The Dream Deceiver

by Chantae Oliver

  It's early morning, and I’ve already kissed two guys…and now I’m going to have breakfast with them both? What the hell is wrong with me? She thought as she looked down at the table and picked at her cuticles.

  “Wow, it smells amazing in here,” Oberon said with a clearly lifted mood.

  “Kalen here did the bulk of the work. I was more of a sous chef,” Lilyette answered as she plated the food for everyone and placed them on the table.

  Kalen plopped in one of the seats then looked back and forth between the chair next to him and Rhiannon.

  Taking the hint, Rhiannon went around the table and sat next to him, feeling Oberon’s eyes on her the entire time.

  Lilyette put the last plate on the table and sat in the seat across from Kalen – leaving Oberon with the place across from Rhiannon.

  Feeling awkward, Rhiannon said a quick, silent prayer then shoved a large strawberry in her mouth. The move was far from dainty or sexy, yet when she looked up, she saw Oberon staring hungrily at her mouth as red juice from the strawberry dripped ever so slightly down her lips.

  Rhiannon choked on the strawberry, taken aback by the intensity of his stare.

  Kalen reached over and patted her on the back lightly.

  “Slow down, there’s plenty more where that came from,” he said between soft laughter.

  “Thanks, I’m just famished,” Rhiannon said through forced laughter.

  “Don’t mind her,” Lilyette began, “She’s like a chipmunk when she eats! Likes to fill her cheeks with as much food as possible.”

  Rhiannon laughed in earnest this time as she replied,

  “Don’t knock it till you try it! You get the full flavor of all the food at once!”

  Letting out a chuckle of his own, Kalen loaded up a fork with a piece of French toast, fruit, and bacon then shoved it into his mouth at once.

  “Hmmm…not bad,” he said with muffled words.

  Not one to be outdone, Oberon filled his fork with twice the amount of food and shoved it in his mouth as well.

  “Mhhff frrneally mood,” he said, eyes wide.

  “What?” Lilyette said, cracking up.

  “Stop, don’t talk anymore, just chew. You went beyond chipmunk and straggled into rhino territory!” Rhiannon guffawed.

  At her words and laughter, Oberon’s eyes began to water, and his cheeks turned red as he tried to contain his own laughter so he wouldn’t spit his food out or choke.

  Seeing his struggle, the others began laughing and cheering him on to finish.

  “Chew! Chew! Chew!” they chanted in unison.

  Guttural sounds of laughter emitted from Oberon as he slowly but surely chewed his way through the pile of food in his mouth. When he finally swallowed, he stood up in victory and threw his fists up in the air as the others cheered him on.

  “Noooooo onnnnne – chews like Oberon, swallows food like Oberon!” Rhiannon sang happily.

  Everyone laughed at her new rendition and began to settle down and dive into their food again.

  Kalen leaned over and whispered in her ear,

  “I know you were just doing that as a joke, but your voice is lovely.”

  Rhiannon smiled and said thank you as she took another bite of the sweet and savory French toast.

  “What’d you slip into this?” Lilyette whispered to Kalen.

  “Ecstasy,” he whispered back conspiratorially.

  The playful banter between bites continued between the group until all their plates were picked clean and their stomachs were pleasantly full.

  Everyone went to work cleaning up, each naturally taking on separate tasks.

  I hope this harmony lasts, Rhiannon thought wistfully as she glanced from Oberon to Kalen to Lilyette. This house, my stomach, and my heart are all so full right now.

  ***

  The house was coming together nicely with everyone working hard to get it set up. Lilyette and Rhiannon squealed with delight when they finished unpacking their rooms and started fantasizing about how different it will be to live together outside of campus without the slew of rules that came with dorm life.

  When all the rooms were clean and set up, all that remained was her parent’s old room.

  “I’m not ready to go in there,” Rhiannon began, “I’ll get to it after some time…but right now…I just can’t.”

  “No need to rush. I’m here for you whenever you’re ready,” Lilyette said in response.

  “Rhiannon! Did you know you have an attic?” Kalen yelled from down the hall.

  “Uh…no…” Rhiannon yelled back in reply as she and Lilyette made their ways towards him.

  Oberon joined them from downstairs, and they all stared up at the rectangle in the ceiling with a clear cut in half string dangling from it.

  Kalen and Oberon both took turns jumping and trying to get the string and pull down the door, but the line was too short for them to get a good grip on it with just jumping.

  Kneeling on the ground under the string, Kalen put his arms out and motioned to Rhiannon.

  “Here, get on my back, and I’ll lift you up so you can grab hold of it,” he said.

  Walking behind him, Rhiannon straddled his back nervously and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

  “Don’t drop me,” she said, feeling scared of him bearing her weight.

  “Ye of little faith,” he laughed as he stood up smoothly, not seeming encumbered by her being on his back in the slightest.

  Oberon watched the interaction, feeling the embers of jealousy burning in his gut. He wanted to be the one picking her up, the one who had her legs wrapped around him, but he knew that if he expressed this, he would just seem childish and petty. Instead, he smiled on the outside and cheered Rhiannon on as she grabbed hold of the string up pulled the attic door down.

  A folded ladder was revealed when the door finally opened, so Rhiannon grabbed onto that and pulled it open to the floor.

  Dust flew around the air and cobwebs pulled away from the open and clung to the steps. It was clear that the attic hadn’t been open in a long time, and Rhiannon was excited to see what might be inside. She shifted quickly off Kalen’s back and headed immediately to climb the ladder.

  “There’s spider webs!” Kalen called out as he backed away, disgust clear on his face.

  “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of spiders?” Rhiannon giggled as she continued to climb, ignoring his warning.

  “Scared is an understatement,” he answered.

  Lilyette and Oberon laughed as Kalen continued to back away from the opening.

  “Went from cool to scaredy-cat in 0.1 seconds flat!” Oberon joked.

  “Arachnophobia is a genuine issue…” Kalen moaned.

  Reaching the top of the ladder, Rhiannon looked around, first to see if there were any spiders in her vicinity.

  “It seems to be clear of spiders, maybe they’re long dead,” Rhiannon called down.

  Entering the attic completely, she looked around for a light switch, and upon finding it turned on the light in the attic.

  As she got a good look at all the items around her, she was taken aback to see the vast array of boxes all around.

  “Do you want us to come up there?” Lilyette called up.

  One box stood out and caught Rhiannon’s eye because it had her name written in cursive across the top. Rhiannon lifted the lid off the container and saw her mother staring back up at her.

  Longing spread through her as she lifted the photograph and admired her mother’s beauty.

  She turned the picture over and saw it had something written on the back.

  ‘Deitra pregnant with Rhiannon’

  “No guys, I think I want to go through this stuff alone,” Rhiannon said as a tear escaped from her shining eyes.

  Chapter 14

  Underneath the picture of her and her mother, there was an envelope that read, “To Rhiannon – open on your 18th Birthday”. Rhiannon’s hand shook as she pulled the thick envelope out. Taking the box in
one hand and the envelope in another, she found an open expanse of wall, leaned against it and sat down on the floor.

  She placed the box carefully in front of her and held the envelope tightly. Taking a few deep breaths to calm the waves of emotions hitting her, she finally turned it over and gingerly pulled it open, not wanting to rip it or anything that may be inside.

  Rhiannon looked over the pages filled with her mother’s beautiful handwriting and clenched them to her chest. She could almost feel her mother’s embrace as she held the letter. Once her heartbeat steadied, she pulled the letter away from her chest and began reading.

  My Dearest Rhiannon,

  I just met you for the first time. You’ve been a part of me for almost 9 months, but today I did something a little crazy and visited you in your dream. I wish I could have seen your face, but what I was able to behold was incredible. I can already tell you are going to be a wondrous human being.

  I desperately wanted to talk to you and tell you so much, but I have to wait a bit longer for you to be in this world. However, while it’s on my heart, I’ve decided to write you this letter that I will one day give you.

  By the time you read this, I wonder how close we will be? Will you push me away as many daughters do when they reach their teenage years? I hope not, but if that does happen, maybe this letter will help bring us closer.

  So, if you’re reading this, it must mean that it’s your 18th birthday! Happy Birthday my sweet girl! I can’t even imagine what you’ll be like when you are 18! Every moment that you grow inside of me makes me even more eager for the life I will get to lead as I watch you grow outside of me.

  I am so excited to meet you and get to know you. Will you be a jokester and prankster like your dad? Will you love to sing like me? Will you have your dad’s eyes or mine? Will you be book smart or street smart? Or both?

  I look forward to learning all these things and more.

  I imagine your 18th birthday as nothing short of devastating for me. Even now, as I near your due date, I dread the loss of this closeness. We are sharing a life right now. And maybe throughout puberty, we clashed and argued? It’s okay, I went through the same thing with my mom. So perhaps you’re now eager to move out and start your own life far away from your nagging mother? I want you to know – I get it. I’ve been there my sweetie.

  I will always cheer you on, from near and far. All I ever want for your life is that you are safe and happy. I will never tell you how to live your life because I can feel it within me – you are going to be so strong and take this world by storm.

  Inside this box is a gift for you and I hope that you will consider bringing it with you wherever life may take you. It is a family heirloom that has passed down through my family for generations. It is a dream catcher that was made long before the fairies and humans separated then came back together.

  I don’t think Hada Academy dives into this deep history, or at least they didn’t in my day – perhaps things have changed? Either way, I want to make sure you know about your heritage.

  Fairies and humans were never originally living apart. Our worlds were one, our cultures were one, and from the tales, I’ve been told since I was a child – and tales I will tell you – it was beautiful. My family originally lived in North America and were native to the land. Your father’s side of the family originated from Africa. I had an intricate family tree made when your father and I got married because I believe it is so important to remember our history. It is also in this box, so please look it over and ask me anything you are curious about.

  This dream catcher was made and passed down to the first daughter or our family throughout the years to protect them. It’s been said that the first daughters in our family are always born with powers that go beyond what any other fairies possess. It’s different for each person, and I can’t wait to see what it will be for you.

  Myself? I am what they call a ‘daydreamer’ in that I don’t have to be asleep to enter someone’s dream. If the person whose dream I want to join is sleeping, all I do is think of them, and I enter a trance that immediately takes me to their consciousness.

  This is all stuff that I will talk to you about throughout the years so you can be prepared for it when your powers manifest in you. Sadly, there are a lot of people who envy our strength and will have evil intentions towards us for having them. The dream catcher holds protective magic inside of it to keep you safe in your sleep.

  Anyone with malevolent intentions towards you will not be able to enter your dreams as long as this is hung up over your bed. I’m giving this to you now because I’m sure the one you had as a baby is threadbare at this point. This one will not fall apart as it is made from stronger materials.

  The stone in the center of it is amethyst. When you first see it, it will appear colorless. Hold it to your heart, close your eyes, and pray for protection. When you look at it again, it will have transformed into the color of your eyes and will be locked in to protect you specifically.

  When you (if you) decide to one day have children and become pregnant of your own, it will lose its color – and it will be confirmed that you’re having a girl. The legends say that a mother goes from protected to protector the second she gets pregnant and that all the women in our lineage will always have a daughter first. I know now that that is true. I will protect you with my life, sweet baby. I love you so much already.

  This is a lot to take in, but mainly sweetie, I just want you to know that I love you and I can’t wait to meet you. I am always here for you, so please don’t hesitate to come to me for anything. I pray that our relationship will be one that develops over time from mother and daughter to best friends.

  And my love, my sweet baby, if for some reason I don’t live to see you reach your 18th birthday, I want to first apologize for not being there for you during this huge moment in your life. And secondly, I want you to know that the love I have for you is always yours and always with you. I love you, and I know you will be someone that I would be so proud of.

  But let’s not think of the what-ifs, I plan to live a long life so I can watch you grow and watch you achieve all your dreams. You just kicked me, and now I’m hungry. You make me crave ramen so much that I’m bloated – but I just can’t stop! Haha!

  Anyways, happy birthday, my darling, and may God watch over you always.

  Love,

  Your mommy (Deitra)

  Rhiannon’s cries became audible sobs as she finished reading the letter. Her entire body shuddered as she clasped the pages to her heart – as if reaching out for a much-needed hug – and she let the tears fall out freely.

  “Mommy…mommy,” she called out between sobs. A word that was now so foreign to her lips but one that she ached to say every day for the past eight years. She felt her heart breaking all over again for the possibilities that would never become realities. Her mother’s words and hopes for the future pierced her so deeply in a place that she had long since buried.

  The hole in her life left by her parents’ deaths began to swallow her up.

  “Rhiannon…” Lilyette said quietly as she poked her head into the attic after overhearing Rhiannon’s cries.

  Lilyette looked around and saw Rhiannon crying hopelessly on the floor. As fast as she could, she climbed the rest of the way up the ladder towards her best friend and fell to the ground in front of her and pulled her into her arms.

  She held Rhiannon to her chest, and her shirt quickly became soaked with tears, but she just kept holding her tightly and felt her own eyes becoming watery with emotion. She didn’t know precisely why Rhiannon was crying, but the only other time she’d seen her in such despair was eight years ago.

  “Shhhhh, shhh, it’s okay, I’m here. Let it out, I’m here with you,” Lilyette whispered to Rhiannon as she gently patted her back.

  Rhiannon and Lilyette sat on the floor together and lost track of time. Rhiannon felt safe and loved in Lilyette’s arms and just wanted to cry until she ran out of tears. Lilyette began
humming an indecipherable tune, and Rhiannon got lost in it as images of her parents and all the moments they could have had together went through her mind like a movie.

  She saw herself dancing with her father during her coming of age ceremony, going to field trips with her mom, going on family vacations during school breaks, but more than anything she kept seeing them growing older together and playing happily in the snow.

  Lilyette continued humming and held onto Rhiannon as if she were an anchor keeping Rhiannon from falling into a pit of hopelessness.

  “Remember that summer when we were little, and my dad built us a tent out back?” Rhiannon whispered, still crying.

  “Yeah, that was the best. And he even let us roast marshmallows and told us scary stories.” Lilyette said softly.

  “Mmhmm…then when we finally fell asleep, he came around the tent and tapped on the sides and scared us all out of our minds,” Rhiannon said, letting out a soft chuckle as she felt her tears finally beginning to slow.

  Lilyette and Rhiannon dove into the numerous stories from their memories with Rhiannon’s parents, and as each one was told, Rhiannon felt her heart getting stronger and her pain starting to be alleviated.

  “Thank you, Lil’, for coming up here and being with me through this…I don’t know what I’d ever do without you,” Rhiannon said finally.

  “I don’t know what I’d do without you either. Heck, if it weren’t for you, I’d still be in that hospital bed,” Lilyette said.

  “I love you,” Rhiannon said.

  “I love you too,” Lilyette answered.

  The pair hugged each other deeply before eventually standing up. Rhiannon picked up the box and placed the letter inside.

  “Shall we go downstairs?” Lilyette said.

  “Definitely, I need to hang something up in my room,” Rhiannon replied.