Page 20 of Dreaming of His Omega
“The other option,” Rory said, his mouth twisted into a wry grin. “The other option is that you're living that movie with Will Ferrell.”
“Elf?” I said stupidly.
Rory snorted. “No! The one where he’s the main character in a book and comes to life. Maybe that’s happening to you.”
“Very funny,” I muttered.
“I'm gonna get to class,” he said. “I'll see you later.”
“Seeya,” I sighed, flopping back against the couch. I wondered if I could control Traviel in my dreams. I felt as if Iwashim while dreaming, but when I woke up I was never quite sure if I had just been a passenger in his body, witnessing the dream unfold, or if it was some sort of a lucid dream that I had control over. If I did have control, I could try to find Falkanar.
I stretched out on the couch, mind racing. Falkanar. How could he possibly have beenhere?I tried to remember the dreams with him. How had he helped Elarian? He drove him around, I think. Did some housework while Traviel was… odd. It was hazier than the rest of the dreams, but I felt like Traviel wasn’t around much. In fact, I was pretty sure Elarian was worried about Traviel missing the birth. Why was that?
Maybe I should go ahead and write the birth scene and make sure Traviel was there for it. As inspiring as the dreams were, I hadn't actually writtenanythingin the couple of months since I started having them. Instead. I was jotting down everything I could remember from each dream. But the plot itself, as it played out, stayed unwritten. It might be good to get back into the world again.
I pulled out my cell phone to check the time, wondering if a nap was in order. It would be nice to have a dream about Vale Valley again and confirm that I wasn't going crazy. I looked at my phone and realized that I could remember the number for Vale Valley General Hospital! Traviel called it several times, as he and Elarian made plans for the birth. It was stupid, but I couldn't resist dialing the number.
I hit the call button and waited. There was a long, long silence with a bit of crackling static and then I heard the familiardoo do doochime. I chuckled at myself and started to hang up, when the automated voice telling me my callcould not be completed as dialedsuddenly changed. I paused with my finger a millimeter above the end call button.
“Hello?” I heard someone distinctly say.
Trembling, I raised the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” I breathed.
“Hi, sorry. You're breaking up a bit there,” said a cheery voice. “You’ve reached Doctor Evans’ office at Vale Valley General, can I help you?”
I yanked the phone away from my ear as if it had burned me. I was shaking so badly I nearly dropped it trying to hang up. I was awake, right? How could this possibly be happening? How were my dreams coming to life?
On a hunch, I grabbed my laptop and tried to find the Picture Purrfect website again. I hadn't looked at it since the dreams started. I found it and quickly bypassed the password page again; it was as if the website wanted me to find it... I brushed the thought away and opened up the gallery.
Once again, I was met with the reindeer and the snow leopard. But, this time, I knew them. I knew their names. I clicked through the pictures, seeing now familiar face after familiar face from my dreams. With each face came names, personal information, where they worked, who their mates were... I closed the laptop lid, still shaking. Was it subconscious, like Rory said? Had I seen these faces and started having dreams about them? Giving them names and back stories?
Or was I actually in some strange fantasy world, in which my dreams were becoming reality? It didn't make any sense. But if it was real then… I lifted the lid again. My laptop had shut off, but the dark screen was at just the right angle to work like a mirror. I stared at my face and ran a hand over the top of one ear. What if I was Traviel? Just like in my dreams, but for real? What if every time I went to sleep I astral projected or something to Vale Valley?
Bits and pieces of forgotten dream conversations suddenly came back to me. Traviel kept disappearing.Thatwas why Elarian was scared he would miss the birth. Something was wrong. I jumped up and started pacing around. What if Traviel kept disappearing because he wasme? As soon as the thought struck me, I couldn't shake it. But if I washere, then did that mean Elarian was in Vale Valley alone right now? Wondering where Traviel was, afraid of going into labor without his partner...
Sleep sounded impossible, but once I was tucked into bed, I found it easy to drift off…
Chapter Seven
Elarian
Just like that, the nursery was done; adorned with an adorable assortment of woodland critters. We had decals for the walls, sheets for the bed, even a pillow shaped like a hedgehog, and another pillow with a playful fox for the rocking chair. The rocking chair itself – which was the fanciest, most comfortable piece of furniture I had ever seen – was a soothing shade of brown, made from fabric that looked like tree bark.
On one of the rare evenings that he was around, Traviel surprised me by adding live plants to the nursery. He attached some branches to the walls, then encouraged vines to grow around them. He also planted ferns and grew them to just the right size. Sitting in the baby's room, in the rocker, felt like being in a jungle. The plush, moss green carpet that I splurged on, helped complete the effect.
I was sitting in there with my feet up – on the matching stool that rocked along with the chair – listening to the sound of birds outside the window, and the soothing sound of water from down the hall as Traviel showered. Just as I was starting to be concerned that he had been in the shower for a while, I heard the water stop. A couple of minutes later, fully dressed, Traviel stuck his head into the nursery.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked.
“Yes.” I put my hands on my stomach as the baby wiggled. “It's so peaceful in here. I've been thinking we should get one of those sound machines that plays water noises, or better yet an actual fountain. Do you think there's enough light in here for a solar one?”
“I think so. As long as it holds the charge for a while. We’ll want to close the curtains whenever the baby is napping.”
I nodded in agreement, then tilted my head back onto the cushioned rocke and closed my eyes. “I could sleep here,” I said dreamily.
“You're going tohaveto sleep there,” Traviel chuckled. “If the tales from some of our friends are anything to go on, you’re in for a lot of nights in that chair.”
