A Winter Dream

Dana sat up in bed, with Lila’s assistance, and drank some water and broth that was prepared for her.

“Do you want me to help you shower? Or we can move to the living room and watch TV if you want,” Lila suggested.

Dana leaned back against the headboard of the bed, “No, sweetie. I just want to talk. Come sit next to me.”

Lila got up from the chair she’d scooted next to the bed and crawled in next to her mom to lean against the headboard.

“What do you want to talk about?” Lila prompted.

“How does you dad look? Is he well?” Dana asked with a wistful smile on her lips.

Lila nodded, “I guess you knew because I asked you about the dreams. He looks good. He’s sad but he can still smile at me. Have you seen his house? It’s amazing.”

Dana chuckled lightly, “I haven’t been there, of course, but he painted me pictures of it often.”

“Dad paints?” Lila was surprised.

“Yes, he’s an extremely talented artist. I miss him so much. My love for him only grew when he sacrificed his time with us to heal you. I hated it for him, but I would have made the same choice if I could have. Nothing was worth seeing you suffer so, not even our love,” Dana explained.

“You don’t regret it? You don’t blame me?” Lila asked timidly.

Dana sat up and gripped Lila’s arm, “Not for one second, Lila. Not ever. You’ll understand one day when you have babies of your own. I’m only sorry I won’t be around to meet them.”

Lila’s voice cracked on her sobs, “Mom…”

Dana did her best to hug her daughter to her, “Shhhh…it’s going to be ok. You’re going to be ok.”

After a while, Lila’s sobs quieted, and she rested her head against her mom’s head.

“I’ll miss you so much, Mom, I wish you didn’t have to go,” Lila said and then sniffled.

“The best part of your life is about to begin, my heart. You get to be with your dad, find your parallel and you have a mate,” she soothed.

Lila pulled back to look at her mom, “You knew about the mate?”

Dana nodded with a sheepish smile on her face, “I did. When you used to visit Dad’s side in your dreams you made three friends. There was the mischievous Cassius, your princely mate Ransom and his little sister, Daveena. From what Dad told me, usually you find your mate during puberty and complete the bond when you reach adulthood. You two recognized one another early probably because you both have royal blood…at least that’s what Dad says.”

Lila looked horrified, “We aren’t related, are we?!”

Dana laughed at the look on her daughter’s face, “No, sweetheart. There are many royals in Dad’s dimension. They are simply the families that are assigned to care for the creatures in each territory. Dad’s territory and Ransom’s family’s territory share a boundary on one side. You share no blood.”

Lila was immensely relieved by this information. She knew she felt a draw and a need for Ransom unlike any she’d experienced before, and she’d only met him as an adult in his parallel’s body. She wondered if the reason she couldn’t tolerate traveling between the two worlds as a child had something to do with the mate bond.

Dana’s expression turned serious, “Sweetheart, I don’t think I have much time left, which is why I wanted to talk to you. Your Dad bound your stay in this world to my lifeforce. This means two things. One, when I die you will be wrenched from this dimension and permanently linked to your dad’s. Two, I cannot die at a hospital. If I die there and you are with me, and there happen to be people around to see you pulled away, that would be bad. So, no matter what happens, don’t call an ambulance. What happens to my body after I’m gone makes no difference to me. The neighbors will eventually call someone.”

“Mom, that’s awful, I don’t know if I can manage thinking that you’re lying here…rotting..” Lila made a disgusted face and Dana laughed.

“I won’t be here anymore, sweetie, it doesn’t matter. Not truly,” Dana assured her.

Lila glared at her mother but said nothing.

Dana pretended she didn’t notice and said, “Why don’t we move to the living room and watch a movie. I think I saw “Sixteen Candles” on the program guide.”

Lila pouted, “I’ve never even heard of that movie.”

“You’ll love it, trust me.”