Don't Wake Me if I'm Dreaming (37 page)

I huffed. “I’m sorry that I don’t understand the love for something that leaks fluid out every orifice, and screams every time it has a need and not to mention how expensive they are. And, I just can’t find the appeal in having milk stains on the front of my shirt, sharing with the world my breast morphed into udders, no offense.”

“None taken. You love Scott and are absolutely incredible with him.”

“I can love him all I want and hand him back without all the baggage when I’m done!”

“You’re only considering the cons. Think about the joy of—.”

“And you’re overly tenacious. I have Charlie. That was a huge step. Let it be as it is. By the way, where are the bathrooms?” I looked around at the trail then glanced at the lake. “Tell me there’re bathrooms here!”

Vance removed his backpack and retrieved a roll of toilet paper from within. “Pick a bush.” He smiled.

“You’re kidding me!” My mouth hung a moment in disgust. “I’m not about to walk into
that
forest.” I pointed to the trees.

“There’s always the lake.”

“I hate you sometimes.”

Aimee smiled. “Check for snakes and spiders before squatting. This is the woods girlfriend and creepy crawly things bite around here.”

“This is beyond savage.” I handed her Charlie’s leash then wrapped my hand in toilet paper and handed her the roll. “You’re checking my ass for ticks, just so you know.”

“That should be interesting to watch,” Vance said, looking grossly delighted.

I turned back, walking down the trail a ways looking for an opening in the brush. Finding one, I squatted between the trees and took care of business as quickly as possible. As I was about to step from the trees, I mistakenly glanced up. “
Eeek!”
I immediately sprang to the trail after seeing a spider web above my head.
Here we go!
The woodpecker, I could hear and the Cardinals even mockingbirds. The cloud, I could see it now, as it was in my dream. “Aimee!” I ran, catching up with them. I was nearly trembling when taking Charlie’s leash.

“You look like you just saw a ghost,” Vance said, pumping sanitizer on my hands.

“Spider. Big one. I hate spiders.” I tried calming myself, unable to truthfully explain my fear.

“Well, I’m going for a swim.” Vance set the backpack on the trail, and then pulled his shirt off. “Come on little man.” He helped Scott pull off his shirt then carried him into the water. “Crackers that’s cold.” He selected his words wisely in front of Scott.

“Are you coming in?” Aimee asked, dressing down to her bikini.

“I’m sitting this one out.” I smiled, finding a rock to sit on. “My legs are and in need of some vitamin D. And I want to take a few pictures.”

“Sweet!” She smiled, and then dove into the water.

I watched them playing, splashing, the perfect little family. I thought of different scenarios that would prevent Aimee from going to the road but decided it was inevitable considering she’d eventually have to return to the car when leaving camp. For now, I’d just have to wait, and do my best to protect her.

“Everyone look over here and say cheese!” I tried distracting myself by taking a few pictures.

***

W
e returned to the campground around noon to make lunch. Vance hiked with Scott up to the car to grab his naptime blanket, and I helped start a small campfire to roast hot dogs. I wanted to show off my newly learned skill from making burn piles on the plantation, clearing out the excessively thick overgrowth. I knelt down blowing on the hot embers until the flames grew, burning the wood.

“Hand me the skewers please,” I asked, proud of my achievement.

Aimee reached for them. “Impressive fire. You’re an official honorary Girl Scout. So, you’re really quiet today. I hope I didn’t rub you wrong bringing up Matt, I just figured you’d be happy to know he was doing well. I know you were worried for a while.”

“Not at all. I am happy for him. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Do share.”

“It’s nothing important. Hey, I was just thinking I could use a hand next weekend if you guys are free. I’m wanting to put in a vegetable garden and can use help plowing and all that good stuff.”

“Sure. I like the idea of you gardening.” Aimee handed me the skewers with hot dogs hanging from the ends.

“I know nothing about gardening, other than I enjoyed helping my mom when I was younger. And get this, I found a bunch of canning stuff in the loft above the garage and thought maybe I’d try my hand at canning. Lord, knows I have enough storage space.”

“That actually sounds like fun. I might just help with that. And what’s taking them so long?” Aimee looked at the trail leading to the road. “Crap. I forgot to have him grab the
sippy
cups. I’ll be right back.” She hurried toward the trail.

“Crap!” I rushed to the table, tossing the hot dogs down on a plate. Grabbing Charlie’s leash, I quickly clasped it on his collar, and hurried after her.

I didn’t know who to hover over; Aimee or Scott, or if either was in imminent danger, or if this was even the moment I had feared and witnessed several nights in my dreams. I was in a near state of panic with the few passing vehicles, waiting for the silver car to blaze around the corner at any moment. A black truck pulled alongside the road and parked in front of Vance’s car. Vance walked to the truck and greeted the driver as the door opened. I looked to make sure Aimee was still digging through the seats looking for the cups.

Vance set Scott down, allowing him to walk to me, the ten feet between the cars, knowing I was watching.

I didn’t give the driver of the truck any attention or even glance their direction. I was too busy watching, waiting for the silver car.

“How’s the water?” The man asked Vance, closing his truck door.

“Once your body goes numb it won’t be too bad. Hope you remembered to grab your pole. I read online there’s some good fishing in there.”

“I did,
I did
, and a cooler filled with beer.”

My head whipped in their direction.
Jack!
His name couldn’t escape my mouth if I tried, as my heart nearly jumped from my chest. It was Jack, he was real, alive, the same man I once sincerely desired in my dreams. I couldn’t stop staring, trying to absorb the most surreal moment of my life. I had to remind myself to breathe, to blink. He was perfect. The most amazingly beautiful human on earth stood nearly six feet from me.

Jack reached into the back of his truck grabbing beers from the cooler, and then looked around taking a head count and noticed me. He smiled at me handing Vance a beer. Then shared a distracting smile, as though he’d pieced together a puzzle.

I hadn’t blinked until I heard a car approaching excessively fast. I quickly glanced around looking for Scott, worrying about nothing else. I dropped Charlie’s leash. “
Scott!
” I screamed, running into the road as fast as I could after him. I had failed myself and everyone else by taking my eyes off him, letting him wander when I knew this moment would come. Scott was running, following after a butterfly.

Vance jumped into the road yelling at the driver. “
Stop!
”

“
Oh my God!
” Aimee screamed dropping the
sippy
cups at her feet and chased after us.

I scooped Scott into my arms, instantly squeezing him. Hearing the tires squeal, I lunged to the side of the road. The car screeched to a stop with smoking tires. I heard a loud thud and quickly turned to see Aimee leaning over the car.

“
You asshole!
” Aimee screamed at the driver, after kicking his front fender. I gasped in relief realizing the only casualty was the car. Aimee rushed to my side, pulling Scott from my arms, with Vance right behind her.

The car quickly accelerated, driving off. Vance threw a beer with full force into the back of the car. “Effing punk.” His face was completely distraught. “I should chase him down and kick his ass!” He reached into his pocket looking for his keys, and then noticed them hanging from his car door. “That son of a bitch!”

“Take Scott back to camp. I need to grab his cups.” Aimee handed Scott over to Vance, in an angered state of shock. She marched around, picking up Scott’s blanket that was dropped during all the commotion, and collected the cups. “I can’t believe he drove off, what a damn coward!” she complained, heading back to her car. “You saved his life.” She looked up at me, reaching for a cup. Her eyes were glossed over with tears. “He would have been killed if you hadn’t grabbed him! I probably would have, too trying to get to him.”

“He was almost killed because I wasn’t paying attention to him.” I swallowed, wiping my eyes. “I can’t believe he drove off without apologizing.” I looked around feeling another on pouring of panic. “Where’s Charlie?” My hand flew to my mouth. “
Charlie!
” I yelled.

“It’s okay.” Jack walked over to me handing over the leash. “I take it this is Charlie? He attempted to follow you in the road, but I grabbed his leash. Friendly guy.”

“Thank you, oh, thank you so much.” I grabbed the leash and held my hand against my chest, catching my breath, and then leaned down and rubbed the back of Charlie’s neck. “I… I didn’t even think about him. I saw Scott and just ran. I feel awful. You’re such a good boy, Charlie. I’m sorry, buddy.”

Charlie licked my face.

“I think anyone would have done the same, given the situation.” Jack glanced at something in the road that caught his eye and reached to pick it up. “Did you drop this?” A thin chain slid between his fingers, dangling.

“It’s Aimee’s.” I stared at the necklace remembering another glimpse of a dream. “It must have come undone somehow.”

Aimee shoved the cups in a bag and snatched the chain, not looking at it. “I still can’t believe that asshole. I hope he has a huge deductible to fix his damn fender. Now my foot’s killing me!”

“And the dent in the back of his car from Vance. Hey, will you take Charlie to camp? The asphalt’s too hot for his paws.” I handed Aimee the leash before she marched down the trail.

Jack and I stood quietly, watching until they disappeared from sight.

“Poor momma was scared to death,” I said, taking a deep breath, exhaling the moment’s anxiety.

I noticed Jack extended his right hand toward me, and stared at it a moment, too baffled to make sense of the gesture.

“We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Jackson Thomas, but everyone calls me Jack.”

I reached, shaking his hand. “Yeah, I think they were a little too frazzled for introductions. Nice meeting you.” My face was flush staring at his perfect smile.

“And you are?”

“I’m great.” I unthinkingly continued shaking his hand, staring at him. “Nice meeting you. Oh, oh, my name, I’m Sasha O’Callaghan, just Sasha. Nice meeting you…and I already said that.” My face burned a deep red, releasing his hand. “Can we start over? I’m Sasha.”

“So, just, Sasha, I take it you’re camping here?”

I nodded tucking my hair behind my ears in nervous reaction. “And you?”

He nodded his head yes with a smile and reached for the beers he’d sat on the back of the truck during all the commotion. “Do you drink? It’s German.”

“So am I, German and half Irish, you probably already gathered that from the last name and …anyway, thank you.” I smiled embarrassedly of my rambling.

“So, they didn’t mention they invited me?” He grinned a little, popping the lids off the beers and handed me one.

I bit my lip, shaking my head no. “Thanks. I assume they didn’t mention I was coming along, either?”

He shook his head no, smiling. “They sure make a deviously clever pair.”

“Oh, trust me, you don’t know the half of it. They’ve been up to no good since the day they met.”

He held out his beer. “To Vance and Aimee’s shenanigans.”

I smiled tapping the bottles together. “I should probably pick up the glass on the road.” I pointed to the chunked fragments of the beer bottle that broke against the evading car. “I’ll see you at camp?”

“Let me give you a hand. I need to grab my stuff anyway before heading down.”

“Well, I’ll have to return the favor and give you a hand.” I smiled.

Jack grabbed a plastic sack from his truck, and followed me into the road, helping me pick up the broken glass. I was a little nervous hearing a car nearing the corner, but it quickly slowed to the side, noticing us in the road.

I took an uneasy breath and quickly made conversation. “It’s really too bad we didn’t think to bring bikes. There’s a nice path around the lake. I bet it would be a perfect riding trail if you ride, that is.”

“You ride?” He perked up, glancing at me.

“I love riding. I recently bought a new bike mountain bike.”

Jack glanced at the bike rack on top of my car and smiled, tying off the bag. “Nice car. Is that the new BMW X3?”

“No, it’s not new, and yes it’s the X3. I was in an accident a couple years ago and had to replace my Audi. I bought a sports car before adopting Charlie. Of course, that didn’t work out so well so I traded it for something roomier... I’m rambling again. I do that when I’m nervous… nervous being that Scott…” I shook my head silencing my thoughts.