I pull the string that attaches to the light on the ceiling of the garage. I am not partial to bruising my shins on all the piles of boards and equipment that, I know, are piled helter-skelter everywhere. The harsh bulb leaves dark shadows on the edges of the room, but I can see what I came for. Wire. Copper wire.
I tiptoe across the concrete floor in my bare feet. They leave perfect wet and muddy prints behind.
I probably should have talked to my mother and changed before coming out here, but I am very excited about wrapping this rock.
Footsteps come down the stairs and through the living room. They thump to the basement door just as I reach the table where the wire collection rests. I snatch a spool of the thinnest kind that I can find.
“Love! Why are you in the garage?” I freeze. She pauses, then her voice yanks back into motion.
“Oh, whatever. Just don’t take forever. We need to talk. But change your wet clothes first. Actually, take a shower. I can smell you from here. Hurry! I’ll make supper and then we can talk.”
I groan and slouch. “I don’t need a shower, Mom. I am perfectly clean. “
The dishes start clanging in the kitchen. “Oh really? When was the last time you had one?”
I think back, and realize that my memory is blank for the last month. I groan.
“Exactly. You don’t remember. But let me tell you, I had to help you do it and you were not very co-operative.”
“That’s gross Mom!”
She come to the door and spots me in the shadows that dominate the corners of the garage. “You better step on it unless you want me to tell you all the other things I had to help you with. You could barely feed yourself. The worst thing was . . . “
I interrupt her before this gets too out of hand. I can hear the teasing edge in her voice. “I am going. I’m going. Jeeze!”
I carefully run to the garage door and dash past her, bumping into her shoulder. She gives me the mom look and I wince.
“Sorry!”
I run for the shower and, with a yelp, almost slip on the stairs. Of course, she hears me.
“Be careful Love! You’ll put a hole in the wall!”
I yell back. “Okay Mom!”
I slow down. Barely. When I get in my room, I rip some clothes out of my dresser and toss my newest pebble and my copper wire onto my desk. Then I slip down the hall and into the shower.
Ten minutes later, as hot water runs down my face, I wonder why I resisted this in the first place. I love showers! Of course, a book and a long bath are great too but, hey, you gotta compromise sometimes.
When the hot water stops coming, I squeeze into my dry clothes and walk down the stairs. Mom is waiting at the bar with grilled cheese and tomato soup. I slip onto a stool across from her and flip my long, wet hair over my shoulder.
“This looks good Mum!”
She raises an eyebrow. “Ok.”
I grin at her, making her look more suspicious.
“Why are you in such a good mood?”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
I think about how to answer. “I don’t know, I guess.”
She grabs a grilled cheese of the plate and takes a bite.
“Did Nightshade find you?” she says with her mouth full.
I grab my own sandwich and dip it in the tomato soup.
“Yep. He did. We had a short talk too. I don’t think he will be coming back though.” My voice sounds rather sad at the end of that sentence. Luckily, mom asks no questions.
“What now? You do know you can’t go back to rescue work, right?”
My mind drifts to all the times that me, my dad, Nightshade, and my brother went on missions together. I was fun, yes, but suddenly I don't long for it. My eyes refocus to find my mother staring me down.
“No, Mom. I won’t be rescuing anybody. I will just have to figure out what to do now. I am done with school, so that won’t take up time. Maybe I’ll get a job.”
I was homeschooled and graduated high school when I was fifteen. All I ever did or wanted to do was save people. Now, I guess I don’t need to prove myself, so I don’t feel the need to do it anymore. I don't know. I can't explain it to myself or anyone else. Oh well.
She sighs with relief (I think). “Good. Well, the doctors say you shouldn’t have any side effects from your bump on the head. The only thing that worried them was your lack of memory. Since you are back though, I don’t think we will have any problems.”
I grin, than glance at her. “Good! You will let me find my new purpose though, right?”
She leans onto the counter and looks me right in the eyes. “Wouldn’t dream of stopping you, Love.”
I set my untouched sandwich on the plate and walk around the bar to give her a hug. “Love you mum.”
She squeezes me tight and takes a deep breath. “Love you more.”
Mum pauses a moment and releases me. “Eat your soup and sandwich.” She smacks me on the bum as I turn, but I just grin.
As the moon rises, we talk about the weather, the food, and what we will eat for breakfast tomorrow. Oh, and mom gives me a giant list of chores to do. Yay. It seems she is already afraid I will have too much free time.
That night, I was aware of sleeping on my very own bed for the first time in over a month. It was heaven. I had my favorite fuzzy blanket, my perfectly firm pillow. My alarm was set, my next day was planned. Everything was just the way I liked it. But sleep would not come.
Instead of sleep, I dreamed. I pictured all the ways my life could go. Artist? Welder? Champion swimmer?
I picture a small bakery off of a green square in a small, quaint town where I could know each of my customers personally. Where I could spend my days icing cake and smelling fresh baked bread. The floor of this bakery was honey colored, freshly waxed, wood. Small tables were scattered in front of the counter. They all had silver and blue marble tops and all were accompanied by the tall, spinning stools I had been enchanted with since I was a child.
There would be one random person each day that I would let pick one thing to have for free. Just for the fun of it. The walls would be cream colored and the one nearest the door would have a large chalkboard for each customer to write their name on as they left. Of course, the ancient wooden door would make a deep, softly ringing bell chime each time it was opened. I would learn to make fancy designs in the coffee with cream. What was that called?
Each special person who walked through that oaken door would leave a little more full, a little more motivated, and maybe a little happier.
I saw a petting zoo where kids who lived in the city could come and play with animals – maybe for the first time. The wonder in their eyes would be contagious. There would be an acre or so of fenced in habitat that all the animals would share. Not only would they all be friendly and tame, finding the animals would be like a game of hide and seek.
I would have baby bunnies, kid goats, mini ponies, chickens, mini cows, parrots, and turtles. The sun would shine, there would be popsicles and ice cream, and laughter would echo down the stone paths.
I picture a ranch style house, with lots of property that includes woods, hills, valleys, fields, creeks, a pond, and a huge garden. Kids flow through the house like a river, ranging in age from toddlers to teens. Blond hair, dark hair, short, tall, blue eyes, green eyes, brown eyes. Dirty feet, wet clothes, and muddy hair are normal. They are to be cherished, because one day they will be gone.
Puppies, kittens, horses, cows, chickens, rabbits, and all other manner of creatures roam the farm, the children's best friends. The animals challenge each child to be responsible, to have patience, to give second chances, to keep trying even when life is hard.
Each child has a different gift whether it is for math or singing, drawing or building. They fight, yes, but they get over it. The big ones help the small ones. The small ones look up to the big ones. Every one of them is full of ideas and ambition. Some people may say their goals in life are impossible. Some may say they are crazy. But they are mine, and let’s be real, they get it honest. They will know that what is thought to be impossible is always possible, with God.
After all that dreaming, after all that thinking, sleep took me. I dreamed all night long.