Jersey Love: Apple Dreams & Release

"Shh, honey. We'll call the doctor tomorrow and tell her what happened. You need to sleep."

"I'm afraid to go back to sleep, Mom. Will you lay with me?"

"Of course." Raina's Mom climbed in bed and held her, soothing her as she did when she was a little girl. She acknowledged her husband with a nod when he peeked in on them to say goodnight.

"Do you think the dream was warning me that I was going to die in a car accident?" Raina asked around a big yawn.

"No, I don't think so. Raina, do you have a brother?" She questioned.

"That's a silly question. Unless there's some love child somewhere that we don't know about, it's just us girls, right?" Raina looked for reassurance.

"Right. Raina, in that dream you said you had a brother. The car accident couldn't be about you. Sometimes we dream about what's going to happen. Sometimes we dream about what has happened already. You need sleep. We can discuss this tomorrow."

"Okay, but I know there's something you guys aren't telling me." Raina sighed and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

"You're right, my perceptive girl." Her Mom kissed the top of her head, then looked across her room at the girl standing there, waiting.

"She's new to this. It's going to take her some time. We'll help you. But you need to be patient and let her sleep." Jennifer watched as the girl faded away with a sad nod. She sighed, shook her head, closed her eyes to let the dream pick up where it left off.

***

Another week went by. Raina's doctor still didn't think she was ready to resume her medications and she was still very weak. She felt that her body was her enemy and that she was fighting a losing battle with the pain. But worse than the pain was the extreme fatigue. Just getting out of bed to get the bathroom was a feat for her. She was having a pity party and missing Logan in spite of herself.

Coral knocked and came in without waiting for an invitation. She nudged her sleeping sister gently.

"Wake up sleepy head, it's almost dinner time." She plopped onto Raina's bed excitedly. When Raina opened her eyes, Coral was grinning from ear to ear which made her suspicious.

"What are you so happy about?" she grumped, having been awoken from a Logan dream.

"I just had my first kiss!" Coral exclaimed.

"You mean your second kiss?" Raina asked quizzically, sitting up and turning the radio on softly.

"No silly, my first kiss with Mark. The other first kiss was with Ryan." Coral bounced her butt on the bed energetically.

"Um Coral, there's no such thing as two first kisses. Ryan was your first kiss, period."

"I think it should go based on who is the better kisser. In this case, Mark is definitely the better kisser."

"Be that as it may...oh nevermind. Okay, give me the details of the better first kiss and please stop bouncing on the bed, it's jostling me. Oh geez that song again." Raina said hearing the song 'If I Die Young' playing on the radio. It was a country song by a group called "The Band Perry," and it had been playing almost every time she put the radio on, to the point of not wanting to listen to music.

"Oops sorry." The bouncing stopped. "Yeah this is a really sad song." Coral agreed. "Well, when we went apple picking today -- "

"Wait, you guys went apple picking?" Raina interrupted, disappointed.

"Mmhm. Anyway, when we went apple picking, I wanted the most perfect Golden Delicious apple on the tree. But it was way high up towards the top. Ryan was over by the Macintosh apples picking some for a pie, but Mark was just on the other-side of my aisle. I called him over and you know how tall he is. Well not as tall as Logan of course, but he's pretty tall. Anyway, I asked if he'd help me reach the apple. He did. He lifted me up onto his shoulders, but the apple was just out of my reach. So I told him to hold onto the tree while I climbed onto a branch."

"You always were a little monkey." Raina laughed, picturing her sister scurrying up the tree to reach the desired apple. "Why was that apple so important anyway? The challenge?"

"Hey, my climbing skills came in handy!" Coral defended. "Anyway, I pretended once I was up there that I was afraid of heights," Coral grinned impishly.

"You didn't," Raina gasped.

"Yuh-huh, I did so. So Mark was all concerned for me and suggested that if I just dropped down he would catch me. I acted nervous and then I closed my eyes and made him promise not to let me fall. I was acting all cute and innocent. He promised me. I jumped down into his arms and hugged him tight and then when I lifted my head up to thank him, he kissed me! Oh Raina, it was a slow kiss too and yummy. I think I'm in love!" Coral flopped back onto the bed, throwing her arms up and sighing dramatically.

"Based on a kiss?" Raina asked doubtfully.

"It was more than that, it was magic!" She popped back up

Raina laughed, "Okay, okay." She sighed.

"What's wrong?" Coral was easily distracted but also perceptive.

"I'm just sad that you guys went without me and that I can't go apple picking. That's like a big thing for you and I to do together."

"I know. You were sleeping. I thought about telling you, but didn't want to upset you. Anyway here," Coral handed Raina the biggest, yellowest, Golden Delicious she'd ever seen.

"Is this the very apple that inspired the magical kiss?"

"Is it! I know how much you love this kind and felt bad you weren't with us so I got it for you. I hope it tastes good."

"Aw, Coral. I think that's one of the sweetest things you've ever done for me. Thanks." Raina leaned over and hugged her sister.

"Don't forget dropping floral hints to your boyfriend." Coral reminded, gently hugging her back.

"And that too. Thanks." Raina took a big bite and relished the juicy, crispness of the magical apple. "Mmm," she crunched, "this is delicious," she munched, "probably the best," between mouthfuls, "sweetest apple I've ever tasted."

Coral watched her sister eat the apple and smiled. ""You're just saying that."

"No, I'm serious. I wouldn't lie to you. Did it have a worm?" Raina swallowed hard, thinking about worms in her apple.

"I'm glad. No. I know Dad says the wormy ones are the best ones, but I wanted one untouched for you. Oh, so tonight we're all going on a haunted tour down in Ocean City."

"Why are you going that far south?" Raina had much more interest in apple picking than ghost nonesense.

"I dunno, Dad said there's a haunted hotel he's been wanting to check out. I can't believe our Dad's a former ghost hunter. Way cool! I wonder what else we don't know about our own parents." Coral shrugged. "Anyway, um are you disappointed?"

"A little. It's okay you guys should go and have fun and come back with scary stories to tell me. You should take Logan with you too."

"I'll ask him. Raina," Coral's face grew serious, "how come you don't want Logan around right now? I know you look like crap and everything, but he's so sweet and caring and I just don't get why you are pushing him away. If he was my boyfriend, I'd keep him with me at all times."

"It's hard to explain. I don't want him to have to do things for me. I'm not an invalid," she paused, "not all the time at least. I just don't want him to think I'm weak."

"But you are," Coral pointed out, "right now you are."

"Yeah."

"Hey, my ghost-hunter-in-training, call those boys in for dinner and get a move on. I want to get an early start. I got permission to set up some equipment in that haunted hotel. They say there's a young female spirit that wanders the halls. This will be like the good old days. Fantastic!" Steven interrupted. "And Sleeping Beauty, up and at 'em, dinner time." He addressed Raina after Coral left.

"I'm going to eat in here tonight, Dad."

"Not tonight. You have a dinner guest that needs entertaining." Whenever her father's dimples showed, she knew he was up to something.

"Logan?"

"Do you have another boyfriend I don't know about? Don't give me that annoyed look either, little missy. You've been avoiding that boy for long enough. Cut the guy a break, Raina."

"Don't you start too, Dad," she whined.

"Parents' prerogative. Have you had any more dreams or vis-hallucinations?"

"No. But I had a great one of me and Logan on the back of his bike." Raina grinned.

"I don't need the details," Steven said as Logan popped his head in.

"Ugh! I'm not even dressed," Raina complained when Logan came in and her father left.

"Completely nekkid then? I like that." Logan laughed when Raina punched his arm. "God, I've missed you, baby." He gently kissed her.

"I've missed you too, despite telling myself to disconnect. Long story. Could you hand me my robe please?" Logan lifted her fluffy pink robe off the hook on the door and held it up so she could slip it on. He got a quick glimpse of her shorts and tank-top nightie.

"Not going to bother getting dressed?" He pointed to her robe.

"Why? I'm just gonna go back to bed after I eat."

"Oh." Logan sounded disappointed as he helped her out of bed. Raina padded down the hallway with Logan as support. Everyone was already at the kitchen table dishing food onto their plates.

"Hi Sleepyhead." Her Mom said.

"Hi."

"Hey, Raina. How are you feeling?" Ryan asked.

"I'm hanging in. How was apple picking?"

"Cool, got some Macs to make pie with." He responded.

"And how was apple picking for you Mark, did you have a good time?" Raina stared at him. Coral gave her a warning glare.

"Huh? Oh yeah. It was cool. Coral almost fell out of a tree, but I caught her."

"Coral almost fell out of a tree?" Steven balked. "My Coral is like an expert climber. What happened Coral you see a bee or something?" He laughed.

"Um yeah, a big fat bee coming right at me. I'm not as agile as I was as a kid Daddy," Coral mumbled.

"Well I'm glad you were there to catch her then Mark." Jennifer smiled at him kindly and then winked at Coral. Raina was amazed. She knew there was no way that Coral shared about the kiss with her mother and yet her mother knew something else was going on. Just how did she do that?

"Corn on the cob?" Steven asked Logan.

"Thanks." Logan plucked corn from the dish and slathered butter on it and set it on his plate.

"Logan, you going with us to the haunted hotel?" Ryan asked around a mouthful of home-made mashed potatoes.

"This is the first I've heard of it. What's going on?" Logan bit into the corn.

"These guys expressed an interest in doing a haunted tour. I suggested we go on down to Ocean City for a ghost tour and to check out a haunted hotel I've been meaning to see." Steven supplied. "I used to be a paranormal investigator in my younger years."

"Dad was a real-live ghost hunter!" Coral said louder than she needed to.

"A ghost researcher, investigator. There's a difference between them. Ghost hunters who do it for a hobby are in it for the chase and the thrill. Ghost researchers are going at it scientifically trying to prove or disprove the existence of a ghost. Their main goal is to collect the evidence. Then there are ghost investigators who, while they do the same as the other groups, they also provide comfort and reassurance to the people experiencing the haunting. They strive to address the issues and help in any way they can. They also help the spirits and ghosts themselves."

"Which kind were you?" Coral asked.

"You mother and I were the kind who helped and comforted," Steven answered.

"MOM?! You too?" Coral's jaw dropped open at this revelation. Raina just sat back and took it all in. This was exactly the kind of thing she suspected of her parents and she wasn't about to interrupt when they were feeling chatty.

"Guilty. Finish your dinners so you can get going. We can talk about this after your trip," Jennifer said. "Logan will you be joining them or are you gonna hang out here?"

"Oh um- I uh- nah." Logan stalled.

"What are you scared?" Mark jabbed him in the ribs.

"Nah. Just, well Raina can't go so I don't want to leave her out."

"Sure, that's the reason." Ryan rolled his eyes. "Seriously dude? Or is it because of your..." When Logan shot him a look, Ryan snapped his mouth shut. "Sorry." Jennifer and Steven exchanged interested glances with each other.

"I don't mind if you go," Raina interjected with her fork midway to her mouth.

"It's okay. Anyway, not my type of deal. I would go if you were going, but otherwise, I'll pass. Thanks for the invite though, guys. Have fun!"

"Don't get scared." Raina grinned.

"Hey, I'm brave!" Coral argued.

"I wasn't directing that at you, silly." Raina chuckled. The boys glared at her then sulked out the door.

"Be respectful," Jennifer warned, "Listen to Steven, watch where you step, and stay close together." She stood on the doorstep with them.

"Always."

"And Steven, don't bring anyone home with you," Jennifer added, giving her husband a kiss and her daughter a hug. "Don't be too rough on those boys either," she said when they left the house.

"Aye-aye, Ma'am."

***

Logan and Raina were still sitting at the kitchen table talking when Jennifer returned to the house.

"So, what are you two going to do?" she asked them.

Logan started. Jennifer wanted to figure out why the boy was so jumpy ever since dinner.

"I think watch a movie in my room," Raina said.

"How about you guys help me make baked apples? You haven't been out of your cave all day Raina. You can sit on the bar stool and stuff the apples with brown sugar." Jennifer reached into the bucket of apples and took out a handful of Macintoshes. "Logan?" She went to the refrigerator and took out the butter.

"Sure. Do you want me to core them?" He asked, taking the initiative.

"That would be great. I'll wash them and start the oven. I'm sure when they all get home they're going to be famished. Paranormal investigation can be exhausting," she said, knowingly.

"I guess if I have my big pillows to sit on I can stay up a little while," Raina relented.

"I'll go get them." Logan took off down the hall.

"Mom, how come you never told us that you guys were ghost hunters?" Raina asked, as she dipped a spoon in the brown sugar.

"It never really came up. Hand me a knife?" Raina tilted back on her stool and got her Mom a knife from the drawer. "Thanks." Logan returned with Raina's pillow and set it on the stool for her.

"Are you a psychic?" he asked her Mom.

"I guess in a way. I do get gut feelings and have premonitions." Jennifer nodded and handed the washed apples to Logan to start cutting.

"Wouldn't an apple coring tool be better?" he asked as she handed him the knife.

"It would normally, but I don't want a hole in the bottom otherwise the juices will leak out. So a knife works better. Just cut around in a little circle and then we'll take out the center and Raina can add the brown sugar and butter to the little pocket you made."

"But you're more than that, huh?" Logan set to work carefully carving out a hollow.

"You're perceptive Logan, almost as perceptive as Raina is. I have abilities. What are your beliefs in the Spiritworld or afterlife?"

"Mom..." Raina was shocked at the conversation.

"No it's ok, Raina. I don't disbelieve, Jennifer. But I've never seen nor experienced anything to help me believe. It's a nice thought to think that maybe our loved ones go on after they die. I -- ow. Dammit!" Logan slit his finger with the knife. He pulled his hand away. It was bleeding. Jennifer handed him some paper towels to wrap it in.

"Logan, are you okay?" Raina asked, reaching across the bar to him.

"I'll go get the first-aid kit." Jennifer went out of the room.

"Fine fine. It's merely a flesh wound."

"Ohmygod, I didn't know you liked Monty Python," Raina said, recognizing the line from "Holy Grail." She started laughing hysterically.

"I can't believe you do," Logan said shocked.

"Seriously, Dad and I have seen Spamalot like three times. Damn that's deep." Raina swayed on the stool seeing the blood.

"Nah, I'm fine. I might need to steri-strip it, but otherwise it's okay."

"Mom, do you have steri-strips in there?" Raina asked when Jennifer returned with the first-aid kit. Her Mom removed Logan's hand holding a paper towel from his finger.

"Logan, I think you need stitches. That's pretty deep." Jennifer observed. "Raina you might want to look away. I don't know if she's told you, but she doesn't handle blood well, Logan."

Both Logan and Jennifer looked over to see Raina's pale face. She turned her head away from them. Jennifer got up and walked Raina over to the couch.

"Sorry," Raina wrinkled her nose up. "I can't help. I'm too squeamish."

"That's all right. EMT, remember?" Logan pointed to himself.

"Oh that's right. Okay what do you need, Logan?" Jennifer opened the first-aid kit.

"Just steri-strips and I'm good to go." Logan poured antiseptic over his cut.

"Here, will three be enough?" He nodded and Jennifer helped him dress his wound.

"All better. Raina, the blood is gone. You can come back over now," he told her. She was staring at the oven intently.

"Earth to Raina." Logan went over and stood in front of her.

"I'm h-hallucinating again. There's a g-girl."

"I'm the one that lost blood, silly. What's going on?"

"There's a girl standing there." She pointed. Logan followed her line of direction and shrugged.

"I don't see anything."

"Raina, we're ready for the brown sugar," Jennifer interrupted. Now wasn't the time to do this she decided. She had to gain control of the situation. "Logan, we'll be discussing these hallucinations with her doctor tomorrow. Raina, try to ignore it for now." She instructed her.

"Right, brown sugar." Raina came back over and packed brown sugar into the hollowed out apples. She added a pat of butter to the tops of each of them, mechanically. She watched her Mom pour water in the bottom of the pan and set the apples into the oven.

"Go on and watch your movie. These will be done in a bit, but we'll wait for everyone else to get home to eat them. I have to run to the store to pick up a few more ingredients for apple pie. You okay now?"

"Yeah, Logan's here. If it happens again...." Raina was referring to the hallucinations.

"I'll call your cell phone and let you know," Logan told Jennifer.

She nodded. "Thanks Logan. I leave my daughter in your hands."

"Mom, I'm a big girl," Raina interjected.

"I don't want you alone when you are having these weird reactions. Let Logan take care of you, Raina and get out of those pjs, you've worn them for three days straight."

"Thanks, Mom!" Raina grimaced.

"Well, you have." Jennifer shrugged, grabbed her keys, and left.

***

"You haven't changed in three days?" Logan asked a little surprised.

"What, do I smell bad?" Raina frowned.

"No, it's just that, Raina," Logan began, then rethought it. "How about I draw you a bubble bath? You can soak and relax. I'll run over to Jack's house. They have a huge selection of Blue-Ray and DVD movies. Do you want something scary?"

"Actually, this time of year is when I always watch my favorite family Halloween movies. Make it DVD though."

"Like Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic?" he quizzed.

"And don't forget Casper. Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Eh, you're a girl." He shrugged and then looked away from her. Raina was beginning to get a complex. Every time Logan mentioned something related to girls he grew uncomfortable and she wanted to know why.

"A bath sounds great. I'm a chicken when it comes to horror movies," she told him as she took off the bathrobe.

"Even if I'm protecting you?" Logan walked up to her.

"Can you protect me from my dreams?" Raina ducked out of his reach when he lifted her shirt.

"Well, no, but I could hold you while you sleep," he suggested.

"Let's skip the scary movies for tonight. These hallucinations have me scared enough as it is." She handed Logan her favorite bath bubbles.