Being an only child, Elise usually loved having her parents visit, especially for her birthday, but this year felt different. It wasn't that she didn't want them there, but she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she was supposed to be somewhere else. She felt like Alice in Wonderland, her favorite childhood movie, lost. In a haze, she went through the motions of spending her birthday afternoon and evening together with her beloved parents. Elise hated feeling this way, this disconnect from her family, especially since it had been several months since she had seen them. She tried to act normal, but evidently, at least in some way, this feeling was noticeable to her mother.
"What's troubling you, sweetheart?" her mom asked, concern furrowing her brow the instant her father had retired to her kitchen to make some decaf coffee, his and her mother's evening ritual for years.
"I don't know," Elise sighed heavily and shrugged quickly. "It's the guy I told you about earlier, I guess, that I went on a date with last night."
"Oh? You seemed like you were quite smitten with him."
Elise couldn't help but smile from her mom's choice of words.
"I am," she agreed. "It's just..." she trailed off. "I had this really weird dream about him last night," she spoke in a hushed tone so her father couldn't hear her from the other room.
"What was it about?"
Just then Elise's phone buzzed, a text message.
"Happy birthday! I hope you had a great day with your parents."
Danny. Tears sprung to her eyes instantly and she immediately felt even crazier. There was no hiding her reaction with her mother sitting directly across from her on the couch.
"In God's name, Elise! What is it?"
"It's him," she held up the phone for her mom to read, fighting back tears. She waited as her mom quickly read the message.
"Why is that making you upset?" her mother asked quietly.
"I don't know," Elise choked back a sob. "None of it makes any sense. I just met him, Danny, 2 weeks ago when I started this job. But I feel...Tied to him, somehow," her words hung in the air, but her mother made no move to speak.
"You promise not to think I'm crazy?" Elise asked with hope in her voice.
"I would never think you're crazy," her mom replied automatically. Elise wasn't sure whether she believed her any more when she said that.
"I had this dream last night. With Danny. We were out in the middle of the woods," she started.
"That does sound like you," her mom smiled.
"We were at a stream and I started splashing these two boys. Our boys," she whispered, still trying valiantly to hold her tears back.
"It felt so real, mom."
"What happened next?" she had her mom's full attention.
"A wall of water came and swept us all away," Elise buried her head in her hands, letting the sobs take over. It felt almost as real explaining it as it did dreaming it.
"What do you think that means?" she finally looked up at her mother, red-eyed.
"I don't know, sweetheart," she spoke quietly, but truthfully. "Either you have an over-active imagination or it's a sign," she shrugged the same resigned way Elise did when she was just completely baffled.
"Regardless, I wouldn't think about it too much," her mom continued. "It's only going to cause you grief," her mom looked at her seriously. "New relationships are supposed to be a fun time. Don't let it get to you," she leaned in and hugged Elise. "I know it can be scary, but have fun," she insisted, leaning away from her and parting her shoulders. "Don't let one little nightmare get in the way of that."
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