In Your Dreams

Chapter 3-Off We Go

When Jessica knocks on my door at 12:30 p.m., I feel a little proud of myself. I was able to locate and dig out my suitcase. I laid it on my bed and opened it to start chucking stuff in it to organize later. After taking out some clothes from my last trip...hey, don't judge...I turn to my closet. I did a little research on the weather in South Korea and February and Eskimo clothes it is. OK, so I will be there late Tuesday. Then, Wednesday through Sunday morning.

So that is four full days of clothes. I need to pack a few nice professional outfits, a few casual ones, and maybe one dress, just in case. Now pajamas. Since I only sleep in a t-shirt and underwear, I just toss a few old band tees on the pile. I packed the requisite extra 2 pairs of underwear on top of what I needed. If you know, you know. Now, shoes and accessories, and I should be about set.

I will wear my coat on the plane so that I don't have to pack it, and my make-up, toiletries, and laptop will be the last thing in the morning. I return to the kitchen to start lunch and am met by Bear at my door.

"Don't even start with me." I tell her as she stares at me with the saddest puppy dog eyes you have ever seen. "Hopefully, Jessica will come to stay with you, and you love her. If things go well, you can go with me when I return."

Knock knock. Right on time, I yell come in, and Jessica comes in, closing the door quietly. I hear Bear's tail smacking the wall by the door, so excited to see her.

"Move, you big moose. Let her in BEFORE you kill her with love."

Jessica makes it to the kitchen with Bear right on her heels. She drops down on a stool at the counter while I finish the pasta salad.

"How was class?"

"Same shit, different day. I'm going to use the bathroom real quick."

She returns a few minutes later and plops back down with a bowl before her.

"So, Jessica..."

"Uh oh. What do you need?"

"Well, I have this job opportunity that is really big. I mean, like a life-changing job. BUT I have to go out of town until Sunday to meet the clients and sign contracts."

"You want me to watch Bear, right?"

"If you aren't busy. I could board her, but I hate to do that at her age. I would rather her be with someone she loves."

She looks down at the snoring chocolate puddle at her feet and smiles. "Of course. We always have fun together, don't we, old girl?" Says as she leans down and rubs the top of her head.

After we finish lunch, I go over a few things with Jessica, and she heads home. I hop on my computer and order another bag of food for Bear, just in case. It will be delivered this afternoon. I head back to my suitcase and actually start folding and organizing. As I do so, I realize that I have most likely overpacked, but better to be safe than sorry. Finally satisfied, I plop down on my bed beside Bear, who has been helping me by looking at me like a crazy person as I talk to myself about clothes. I often wonder what she thinks in her head about me.

I take out my tablet, go to the app store, and download every app that can help me learn Korean. I am a genius, so I can learn Korean in 24 hours, right? I know a few things. I can tell you hello and goodbye. I know the word help because that is the first thing I learned. I can also thank someone and count to ten. Perfect, I can talk to a baby. I put my head in my hands and sighed.

"What am I thinking? This is going to be so awkward. I will have to have conversations through a translator for god knows how long because this language is DIFFICULT. I will insult many people because of my lack of knowledge of honorifics. Maybe I should just save us all the misery and jump out the window. No shame in admitting defeat, right?"