Guontiveros: Vivid

Chapter 12

It was already 7 p.m. when Alice got back to her apartment. She slipped off her shoes and went straight to the sofa, letting herself fall onto it as her tiredness finally caught up with her.

She put her things aside and rested her head against the back of the sofa, staring blankly at the dark TV screen in front of her. Her mind wandered back to her earlier encounter with Sinta.

There had been something strange about that moment—something that made Alice think of Theresia.

"Could she be Theresia’s daughter?" Alice wondered. But then she remembered that Sinta’s mother was a politician, and it could have been dangerous for Theresia to be a public servant since she had been abducted before, and Alicia's family probably kept a close watch on her. "No, that doesn’t make sense. Sinta’s mother can’t be Theresia," Alice thought, shaking her head.

She sighed. Even after all these years, Alice hadn’t stopped thinking about Theresia. Seventeen years had passed, and yet Alice hadn’t moved on. She still held onto the hope that one day, she would meet her again. But she knew things wouldn’t be the same. If they ever met again, Theresia would be in her late 40s by now, with a 15-year age gap between them.

Closing her eyes, Alice tried to quiet her thoughts and soon fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, she was still on the sofa, but now she was lying down with a blanket over her and a pillow under her head. The sun was already streaming through the curtains.

Alice looked around and saw a woman standing in the kitchen with her back turned, cooking something. She slowly sat up, confused. She realized she was dreaming, but this dream was different. After 17 years without one, here she was, in a dream with a stranger in her home.

Alice froze when the woman turned around. Her face was blurry, but she was smiling warmly.

"Honey, you’re awake. Sorry for making you wait last night. I just got home an hour ago, so I thought I’d make breakfast. I’ve already taken care of Eli," the woman said in a soft voice.

"Why are you calling me honey? And who’s Eli?" Alice asked, puzzled.

Before the woman could answer, a child with a similarly blurry face ran up and hugged the woman’s waist.

"Mommy!" the child, apparently named Eli, called out happily.

Alice didn’t know what to make of this. She had a wife and a child in this dream? She had always wanted a child but never thought much about having a partner. She hadn't even thought about her sexuality, and now, here she was, feeling strangely comfortable with the idea.

"I’ll take Eli to school," the woman said. "You should stay home and rest."

Still in shock, Alice nodded and watched Eli runoff. She couldn’t quite wrap her head around this dream. Yet, somehow, it felt so real. They sat together at the table and ate in silence, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt like a real family moment, something Alice had never experienced before.

After breakfast, Alice washed the dishes and cleaned the table. Then, she helped Eli with her hair, feeling a growing attachment to this imaginary family. Eli’s long, shiny hair reminded Alice of her own, and a sense of warmth filled her as she finished.

Eli kissed Alice on the cheek and ran to the door, waiting for her other mom to take her to school. The woman appeared again and surprised Alice with a kiss on the lips before leaving with Eli.

"I love you. See you later," the woman said with a smile. Alice nodded, still confused but strangely happy in this dream world.

After they left, Alice sat back on the sofa, trying to process what had just happened. A few minutes later, the woman returned with a bouquet, handing them to Alice.

"T-thank you," Alice said, taken aback.

The woman sat beside her and began to kiss Alice on the neck. "What’s wrong, honey? Are you upset with me?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Alice didn’t know how to respond, so she just shook her head. The woman took it as reassurance and continued, her kisses growing more passionate. Alice felt herself responding, even though her mind was still racing with confusion.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, breaking the moment. Alice’s eyes flew open, realizing she had woken up from her dream. The doorbell rang again, pulling her fully out of her daze.