Try the pain test.

I poked at my left cheek. Oh yeah, that still hurt. Definitely not a dream.

I heard what sounded like the flutter of a wing. Multiple wings for that matter. Like when a dog runs into a flock of pigeons, and they all take off at once. I whipped my head around, trying to see what was making the noise. All around me was only the fog, and in the distance that one silvery light.

I stepped towards it, the sound of wings fading rapidly in the distance as I progressed. The fog seemed to lighten, and off in the distance I could make out the soft, silvery glow once more. It emanated from a clearing in the fog, wide and silent. The street ran in both directions down the middle of it, and ahead there was a glowing effigy. It seemed to radiate upward, like a sun rising from the sea. The soft colors of blues and greens mixed with that silvery glow. It floated there for a moment, before rapidly folding shut like a fan, leaving only the dim light filtering in.

And then I heard what sounded like a Glenn Frey song.

Dah Dah Daaaaah....

Dah Dah duh DAAAAAAh...

Dah dah Dahhh...

I Recognized it instantly. I was the saxophone riff from "You Belong to the City" Anybody who lived with a saxophone player knew that one by heart.

"Don't ask any questions." I heard Kaila's voice, distinct in my ear. I spun, expecting to find her at my shoulder, but everywhere was only the fog and this one patch of road. "Don't even ask if it's me, you know it's me."

There it was, her profile at least. A distance off, but still instantly recognizable to me, I noticed her shape. She had stepped from behind one of the tall objects that I could barely make out in the fog. She seemed ready for one of her jazz performances, with her hair done up like she usually did in such cases and her long bla... wait... her dress wasn't black. She was dressed in dazzling white, with a gown that looked like nothing I had ever seen her wear. She always wore a black dress for the corporate events. Helped keep the jazz combo uniform, made the music just part of the background.

She moved towards me, and I couldn't help but noticed how beautiful she looked. She was everything I had loved, but somehow, magnified. Each step forward brought a realization that I was standing in the middle of the road, in the middle of town, and hadn't seen a single soul, except for her. Her saxophone was slung casually, and she held it with one hand, making the motion seem effortless.

"I really, really like having an instrument for a change." She smiled at me, her eyes full of that warmth I had grown to love over the years. But there was something else within them, something deeper and more knowing. "I know, this is happening fast, but that's how things happen. You think things are going smooth, and suddenly in a moment everything changes."

She walked up to me calmly, not taking her eyes off of me. With her free hand she stretched her hand out and touched my cheek. She slid her fingers across it, pushing her fingers back to intertwine in my hair. She brought her lips against mine and I noted that her updo was far more elaborate than normal, with shades of color that I had never seen before. The honey blonde of her hair highlighted by actual gold.

She kissed me softly, a kiss that showed all of the tenderness she had ever shown me throughout our marriage. Through the hardest times, through the best. I remembered why I loved her so much.