She holds Alvin until he falls asleep and thinks about how he could possibly know John’s name. John is another space and time.

She starts thinking she might be in some kind of coma. Perhaps, she was driving and hit her head somehow in an accident. She pinches herself, but it feels so real. She looks in the mirror, tempted to even put a needle in her eye to prove nothing is real but of course pansies out. She laughs at herself. There is nothing more she can do.

Edward knocks on the bathroom door. “Are you okay hunny?”

“Yes, I am fine. I’ll be into bed in a minute my love!” she says.

She takes a hard look at herself and heads to bed.

She is startled by Alvin tugging on her nightgown. It is morning.

“Mommy, I have to  catch the bus!”

“Okay, Okay!” She rushes to the fridge and pulls out a pre-made lunch.

“Thanks, Mom!”

Edward left to work as always. Peaceful as a a dove. He always kisses her goodbye, and she never wakes somehow.

She spends time in the garden, making sure the crops are tended to and watered. She weeds and plants straight row like Edwards asked this year. Everything is organized is a particular fashion. She has come accustomed to this kind of old lifestyle. In fact, sort of enriched by it. But she always feels a guilt because it seems like she left a family behind in the future. Reality seems to be nothing more than something she has to figure out inside her own mind.

She cooks a splendid meal, full of love. She doesn’t know what else to do but trust her instincts that there could be nothing wrong in right-doing. Edwards adores her. Alvin adores her. And everything seems perfect until the night comes and dreams collide with reality to from nightmares.

Alvin and she are repeatedly awakened by nightmares of the past, as if there is something they have left behind. As if, someone is reaching out to them in a past or future life.  Maybe it is from another dimension. Who knows? But the message is clear and stored in the memory after the mind is awake. That is, highly unusual. And extremely emotional to deal with.

She holds Alvin as he tremors in his sleep. He speaks softly. He runs from something. She stills awake and it is three in the morning. She doesn’t care. Anything to make him feel okay. She brushes his hair, and he becomes quiet.