The Girl in My Dream

~~~~~~

When I opened my eyes for the second time that morning, the sun was shining brightly through my bedroom windows. I got out of bed, and looking over at the clock, I saw that it was now seven-thirty and Wendy would be here to pick me up in an hour and a half. Don and Helen had volunteered to keep an eye on Sparks while I was gone so; I made my way next door first thing that morning.

~~~~~~

"There's my little angel," cooed Helen to Sparks, as we entered their house.

"Good morning, you two," I smiled.

"Today's the day. Are you excited?" Don cheerfully asked.

"I'm not really sure, Don," I replied uneasily.

Oh, I wouldn't worry too much, Bryan," said Helen, conspiratorially winking at Don, "I think everything is going to be just fine."

"I sure hope so," I replied, "Thanks for looking after Sparks for me."

Picking Sparks up and holding him close to her breast, Helen smiled, and cooed, "He's no trouble at all. His Aunt Helen is going to take him to the groomer and get him all dolled up, if that's alright with you."

"He's had all his shots," I laughed, "So, I don't think a bath is gonna hurt him one bit. Just don't spoil him too much."

As Helen took off with Sparks to the back room to play, Don laughed and said, "I think that telling her not to spoil that puppy is like beating your head against the wall, son."

"You're probably right about that," I chuckled, "But I still have to go back home and get a shower before Wendy gets here so, I'm gonna take off."

"Be sure to let me know how everything turns out, Bryan," said Don, as I was leaving.

"I sure will," I replied, and then left, closing the front door behind me.

~~~~~~

I had just stepped out of the shower and threw on a pair of blue-jeans when I heard someone at the front door. I knew who it was, and with a towel hanging around my neck; I opened the door and cheerfully said, "Good morning, Wendy. How are you this morning?"

"I'm doing well, Bryan, thanks for asking," she replied smiling, "Are you excited about meeting my friend?"

"I'm not real sure, I said, "I mean, I don't know if excited is the word I'd use to describe how I'm feeling."

"Oh no?" smiled Wendy, "What word would you use then?"

I laughed and replied, "I think that apprehension is the word that best describes how I'm feeling right now.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Wendy giggled; "I promise you that everything is going to be fine, Bryan, just you wait and see."

"So, tell me, Wendy," I smiled, "Where are you taking me today?"

"I'm taking you to meet the person who drew the pictures of you, Bryan."

"That's not what I meant," I laughed, "Where are we going to meet your friend?"

"I suppose you're just going to have to trust me,' she giggled, "Like I said before, silly, everything is going to be just fine."

"If you say so, then I believe you." I decided to simply trust Wendy and not ask any more questions.

~~~~~~

We left my house at nine o'clock sharp that morning. The sun was shining accompanied by a cool gentle breeze, and although still somewhat disconcerted; I wasn't concerned with what was about to happen. I was unable to shake the dream I had about Sara the previous night. God, if only she were a real person instead of a figment of my dreams, then maybe I wouldn't feel like a part of me was somehow missing. The really sad thing about this whole situation was that, even though I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Sara didn't exist, I still held on to a small shred of hope that maybe she was a real person, and that she might be out there somewhere, waiting for me to come find her.

"What're you so lost in thought about over there, Bryan?" Wendy asked smiling.

"Nothing in particular, I'm just wondering about this friend of yours that we're going to meet," I replied, trying to change the subject, "Speaking of which, does your friend know that we're coming?"

"No," Wendy impishly giggled, "And I can't wait to see the look on both of your faces the first time you two meet each other."

"Wait a minute," I nervously laughed, "What is that supposed to mean?"

'What that means, Bryan," smiled Wendy, "Is that you're going to have to wait for only a few minutes longer."

I still don't understand."

As she turned off the highway and onto another service road, I saw that Wendy was taking us to Lake Okeechobee, at the southern end, near the Everglades. And when she saw the bewilderment written across my face, she smiled and said, "My friend photographs and sketches animals here in the Everglades for the department of wildlife, for the State of Florida."

"Wow," I replied, "That sounds like a cool job to have."

"It can be dangerous sometimes too," Wendy replied, "We got chased by alligators when I was out here one time."

"Hey, it's not funny, Bryan, "she smiled, when I began to laugh, "We could've been eaten alive ya know." This only caused me to laugh harder, and it must have rubbed off on Wendy, because soon she was laughing as hard, if not harder than me.

Chapter Five

"Here we are," Wendy said, pulling off of the service road and into what looked like a make-shift parking lot of sorts. She pulled her car up beside an old blue, Chevy pick-up truck, the only other vehicle there, and after putting the transmission in park, turned the engine off.

"Now what?" I asked, looking around as we stood in front of Wendy's car.

"Follow me," said Wendy, leading me up a trail that disappeared into the lush foliage that surrounded us. We walked a distance of roughly one hundred yards before the woods opened up into a large meadow.

So, where are we?" I asked worriedly.

"Oh my God," gasped a strangely familiar female voice from behind me and to the right, making me turn around.

When I saw who it was that stood before me, my knees almost buckled. There, with long blonde hair that fell past her waist, and big blue eyes that were rapidly filling with tears of astonishment stood my beautiful Sara. "Bryan! Oh, Bryan, you're really here," she said, throwing her body against me, her arms tightly around my neck.

"Sara. My beautiful angel," I breathed, a deluge of tears now raining down my face.

After she softly kissed my lips, Sara leaned back in my arms to look me in the face and said, "I promised you that we'd find each other one day, didn't I?"

"Uh, am I missing something here?" asked Wendy, thoroughly confused, "You two already know each other?"

While she gently caressed my face with the palm of her hand, Sara smiled at Wendy and replied, "We've known each other since we were children. Today is just the first chance we've had to meet, that's all......."

The Beginning

I want to thank those of you who posted the wonderful comments I received on my last submissions. Let me know what you think and I'll continue on with this story. So, feel free to comment, and please don't forget to vote. Thank you and God bless you all.

MoogPlayer