Into the Aether_Part One(28)

The day Linda told David she was pregnant, they had been sitting in their living room. He seemed terrified at the prospect of a child. She reassured him there would be more than enough money for the three of them, if they were careful, but he waved her reassurance away.

“Is it a boy or girl?” he asked, his brow furrowed.

“I’m not sure,” she responded simply.

“When can we know?”

“I’ll ask Helen, my doctor. Don’t you want it to be a surprise?” she asked, running her fingers along his back.

David sat still, staring into space. “No.”

When they found out it was a girl, he was ecstatic. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him so happy. He made a nursery, picking out the colors and furniture himself.

“And this is the one I’m using,” he said, holding up a paint sample with five different shades of pink. “It’s called ‘Pretty in Pink’ and it will look just great! That is, if it’s alright with you?” David gave Linda a sheepish look. She laughed and agreed that it would.

“Good! Let me show you the furniture I built!” He gently took her by the hand and led Linda to the nursery, showing her the crib, nursing chair, and chest of drawers.

Later that night, Linda lay on the couch while David massaged her feet.

“What should we name her?” he asked.

Half asleep, she responded: “Whatever you’d like.”

“What do you think of Lara?”

“Sounds great,” Linda said, her breathing now becoming deeper, and she slipped into pleasant dreams.

Four months later, little Lara was born.

“David,” Linda said, lying in the hospital bed, “come look at your daughter!” David leaned over to pick up Lara from her mother’s arms. He looked down at her big brown eyes and round cheeks with a goofy grin, but after a few seconds, the smile faded from his face.

“What’s wrong?” Linda asked. He stood there staring at his newborn daughter for a moment, and then passed her back to Linda.

“Nothing. I need to get some air. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Linda couldn’t imagine what in their daughter’s face could be troubling her husband, but not too long after that, he fell into another depressive episode. She would try to get him to hold Lara, but he wouldn’t. Something was wrong, but whenever she would ask, he would dismiss her questions. One night, after supper, David sat Linda down. Lara was swaddled lovingly in her mother’s arms.

“I need to talk to you,” he said in a serious tone.

“What is it?” Linda asked.

He paused. “It’s about me and Lara. There’s something I haven’t told you. I thought I could keep it to myself, but, well, I don’t know if that will be possible now.” His eyes rested on Lara’s face as he gently stroked her head. Linda’s mind was racing with possibilities, none of which she liked. He let out a large sigh. “I can enter other people’s dreams. I’m sure that Lara will be able to do the same thing. That is, if she hasn’t already done it.”

Linda sat there, her mouth open and eyebrows raised.

“Is this a joke?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.

He shook his head.

“Okay, honey, I’m going to call Helen. We’re going to get through this together,” Linda said, standing up and walking toward the phone, still holding Lara. She had no idea what she was going to say.

David said, “You were having that same dream for years, the one where you are stuck in your bedroom with the flames.” Linda’s hand paused on the receiver. “I replaced those with you having tea or running through fields.” Fear crowded Linda’s chest and she looked down at Lara. The baby was asleep with a peaceful look on her face. When had she told David about her dreams? She had mentioned them to Helen…

Linda slowly turned around to face her husband. His eyes were downcast, his body turned away from her.

“Please say Helen told you about the dreams.” Again, he shook his head.

“This… thing, it runs in my family. I was hoping so much that Lara wouldn’t have it, but as soon as I saw her, I felt it.” He looked up at Linda, his eyes red. “Please sit,” he said. She remained standing, looking at him. “I would never do anything to hurt you or Lara. I’m the same man you knew, just with a few... hidden talents.”

Cautiously, Linda sat down.

“I want you to be prepared when Lara starts to ask questions.”

“Let’s pretend we’re on the same page. Why wouldn’t you be able to explain this to Lara?”

David looked down again.

“What are you not telling me?” she asked, her tone sharp.

“We need money, Linda. I looked at our finances almost two months ago. If we don’t get an infusion soon, we’ll be bankrupt in less than six months.”

“You didn’t answer my question. What are you not telling me?”

“I’ve been in contact with a group of people who are in need of my talents.”

“What people?”

“Wealthy ones. They’ve agreed to triple my annual salary and give me a signing bonus for only a few hours’ work a week.”

“No. I don’t know what mobsters you’re working with, but I won’t have it.” Linda stood up and walked to their bedroom. She gently placed Lara on the bed, and then started tossing clothes into a suitcase. She felt her husband’s presence at the door.