I Let Love In

Chapter XL: Sometime in the Morning

Sweat poured down my neck and back as I shot up in bed. My room was dark and cold, a harsh rain falling outside. The house was quiet. Not even my parents were up yet.

It wasn't real. 

Just a dream.

I slowly lay back down, relaxing in the realisation. Sleep would never come back to me after that so I sat back up and wrote Maude some more letters. Including one drawing of her and Graham Chapman dressed as cats. Two of her favourite things.

When the sun finally came up I dressed in my raincoat and boots and went outside for a walk to clear my mind. 

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I never really appreciated it but...my neighbourhood was beautiful....red and orange trees creating an arch over the footpath, covering the ground in crunchy leaves. Twists and turns leading me up and down a cul-de-sac and to an intersection. I turned right, hoping to make it to my old primary school. My brother used to walk me home and eventually to school every day after Mum started working again. We got along better then. As kids.

Being an adult is confusing sometimes. 

I admired my old school from a distance. The staff probably wouldn't like me wandering on the premises. Our old playground was in sight but it was empty. Class was still in session. I turned right again and headed toward the motorway. The rain had lessened a little and I pulled my hood off. Right against the curb was a huge puddle. For old time's sake, I jumped. 

Not much happened. 

I turned around to take another path home, one much less busy. There was a curvy path disguised as a dead end but it stretched out into a beautiful walk. More hanging branches and coloured leaves. A gorgeous turquoise house with a white picket fence to my left. I could picture living in a house like that. 

I decided I didn't want a mansion. They're too big with too many rooms to clean. And the ones I've seen simply aren't cosy enough. Impressive, yes, but very cold and you're not allowed to touch anything. Definitely not for me. 

I came to Kings Boulevard. I trotted down the hill and marvelled at the house with the brick pillars by the front door. Now about a block away from my house I took a right turn that looped me to a lookalike street, around which I took a left turn. I practically ran down the hill taking one last right turn to my street. Some neighbours were out trimming trees and cutting grass. One of them was a woman I knew so I waved hello. 

By the time I got back home the rain had cleared so I headed around the house to the garden beds in the back. 

Yes, I think tomato and spaghetti squash would be lovely to grow.