reverie / hs

14

My eyes flutter open, adjusting to the soft glow of the kitchen. It's warm, the air thick with the scent of freshly baked bread and the sweet, spicy undertone of cinnamon. The kitchen is a symphony of sights and sounds: the gentle clatter of a wooden spoon against a mixing bowl, the low hum of the refrigerator, and the soft crackling of the fire in the hearth. It's a place that feels familiar, somehow, like a comforting dream I've had before.

Then I see her, Louise, her hands moving with a graceful rhythm as she kneads dough. She looks up, her kind eyes twinkling with a familiar warmth.

 "Elena, dear," she says, her voice like the rustling of leaves in a gentle breeze. "How are you feeling?"

"It's good to see you again, Louise," I reply, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. Her presence is calming, grounding. I nod, trying to convey the jumble of emotions that are swirling within me.

A moment passes, filled with the rhythmic thud of the dough against the counter. I feel the urge to ask, to understand, but words elude me.

"I... I've been thinking about Harry," I finally manage, the words heavy with unspoken questions. "About our connection, about what it means."

Louise's smile softens, her eyes filled with a knowing sadness. "Ah, love," she murmurs, her voice carrying the weight of years. "It's a mysterious thing, isn't it? Sometimes, the heart knows long before the mind catches up."

Her words resonate with me, echoing the confusion and yearning that have been swirling within me.

"You and Harry," Louise continues, her gaze steady and unwavering, "you share a bond that spans beyond this realm. It's rare, but when two souls find each other, it's as if the universe aligns to bring them together."

I feel a shiver run down my spine, a spark of hope igniting in the depths of my heart. 

"Do you believe in soulmates?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Louise's smile is gentle, laced with a hint of nostalgia. "Oh yes, dear," she replies, her voice filled with conviction. "Soulmates are real. They're the ones who touch your heart in a way that no one else can, who understand you in ways you didn't know were possible."

A wave of emotion washes over me, a mixture of hope and fear. "But what if... what if it's just not real? Like a dream?" I ask hesitantly, my voice trembling slightly.

Louise pauses, her hands resting on the counter as she regards me with a steady gaze. "Dreams," she says thoughtfully, "they can reveal truths that are hidden from view. They give us glimpses of what could be, if only we dare to believe."

Her words strike a chord within me, echoing the longing that has brought me to this place of introspection

. "And what if I wake up?" I ask softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "What if Harry and I... what if it's all just a dream?"

Louise's smile is gentle yet unwavering. "Elena," she says tenderly, her voice filled with a quiet strength. "Honey, you live such a beautiful life, I'd be questioning myself too. But maybe that's insecurity speaking. Maybe you're just scared that it's too good to be true."

She squeezes my shoulder reassuringly, her touch warm and comforting.

I wish that were the case.

I wish I could believe that it's all just a dream. But the feeling of Harry's hand in mine, the warmth of his embrace, the way he looked at me as if he saw my soul – it's so real, so incredibly vivid. And the fear, the fear that it's not real, that it will all slip away – that fear is real too.