I had just managed to gain my bearings, eyes seeing double, no, triple of the woman in her nightgown in front of me. I shook my head, smiled a perfect smile at her hello and polite greeting, and responded with a jaunty wave, bending over backwards on my horse, hair flying towards the ground so I saw her upside down. "Good evening, Cadenza! How are you this fine fine evening? Fine, I hope?"

Cadenza blinked at me and took a half-step back before she swallowed and replied, "Well up until this point I was sleeping pretty well..."

"Silly Cadenza!" I laughed, a genuine, not so crazy laugh. Rare for me. "You're still asleep!"

"So it's a dream?" The beautiful gypsy raised an eyebrow conspicuously. "But..."

"Or Nor And! See I can spout conjunctions too!"

She smiled, but it wasn't a real smile. It was forced, sweet with fake amusement and acceptance. I'd seen it many, many times before.

Did you beat the Vandibrough child?

Yes, Father... I beat him by a full letter grade...

That's my boy!

"Why did you bring me here, Marcus?" she asked, not budging an inch.

"Whyyy?" I repeated her question. Why did I bring you? These are shadows of things that have passed. Things I wished for. I jumped off my horse, giggling and clapping my hands together. "So we could have some fun of course!"

"This..." She gestured to my world I'd created, "is your idea of fun?"

"Welll...." I droned, swinging around on a pole on the outside of the carousel. "What would you suggest?"

"Maybe a gypsy music festival," the woman mused, "with places to dance."

I chuckled at her expression and it was done. The carnival gone, nameless gypsies filled the void, of all ages and sizes, and with another thought the two of us were clothed in traditional gypsy garb. Not something I was used to, but I didn't really mind.

"Could you make a few booths do rock music too?" She was almost smiling now.

I nodded, and again it was done. It wasn't hard. Then she asked something I did not expect.

"What would you like, Marcus? You like dancing?"

I was silent, stunned for a brief moment with a lack of words. "I don't know these dances," I heard myself reply after a moment of quiet reflection, "Why would you ask me that?"

"Well, you were... were making all these things come true for me. I thought if we were both going to be here there might be something for you too."

I stared at her. Did she really mean that? Something for me? I had not had something for me in quite some time. Hadn't deserved it. "Something... for me." I repeated, this time outloud. "I like to be with you." That wasn't expected. I'd have to remedy that.