Dream Walker

Chapter 40 | My Thoughts on You

The aroma of fried eggs hung heavy in the air when Callie awoke. A smile grew on her face as she saw her mom swaying around the kitchen to soft music. For a moment, she was a kid again. Her mind was filled with memories of sleeping in on Saturdays, eating a big home-cooked breakfast, then venturing out to run errands with her mom. If not for the modern layout of the apartment, she could almost imagine she was in her childhood home.

"Good morning," she said, more enthusiasm in her tone than most mornings. The trip to see her mom had definitely been a good idea.

"Good morning," Corinne sang back. Her loose pajamas flowed around her body as she turned. She chuckled softly when she saw Callie. "I see your hair is still a mess when you wake up. You always did have the worst bedhead."

"Way to make a girl feel ugly first thing in the morning," Callie grumbled.

Her hand reflexively moved up to pat her hair, knowing her mom was right. She grabbed her sweatshirt from the arm of the blue paisley couch and shrugged it on.

"You're always beautiful, sweetheart. Even with that bird's nest on your head."

She shook her head, laughing at her mom's comment. A quick trip to the bathroom to rearrange the knots in her hair seemed enough to stop the teasing. When she reemerged, she saw another woman standing in the kitchen next to her mom, filling a travel cup with coffee.

"Cal," her mom said, gesturing to the woman, "this is my friend Georgia. I'm a little too old to have a roommate, so I just call her my special friend."

"That's not what that means, mom. And it's nice to meet you. I hope she doesn't drive you too crazy." She nodded to indicate her mom, who looked indignant at Callie's accusation.

"I'll have you know I'm very fun. Isn't that right, Georgia?"

Georgia, dressed in a sleek grey suit, looked amused at their banter. Her blonde hair was arranged in a tight bun, dark roots peeking out in her hairline. Callie recalled that she worked in a law office or something similar. Her appearance suggested a serious professional atmosphere.

"Corinne is certainly fun. As long as your idea of fun is playing board games while watching trashy reality TV or exploring new restaurants."

Callie's mom shrugged, accepting the statement. She asked her 'special friend' if she wanted any eggs before she left, but Georgia declined, saying goodbye to both of them on her way out.

"How about you?" Corinne asked. "Not too old for eggs and toast prepared by your favorite mother?"

"Your favorite daughter would never turn that down."

They took seats opposite each other at the wooden dining table. Though there were four chairs arranged around the hightop table, two plates took up most of the available space. On one of her many voicemail messages, Corinne had mentioned buying the table secondhand. Assorted scratch marks and grooves decorated the wood surface.

Despite the delicious taste of the food, Callie's stomach was filled with bubbling nausea. Would it be better to rip the bandaid off and risk sounding crazy so early in the morning? Should she wait and still risk sounding crazy, albeit later in the day?

Deep breath in. Rip off the bandaid.

"I finally found out why I'm...different." After the dam broke, the words began to pour out in a rush. "I know what happened to dad, and why I always had those vivid dreams. Alex, my Guardian—that's an even longer story—says I'm a dream walker who can move between parallel worlds. I can even manipulate some sort of universal magic. Oh, and it's a good thing I kept away, because something or someone might still be after me, and I don't want them coming after you too."