When it came to the results of the few tests they did run on Jadish, Sax wasn'tinformed. Felt like they were purposely keeping him in the dark. He remembered approaching the doctor, inquiring about his wife’s condition.

The Doctor’s pompous behind said, “I
know she’s your wife. But Jadish gave me specific instructions. She said not to tell anyone her medical business.”

The Doctor looked an angry Sax deeply in the eyes. “…Especially you.”

Pushing the doctor to the back of his mind, Sax said, shaking away the brief, got-him-nowhere-meeting with the doctor, “Mind telling me about these nightmares. When did you start
having them?”

Jadish said, “Don’t talk to me, Sax.”

He averted his face, his temples twitching. “This is lunacy. You’re treating me like the enemy,” he said helplessly.

She glared at him, too weak to argue. “When you broke my painting that really hurt me.”

“I’m sorry. But you give it more attention than me.”

“It’s a painting, Sax. Not another man.”

He was being stubborn, hitting the left
signal and getting over into the left lane to merge onto the Turnpike.

“The painting has another man in it, and you stare at his chest like it’s a dick or something.”

She was laughing bitterly. “Oh my God! It’s a painting of the Dead Christ for crying out loud. Christ died for you and me…”

“Well cry out in silence and tell me what the fuck is going on? What are these dreams? Tell me. I’m your husband.”

He’s right. I’m making him suffer for something I don’t understand. What do I say? Where do I begin?

“I have dreams, Sax. Of a man in black. I wear white. He’s chasing me through some wet grass. God always splits the Jordan River. In the middle of the turf lies a woman being deflowered by a man...Her face is black and her hair is flames.”

He was looking at her slowly. “Are you serious? Are you making this up to cover the truth?”
“Yes, Sax. I’m telling the truth.”

His mind was racing. “It’s just a dream, Jadish…”

“Sax. It’s a dream I’ve been having for three years plus. The same dream. It’s like my heart is trying to tell me something. You wouldn’t know of them because I can count the number of times you slept in the bed with me: hardly ever. You sleep on the Lazy Boy with the remote in your lap.”

“Is the girl in the middle of the turf you?”

“No. She’s someone I can’t see. I also had a cap with a tassel dangling from it on my head in the dream. The man has a big red X over his face.I ran into my high school. I don’t know why.”

“I don’t know what to say. But what does that painting have to do with anything.”

“In the dream the woman loses her virginity. She’s asleep or something. So I painted the Dead Christ after waking up one morning from having the dream to commemorate the death of her innocence.”

Sax said, “Damn. I’m sorry, baby. That’s what the painting meant to you?”

Hot tears falling down her face.

“Yes. And you destroyed it.”

He felt like shit. I have to patch things up with my wife before I lose her.

Everything has changed.

“I’m sorry.”

She touched his hand and he looked at her then turned his eyes back on the road.

“Sorry don’t cut it this time.”