Jane
I dream of Ethan.
I dream of our last night together, before he made me promise him anything – when we were just two people in love, sharing our passion in the most natural way. The vision is surreal and wonderful at once, and my hazy thoughts are reluctant to return to reality. I keep myself trapped in the dream, only for it to change, transforming into a nightmare where I’m all alone, and running towards a finish line I won’t ever reach.
No, I think, fighting the visions assailing my slumbering mind. Go back, don’t take Ethan from me now, I only just got him back.
I’m still tossing and turning, fighting the twists and turns of my mind, when a new sound reaches my ears.
Why hasn’ she woked up yets?” A little voice asks.
“l dunno, maybe she just really needs a nap.”
Another replies.
“But what if ‘Nita really hurted her?” The third voice is barely more than a whisper, and the next thing I know, l’m hurtling back into consciousness.
My pups! I surge up into a sitting position, scanning the room and immediately locking my attention on my babies. We’re in some sort of bedroom suite, the furnishings more opulent than anything I’ve ever seen outside of Ethan’s penthouse. But none of that matters.
My pups are here, all four of them.
Paisley, Parker, Ryder and Riley are all gathered around my prone form, looking down at me with love and worry. They’d snuggled close even as I dozed completely oblivious, and all of a sudden l’m reminded of those stories about pets staying alongside their owners even after they’ve died. The possibility that I might never have opened my eyes again, even as my babies gathered around me, sends me into a riot of tears.
“Oh my Goddess!”l exclaim, gathering their beloved little bodies to mine. “You’re here, you’re really here.” I’m sobbing now, and so are they, but none of us can stop. It doesn’t matter that I’m battered and bruised, that they’re filthy or even that l’m n*ked after shifting. All that matters is that my pups are finally back in my arms at long last. “Are you okay? l’m so sorry, I’ve missed you so much!”
They’re all talking at once, trying to fill me in on everything that’s happened, fighting for spots in my la*p and leaning their tearstained faces against my skin.”
a boat and we’s were so
Ryder is m0aning.
a big snake tried to
drowneds
Paisley contributes.
to go underground like
trying to soothe, rock, and k!ss them all at once. “l’m so sorry. It’s alright. I’m here
sharing our sadness, fear and relief in all its different forms. “I’ll never leave you again”‘ I promise. “l’m so sorry I ran out that night. I don’t know what I
wanted to help.” Parker explains,
make you feels
my love.” I shush him gently, “but that’s my job, not yours. I’m supposed to care for you, you shouldn’t ever feel like it’s your responsibility to make
Mommy what happened?” Paisley chirps,
Where’s Daddy?”
the capital.” I whisper. “He’s probably planning a rescue for us right now.” I can’t get enough of their sweet faces. Have lever known such joy?”Oh,
fines, Mommy. Riley promises.
my ch3st. “You four are the only
volumes that they’re letting me overload them with affection this way. Paisley and Ryder have always been my cuddle bugs, but Riley and Parker can usually only handle so much snuggle time before their energy overflows and they need to play. However right now all of my babies seem perfectly content to let me smother them with hugs and kisses. I know their journey must not have
know where Anita went?” I ask
dropped us offs here with you.”
she said something about
them anxiously, taking the opportunity
obvious signs of injury. I see only
me.”Nita said we wouldn’
said you were going
whispers, clearly not understanding what
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