𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 [𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙞 𝙖𝙪]

Chapter Thirty Eight

Lucid dreaming

"Lucid dreaming happens when you're aware that you're dreaming. You're able to recognize your thoughts and emotions as the dream happens. Sometimes, you can control the lucid dream."

"You may be able to change the people, environment, or storyline."

But faking a reality, goes way beyond that.

Did all of that even happen? Was I dreaming this whole time? Have I even left Chicago? Why am I in my old room?

Ej? Gina? Kourtney? Ashlyn? Seb? Carlos? Spencer? Dad? Jenn?

Nini?

It was all just... a dream?

A fountain of questions started to form almost immediately as the memories that happened in 'Salt Lake' came at him all at once.

He sat in silence for a couple minutes as the thought started to fade as fast as they appeared. He decided to go downstairs for a drink of water as he tried to piece the puzzle back together.

As he walked downstairs he heard the voice of a woman he recognized as his mom, talking to someone, but he didn't hear who it was.

He furrowed his brows as he walked slowly towards the kitchen light, but he heard crying and tiny footsteps running out of the kitchen.

"Come here baby, daddy's sleeping," he heard Lynne say as she walked out of the kitchen, picking up the girl, who seemed to be around 3 years old.

Ricky couldn't help but notice that his mom looked slightly different. Older.

And then everything came back, the diner, his friends, his dad, his step mom, his brother.

His wife.

"Daddy!" the little girl yelled, squirming out of her grandmother's arms and running towards the man.

"Hi Maia, where's mommy?" He asked, picking up the girl. The toddler rested her head on his arm and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.

"Hey bubs!" Nini exclaimed, walking out of the kitchen, with a baby sleeping in her arms. "You're awake."

"Yea," he smiled walking up to the girl and stroking the baby's cheek, "morning Bryan."

"Are you ready for the beach?" Lynne asked the two parents.

"Yep, all set. Just waiting for this guy to get ready," Nini replied, pointing to Ricky.

"Sorry, I guess I overslept and thought I woke up 17 again," Ricky chuckled, "and it doesn't help that my room is exactly the way I left it."

"That's on you Ricky, I've asked you multiple times to come down and clean it out and now whenever you visit you have to sleep in your pigsty of a room."

"Okay mom, chill, I'll clean it out when we get back."

"Ha ha, grammie's getting mad at daddy," Maia teased.

"What was that Mai?" he asked, attacking her with tickles as she laughed uncontrollably, squirming in his arms.

"Okay you two, settle down, you might wake Bryan," Nini said.

"Sorry mommy, daddy's just being mean," the toddler whimpered.

"Oh, I'm the mean one?" Ricky asked, feigning offence.

"Yep," Maia replied, not being able to hold in her laughter.

"Okay okay, go get ready goldie, Maia's been waiting for you to wake up so she could swim at the beach."