Host Dreamer 110

Host Dreamer Copyright 2009 Helen Gardner

Amber dreamed. She was standing at the sink, rinsing dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. The sink, and for that matter, the kitchen, were not her own. She hated these dreams in which she was someone other than herself. In this particular dream, she was someone named Daisy, Seated at a small oak table behind Daisy were a man and a young girl. Amber knew, as part of the dream, that the man, slender, blond, and younger than the woman, was the woman’s lover, Gary. The girl, about Amy’s age, was the woman’s daughter, Julia. “Daisy, honey, are you almost done? coffee,” Gary said. “You are so sweet,”

I’ll get you another cup of

Daisy said, without turning around.

With the all-seeing gaze of the dreamer, Amber watched as the man got up, grinning at the girl. On his way to the coffee pot, which was located on the counter near Daisy, he had to pass Julia. Reaching down, he cupped one of her breasts in his hand. She looked up at him, making a silent kissing motion with her darkly painted lips. “Gary, don’t put so much milk in it this time,” Daisy ordered, without turning around. “Ok, he said. Coming up behind her, he picked up the carafe with one hand and caressed the older woman’s ample behind with the other. “Gary!” Daisy said sharply. He knew she did not like being touched intimately in front of Julia. Gary winked at Julia, who rolled her eyes. Angry with both of the younger people, Amber awoke suddenly. She couldn’t help identifying with Daisy, whose thoughts and emotions she had shared, however briefly. Fuming, Amber slipped her feet into soft, warm slippers. That Gary was a real bozo, cheating on the woman with her own daughter. Amber shook her head, marveling that the dream had seemed so real. She was still angry at two people who didn’t even exist outside her dream. She sighed. She would never get back to sleep now. Glancing at her watch she saw that it was nearly time to get up anyway. She was not looking forward to the day that lay ahead. She still had some grocery shopping to do before preparing the homemade lasagna that her son, Jason, had requested that she serve for dinner

that evening for his new girlfriend. Amber knew better than to get excited about meeting a girl that Jason brought home. During the past year or so, there had been a long succession of special girlfriends that Jason had dragged home for her to meet. Very few of them ever made return appearances. At the grocery store Amber noticed the stalker again. He wasn’t really a stalker, at least she hoped he wasn’t. He was just someone she ran into quite frequently. Too frequently, she thought. He was a stall or two over in the produce section, so she got a really good look at him while he hefted cantaloupes, gazing at them judiciously. He was tall, just a hint more than slim, and too ordinary in a brown haired, browneyed, tanned sort of way to be called handsome. Deciding on a cantaloupe that looked like the rest of them to her, he tossed it into his cart, saw her looking at him, and smiled briefly. She smiled back, just as briefly, and turned her cart down an aisle away from him. Shrugging, she went on with her shopping, once more preoccupied with the ingredients for the dinner she would soon prepare for her son and his newest romance. On the way home, she wondered if Amy would volunteer to help with the meal. She hadn’t asked her seventeen year old daughter to help with Jason’s ‘bring my girl home to meet my mom’ meals since Rachel, a very pretty but rather slutty looking girl who had disparaged the meal she and Amy had worked so hard to prepare. The meal was all but ready; the salad tossed, the table set, the lasagna fresh out of the oven, the garlic bread toasted and warm before Amy came banging into the kitchen. “Glad you could make it,” Amber told her with just a shade of sarcasm in her tone. “Me too,” Amy said, the sarcasm lost on her. now.”

“They should be here by

As if on cue, the door in the living room opened, then slammed shut again. Amber hastily untied the brown apron she always wore when she cooked. Hanging it on a hook on the inside of the pantry door with one hand, she smoothed her short blonde curls with the other. “Hey, Mom, I want you to meet the girl I love, madly, passionately, deeply.” Jason called. Amber heard smothered laughter as she followed Amy into the living room. Jason was kissing a tall girl with reddish brown hair. At the same moment that Amy said “Hi, Julia,” the girl turned, and Amber saw her face. She instantly recognized her as the girl who had so recently been part of her dream. Amber was thunderstruck. The resemblance was uncanny; the same hair, the same narrow brown eyes, the bored, sulky expression. The girl was even wearing the same low-cut tee. “Mom,” Jason said.

Amber became aware that she had stared too long at

the girl. Recovering, she welcomed Julia to her home, declaring that she was glad at last to meet the girl Jason had been raving about. But she could not let it go at that. “I believe we have met,” she said to Julia when they were seated at the table. “No, we haven’t,” Julia replied, sounding positive. “Isn’t your mother’s name Daisy?” “Sure.

Amber asked, watching her.

I guess Jason told you that.”

Jason’s brow wrinkled into a frown of concentration. doing that,” he said. Julia punched him, clearly irritated. You or Amy.”

“Oh, Jason.

“I don’t remember You must have done.

Amy shrugged. “I don’t remember,” she said, tackling the huge chunk of lasagna on her plate. “Then, of course, there’s your… There’s Gary,” Amber said. Julia turned her head away from Jason to look at Amber. “Yeah. Gary Stoner. My mom’s boyfriend.” Amber noted the wariness that had crept into the girl’s eyes. “So you’ve met him, too?” “In a manner of speaking, yes.” Amber said. The young people looked at each other uncomfortably, and then at Amber, their expressions questioning. “Are you still in school?” Amber asked Julia, not caring, but needing to change the subject. “I quit. I work at Kelly’s Pharmacy, in checkout.” Julia said sullenly. The rest of the meal was taken up with strained small talk, dotted with uncomfortable silences. Amber was relieved afterward’s when Amy invited Julia up to her room to hang out. Amber began clearing the table. Jason picked up some dirty dishes and followed her into the kitchen. “Mom, what’s gotten into you? You treated Julia like shit.” “Language, Jason.” truth.

Amber said.

She did not know how to tell him the

“Where did you see Julia before?” he demanded. “At her mom’s house,” Amber replied. “When were you ever at her Mom’s house?” “Jason, listen.” Then she told him everything she had seen and heard; Gary feeling Julia’s breast, Julia seeming to like it, taking his advances for granted, Daisy’s unawareness.

Jason was incredulous. “Mom, how could you have seen all that? were you doing there in Julia’s house?” Amber sighed deeply.

What

“I...er, dreamed it, Jason.”

Jason slapped a hand to his forehead, half turning around. When he turned back to look at her again he wore an expression of pure disgust. ”Mom, you treated my girlfriend that way over a dream? I don’t believe this?’’ “Jason, I can’t help what I dream. girl like that.”

You just can’t get mixed up with a

“A girl like what? A girl that happens to resemble some little ho you dreamed about? Mom, this is crazy. Julia isn’t like that.” “I know what I saw.” “You know what you dreamed. Are you even listening to yourself? You can’t seriously believe all that stuff just because you dreamed it.” “Then how do you think I knew Gary’s and Daisy’s names? never told me.” “Amy must have done.

You know you

She said she couldn’t remember.”

“I can describe that kitchen to you, Jason. The walls were beige, with a blue border. The table Gary and Julia sat at was glass-topped with a blue vase in the center.” He stared at her. “I don’t know where you’re getting all this, but it couldn’t have been from a dream. You need to tell me where you really got all this information.” Her son’s handsome young face twisted with rage. “Don’t accuse me of lying, Jason,” she said sharply. “Then stop lying!” He turned suddenly and stalked out of the kitchen. She heard him stumping up the stairs. In a few moments she heard the clatter of more than one set of feet on the stairs. “Back later, Mom,” Amy called. The front door slammed. Angry and feeling a little sorry for herself, Amber set to cleaning up the remains of the meal. What a disaster her carefully put together meal turned out to be. Perhaps she shouldn’t have told Jason about her dream. He didn’t believe her anyway, and now there were hard feelings between them. She was certain that Julia would fuel the flames of Jason’s anger. She piled dishes into the dishwasher just any old way, something she would have chided Amy for doing. What had she been thinking? She could hardly believe the dream herself. Yet it was an undeniable fact that the Julia who was Jason’s girlfriend was the same Julia that was Daisy’s daughter in her dream. If that much of the dream was true, then why not the rest of it? Wouldn’t it have been wrong for her not to warn her son about the girl.?

Worn out from the emotional strain, Amber sat down in the living room and flicked through the channels , trying to find something to watch. As soon as she settled on a movie that she had seen before but liked, she fell asleep. She was awakened by the opening of the door. “Amy?” “Yeah, Mom, it’s me. “I just woke up.

You still up?”

I was more tired than I thought.

“He and Julia are in a motel. tomorrow.”

Where’s Jason?”

They’re going looking for an apartment

“What? Is Jason really that angry.

I need to talk to him tomorrow.”

“Probably won’t do any good. He and Julia decided that they can’t see each other as much if he is staying here. And her mom is so grumpy Jason doesn’t go there much. So he’s getting his own apartment.” Amy sat down across from her mother, staring at the Tv. “I’ve seen this movie.” “Amy, did your brother tell you about my dream?” “Aw, Mom.

Don’t go into that dream stuff with me.”

“Why are you both so angry about that dream? dream. I never wanted to know all this.” “Mom, I know you read my diary.”

I can’t control what I

Amy looked at her accusingly.

“Your diary?” Amber said, bewildered. your privacy.”

“Honey, you know I don’t invade

“Right. You just happened to know what I wrote in my diary about Julia and that creep, Gary.” “I did not read your diary.

How did you find out about those two?”

“Mom.” Amy cocked her head to one side, giving her mother one of those ‘how can you be so dumb’ looks that Amber hated. “Julia told me, of course. We’re friends. She tells me everything.” “Amy, did you tell your brother this? “No, I didn’t tell him.

He has a right to know.”

Like I said, Julia is my friend.”

“But Jason is your brother.” Amy rolled her eyes in imitation of Julia. Amber itched to slap her. “It’s all over between her and Gary anyway.” “Since when?

That dream was last night.”

“Mom, will you stop with the dream thing.

It’s just weird.”

“A lot of things are weird. “Whatever.

That doesn’t mean they don’t happen.”

I want my diary back.”

“I don’t have your

diary.”

“Yes, you do.” “Amy, listen to yourself.

You’re calling your mother a liar.”

“Well, if my diary is suddenly gone, and you suddenly know the stuff that’s in it, then I think it’s reasonable for me to say you have it.” “Reasonable or not, I do not have your diary. least give me the benefit of the doubt.” “Whatever.”

Julia said, repeating herself.

I think you could at “I’m going to bed.”

The next morning Amber ran household errands in a foul mood. Jason had not answered any of her calls to his cell. She couldn’t believe that he had moved out of her house because of that little twit, Julia. When she saw the stalker again on the parking lot of Amber threw her purchases into the trunk of her car, lid and stalked over to the red Mazda he drove. She moment while he piled plastic shopping bags into the almost bumped into her as he straightened up.

Crossings Mall, slammed down the waited for a back seat. He

“Why are you following me?” Amber demanded. He looked at her quizzically.

“What makes you think I’m following you?”

“Oh, come on,” she said impatiently. “You’ve been right behind me every step I have taken for the past few days. I’ve seen you.” “Of course you have.” Unexpectedly, he smiled. The smile was transforming. He radiated charm from the crinkles at the corners of his eyes to the dimples at each side of the wide mouth that invited her to smile with him. “I was just waiting for the right moment to, ah, approach you.” Unwillingly, she felt her own lips curve into an answering smile. She suppressed it. “Suppose you consider this the right moment and answer my question. Who are you and why are you following me?” “Mrs. Martin, my name is Kevin Plant. I need to discuss something with you, but it is too complicated to explain while standing here. Why don’t I buy you a cup of coffee?” He gestured towards the café a couple of doors down. “I don’t want coffee, I want answers,” she said bluntly. The dark eyes gazed at her for a moment, their owner assessing her determination. “Does the term ‘host dreaming’ mean anything to you?” he asked.

She stared at him blankly. She could feel the color drain from her face. “No,” she said faintly. What did this stranger know about her dreams? Nothing. There was no way he could know. The term he had used was unfamiliar to her, but it seemed to fit. “I never heard of host dreaming,” she said firmly. “Ah, but you know well enough what I am talking about.” He made a gesture with his arm, indicating the café. “Come. We need to talk. You look as though you could use that coffee.” ‘I damn well could,’ she thought, and fell into step beside him. The coffee, when it came, was as dark as his eyes. She poured a lot of cream into it and stirred. After taking a sip, she looked at him squarely in the eyes. “What is this dreaming you mentioned.” He smiled at her again. This time Amber‘s lips remained firmly in place. “We call it host dreaming. It’s what happens when one person dreams the waking reality of another person.” Amber sipped again. The coffee was good. “What brought you to me with this? You can’t know my dreams.” Or could he? Amber wasn’t certain of anything any more. “The Watkins thing,” he said easily. She was thunderstruck. She had told no one about that. “How could you know about that?” A horrifying thought occurred to her. “Don’t tell me that Watkins sent you to spy on me?” “In fact, no.” His gaze remained riveted on her face. “Watkins put the whole incident on My Space, complete with a photo of you.” “Oh, no. He didn’t!

Now the whole world will think I’m a nut case.”

“I doubt the whole world bothers with Henry Watkins’ My Space.” smiled that smile again, and she couldn’t help warming to him.

He

“I tried to do the right thing by returning his wallet to him. I saw the thief toss it away. So then Watkins wanted to blame me for the money and credit cards that were stolen.” Her face clouded at the memory of that painful scene. “I couldn’t talk about it, not even to Amy. Now, I’m glad I didn’t.” Plant raised his eyebrows.

“Amy?”

She was glad he didn’t know every thing about her life. “My daughter,” she explained. “She’s seventeen. You know how they are at that age. Everything I do seems to embarrass her. I believe she sees all my faults through a magnifying glass.” “So your dreams and the problems that arise from them embarrass her?” Amber snorted. “Most definitely. The bad part is that Amy doesn’t even believe that the things that happen come from my dreams.”

“Don’t be so hard on her. Most people find host dreaming difficult to believe, perhaps because they haven’t experienced it.” “You know, I don’t remember hearing the term before. I read about lucid dreaming, where you influence things that happen in your dreams. But my dreams are not like that. I have no control over what happens in them.” Kevin nodded. “The term host dreaming is fairly recent. Some people have found that the events they dream about are actual events that occur in real life, often many miles away from them. The people that were strangers to them in their dreams often turn out to be real people who are totally unaware of the person who dreams about them.” Amber stared at him, fascinated. “Daisy, the woman I have been dreaming about recently, lives in the next county. But what is so weird about it is that my son and my daughter have recently become acquainted with Daisy and her family.” “That complicates things for you then,” he said seriously. Daisy socially?”

“Do you see

“No. I don’t believe I have ever met her in real life. But my son isn’t speaking to me because of Daisy’s daughter.” She told him about the dream sequence in which she observed Gary fondling Julia quite literally behind Daisy’s back, and about the disastrous dinner at which Amber had met Julia. He listened attentively. “Perhaps it was a mistake for you to tell your son about your dream.” “Why shouldn’t I? My children are involved with Julia. he is in love with her.”

My son thinks

“I see.” He drank the last of his coffee and signaled the waitress to bring more. When he turned his attention back to her, Amber saw that his face was troubled. “You know, Amber, the first rule about host dreaming is Never make contact with the dream host, in this case, Daisy.” “What? You follow me around for days and the first thing you do is quote rules to me? Who do you think you are?” she flared. “I shouldn’t tell you this, Amber, but I have been sent by the Association to be your guide. That’s who I am.” “My guide? I don’t need a guide. And what’s this about the Association? I never joined any group like that.” “You don’t have to join. The fact that your dreams are host dreams automatically makes you a member.” “I am not a member of any such association,” she denied flatly. did not ask for a guide.”

“And I

“I know you didn’t.” He smiled. “Come on, Amber, doesn’t it make you feel better to be able to talk to someone about this? Someone who

understands what you are going through?” She glared at him, but unwillingly she had to admit to herself that it was a relief not to be treated like a fool because of her dreams. “So what is this association? Am I expected to come to meetings and say ‘Hi, my name is Amber, and I am a host dreamer?’” she said, her words dripping sarcasm. Kevin laughed. “Nope. We don’t have meetings like that. In fact, it will be a while before you meet other host dreamers. I’m here to help you in any way I can. Being a host dreamer myself, I know how difficult things can get.” “Really?

What sort of people do you dream about?”

“All sorts of people, actually. All of them so far have been male. That’s another thing about host dreaming. The host is almost always the same sex as the dreamer.” “Did you ever meet any of them in real life.?” He made a face. “At one time, I was dreaming I was this doctor. He was a surgeon, no less. He used to carry this little flask around with him. Just before he went into surgery, he would pop a pill and take a drink of whiskey from the flask.” “Oh my God.

Did you report him.”

“No. I didn’t even know his name. Besides, the third rule of host dreaming is never interfere in the life of the host. Anyway, no one would have believed me.” “Do you still dream about him?” “I started having a problem with my foot. Nothing serious, a heel spur that was giving me fits. My doctor sent me to an orthopedic specialist. I limped into the doctor’s office all set to go through surgery or whatever it took to get relief from the pain. The surgeon comes in, you know, the way they do, introduced himself and held out his hand. I looked at him, got up, and almost ran from the examination room in spite of the heel spur.” “It was your surgeon with the flask,” Amber guessed, laughing. “Yes, it was.

I haven’t dreamed about him since.”

At the end of the day, Jason had still not returned any of her many phone calls. When she asked Amy to get him to call her, Amy said “Mom, I’ve already tried that. Jason told me to, uh, buzz off.” When Amber confidant, to someone the things

went to bed, it was not Jason, but Kevin, her stalker turned that she thought about. It had been such a relief to talk who didn’t think she was losing her mind. She thought about he had told her about host dreaming. She wondered how many

other people had such dreams. She fell asleep thinking about the questions she would ask Kevin when she saw him again. Amber dreamed. Not only was she Daisy again, but she was Daisy making love with Gary. Amber gagged mentally, but felt her Daisy body responding enthusiastically to his intimate caresses. When he climbed on top of Daisy, Amber screamed mentally “Get off me, you nasty, sneaking, cheating bastard,” but Daisy wrapped her legs around him, moaning as he entered her. Amber screamed aloud. The sound of her own voice helped her to force herself to wakefulness. Trembling, she got up and took a shower, although she knew that it was not her body that Gary had penetrated. The shower lessened the tension somewhat. Still, it was some time before she could sleep again. She slept dream free the rest of the night and into the morning. By the time she got up Amy had already left for school. She had left a note on the refrigerator saying that she would probably stop at Jason’s before coming home. Amber picked up the phone and dialed the number Kevin had given her. “What’s wrong, Amber?” he asked. They had progressed to a first name basis during their long talk the day before. “I need to talk to you.

Are you still my guide?” she said.

“Always. The coffee shop ok, or do you want breakfast?” Amber shuddered.

“No breakfast.”

“The coffee shop it is , then. Say, half an hour?” She agreed. Arriving at the coffee shop before him, she ordered coffee and was sipping it when he slid into the booth across from her. “You look terrible,” he said. “Thank you,” she retorted. She knew that her eyes were red and her skin blotchy. She burst into angry tears every time she thought about the dream of the night before. “Is there some way I can stop having these horrible dreams?” “Not really. Host dreamers have no control over these dreams, nor over the host. What did you dream, Amber?’ he asked quietly. Bluntly, through angry tears, she told him about the lovemaking between Daisy and Gary, and her own unwilling participation. “I can’t go through that again. It’s like a form of rape. Daisy might have been willing, but I wasn’t.” “I’m sorry you had to experience that,” Kevin said, and looked as if he really was. “You are lucky you awoke when you did. The screaming helped, because you made a sound. Some host dreamers find it very difficult to force themselves awake, even during a traumatic dream scene. The tie between host and dreamer is very strong during the dream.”

“I know. I don’t even like Daisy, but I empathsize with her. I’ve decided something. I’m going to tell Daisy about Gary and Julia. I’ve already arranged to meet her later this afternoon.” “Georgia, you know that’s the wrong thing to do.” She shook her head in disagreement. care about your stupid rules.”

“This has got to stop.

I don’t

“They’re not my rules. I didn’t make them up just to make your life miserable.” He smiled, teasingly, but Amber responded with a sour look. Kevin sighed. “There is a reason for the rules. Making contact with the host almost always starts a chain of events that the dreamer can not control. The consequences are usually bad, sometimes tragic.” “You can’t talk me out of this, and you can’t stop me.” Amber knew that he could not fail to read the determination in her face. “Then I’m coming with you.” She shook her head. “No. It will be hard enough to talk to Daisy about all of this alone. She would resent your being there to hear me tell her that her daughter and her live-in boyfriend are lovers.” Amber had been a little surprised when Daisy had suggested that they meet at Daisy’s house. She had refused, making the appointment for another coffee shop across town. She would not take the chance of seeing Gary at Daisy’s house. In person, Daisy was an older, heavier version of Julia. She was dressed in a low cut black top that showed ample breasts, and a short skirt that emphasized the even more ample hips. They went through the ‘How are yous’ and the ‘my kid knows your kid routines’ before Daisy said, rather brusquely “What is it that you want to talk to me about? I’m kinda busy today.” ‘As charming as her daughter,’ Amber thought. Aloud, she said “All right, Mrs. Harris, I’ll get right to the point, then. Are you aware that your daughter and your boyfriend are having an affair?” For a moment, Amber thought that the other woman would simply explode. Daisy’s already slightly puffy cheeks pouched out and her eyes popped. “Why, you little bitch. What makes you think… THAT’S A LIE! Who told you such a thing?” “I can’t tell you how I know. I just know. If you would just open your eyes to what’s going on around you, you’d know, too.” But Daisy was collecting her purse, her sunglasses, her keys. She stood up, the chairs at the small table making a loud clatter as she shoved them aside. Bending over the still seated Amber, Daisy hissed, eyes blazing “I know where you got this. Julia did this. She put crazy ideas into your weirdo daughter’s head. Well, you’d just better shut up. I won’t have talk like that about my Gary. He would never cheat on me. Never.”

As Daisy switched her way out of the coffee shop, Amber thought ’Your Gary? What about your daughter?’ The following day, Amber and Kevin met again at the mall coffee shop. This was becoming a habit. Well, so what? At least she had a friend now, one who was willing to accept her as she was, weird dreams and all. “I still don’t think you should have met with Daisy,” Kevin said over their second cup of coffee. Amber had just finished telling him how Daisy had reacted to the news about the affair between Julia and Gary. “I know. Never make contact with the dream host. rule?” she asked, curious. “The one you didn’t break today. smiled wryly at her.

What is the second

Never tell the host your dreams.”

He

“I didn’t break it, but only because I knew Daisy would never have believed a dream. She would have ridiculed it.” “Sounds like she ridiculed the idea of an affair between Julia and Gary, anyway.” Amber shook her head. “I saw something in her face. The reason Daisy was so mad is because she was afraid it might be true. She just didn’t want to believe it.” “So you think she may be more watchful now? thing.”

That might not be a good

“It will be good for me if she finds out and gives Gary what he deserves. So long as Gary is in her life, there is the chance that that whole ugly bedroom scene will be repeated,” Amber said. “Hmmm. You don’t have something against sex per se, do you?” eyebrows arched quizzically. Amber was taken aback. “Me? Of course not. Sex is fun. choosing my own bed partners. And Gary is a slime ball.”

His

I just like

“That’s a relief,” he smiled. He reached over and covered her hand with his. “I hope, Amber, that whatever comes out of all this will be good for you.” That evening, Amy said “Mom, I found my diary. took it.”

I’m sorry I thought you

Amber looked up from the book she was reading, Dust. She had read all the previous Richard Jury mysteries by Martha Grimes. “I’m so glad you found it. Where was it.?” Amy looked uncomfortable. “Julia?

“Aw, Julia had it.”

How did she come to have it?”

“It was that evening I took her up to my room. up by mistake.”

She says she picked it

“And you believe her?” “Well, sure. I guess. She says that stuff between her and Gary is all over now. She made me promise not to tell Jason.” “I don’t think I would have made that promise.

Jason is your brother.”

“I know, Mom. I do feel a little weird about it. I wouldn’t have promised her if she hadn’t said it was over. So, Mom, since you didn’t get it from my diary, how did you find out what was going on?” “I dreamed it,” Amber said. “Aw, Mom.” Amber looked hard at her daughter. “Do you think, Amy, that you could extend me the same courtesy you gave Julia, and simply believe me.?” Amy stared at her, flushing.

“Well, yeah.

Sure, Mom.”

The words sounded good, but Amber was far from certain that her daughter meant them. Two nights later, Amber dreamed another sex scene involving Gary, but it was not the one she had feared. She was, as usual, Daisy, but Daisy was alone in her bed. Daisy was wide awake, wondering if she had been a fool, pouring out the perfectly good glass of whiskey Julia had brought her as she sometimes did. She had been lying awake, listening for the sound of Gary’s footsteps for nearly an hour. When she heard the sound of stealthy footsteps in the hallway, Daisy allowed her jaw to drop a little, forcing herself to breathe evenly, feigning sleep. The bedroom doorknob turned. She raised one eyelid just enough to see Julia crack the door a bit, watch her mother for a moment, then shut the door again, softly. Daisy waited for several minutes. Getting up, she slid her feet into soft soled, flat heeled slippers. She took a long time opening her bedroom door, carefully turning the knob a little at a time. There was no one in the hallway. Noiselessly, she made her way down the hall, past the hall bathroom, the linen closet, and on down to Julia’s room. This time, there was no fooling around with the knob. She grabbed it, gave it a twist, and jerked open the door. They were both nude. Julia was astride Gary. They were so involved in their lovemaking that neither had heard the door. A low growl welled up in Daisy’s throat. “You little bitch. been drugging my whiskey so you can have my man.”

You’ve

Grabbing Julia by the hair, she pulled her off Gary. Julia screamed, punching wildly in an effort to free herself from the painful grasp. One of the blows landed. Daisy yelped and started slapping her daughter with her free hand. “Stop! Stop,” Julia screamed.

Springing from the bed, Gary pulled both Daisy’s arms loose and pinned them ungently behind her back. “Let go of me you two-timeing bastard!” Daisy yelled. Gary gave her captive arms a vicious twist upward before he let her go. Daisy stood there, glaring at the two of them. Both she and Julia were crying. “Get out! Get out of my house, both of you!” Daisy ordered. Amber struggled, trying to force herself awake and out of the dream. “Come on, Gary.

Let’s go.” Julia sobbed.

Gary was putting his arms around Julia when Amber woke up, trembling. She reached for her cell phone. Punching the speed dial number to Jason’s cell, she prayed that he would answer. She hadn’t talked to her son since the evening Julia had come to dinner. No answer. Amber knocked lightly at Amy’s bedroom door. “I am now.”

“Amy.

Are you awake?”

Amy was sitting up in bed, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“Amy, I need you to call your brother. “At three in the morning?”

He’s not taking my calls.”

Amy snorted.

“That’s a sirprise.”

“I can’t help it. Daisy just caught Gary in bed with Julia.” She couldn’t resist adding “So much for it being all over with between them.” “Did you have another dream? I’ve been reading about dreams on the internet. They call them prophetic dreams. It’s when what you dream about comes true. You’re psychic, Mom.” Did this unflappable daughter of hers sound just a teensy bit awed? Amber knew that her dreams were not prophetic dreams, because the events in her dreams occurred in real time, but now was not the time for nit-picking. “Honey, I’m glad that you’re taking an interest.” She gave Amy a quick hug. “Now, call Jason. Daisy kicked Julia and Gary out of the house. Do you think Julia will go to Jason’s apartment?” “Soap opera drama. gleefully.

We’ll find out.”

Amy picked up her cell phone

Amber left her daughter’s bedroom and dialed Kevin. He had told her to call him if something important happened in her dreams, no matter what the hour. He sounded so sleepy she was immediately sorry she had called, and told him so. “No, no. It’s all right,” he assured her. “What has happened?” He listened while Amber related her dream. “You were right. Daisy started watching them,” he said. “Do you think the drink really was drugged?” “I wouldn’t put it past Julia or Gary, either.

They would feel safer

with Daisy knocked out. I wondered how they managed, both of them living in the same house with Daisy. She strikes me as being naturally nosy.” Amber frowned as Amy came into the hall and walked up to her. “Mom, Jason says come over.” “Come over?” Amber repeated blankly.

“He isn’t even talking to me.”

Amy had discarded her pajamas and was pulling on a pair of jeans. “They’re both there, Mom. Julia and Gary. I think they told Jason. He sounds really upset.” Still on the phone with Kevin, Amber told him about this new development. “That’s finding out the hard way. with you?”

That poor kid.

Do you want me to go

Amber considered for a moment. “Thanks, but no, Kevin. Jason hasn’t even been talking to me, and things will be pretty strained, at best. I’ll call you as soon as I find out what’s going on.” Kevin didn’t sound happy about her refusal of his help, but Amber couldn’t bring a stranger with her to deal with a family crisis, not with Jason. Though she obeyed all traffic signals, Amber arrived at the apartment complex in record time. Amy had had her eyes closed and her fists clenched for the last couple of minutes of the ride. “Have we landed?” she breathed. “We’re here.” Amber said tersely. She didn’t mean to be short with her daughter, but she was worried, not knowing what to expect. Jason sat on the sofa, staring straight ahead of him, his jaw tightly clenched. Julia sat staring at the tv and smoking. Gary stood beside the chair she sat in, also smoking. No one spoke. Jason?”

Amy went over and sat beside her brother.

“You ok,

“Yeah.” He didn’t appear to be ok; he looked miserable. Suddenly, he looked entreatingly at his mother. “Mom, they say I have to leave my apartment. Can they do that?” Amber wanted to run over and give him a reassuring hug, but she knew he would be horribly embarrassed if she did that. She glanced at Julia, who glared at her. “Did you sign the lease?” Amber asked Jason. “Nah.

I don’t have any credit established yet.

Julia signed.”

“Is your name on the lease at all?” Amber asked, thinking that all Jason had needed to do was ask his mom to sign the lease. “No.

Just Julia’s.”

He wasn’t looking at Julia.

Amber looked questioningly at Julia, but Julia just shrugged and rolled

her eyes. “I paid for the apartment,” Jason volunteered. “First and last month’s rent, plus damage deposit. It came from my college fund.” He would be starting college in less than a month. “Did you pay by check, or with cash,” Amber asked, keeping her voice even. “Cash.” Julia finally spoke. apartment.”

“And I paid for it.

This is my

“I gave you the cash,” Jason said, his voice tight with anger. my money.”

“It was

“It was mine after you gave it to me,” Julia said smugly. “I’m afraid she’s right, Jason,” Amber said. “Apparently, there’s no proof that the apartment was meant to be yours.” “Let her have the stupid apartment, Jason,” Amy said. Then she turned to her friend. “Julia, I can’t believe you’re doing this to him.” “We don’t have a place to go,” Julia said to Amy. home to his mom’s.”

“Jason can always go

“It’s probably best if you come home with us, Jason,” Amber said. can talk with an attorney tomorrow if you want.”

“You

Amy got up. “Come on, Jason. got school tomorrow.”

I’ve

We can worry about all this later.

Jason stood up, gazing around him in a way that suggested that he was being kicked out of paradise. “You can pack up tomorrow,” Julia told Jason. bother your stuff.” “Mrs. Martin.” it. She had no the arm fall to circumstances,”

“No one’s going to

Belatedly, Gary proffered a hand to Amber. She ignored intention of touching this slime ball. Ever. He let his side. “Sorry to have to meet you under these he muttered.

“We shouldn’t have met at all,” Amber retorted. The rest of them looked at her strangely. They had no idea what she was feeling. She had made love with this man, albeit not with her own body. He knew nothing about her body, but she knew what it felt like to have him on top of her, making love to her. Amber’s cheeks burned. She turned and strode out of the apartment. Amber hung around the house most of the next day trying to get Jason to talk to her, but he remained in his room with the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign hanging from the doorknob. Amy went to a friend’s house after school to spend the night, so dinner promised to be a solitary affair. Amber had pizza delivered in case Jason decided to join her. He didn’t. Amber was not even positive he was still in his room. He could have gone out without her being aware of it.

Kevin called and they spent a long time going over the events of the day before. It occurred to Amber that their conversations nearly always centered around her experiences. “Kevin, what’s going on in your life?” she asked. “Not very much at the moment.” “Why is it that we never discuss what is happening in your life? don’t mean to monopolise our conversations.”

I

“He laughed, that rich, hearty laughter that she liked so well. “You’re the star of this show, Amber. I’m your guide, remember?” “I remember. It still seems unfair that we stay focused on my life all the time. By the way, when do I get to meet other host dreamers?” Sometimes she wondered if there really were others. His voice turned serious. “I don’t know, Amber. We don’t often meet as a group. Usually, we work in pairs, most often with one person being guide to the other. Why? Are you bored with my company already?” It was Amber’s turn to laugh. “Of course not. It just seems odd that you are the only person in this Association thing that I’ve met so far.” There was a slight pause at the other end of the line. “Come over for a bit. I’m getting ready to watch Sookie Stackhouse. You know, the tv series, Trueblood. Vampires, sex, mayhem. See, my life’s not boring, after all.” “Hmmm,” Amber said, stifling a snigger. Then, surprising herself as well as Kevin, she accepted. He gave her directions to his apartment, and before she knew it, she was knocking at his door. Kevin made popcorn, huge bowls of it. very comfortable sofa. “Is it terribly gory?” she worried. popcorn if it is.” “Really?

They sat together on an ugly but “Because I don’t know if I can eat

My guess would be that you are not the squemish type.”

“Having spent the last few years with two teenagers, I think I can probably handle it.” They watched two of the episodes of the series and were well into a third when Amber made use of one of the huge throw pillows at the end of the sofa. “Do you mind?” she murmured. “Just going to close my eyes for a second.” She never heard his reply because she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She was Daisy again. Daisy was rummaging through her bedroom closet. She was so agitated that she kept dropping the objects that she picked up, leaving them to lie helter-skelter where ever they landed. Presently, she managed to pull down one of several shoe boxes from the top shelf. She carried the box to the bed, tripping over some of the

things on the floor. Sitting down on the bed, she lifted the lid from the box. Reaching inside, she pulled out a wicked looking gun. Amber knew next to nothing about guns, but she was afraid when Daisy checked to see that the gun was loaded. “Cheating son of a bitch,” Daisy muttered. “We’ll see how you like a taste of this, Gary.” At the doorway she paused, looking back into the bedroom. Someone was shaking her, calling her name. “Amber! Wake up.”

No, not her name, but

She was so completely immersed in the dream that it took some time for Amber to shake off the emotions of betrayal and rage that Daisy had been feeling. For a moment she stared wildly at Kevin as he bent over her, looking concerned. “I’ve got to go! She exclaimed. Gary.”

“Daisy has a gun.

She’s going after

Before she had finished speaking, Kevin began handing her her purse and keys. Amber did not object as he clamored down the steps with her. She started for her car, but Kevin placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll take mine. It’s faster.” “What happened to your rules?’ she asked as they sped out of the driveway. “No interference and all that crap.” “It’s not crap, Amber,” he said calmly, keeping his eyes on the road. “There are some very good reasons for the rules. But we are human beings, not automatons slavishly obeying the rules at all costs.” “Thank you,” she said tartly. “Because this is one time I will definitely break the damn rules.” “Amber, where was Daisy going?” “To shoot Gary. Oh. To Jason’s apartment. That’s why I’m so worried. What if Jason went there to pick up some of his things?” “At this time of night?”

The digital clock on the dash read 2:30.

“I just have a bad feeling. If Daisy is going to try to hurt Gary, we have got to try to stop her, even if he is a sorry excuse for a human being.” “We could dial 911,” Kevin said. “And say what? I’ve had a dream. Please rush over to my son’s apartment so you can stop his girlfriend’s lover from getting shot by her mother?” “Good point.

Let’s just get there,” he said.

Amber said nothing more. She could tell Kevin was really worried, more so than she would have thought. With Kevin there was always this

feeling that there was something more than what he actually said. The trip along the dark sreets seemed interminable. At last they drew up at the apartment complex. “There’s Daisy’s car,” Amber shouted as they ran towards Jason’s building. Not waiting for the elevator, they rushed up the two flights of stairs. The crack of the revolver sounded just as they reached the door. Without knocking, Kevin flung the door open. “Oh my god,” Amber breathed. The figure almost completely covered with a flowered comforter was familiar, but it was not Gary. “Jason!” Amber screamed. “Oh my God. It’s Jason.” With trembling fingers she dialed 911. “You little whore!” Daisy screamed at Julia, who watched, looking horrified, as the red stain grew on the comforter. “Bitch!” Daisy sreamed again. “You took my man away and now you’re cheating on him?” Daisy took aim at her daughter. Kevin tackled Daisy. They wrestled on the floor, with Kevin holding Daisy’s arm, keeping the gun pointed away from Julia. Daisy managed to kick him in the groin. The gun went off, the bullet shattering the glass in a framed picture on the wall. Kevin got up, holding the gun. All this Kevin related to Amber later. Vaguely, she heard the yelling and the sound of the gun going off, but her attention was all on Jason. Pulling back the covers, she saw that he had been shot in the back. He was unconscious, but breathing. There was an enormous amount of blood. Amber ran into the adjoining bathroom and fetched a clean white towell. She held the towell firmly against the wound, trying to staunch the flow of blood. “Jason, Jason,” Julia moaned.

“Oh, God.

Is he dead?”

Amber lifted her gaze from the bloodied form to Julia’s eyes. “My son is alive, no thanks to you,” she said. She understood Daisy’s rage against this young woman. Amber wanted desperately to slap the pretty young face. “Where’s Gary?”

Kevin asked.

“He got called in to work,” the girl said sullenly. “Slut!“ It was Daisy who did the slapping. Still holding the gun, Kevin pulled the distraught woman away from her daughter. There was a noise in the hallway. must have been closeby.

The paramedics had arrived.

They

Three days later, Kevin and Amber went to see Jason in the hospital. He was recovering nicely from his wound, though it had been touch and go at first. Amy was sitting on the bed beside Jason. Amber was glad to see them laughing together. “Hey, you two.” Amber patted Amy’s shoulder, bent

down and kissed Jason’s cheek. son. “I’ve felt better.”

“How are you feeling,” she asked her

Jason looked at Kevin with interest.

“Who’s he?”

Amber glanced back at Kevin. “I introduced you to Kevin yesterday, but you were still pretty groggy. This is my friend, Kevin Plant.” Jason waved a feeble hand.

“Hi, Kevin,”

“Glad to see you’re feeling better, Jason. worried.”

Your mom was pretty

“Yeah, she worries a lot,” Jason said sleepily. Julia?”

“Mom, have you seen

“No, but I talked to her earlier.” Amber hesitated. There was no easy way to deliver the news. “She called me to tell me that she and Gary were married today. She said to tell you that she hopes you find someone else, real soon.” Jason’s eyes had widened and then closed.

He said nothing.

“Julia married that creep?” Amy exclaimed. “She didn’t even tell me. Why so soon? Why now, with all this stuff going on with her mom?” “The fact that although Julia is eighteen now, she was under age when her affair with Gary started may have something to do with it. She may be trying to keep Gary out of trouble.” Jason opened his eyes again. he asked.

“What are they going to do about Daisy?”

“I don’t know, Jason,” Amber said. “I think they are charging her with malicious wounding instead of attempted murder since it was not you that she intended to shoot. She’s swearing she only meant to scare Gary, not kill him.” “Well, she scared me,” Amy said. “I would never have believed she could do something like that. Will she go to prison?” “It’s hard to say. She’s out on bail now. She has no priors, so she may only get probation. Personally, I don’t care as long as she stays away from my children.” “Mom!” Jason and Amy exclaimed in unison. They all laughed. Shorly afterward, two of Jason’s friends dropped by, so Amber and Kevin stepped out into the corridor on their way to find some coffee. “I hope I don’t dream about Daisy any more, especially if she goes to prison,” Amber said. “You might not,” Kevin said. “Most of the time, when a particular issue in the host’s life has been resolved, the dreamer stops dreaming about her, or him.”

“If the issue was Daisy’s affair with Gary, then it certainly appears to be over. She hates him, now.” Amber suddenly stopped walking.

Kevin stopped, too.

“Amber, what’s wrong?” “That room we just passed. That’s Alma. The dream I had last night. Her brother-in-law pushed her down the stairs. I’m going in there.” She turned around. “Amber, no.” “I’m just going to make sure it’s her. killed her.”

I thought that the fall had

“Amber, come back here. Don’t get involved,” Kevin groaned. Rule!” “I’m just going to take a peek.“ Kevin hurried to catch up.

She walked inside the room.

“First