Blinded

When morning came around I could feel the kink in my neck from my sleeping arrangement. It hadn’t been a good night. I read through part of it and fell asleep propped against the headboard. The book had fallen from my hand and landed on the floor. One pillow had joined the pile. Lucas usually woke me and a glance to the clock told me it well pass time to get up. The droning voice in the distance was enough to know Lucas had turned the television on. I headed to the kitchen for something to quench my morning thirst. Between sips I peered into the living room. The weather was supposed to be nice. Things had a chance to dry out. It was a perfect picnic day and that put a smile to my face. We were going to be able to meet Margarita today.

The hospital grounds were equipped with a play area, a gazebo, and many flowerbeds. Everything was currently barren. I imagined later in the season it would be filled to the brim with an assortment of flowers. As we walked I reminded Lucas to be on his best behavior. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Margarita and I did not want to frighten the poor girl. I took a seat on a bench when we arrived. Skylar and Tabbi would retrieve Margarita and meet us outside because Lucas wouldn’t be allowed inside. As we waited a woman passed us. She stopped before Lucas and looked down. I looked up at the sudden movement, to see if there was a problem.

“You have a gorgeous dog,” she said.

Lucas’s hackles rose. I jumped up, fearful of what he might do. The woman didn’t covey concern. Instead she looked upon me with a perfect smile. Her short hair was pinned back and though it looked blond I could swear this was a tinge of green to it. Her eyes were also green and the whites didn’t look right. Still, I smiled and tightened my grip on Lucas’s leash, happy I hadn’t yet taken it off. “Thanks, sorry about his attitude.”

The woman continued on as if she hadn’t heard me. “He is unique for sure; where did you stumble across him?”

“On-line,” I replied and gave a stern look to Lucas as he began to growl. He was trying to place his body between the woman and me. I stood firm and tried not to struggle too openly with him. “He’s a little particular with people though.”

The woman continued to stare at Lucas and paid no attention to what I had said. She either didn’t get the hint or she really wasn’t paying much attention. “What’s his name?”

“Lucas.” I looked around. No one else was around. Maybe I could make up a story to get Lucas the distance he wanted. I turned back around and found the woman was gone. With a shake of my head I looked to Lucas who was now as calm as anything. “You know you are going to have to learn that some people, no matter how creepy looking, may want to admire you. Don’t start growling at everyone who stops for a polite chat.”

“Oh my gawd, he is sooo big grandpa. Can I pet him?” I heard the squeal and turned to see a bright eye miniature Tabbi gleefully walking towards me. Skylar was a short distance behind, pushing a pole with fluid drips and Tabbi followed behind him.

“I think you need to ask Kale that.”

I smiled as Margarita came to stand before Lucas. “Hi, my name is Margarita.”

“I’m Kale, this is Lucas. It’s nice to finally meet you Margarita.”

“Can I please play with your dog.”

“You can try. Don’t be shocked if he doesn’t fetch though.”

Margarita’s smile, already wide from excitement, stretched. She reached out to offer her hand. Lucas didn’t move. He didn’t really sniff hands. Slowly Margarita moved her hand closer. Her fingers brushed the tip of Lucas’s long fur and she giggled before she lunged at the mass of fur and pulled him into a hug. “I think you’re just the sweetest thing. I want a fluffy dog just like you.” Margarita had a southern accent. I pondered how this was possible considering where she was brought up. I imagined her mother, after spending time in the south, was her influence. It was enough of an accent to notice, thought not extremely strong.

I didn’t say a thing. Instead I looked up to see Skylar and Tabbi smiling. We spend the day lazing around. Lucas showed the patience of a saint while Margarita braided his fur, put a crown of clover on his head, and fed him by hand. I smirked whenever Lucas looked at me from over the shoulder of Margarita every time she hugged him. She read to him as and he would always take a second to glance up between the pages. I wondered if he was begging for help or checking to make sure I wasn’t going to leave him.

“I’d get that dog certified.”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t like some people,” I told Skylar. Tabbi had gone to check on Margarita’s machine. Making sure it was still dripping and not needing to be changed out. She’d be leaving soon to go back to the shop. She didn’t dare stay away for too long on a weekend.

“He’s wonderful with Margarita. I’d say he’d be good with children.”

“Even if I wanted to I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Skylar pulled out a card, one of his business cards. He flipped it over and reached into a breast pocket for a pen. With grace he scribbled a number on the back. “I worked with these guys a couple of times. They are amazing. If you decide to follow that path I would give them a call. Tell them I sent you. They can let you know what options are open for Lucas.”

I took the card and smiled. “I’ll think about it,” I said.

“Wonderful.”

I sighed and looked as Tabbi leaned down to plant a kiss on the child’s head. Lucas shifted his weight and laid his head down. He was staring at me. Not his angry look but watchful. I shook it off. “I don’t know what I’d do without you Skylar. You and Tabbi have been so good to me.”

“You’re independent enough, you would have gotten by on your own.”

“I think Margarita has taken a fancy to Lucas,” Tabbi said when she joined us again.

“I guess we will have to do this again sometime. Laughter is the best medicine, isn’t that what you use to say with dad all the time?” I asked Skylar.

He laughed. “I can’t believe you remember that.”

“You teased mother so much, yelling she was a grouchy old woman and you both would live forever.” Tabbi gave me a hug when I stopped. I looked at my hands, resting on the table and took a deep breath. “I miss him. Now more than ever.”

“I do too,” Skylar whispered. “He’d be proud to see you have grown into a fine young woman.”

I gather Lucas a half hour after Tabbi left. Work in the morning meant an early walk for us and I intended to be in bed at a reasonable time to catch up on much needed sleep. I also told myself I had one errand that needed to be seen to the next day at some point. I had yet to get any information from the bank about the unknown funds added to my account. Friday I had received another deposit. I needed answers. Having been out and about all day I didn’t bother with a walk to the park with Lucas. Instead we visited the butcher. Lucas received his special treats and I picked up a week’s worth of scraps. I dropped into the bakery for a loaf of bread and a couple rolls to make lunch with.

The work week passed quietly. I had no answers. The bank was keeping things quiet until they reached the person on the other end. They had implied strongly they had tracked down the other party and that person couldn’t be reached at the moment. In other words I was kept waiting. My routine with Lucas had changed too. He no longer dragged me to the park. He avoided it. Whenever I pulled him to that direction he would fixate his gaze away from it. I was beginning to think he was traumatized or at least didn’t want me to think he would run off again. Our walks started along the streets where I window shopped as I spoke to my dog, probably freaking out the citizens hurrying passed me. I didn’t care. I gave up long ago. I made other dates with Skylar and Margarita. Tabbi was too busy to partake some of the times. It replaced our weekend walks to the park. I could tell it brightened Margarita’s day each time we showed up and I was still amazed by Lucas’s patience. Things began to progress with Margarita’s treatment. Skylar or Tabbi were always giving me updates each week I came. Spring quickly turned to summer.

“Margarita is coming home,” Skylar said, clearly bursting with excitement as he took a seat beside me. I looked at him reflecting the same excitement

“Really? When?”

“Another week or two. They want to observe her a little longer but she’s in recession.”

“That’s amazing news. I am so happy for her. Oh that’s just in time for her birthday. I am going to throw her a big party. You can’t say no. I’ve already decided.”

“You and Tabbi think so alike.”

I grinned and watched Margarita leaned against Lucas, reading to him. It dawned on me that I hadn’t seen the doctor in a while. I had no reason to not visit him, yet he hadn’t called me. Maybe he really was harmlessly flirting and it meant nothing. I sighed and Skylar stared.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, that look means absolutely nothing.”

“You look tired.”

I paused. I had wanted to talk to someone for a while about the dreams. I hadn’t slept well the night before. Not after the vivid dream I had. Being honest with myself I worried I would be called insane. How could I have a dream about a woman being kidnapped before she was kidnapped? I had such a shock when I saw her face on the television. There was no mistaken her. The woman, with dark hair, wavy to her shoulders and partly pinned in a ponytail. She wore hooped earrings and her piercing brown eyes were paler than I had ever seen. I had seen her mixed in my dreams with a child and that man in a uniform. He too had been on the news. A wanted criminal. Escaped and at large. He was supposed to be overseas, but Central City was his home. Be on the lookout the newscaster said. Report anything suspicious. I knew he wasn’t overseas. I didn’t know how I knew. Just like I didn’t know how I was dreaming about these people so accurately. The child, she was the only one I had yet to see appear.

“Bad dreams,” I finally replied. “I may have to invest in a dream catcher.”

“Maybe you should take off early. Get some rest with that dog of yours. Call in sick tomorrow if you have to.”

I smiled. “Or not. I would feel terrible if I played hooky.”

I hugged Skylar who whispered to me when I did say my goodbyes. “You can tell me anything Kale. I will always be here for you.”

“Thanks.”

We gave Margarita our well wishes and hoped our next visit would be closer to home for her. I told her maybe if she was lucky she could convince Skylar to give her a puppy of her own. He frowned. I smiled evilly and Lucas rumbled. We walked off and as I turned to look over my shoulder, there in a small group of trees I saw the woman who had the blondish green hair. I tried to stop, get a better look, but Lucas continued to pull me back to the car.

That night I dreamt again, of the different faces. A tall man with white hair kept returning. His blue eyes scanned the distance of the park before he leapt, higher than a human should be able to. He caught something and pulled it back to earth with him. That was all I saw before returning back to the solider. His image blurred and the child became the focus. Her brown eyes found mine as she called out for help. I focused on her and her past came rushing forward. A small child lost and alone. Living a life that was hers but wasn’t. I woke with a start and pondered how my mind could make up such random fables. How could someone of the past be brought to the future? Those ideas belonged only in stories. I looked over to see Lucas sleeping at my side and I settled back down. I needed sleep. Actual sleep before work tomorrow and at this rate I knew I wouldn’t be getting much. I slowed my breathing and closed my eyes, hoping for no dreams to pester me, or something minimally close to normal.