Careful Wishes - 10thDoM RoM You Gotta Be Careful What You Wish For Here

John stood up from the bench and walked toward the fountain as the haggard old man for whom Elle had created an imaginary lifetime began hobbling his way down the brick walkway and into the night. She followed John and as she watched the old man wander away, taking her created life with him.

"Do you make wishes?" John asked as he handed Elle a shiny copper penny. Elle took the warm piece of metal and closed her fingers around it, closed her eyes and made a wish.

"Not really," she lied for no reason at all as she rubbed the penny between her forefinger and thumb and then began switching fingers. She liked the way the penny felt in her hand. It was small yet strong.

Elle wished for many things. This one penny couldn't begin to hold them all, but she felt herself sending wish after wish with all the mental force she could muster down into the shiny copper circle. It was silly, she knew, but it made her feel good to pretend.

"Not on stars or coins or birthday candles?" he asked.

"Maybe... Maybe I wished for you."

"For me?"

"But I don't even know you so I don't know if you're what I wished for yet."

"Why would you wish for me?"

"I don't know that it's you I wished for. You could be what I wished not."

"Wished not?"

"Maybe running into you has made me miss my wish."

"So you do wish?"

"Not really."

John just smiled. She thought he had a beautiful smile. It quirked up to the left and there was a perfect little dimple there. His deep brown eyes sparkled under the starry skies and street lamps, and even though she didn't usually like brown eyes, preferring a grey-blue or hazel instead, she liked his. Or maybe she liked the way she felt while she was with him enough to overlook that small thing.

"What do you wish for, Johnny Boy?" Elle teased.

He raised his eyebrows to challenge her tease but smiled anyhow.

"World peace."

"That's ridiculous. I can't even find self peace."

"But that's what everyone's supposed to wish for, right?"

"I guess. It just seems a waste."

"But it's WORLD PEACE!" John's voice raised and his arms flew wide as he let out a big laugh and threw his arms around Elle.

Elle looked up at him. It was a moment. A moment that could change her whole plan. Maybe just for today, or maybe for a week, or maybe forever. That was too much to think about right now as her heart pounded and she half-heartedly attempted to pull away. He didn't let go. She pressed her lips together tightly, shied her eyes, and quirked up her own crooked smile.

"What would you wish for me?" John asked.

She didn't know how to answer or she didn't want to. It didn't matter. She knew what was going to happen, and it was what she wished for from the moment she first saw him even though she knew it was a dangerous path to follow.

Elle tilted her face toward John's, lifted a little onto her tip-toes, and kissed him.





Careful Wishes

Careful wishes
Don’t come around
Like August dreams at noon
They fall to the side
And can’t decide
If they’ll obey the moon

Speak your dreams
And never dare
To let love flail
Or fail to unpair

We cast our wishes
Across the pond
Into the wishing well
We wait for miracles
To be seen
Or hope to cast a spell

Speak your dreams
And never dare
To let love flail
Or fail to unpair

Oh, careful wishes
Fly high to the sky
At 2 o’clock in the afternoon
They light on clouds
And seek no grounds
But often fall too soon