Dare to Dream

1

(1)

She sat silently on the edge of her bed and sighed deeply. She rested her hands on the bed and leaned slightly forward, wondering if she even had the energy to undress.

She flopped backwards on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

'Could I possibly be any more tired', she wondered to herself? 

She ran both her hands through her shoulder length red hair, flipping it out from underneath her neck, where it had bunched.  Another long sigh. 

She was totally exhausted.

She could hear music softly playing in the room next to her. She recognized the song immediately; 'Honkey Tonk Woman' by The Rolling Stones. She could hear the slight sound of an acoustic guitar accompanying the song. 

She smiled to herself. 

"Thank God he's not into rap", she said aloud.

The room next to hers belonged to her fifteen-year-old son, Brandon, who for some reason totally unknown to her had become totally involved with the music of the classic bands of the 60's and 70's. 

His iPod was filled with songs by The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, CCR and Pink Floyd. 

And even more amazing to her was the fact that he had taught himself to play guitar. Where he got the talent from was a mystery. Certainly not from her and most definitely not from his father.

"Bastard," she swore aloud, as she slowly got back up to a sitting position.

She glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand. It was 11:30 p.m.

The room next to hers went silent. She smiled, knowing that Brandon was settled in for the night.

She got up slowly from the bed, unbuttoning her blouse as she did so. She tossed it into the hamper near her bureau. The hamper was full.

"Thank God it is wash day tomorrow."

She reached into the pocket of her slacks and took out some folded bills.

Quickly she counted them.

"One hundred and five dollars. Not bad."

She left a twenty on the corner of her bureau and put the rest in an envelope in the top drawer, marked 'Rent'.

"Another month of keeping the wolves away," she remarked, knowing the money she had just put in would cover the months rent.

It had been a good month. All the bills were paid and the rent secured and it was only the 24th.

She looked in the mirror, concentrating on the grey hairs that were showing through the red.

'Maybe I will get it professionally done this time,' she thought. But it was a fleeting thought, as she knew the $120 could be put to much better use.

She pulled off her slacks and folded them over the back of the chair next to her small vanity table.

She quickly took off her bra and panties, thought about taking a quick shower, decided she was too tired and pulled on her fleece nightgown.

She looked at herself, again, in the mirror.

"Now that is sexy."

She walked back to the bed, pulled back the covers and climbed between the sheets. She suddenly realized she had not taken off her socks.

"Fuck it," she said, as she lay back in bed.

She lay there staring at the ceiling again.

She felt exhausted; her body numb.

Her day began at 5:30 and didn't usually end until midnight.

She glanced at the clock again. Today was no exception.

But that was how reality played out when you were a single Mom, with two children.

And that is exactly how it had been for her for the last seven years, since that night her husband walked out the front door.

She remembered the night like it was yesterday.

She had just walked in the front door. He already had his jacket in his hand.