Guided To Another World

 I couldn’t focus. The phrase played over and over in my head. Work was a blur. I could not focus. I was excited. I couldn’t wait. I was in a fog. Seemingly on autopilot. It wasn’t until dinner that I was temporarily snapped out of my daze. My sons, Robert and Declan, grabbed my attention. Robert spoke first.

“Dad!” Robert exclaimed, “I am so happy for next week! The Zoo! The Zoo!”

He jumped up and down so excitedly, his glasses bounced off his face. At ten years old, he had been twice and loved the Lions. Declan loved the giraffes. Declan was jumping up and down too.

“And Daddy!” Declan shrieked, “The giraffes! Daddy!”

“Alright, calm down,” my wife said with a chuckle.

“Time for dinner,” I said with a smile, “We can watch a movie while we eat, okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah!” They both exclaimed.

“Go on,” my wife chimed in, “wash up. Let’s eat!”

We watched the movie and we enjoyed our dinner. For the few hours I had with my kids before they slept, I was free of the fog. Nearly forgetful of the phrase. Nearly. I put the boys to bed and came out to Dani doing the dishes. She smiled at me.

“Are they asleep?” She asked.

“Almost,” I said. “I am going to take a shower and go to bed. I’m still tired from last night.”

“You have done that twice in the last few months,” she said. “You okay babe?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said. “Just some weird dreams.”

“Probably stress.” she said.

“Probably,” I hugged her from behind. She turned around and kissed me, “Don’t worry babe. I am okay.”

“I’ll never stop worrying,” She kissed me again. 

I hurried through my shower, dried off and got dressed in my pajamas. When I came to bed, she was almost asleep. We curled together under the blankets and she drifted off. I wondered what she was dreaming as my eyes grew heavy. I whispered the words.  Omnes una manet nox. 

The scenery immediately changed. I was in front of a familiar house. A two story Victorian with blue window shutters and a yellow door. This was Dani’s childhood home. An electrical fire had taken it years ago. I looked into the window and caught my reflection. I was young. A teenager of about seventeen. The yellow door opened and there was Dani! Young as well. Just like when I met her. She motioned me to come to the porch. I cautiously walked up the steps to her. She kissed me on the cheek and took my hand. She led me to the porch swing. This was where we had our first kiss. 

“I can’t believe we are here,” I started.

“I know,” She said, “I thought dad would kill us for making out right here last week.”

“I was over the porch rail in a hurry,” I laughed. 

“Maybe one day,” She looked around, “we could catch our kids kissing right here too.”

“You think your parents would sell it to me?” I asked.

“Maybe if you married me,” She laughed.

“Then I will buy it,” I said.

“Don’t be silly!” She blushed.

We laughed with joy and I hugged her and said, “The first thing I will do is replace all the electrical, then set up a basketball hoop over the garage.”

With a flash of light, I woke up. My alarm was chiming, and she moaned as she woke. We kissed each other good morning and slipped into the shower together before the kids woke up. After getting dressed, I walked downstairs and began to make breakfast. The trash was full, so I took it outside. I walked out and took a glance back at the house and dropped the trash bag. A two story Victorian with blue shutters and a yellow door. I could hear the creak as the wind guided the porch swing back and forth. There was a basketball hoop over the garage.

I was hit with a thousand new memories of buying and fixing her childhood home. Getting married in the backyard. The kids first bikes. Barbeques and dinners. A family reunion. I was overwhelmed. I felt paralyzed in place. Then a slap on my shoulder snapped me out of it. I looked next to me and there was Grandpa.

“Pick up that bag son,” he said, smiling. “This place is too beautiful to have trash all over the yard.