When You Wake

Apart.

???: Mom... Have you seen my keys? I thought I left them on the bar...

It was a female voice that spoke... A young voice... Maybe early 20's

???: Yeah I think they're on the table Leyla.

Leyla: Oh... They're right here...

Leyla's Mother: on the table?

Leyla: Under the mail.

Leyla's Mother: Ah, well I'm glad you found them... I'll see you later sweetie.

Leyla: Bye mom!

Leyla gave her mother a kiss on the cheek as she left the house.
Her mother is fairly sick and it's been very hard for her to get around on her own, so Leyla does what she can to make sure she's taken care of.

Leyla walked out the door of their apartment and locked the door behind her. It was 7:43 AM and she was running late for work.

Leyla: I am not prepared for this double...

Leyla has been working as much as possible to do everything she can to provide for her mother and pay the bills.
It's been more and more difficult as time has gone on for her to work as much as she does.
But here she is... Making ends meet.

Greg (Leyla's Boss): You're late.

Leyla: I know, I'm sorry, I had misplaced my keys, and-

Greg: Hey, hey... Just listen... I know how badly you need this job, so I'm covering for you... But this has got to stop... I'm not in full control of everything that happens around here, I'm just your manager... So this is off the records but trust me... There's only so much I can do for you.

Leyla was chilled by his words and the implications of them... By no means did she want to lose her only source of income.

Leyla: Yes sir... Thank you... Again.

Greg: Please... For your own livelihood... Practice punctuality.

Leyla nodded her head a little and got to work.
She worked as a supermarket cashier... Doing her part.

This by far was one of the longest days Leyla had in a long time.
It was a Friday, the shift was suppose to be 12 hours from 7 to 7.
She didn't show up until 8 so that was one less hour.
She stayed well past 7, her relief didn't show up until 11:24 PM.
She stayed almost a 16 hour shift that day.
Just to go home to work again the next day.

She was afraid she wouldn't be able to wake up in the morning after falling asleep... But then again how could she know for sure?

She drove herself home and checked on her mother.
Everything was fine and she took all her scheduled medicines.

She looked through her fridge for something small to eat.
But she settled for an apple from the table.
As she ate her apple she checked her phone for any important messages.
No one had messaged her at all. Not even Uncle H.

Leyla: He said he was coming by soon to leave us some groceries... Where has he been... He usually texts to check in every week... It's been almost 4 weeks now and he hasn't... Maybe I should check in on him? No... No... He'll think we're desperate for help... We're fine... I'm fine...

Leyla's thoughts told her one thing but her feelings and emotions cried out another...

Leyla: 1:00 AM?? To bed I go...

Leyla walked around the corner of their little apartment to the room she slept in. Quietly opening the door as to not cause any disturbance... She made sure her alarms were set and layed her head down to rest.

It didn't take long for her mind to slip through the border between reality and endless possibility.
She quickly found herself dreaming of a cat she once had... Her name was Mokey.

Leyla: Aren't you my little demon?

She pet Mokey on her head and scratched behind the ears and under the chin, all the while Mokey was producing an ear numbing pur.

Leyla: Okay, I have to go kitty... I'll be back soon!

Leyla got up out of her bed and walked out her door. Again quietly closing it as to not make noise. She walked out of their apartment and got in her car and drove away down the road. She didn't know where she was going but she just kept driving. The sun was shining bright in the sky and the amusement park in the distance produced cheerful screams of happiness that echoed everywhere around her.
She pulled up to a diner and walked inside. She sat down on one of the bar stools. There were only a few people in the diner... One eating a tuna melt, another a burger, And even one with a malt.

Leyla turned back and looked at her menu.
There wasn't many items on it.

Tuna Melt with Salad 2.99$
Tomato Soup and Crackers 2.99$
Classic American Burger with Fries or Chips. 2.99$
Slice of Pecan Pie 1.99$
Cheesecake. 1.99$
Vanilla Malt. 1.99$

???: Hey, why is there only 2 items on my menu?

Someone was sitting in the seat to her left and asked this question.

Leyla: It only shows things it knows you'll like Tom.

Tom: Rachel? What are you doing here?

Leyla: I don't know... Just stopping by.

Tom: Well what are you getting?

Leyla: Tuna Melt...

Tom: Sounds awful...

Leyla: It's clear that you think so... Since your menu only shows a burger.

Tom: Well I just ate...

Leyla: Oh did you? What did you have?

Tom: Well I was just... I was eating... I was at...

Leyla: It makes sense that you don't remember.
Since this is my dream.

Leyla looked behind her and the diner was full of people, it was nearly empty before, and she had only been sitting down for a minute.
When she looked back, Tom was no longer to her left. There was a tap on her right shoulder.
Before she could look over, she heard the words.

Tom: Come and find me.

Leyla: When you wake.

As she said those words she woke herself up... It was 5:57 AM on her clock.

Leyla: Why did that guy call me Rachel... Nobody calls me by my first name... And why was I comfortable with him doing it... And I knew his name too? What was it again?

She sat there thinking all about this dream... Knowing that she had had it before... In that same diner.

Leyla's alarms went off and she quickly turned them off and started to get ready for work... Forgetting all about the dreams and everything that went on in them... She was too focused on being on time to work today... But perhaps another day... She'll have more time to think these things over... Or maybe she'll even have more incentive.

The mind is a puzzle that creates beautifully thought out masterpieces that we'd be lucky to have anyone else see.

Leyla: Tom.

She heard the noise of the words but not what the words she said were

Leyla: What was that noise?

Her phone started buzzing and she saw that her manager was calling her.
Fear creeped into her heart and she checked the time to make sure she wasn't late.
She still had plenty of time so she picked up the call.

Greg: Hey, uh... Miss Plum... I'm going to be out today... Please make it on time... I don't want you gone so easily... You're one of my best... Alright, try to have a good day.

Leyla: Oh, uh, okay... I'm just about to leave.

Greg: I'll see you Monday.

He hung up the call and all that was on Her mind now was work.
And so off to work she went... Leaving dreams as a problem for another day.