Dream partners: New Dimensions (book 3)

Chapter 10: Decisions not made

Andrea and jay emerged on the other side and found themselves standing in a ruined apocalyptic version of the once proud city of Houston Texas, their home. Andrea said "can you feel her now" and jay said, "yes...I'm reading her recent memories and they're of our house and of you". Andrea said "are you sure they're up to date and he said "yes...it looks like this world's version of you is taking care of her...hmm, I wonder where her family is". Andrea said we can ask questions later for now let's find our baby.

She grabbed jays hand and started walking through the blocks of ruined buildings and streets littered with ruined vehicles and human corpses. Whilst walking Andrea couldn't help but feel the tension between her and her husband, so she stopped and decided to address the elephant in the room right now. Andrea sighed and said "jay before we go any further, I want you to know I didn't mean anything I said last night, you're a wonderful father and this isn't your fault...her powers would've gone critical sooner or later" and jay looked at her and said, "then why did you let those disgusting, hate-filled words ever slip out your mouth". Andrea fell to her knees and said "I was drinking and Well...I let my past kinda put up a wall between me and you over the safety of Victoria".

jay frowned and said "what you don't think I care about her safety as much as you do?... Well newsflash I'm constantly worried about you and Victoria's safety, I just don't show it because you told me to relax and trust you and I have so why can't you let go and trust me?". Andrea said "I don't know, It's a mother thing...and Jay said "well when you say the words I trust you jay" and mean it and show me you mean it then I'm afraid I can't forgive you...I love you, yes but you're dead wrong but I won't hold that against our daughter but if our marriage wants to stay intact this needs to be solved before we leave this dimension".

Andrea sighed and said "okay" as they continued walking until they reached their street and stood in front of a run-down version of their home. Jay walked up and put his key in the lock which surprisingly worked and slowly opened the door and called out for Victoria, who immediately came running into Jay's arms before another Andrea followed behind her and froze. After hugging her father, she looked back and forth at both Andrea's before hugging her father and saying" daddy why are there two mommies?" and jay said, "Victoria you're too young to understand, why don't you go to your room while the adults talk".

After she left the prime Andrea said" okay we need to find a way to tell each other apart first" and the alternate dimension Andrea pulled out a pocket knife and cut a few inches of her hair off and said, "just call me Andi now". Andrea smiled and said "is she alright?" and Andi said "yes she's healthy and her powers are drained.. I just wish I didn't have to watch her leave so soon" and Andrea said "what happened to your family" before instantly regretting asking that question as tears rolled down Andi's face and Paula sat ushered them into the kitchen. Paula said, "forgive her, it's been a touchy subject for her every since the incident . Paula sighed and said "when the bombs hit, one of them happened to land out here and unfortunately it was on the street of the Mendoza house...they were having a party to celebrate Joanna's 80th birthday but sadly Andrea said she'd be late because she had to help Victoria with a project". Jay didn't want to ask what happened next but and Paula saw that they knew where this was going but she continued. Paula said, "the bomb leveled the house and buried everyone in it like a tomb and due to the breakdown of society, help never came to dig them out...so her and jay did but by the time they got to them, they were all dead, including her sister and children".

Andrea said "what about her powers?" and Paula said "celestial gods died after the stars went out and agathor began destroying other universes which left Andrea with little to no power, so she decided to bury them and come back later and bring them back but her priority was getting Victoria to safety". jay said" what about me?" and Paula said" when Agathor's children of aliens invaded, they began to hunt you down so you moved Andrea and Victoria wherever you could to hide them but one day they finally found you guys so you did what you had to...you sacrificed yourself to buy time for them to get away and unfortunately after capturing you, Agathor tortured you in the town square before disintegrating you into ash and there wasn't anything she could do because her powers were useless and she had a child to take care of". Paula teared up and said, "before you died, you told her you always loved her and would wait for the day you guys could meet again but unfortunately her Victoria was next to go".

Paula began to choke up but she forced the rest of it out and said "A few weeks later Victoria became ill and Andrea scoured the whole city looking for medicine for her but there was nothing left so we tried natural cures and for a moment her fever lifted, but then it came back and soon Victoria became pale and lost feeling in her arms and legs". Paula was shaking now but she got the last part out and said "she couldn't bear to watch her baby suffer anymore so she put her to sleep and shot her before burying her...I happened to find her a few days after when she came back to the house and well one thing led to another and well, we're together now... Agathor is still hunting for us but he's not in a rush because he knows her powers are gone and wants to torture her by forcing her to live without her family". Jay's mouth fell open and all he could say was "oh fuck".