It was a restless night....

I was in the mall with two girlfriends. "Did you see where they went?" I asked, referring to two men with whom we were hoping to meet up. Looking around the store, I determined that they had left. "Let's go up to Barnes & Noble" I said. We exited the mall, and walked down the city sidewalk for several blocks. My friends were getting skeptical just about the time we saw the storefront. It was an old storefront, very much unlike the newer stores springing up in various plazas. The banner clearly showed the Barnes & Noble logo, so we approached the doorway. My friends entered in, but I was swept up into a car parked at the curb: the only way I could enter into the store was through the back seat of this parked car. In the front seat were two unknown, unidentified males. I had no choice, however I was filling with fear for the possibility that I would be trapped. I entered, and exited full of fear in my throat. When I reached the front of the store, my friends were already inside. As I approached the front counter, it wasn't a typical book store. It was a very old book store, like something out of "Never Ending Story" or "Needful Things"; a store that held its own mysteries. My friends were there, although I was unaware of where and what they were doing. A man came forward, though did not approach. We were standing side by side, but engaged in conversations with others. We felt each others' energies. We knew each other, have known each other for several years, although had never met. We called each other by name and smiled our knowing smiles. Long time friends together at last. I knew it was him, although he looked differently. Younger, more handsome, much thinner than I'd imagined. His friend engaged with my friends. We walked outside to the back yard. What had been a city block now became a residential neighborhood. The back yard had a garden setting, a picnic table, a grill, and a tall fence. "You can do these dishes" he said to me. I felt remorseful that I had given him these dishes without having cleaned them, first. I washed dishes - tons of dishes - in tubs outside - heating water on a burner, and stacking the cleaned dishes on towels on a folding table. My friend approached me - my new male friend, the friend I'd always known yet had never met. He put his arms around my waist and drew me to him. He was shirtless: the firm taut skin of his chest was intriguing. I ran my fingers over the lines of his pectorals, his biceps, triceps. He pulled me to him and kissed me passionately. A surge of emotion welled inside of me, and I kissed back with equal passion. We clung to each other in an unrelenting embrace.
It was time to go. The sun was setting and everyone was leaving. I found myself walking along a dark, winding road. It was a two-lane highway that wound through the mountains. I walked, jogged, sometimes ran, always careful with each passing car: would it hit me? would it stop and harrass me? The shoulder of the road was rough and caused me to stumble at times, always on my guard. Finally I reached my destination.
I entered the nursing home. Mom was sitting in the middle of the room surrounded by my sisters. She looked BEAUTIFUL! I told her she has never been so beautiful in her whole life. She was pleased with knowing that she looked stunning. She was in full make up, her hair professionally done, wearing her blue silk suit with pearl earrings. She giggled and said she'd never felt better in her life. We kissed and hugged and I told her I loved her. My sisters were there, and I told them that i was now living in Seattle, so could be close to mom if she should need my help. They thanked me for being close.

"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe