by Elena Carter
“Yeah, that can be a dangerous thing.” Tina laughed.
“Seriously. You know what, I don’t even remember what I was looking for originally. I ended up watching funny videos about penguins.” Mike shook his head. “Penguins, Tina. At 3:00 a.m.”
“You work too much. You need to unwind sometimes. I think you needed to take your mind off things, and watching silly, funny vids is the best medicine,” Tina said.
“I guess you’re right. I haven’t had days off recently. Got really carried away with the new clients and those ad campaigns. They’re so confusing. It’s draining my time and energy.”
“I told you that you should outsource. Hire people who know what they’re doing, instead of trying to do everything yourself.” Tina shook her head in disapproval.
“I wanted to learn. So even if I do decide to outsource, I know what I’m talking about.” He shrugged.
“Makes sense. But you have to go all the way, don’t you?” Tina smiled.
“Yup, being a perfectionist is a pain. You know it.” Mike nodded. “Here we are, let’s go grab some coffee, and you can tell me about those scary flowers.” He pulled up in front of the coffee shop and turned off the engine.
“You can wait here if you want. I’ll go get it. What would you like?” Tina opened the car door.
“The strongest, please. Double. Or triple. I remember, I once asked for a double espresso and a syringe—”
“Syringe?” Tina’s eyebrows climbed up.
“Yeah, to take it intravenously. Wanted to crack a joke. The girl behind the counter literally got scared. I never went to the same coffee shop again.”
Tina burst out laughing. “Yeah, I’ll definitely go get the coffees myself then. I want to keep coming back here.”
On the way to Hummingbird Lane, Tina told Mike about Alice, the last dream she’d had, and the strange reminder on her phone.
“Wow. The dream is like a scene from a horror film. Or at least a thriller. Seriously. How are you taking all those things?” Mike shook his head. “I really don’t know if I could do it.”
“Well, it’s not like I have a say.” She shrugged. “I don’t choose the dreams. But they don’t scare me much anymore. I guess I’m getting used to it.”
“Why didn’t you go back to Alice’s house? After the dream and the reminder?”
“Because I’m worried. I don’t even know for sure if I’ll find any answers there. Maybe, I need to go to that place in my dream again, I don’t know. But wherever and whenever I do get the answers, I’m not sure I’m ready to accept them.”
“Are you afraid she’s not coming back?” Mike glanced at Tina, unsure if he should have voiced it.
“I guess.” Tina paused for a while, rubbing her forehead. “You’re right. I don’t want to lose anyone anymore.”
Mike nodded, lost for words. They drove in silence for a while.
“I guess it’s maybe selfish of me. I mean, what if, wherever she is, she’s actually happy there and chose to be there? It’s not really up to me to decide, you know?” Tina continued.
“It’s not. You’re right. But it doesn’t mean it’s easy. I understand how you feel.”
“Thank you. You make me feel not that selfish.” Tina forced herself to smile. “And I guess all these worries are premature anyway. I don’t even know if anything has happened.”
“So, what do you want to do? Knock on the door and on the windows again? Check for notes?” Mike wrinkled his forehead.
“I’ll see if anything has changed since my last visit. And I’ll check if my note is still there. I’ll actually water the flowers, too. Maybe I need to strictly follow all instructions.” She shrugged.
“This is weird.” Mike ran his hand through his hair. “Who do you think is giving you those instructions? How? I mean, a reminder on your phone … Or texts from Greg … Isn’t it crazy?”
“It is. It’s absolutely crazy. I have no idea how this all works. I’m just as confused as you are. And I am going to confuse another person today with all these weird stories.”
Thinking of the talk she was going to have with Kate made her stomach drop.
“I think we’re here,” Mike said, pointing at Alice’s house. “From what you’ve described, I’m pretty sure this is the place. No need to check the GPS even.”
“Yup. The floral fairy tale.” Tina nodded. “Such a beautiful place. I love it.”
“Want me to come with you? Or wait in the car?”
Tina paused for a moment, thinking. “I think I’ll go alone, if that’s okay?” She glanced at Mike apologetically.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” he said with a soft smile. “If you think that’s better for you. And if you’re gonna be okay. You are gonna be okay, right?”
“Of course I am. I just have a feeling this is the right way. I don't know how to explain it.” She shrugged and gazed at the house again before opening the car door. “I won’t be long. Don’t want to keep you waiting.”
“Don’t worry about me. You go and do what you gotta do. I’ll take a nap maybe …” He pretended to yawn.
“Yeah, right.” Tina laughed and opened the door. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Good luck!”
She got out of the car and headed toward the house.
Everything looked the same as it was during her last visit. She stepped on the porch and knocked on the door first. Although, deep inside, she knew no one would open it. She waited a little bit, then knocked again. Nothing.
Tina avoided looking at the geranium.
I’ll go check the windows first, she thought.
She wandered around the house, looking at the windows, listening closely, trying to see if there were any signs of anyone’s presence, but everything was quiet.
I knew she wasn’t home. Why am I even wasting my time on this? She returned to the porch and finally looked at the geranium.
The note wasn’t there. She remembered very well where she put it last time she was there. It had been sticking out from between the leaves, so Alice would notice it when she came back. If she came back.
Tina walked closer and bent over the flower pot, examining it thoroughly. The note was nowhere to be seen.
She looked on the floor and behind other pots with flowers, but she couldn’t find it.
Either there was a really strong wind—like, an extremely strong wind—or someone was here and read the note. And took it. Maybe it wasn’t even Alice. Could have been anyone. A neighbor. Kids.
It reminded her of the kids in the dream, and of Alice picking up the note, reading it, and then looking at her.
Was it her? Did she actually pick it up? From the dream? But then I wrote her another note …
All the questions, and the confusion they caused in her mind, resulted in a strong headache. Tina realized she was sitting on the floor at the porch, her face buried in her hands, thoughts racing at a crazy speed.
She remembered Mike was waiting for her in the car, and they still had a trip ahead of them. She moaned as she pulled herself up, stretching her legs. Every movement resulted in a new wave of headache.
Tina trudged back. She climbed into the car and tried to shut the door as gently as possible. She leaned back in the seat, closed her eyes, and sighed.
Mike put his phone down and watched her, not sure whether to ask any questions or wait until she spoke first.
Tina sat in silence for a few minutes. As Mike cleared his throat to ask her if she was all right, she said, without opening her eyes, “Frustrated. Sorry. I needed a minute or two. Terrible headache. Excruciating.”
“Want a painkiller? Did you have breakfast? You shouldn’t take it on an empty stomach.”
“Yes, and yes.” Tina kept her eyes shut. “I’ll take it, and then let’s go. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”
“It’s okay.” Mike reached for the glove compartment, looking for the medicine. He took out a box and offered them to her. “Here, take two of these.”
; “Thank you.” Tina opened her eyes, squinting from the sunshine. “I had a bottle of water in my purse … Where’s my purse?”
“On the back seat.” Mike turned and reached for the purse. “Here you go. Are you sure you’re gonna be okay? You still wanna do it?”
“I have to do it. I don’t want to do anything right now. Except, maybe, disappear. Or at least hide in a dark, quiet corner.”
Mike sighed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spill it out on you. This headache is killing me. I’ll be fine in a few minutes, once the pills kick in.”
Mike nodded.
“I’m just very confused and very frustrated,” Tina continued. “I guess I expected some answers. Instead, I drowned in a sea of questions.”
“So, you didn’t find anything there?” Mike figured she was ready to talk.
“Nothing at all. Not even the note I left for her. But everything else is intact.” She kept her eyes closed.
“The note isn’t there? Somebody took it, then?”
“Don’t know. I guess, but there’s no guarantee it was her. Could have been anyone. If it was her, she’d leave me a response, I think.”
“But didn’t you say she took the note out in the dream?”
“Yes.”
“The first note, right? And then you wrote her another one.”
“Right …”
“Well, maybe that’s where you need to look for the response then?”
“In the dream?” Tina opened her eyes and glanced at Mike.
“Uh-huh.” He nodded.
“Maybe. If only I knew how to do it. How to get there, I mean.”
“Can’t help you with that, sorry.”
“But it does make sense. She read the note, I wrote another one—it was all happening there, in the dream. Or in that world, whatever it was.” She winced. “There’s one thing I don’t understand, though.”
“Only one?” Mike chuckled.
“Haha…” Tina forced a smile. “The reminder. If all the action is happening in the dream, what was the point of sending me here?”
Mike paused for a moment, thinking. Then, all of a sudden, he started laughing.
“What is it? What’s funny?”
“Has it crossed your mind that you were asked to water the flowers?”
“The one thing I actually didn’t do.” Tina tilted her head back against the headrest and stared at the ceiling with a moan. “Do you mind waiting a little bit more?”
Tina was napping while Mike was driving.
The painkiller had finally worked, and she was able to relax. She had reclined her seat back and dozed off.
Mike drove in silence. He didn’t even turn the music on, although that was the way he liked driving. He didn’t want Tina to wake up until they passed the place where Greg and his friend crashed. He knew she hadn’t been on that road since. She was actually avoiding driving when possible. In the first couple of months, her attempts to drive caused panic attacks. Later on, she was able to make short drives, but preferred to take a taxi or ask someone to give her a lift. She said she’d developed a fear and found it difficult to concentrate.
That was why, when he heard she needed to make this trip, he knew it wasn’t a good idea for her to drive. The road was winding in the mountains, there were many sharp turns, and it wasn’t the easiest of drives even without painful memories.
A fox darted out on the road right in front of them. Instinctively, Mike jerked the steering wheel. The car swerved, and even though he steadied it straight away, Tina woke up. Mike swore under his breath.
“Hey!” he said with a big grin. “Feeling better?”
“Don’t know yet.” She blinked against the light. “Kinda. Head feels heavy. Have I been asleep long?”
“Nah, not really.”
“Did I snore?”
“Nope. Wish you did. It was awfully quiet. I almost fell asleep myself.”
“Why did you turn the music off? You can’t drive without music.” Tina reached for the car radio. “I know why. You wanted to let me sleep. So sweet of you.”
“You can be pretty scary when you have a headache. It was my self-preservation instinct at work.” Mike laughed. “Seriously, though, glad you’re feeling better.”
“Thanks.” Tina gazed out of the window and frowned.
“I wanted to ask you …” Mike rushed to distract her—they were passing the area he wasn’t sure she was ready to look at.
“Yeah?” She turned to look at him.
“Do you have a plan?”
“What do you mean?”
“For the talk with Kate. Are you gonna see how it goes, or have you been rehearsing?”
“Rehearsing? Not really. The more I was thinking about it, the more I was afraid I’d go crazy.”
“So, no plan at all?” He threw a quick glance at Tina.
“Well, sort of. I’ll start with asking her how she’s been and see what she says and how she says it. Maybe, I’ll ask her something about him.”
“Something like what?”
“I don’t know, maybe something like I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet him, what was he like?” Tina shrugged. “See what she says.”
“Hmmm …” Mike brought his eyebrows together.
“You don’t think it’s a good plan? You have a better idea?”
“I’d just tell her the truth.”
“Straight away?” Tina’s eyes widened. “She’s gonna freak out.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But at least it’s honest and doesn’t involve any unnecessary snooping around in her memories. Sorry if that sounds harsh.”
Tina stayed quiet for a few moments. Mike felt uncomfortable, but didn’t break the silence and kept focusing on the road.
“I guess you’re right,” Tina said. “It is honest. It’s just difficult and scary. Which is the main sign it’s the right thing to do.”
Mike was glad she was not paying any attention to the road. They haven’t yet passed the area that would stir the memories.
“I know.” He nodded. “The right things are usually not the easiest ones. But, on the other hand, you’ll get it off your chest sooner this way.”
“So, you suggest I prepare a speech, huh?” Tina forced a smile.
“Well, it would be useful to know at least how to start.”
“Let me tell you a secret? Do you believe in the afterlife? I know there’s money hidden in your house?” She rolled her eyes.
“Kate, I know this might sound insane, but please give me fifteen minutes of your time and listen to me. Then you can decide whether to believe me or not.” Mike glanced at Tina and raised his eyebrow. “How does that sound?”
“Sounds good. Sounds simple and straightforward and also sounds like something I should have been able to come up with myself instead of over-complicating things.”
Mike grinned. “Yeah, you do tend to complicate things sometimes. But this situation is complicated enough. It needs simplification. After all, there are only two ways this can go—she either believes you or she doesn’t. Right?”
“When you put it that way, it does look much simpler.”
“If she believes you, good, you’ve achieved your goal. What you need to think about, as the second part of your plan, is what you’re going to do if she doesn’t. Are you gonna try to convince her? Or are you gonna give up?”
“I guess, I’ll try to convince her. I don’t like giving up.” Tina shrugged.
“Well, you can look at this from a different perspective too. After all, you tried, which is what you promised to do. And you can’t make someone believe you. You can’t force them. It’s their choice.”
“Makes sense.”
“But let’s look at the option you picked—trying to convince her. How are you going to do it? Do you have any cards up your sleeve?”
“Sort of.” She winced. “That’s the most awkward part. I was told where the money is hidden. Considering I’ve never been to their house, it will sound li
ke solid proof. But it will also sound creepy. You know? What if she thinks I’m some crazy stalker who has broken into her house?”
“And then came to tell her about it over a latte? Really?” Mike raised one eyebrow.
“Well …” Tina bit her lip. “Yeah, but if I was crazy, there would be no logic in my actions, right?”
“Not necessarily. But you don’t look crazy at all—sorry to disappoint you. And you’re over-complicating things again.”
Tina sighed and closed her eyes. “This is so frustrating. I want this whole thing to be over already. Are we there yet?”
“Almost.” Mike chuckled. “Have some patience, and I’ll buy you an ice cream when we get there.”
Tina chuckled without opening her eyes. “Mike?”
“Yes?”
“I know what you did. Thank you. I really appreciate it.” She reached out and put her hand on his.
Mike parked in front of the coffee shop where Tina was going to meet Kate.
“Are you sure you don’t want to join me?” Tina asked, her hand on the handle. She was nervous about the upcoming talk, but she was also feeling uncomfortable that Mike drove her all the way there and now had to wait for her somewhere.
“Absolutely.” He nodded. “You know I shouldn’t be there. And don’t worry, you got this.”
“But what are you gonna do? I really have no idea how long it will take.” She frowned.
“I saw a park nearby on the map. I’ll go for a walk and maybe even read—I have a Kindle full of books I never get to read. I’ll just enjoy my day off because they don’t happen often. But text me whenever you need me, okay? And I’ll come right back.”
“You’re the best.” Tina smiled. “Enjoy your rest. Don’t fall asleep on a bench in the park.”
“Got it. No sleeping on benches. Can I nap under a tree?” Mike yawned theatrically.
“As long as you keep your phone close.” Tina laughed. “Okay, off I go. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck. Everything will be just fine. You got this.”
Tina nodded and got out of the car.