ripe to be swept off his feet, so to speak... poor guy.

Thanks so much for reading my story and giving me your comments. I really appreciate them very much.