"He knows it. I tell him again and again that you two hadn't even met before dreaming all of that up." It was cruel to say, painful to feel his song stutter, but the message had to be driven home. "The lack of puppy around has been bothering him as well."

"But if .." Isaac looked up at her. "Make it not a dream? We can bring Alfred! Yes?"

"Isaac.." Bach shouldn't have brought him. "Don't be silly. Essie is just another woman. She is the one we got your guitar from, remember? That's real." Only that.