Take Time To Dream
This story was originally run in a shorter version in Star Magazine (September 1998) under the name Marlaine M. Rathman.
Short Fiction
“I had many dreams of your father before I actually met him.”
Jennifer couldn’t help but recall her mother’s often-repeated story, especially when she had just such a dream last night.
“I couldn’t quite remember what he looked like once I woke up and it was always disappointing – until I saw your father’s wonderful face for the first time. Then it was as though I’d seen his face every day of my life.” Her mother’s story always had that part in it. Mom was lucky.
Jen’s dream had to be a product of her mother’s legend and her own upcoming thirtieth birthday. If only it hadn’t been so incredibly real! She could almost taste his kiss on her lips. Unfortunately for Jen, she could remember every detail of his very wonderful face. And body.
The first dream “glimpse” of him had been on the innocent side. He’s come out of a private residence, alone, around midnight, looking less than happy. He walked briskly past her but stopped. Turning around, his gaze focused on her as though looking at a strange apparition.
“Who are you?” he demanded. He stepped toward her with a hand reaching out to her, pleading for an answer. “Why are you following me?”
Just as his long fingers almost touched her arm, Jennifer woke up!
She paced for an hour afterwards with the feeling she’d seen him many times before. Dark blond hair and smoldering green eyes mesmerized her in a way no one in real life did. In the days that followed, Jen wished for the bliss of forgetfulness. His image was seared into her brain.
After that first brief “vision”, each subsequent encounter with the stranger grew more intimate, intense, and real. This last one almost shoved her over the edge, screaming – for more!
She’d found herself in his house, moving toward his bedroom. It was late and he, with hair tousled, was asleep in the middle of a double bed. She glided into bed with him, kissing him awake. His arms automatically encircled her and his lips were responding to her with a …
Jennifer had to call her Mom. Enough was enough. Too much, in fact.
As she dialed the phone, Jen chided herself with, “Maybe, if you’d just married your childhood sweetheart like everyone expected – maybe you wouldn’t be such a KOOK! A divorcee or a murderer, perhaps – but not a kook!”
“Hello!” Her mother’s greeting was always cheerful. This time it was also irritating.
“Hi Mom.” Without meandering, Jen asked what was foremost in her mind. “How long did you have those dreams about Pop before you actually met him?”
“Ahhhhhhhhhh…… About a year and a half.”
Jen groaned.
“What’s wrong honey? Oh! Are you having them?”
“Fraid so.” Jennifer pursed her lips.
“Well, prepare yourself, Jenny doll. Your Grandmother went through the same thing.”
“A year and a half – of absolute torture?”
“How long have you been having them?”
“A month,” Jen whined.
Her mom laughed. “When you’ve been with him for forty years, you’ll laugh at how long a year and a half seemed. Enjoy the anticipation.”
“If I manage to live through it,” Jennifer grumbled. “You know, Mom, I didn’t think I wanted to have a serious relationship – until these dreams started. Now this nameless stranger is as real as anyone I actually know. At times, I feel I know him well enough to pick up the phone and dial his number, if I could just remember it.”
“Well, that’s how you know he’s the one for you. So be patient, hon. He’s on the way, so to speak. Oh, and welcome to Clan Coven.” That eyebrow of her Mom’s must be raised in sarcastic amusement, Jen imagined.
After the conversation, Jennifer wasn’t exactly willing to be patient and sit around waiting. She wanted to know if there was a name for this phenomenon and whether it ever happened to anyone else but the weird women of her family. Where could she find out? The library was about the best place to start.
On the hurried drive over, she mentally listed what it might be. Precognition. Esp. Maybe the dreams were really out-of-body experiences – that would explain why he seemed surprised to “see” her. Yet, one of the dreams was like a premonition of the future with a baby girl sleeping in a crib in a cozy nursery. That dream really shook her up since she’d convinced herself there would be no children in her future. Surprisingly, she ached to hold that – her – dream baby.
Once in the library, Jennifer zeroed in on the aisle of books dealing with strange phenomenon and paranormal experiences. There were a lot more books on the subject than she cared to read. Which ones held a key to understanding what she was going through? Maybe none. Jen was beginning to wonder why she was wasting her time.
As she held one of the books, a tingling sensation coursed through her. A feeling of anticipation made her look up.
Someone was looking at her from the other side of the shelf.
Smoldering, hypnotic green eyes stared at her through the gap between books left on the shelf. Those eyes – his eyes!
Jennifer heard a thud from his side that sounded like a book hitting the floor.
He did not relinquish eye contact with her.
He said in a whisper, “Who are you?”
“Jennifer,” was all she could say.
“Have you ever seen me before?” His voice was even harder to hear now.
“Yes.”
“Thank God,” his words came out shaking with the breath he’d been holding. He closed his eyes and held them shut for a long moment. “I was beginning to – well, if you’ve seen me then you know how confusing it’s been? You are real, aren’t you – I’m not hallucinating now, am I?”
“No – you’re not. And – yes – I know how confusing and …” Jennifer could feel the blush set her face on fire. If he was relieved to hear she’s seen him, then he must have seen and felt certain things she had. His eyes grew darker as he obviously began recalling a few of those intense moments, too. “I’m not sure how real any of this is, but… I am real,” she finished. “Who are you?”
“Nick.” He stretched his hand out through a gap in the shelf.
Jennifer slowly touched one of his fingers with hers. Then took his hand. “I was afraid I’d wake up and this dream would end.”
“Strange, I was never asleep when I saw you.”
“I was never awake.” There was shakiness in her voice.
He squeezed her hand, saying, “Maybe we can make a dream come true for both of us.”
