"Dreams" - Her Story: Chapter 3

Chapter Three

         She prints out the finished reports and placed them in their folders and put them in her bag for morning. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock, it was after midnight and her daughters weren’t home yet. She turned off her computer and the light and left her office. Stretching, she heard a car door slam and someone’s footsteps on the porch.

         “Where in the hell have you been?” She questioned her oldest daughter the second she opened the door. “And where is your sister?”

         “She’s coming and what do you care where we’ve been? You probably just finished working and noticed that we weren’t home yet.” Her oldest daughter accused her.

         “That doesn’t matter. You have a curfew and it’s your responsibility to be on the front porch by eleven on school nights and midnight on weekends. Same for your sister.” She stopped as her youngest daughter walked in the front door and stood next to her sister. “You are both grounded until further notice.”

         “You can’t do that.” The oldest shouted in protest.

         “Oh, yes I can. I am the parent and you are my responsibility.” She watched the anger in her daughter and knew the fight was just beginning. “I don’t want a knock at the door or a phone call telling me something has happened. You are my children. I want you safe and it’s my job that I make sure of that. If you can’t follow the rules then you don’t need to go out at all ever again.”

         “I will never treat my daughter the way you do us.” Her oldest stormed up the stairs to her room and slammed her door.

         “You both will do the same thing when you’re in my shoes.” She sighed heavily and went up to her room leaving her youngest daughter standing at the bottom of the stairs. Closing the door behind her, she turned on the light and rubbed her eyes again.

         She changed out of her work clothes and into a nightgown she had hanging on the hook behind her door. Sitting down on her bed, she picked up her brush off the end where she had left it earlier that morning and ran it through her hair. She tried to recall when life had been simpler. When every day had included laughter instead of arguments. Letting her arms fall to her sides, she prayed life would become a little easier. She was so tired all the time. She felt older than her thirty-nine years.

         Rising, she set her brush on the top of the dresser and climbed into bed. She checked her alarm clock to make sure it was set for the right time and sighed heavily. She relaxed a little with the knowledge her daughters were in bed safe and sound at last for the night. She would deal with their anger and protests later.

         Closing her eyes she could picture the golden sand and crystal clear blue water of a secluded beach. She could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the surf and the cries of the seagulls as the soared over the water in search of dinner.

         She could feel the dampness from the water and the sand beneath her bare feet. She looked down to see she was wearing a pale blue linen flowing skirt and a white tank top was tucked into the waistband and a pale blue knit shawl was draped over her shoulders. She felt the soft fabric of the skirt swirl around her legs as the warm summer breeze stirred around her.

         She looked out over the water at the sun setting on the horizon. Watching as the sun made it’s decent in the sky transforming the blue sky of the day into shades of oranges, reds and grays. Creating the illusion of fire in the sky. She pulled the shawl more securely around her and crossed her arms over her chest. Peace, such a sense of peace surrounded her as the waves crashed against the surf at her feet and the sun set on the horizon.


""Dreams" - Her Story: Chapter 4"  [18+]