Daniel's Dream Read Online Free PDF Page A

vivid descriptions and strong narrative drive, were like a drug to Lisanne, who thrived on such material. She interrupted and interposed at pertinent moments and, in her own clever yet subtle way, managed to shape the stories as they emerged from his lips, as a good editor might shape words upon a page.
     
    Daniel was aware of and impressed by this unusual ability, and warmed to her immediately. With Lisanne there he felt both completely at ease - as if he were telling his stories to a close friend - and oddly excited, as if such tales were part of some sophisticated mating ritual, the outcome of which would determine his future. She had a potent effect on him and as the evening progressed he became more and more entranced by her.
     
    Lisanne too was transfixed. Here was someone with passions as strong as hers, who lived life on the edge, barely impinging upon normal, everyday society. Combined with his energy and acceptable good looks, she found the mix very appealing. So it came as no surprise to their mutual friends when they discovered, two weeks later, that Lisanne and Daniel had been seen out together several times and that there was even talk of the two of them moving in together.
     
    Within a year they were married.
     
    Despite the forebodings of those who thought neither of them capable of sustaining a long-term relationship, it turned out to be a good match. Daniel's presence gave Lisanne something other than words and books to preoccupy her. Love (and there was never any doubt that it was the real thing) helped curb her work-oriented obsessions and made her both more available and easier to deal with socially. This was seen all round as a good thing.
     
    As for Daniel, Lisanne’s influence was notable, as her greater gentleness, tact and caring nature slowly began to smooth over Daniel’s more abrasive tendencies, making him an altogether more pleasant person.
     
    These changes, pronounced though they were, seemed to act only for the good and in no way detracted from their personalities. Daniel and Lisanne remained as interesting - both individually and collectively - as they had always been, guaranteed to spice up the most lethargic of parties and never short of an opinion or two.
     
    And there seemed no danger of their getting in each other’s way, as Daniel’s work still took him abroad every few weeks, thus guaranteeing the all-important ‘personal space’ they both needed. It worked perfectly. Five years on they were still together, still an item: still married.
     
    But for how much longer?
     
    In the bedroom, Lisanne slipped on her dressing gown and, determined not to let this latest contretemps boil over into something more unpleasant, went down to join him.
     
    ‘It’s still very early,’ she said as she entered the kitchen to find Daniel sitting at the table, head in hand. A fresh cup of tea sat on the table opposite him. She sat down and reached for the cup, keeping her eyes on him the whole time. There was something about him this morning, something about his pose, the way he sat, that disturbed her. She didn’t like it one bit.
     
    ‘Daniel?’
     
    ‘Hmm?’
     
    ‘I’m sorry... for being silly.’
     
    Daniel looked up and attempted a smile, not very successfully. He reached out across the table and took Lisanne by the hand.
     
    ‘You don’t need to apologise to me. You have absolutely nothing to apologise for. We both know it’s me, we both know that I’m the one who is acting like a complete bastard, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I’ve had to say “I’m sorry” so many times in the last six months that I’m sick to death of the words, I would be apologising again.’
     
    Lisanne squeezed his hand tightly. They had been through this same scene several times lately, repeated the same dialogue with minor variations, the same excuses and reasons. Sympathies had been exchanged, words of tenderness and