In the hotel room, Jacob paced and refused the seat Lila offered. “Tell me about your dream,” Jacob asked. “Have a seat, please,” Lila said. Something in her tone stopped Jacob. He looked at her and then the chair. Several moments passed, and then he sat.
“Two weeks ago, I dreamed of a beach house. I did not see the person who lived there. The wind was blowing everything out to sea. Then the beach house broke apart, and most of it washed out into the ocean. When I woke, I heard a voice, say ‘come home.’ I had not lived here in forty years. The last time I was in Miami was fifteen years ago to bury my aunt. I have a few cousins still here, but no reason to return.”
“Yet you came,” Jacob said. “Yes, I took two days to convenience myself; there must be a reason for me to return.” Jacob stood and walked to the window. The wind had died down, but it was still raining. “Can I get you anything?” Lila asked. Jacob laughed, “Yes, my beach house,” “I wish I could,” was Lila’s reply.
“Do you always follow your dreams?” Jacob asked. “I try to make sense. As a child, my old relatives told me to pay attention to my dreams.” “I still do not know why you walked by my beach house that first night, I saw you,” Jacob said.
Lila smiled. “I was walking, and something or maybe someone drew me in that direction. When I passed your beach house, I felt an awareness. It was not strange but comforting. It was as if I knew you.”
“But you did not stop or speak,” Jacob said. “I did not know you, and that would be rude to walk up,” Lila said. “Okay, but what about after Paul came to see you,” Jacob asked. “I was not sure I wanted to speak with you after talking to Paul. If you were as rude as he was, I did not want to have anything to do with you.”
“Why didn’t you leave?” Jacob asked. “I had committed for one week, then the approaching hurricane left me stranded. Well, not stranded, but not able to change my plans and leave early. Since you had not approached me, I decided you did not want to talk with me. Then pieces of the dream, I had forgotten returned. It was your beach house, and I saw you standing out front looking at the remains of your house.”
“You didn’t tell me that in the basement. Why not?” “Jacob, would you have believed me?” He shook his head. “Probably not, then I would have tried to leave and see about my house.” “You would have risked your life for a beach house?”
Jacob plopped into the chair. “I wanted a beach house since I was a kid. I guess I was only to have it for a few years. A got glimpses of you from long ago. I went through my college yearbooks, looking for a photo of you. I knew it was school related, but I also knew it was not high school.” Lila laughed, “Oh, yes, segregated high schools.”
Lila shuddered. An image of Jacob in her house. “Are you all right?” Jacob asked. “I should ask you that. Strange as it might sound, I am here for you.”
Lila stood before Jacob. Waiting for him to take her outstretched hand.
© 2019 Ivy Jade