Recalling Reality

Chapter 42

Our bags are by the door, and Josie passes the kitty over to me. I tuck it under my arm and smile as she struggles with getting something out of her princess duffle bag. "Do you need help, sweetie?"

"No. I got it, Mommy." She retrieves a small book and holds it up. "I'm bringing this so I can work on my story."

"You're writing a story?" I put the kitty down on the shelf along the wall, the one that's taken me down a time or two, and take the sparkly notebook. Inside, she has some letters written, her name a few times, and easy words Shane must have taught her. But, nothing that really is legible, and that I can understand. "I love it. You will have to read it to me. How about tonight, when we get settled in for bed?"

"So I can be like you." She smiles and takes her book back. Then, she retreats back to the couch while we wait for Shane. "Daddy's proud of the success you have with your books, and I thought I can do it, too. Then, he will be proud of me, too."

"Oh. I am sure he is. He really is, Josie." My heart skips, and I look at the staircase, wondering what Shane is doing. And why he is downstairs in the basement. Nothing is down there, except for my office.

"Mommy?" Josie's voice rings out and snaps my attention back to her. She's not sitting on the couch anymore, and the worry is creasing her little forehead. "Mommy, is your tummy icky?"

"No." I shake my head and hold onto the shelf while the floor tilts and waves up and down like the ocean waters. I swallow hard, but my stomach is pushing upward, and it's not resisting.

I can't throw up. I don't want to throw up. It's as if there is something with pictures that is making me sick to my stomach. But, why? Every single photo in this house is happy, displaying cheerful and exciting times that I've gone through. That I can't remember.

"I'm fine, Josie. Just wait here. I'm going to ... I need to talk to your dad." My color is walking down my face, and my stomach is fighting the muscles in my throat to allow the contents to come up. I stager to the staircase and manage to take each step without falling. "Shane. Shane, I need your help. Something..."

I am at the bottom of the step, and the nausea is overcoming, winning. My mouth is collecting every ounce of saliva it can. I hold the railing, but the floor is moving up and down, faster than I can manage to keep my balance.

The deep, smooth voice is calling to me, but I can't find him. The room is spinning, and my stomach is revolting. I'm not even sure I have control of anything anymore. I'm so tired. I can't even keep my eyes open. I can just close them for a few minutes. Just until everything else calms down. Suddenly, my body lurches forward and I'm being held by something that's strapping me in.

Once it stops and I am no longer feeling the pressure of the strap, I sit up and scrub my face with my hands. Just as my eyes begin to focus, I am able to see the blue plastic backing of the airplane seat in front of me. It's right there, too. I look over at the passenger beside me, and the older gentleman is involved in his newspaper.

I am on a plane? But, how did I get here? We were going to have a family day at the hotel and go swimming. Shane was in the basement looking for whatever it was that I was lying about.

I am confused.

"The current time is 10:45 a.m., and the temperature is a wonderful 85 degrees. We hope you've enjoyed your flight to Milwaukee, and hope to see you again. Just make sure you are careful when you open the overhead bins. Items shift during flight. We thank you again for choosing to fly with Quality Airline."

My heart jumps hard as I check the newspaper the man beside me now has folded under his arm, as he is itching to vacate the plane. The date...

It's two weeks before my brother Quinn's wedding. It was a dream. It was all a stupid dream.

Once I am able to, I get out of my seat and retrieve my laptop bag from the overhead compartment. I rush out to the front of the airport where Mom has her car waiting. The same car she had when she picked me up ... in my dream. I get settled into the front seat, and the sun shines through the window and perches on my lap.

"It's a half-hour ride home. Why not close your eyes for a little bit?" Mom sighs, her hands gripping the wheel of the fancy four door Chrysler while checking over her shoulder to change lanes.

Close my eyes? I haven't been back in over two years. The city is growing, and I need to make sure all my good places are still standing. What is the sense of being home if my goodies aren't there anymore?

"I'm good."

Am I?

I will be in about half an hour when she pulls in front of the building where she works and I meet the most handsome man I've ever met. Well, I met him once and we were married, had a beautiful little girl together, but he won't know that. Only I will, because I had a dream.

This time, things will be different. I know what is going to happen, and I can change it. I can make sure Quinn isn't alone to deal with the trauma I endure when he hits me with his car. Whatever I have to hide from Shane, I won't, because it's not worth almost losing him. And I will spend more time gushing over that beautiful little girl with the dark hair so full of curls, and less on my writing.

And my writing. I will go somewhere with it. I become a very well-known novelist, and I will have a big, beautiful house out in the country where we live. And I will buy a shiny new truck. And...