Lila pulled the items from the mini refrigerator in her hotel room. “This might not be the best breakfast, but it will hold us until we can leave the hotel,” Lisa said to her guest. “Do you need any help?” Karen asked. “No, well see what is in the minibar for drinks. That would be helpful,” Lila answered.
Jacob stood at the window and watched the waves on the ocean. Paul sat in the chair by the desk. The tension between them clear to everyone in the room. Paul watched Lila as she continued to place the food on the desk.
“Guys, there is French bread, three different cheese, and several fruits,” Lila said. She would say nothing about the conversation that caused the tension in the room. “Jacob, you can have the other chair and Karen, and I can sit on the edge of the bed.” Jacob turned from the window. Karen and Lila watched his movements. Each concerned for different reasons. “Let’s bless the food and then you two can have the conversation that is dancing around us,” Lila said.
They ate the minimal breakfast in silence. Lila watched all three of her guest. Hearing Paul talk about saving Jacob put their relationship in a different light. The dream still lingers. She had remembered her only encounter with Jacob before this week. But why was she to come and what about his beach house? In the dream, the beach house washed away. What did that all mean? How she wished one of her aunts was still alive. The older members of her family could always interpret her dreams. Growing up, she had plenty of dreams.
“Jacob, I am sorry if I have made you uncomfortable all these years. I only wanted to make sure you were okay,” Paul said. It brought Lila to the room with Paul’s comment. “Paul, saving my life did not mean smother me, and that was how it felt. I accept your apology, but from here on, I do not need saving,” Jacob said.
Karen and Lila watched the interaction, neither wanting to say anything. The eerie silence covered the room again. Lila got up and began to clear the food from the desk. “Jacob, I went to Miami Dade Junior College the summer after I finished high school. I remember seeing you there,” Lila said. “When did you remember that?” Paul asked. “Paul, you are doing again,” Jacob said. Paul looked down at the floor. Lila laughed, and the tension in the room seeped out.
“I remembered when we were in the basement. I have not lived here in forty years. I had a dream that terrified me a week ago. At the end of the dream was a voice that said come home,” Lila said. “And you came to Miami because of a dream?” Karen asked. “Yes, I grew up trusting my dreams. They were usually pointing me to something or someone. Never were they literal.” “This is scary since I had the dream about Dad last week,” Karen added.
“I think the dreams are connected,” Lila said. Jacob stared at Lila, She turned and smiled at him. He started to speak, and Karen’s cellphone rang. It was her brother. She answered, then let him speak with their dad. It was time to walk to the beach house and access the damage if any. Because the beach house had been in Lila’s dream, she knew she would go with them.
An unease filled Lila’s body.
© 2019 Ivy Jade