Chapter Eight
With the exception of one very bizarre dream, Wendy had slept fairly well overnight. When she awoke, she didn't feel nearly as foggy headed as she had the day before.
"Nooo," she groaned, remembering the events that had taken place. The feeling that someone was in her room, the lily on her bed, the breakdown...
Oh, God... The breakdown! What had she done? As memories came flooding back to her, she felt her face grow warm.
How was she going to convince her family, or herself for that matter, that she wasn't losing her mind? She glanced around, looking for the white lily, but it was nowhere to be found.
"What the..." she grumbled, confused. Slowly, she crawled out of bed and made her way around the room.
Wendy found her wig lying neatly on her dresser, combed and ready for her to put on. "Mom..." she sighed. What she must have put her through. What she put them all through! Embarrassed by her actions, she wasn't sure how to make things right. She wasn't even sure she wanted to face her family after the scene she had caused.
"They'll understand. They've got to understand," Wendy whispered to herself. The thought of facing them horrified her, but she knew she had to. And the sooner the better.
She freshened up, then put her wig on before making her way downstairs.
The kitchen was quiet and when she looked at the clock she saw it was a quarter past ten in the morning. Everyone had already started their day and she had slept right through it!
Making her way through the empty house, she reached her mother's study. She peeked in and saw both of her parents, her mom at the computer and her dad on the phone.
"Hi," she offered meekly, wandering into the room.
"Wendy, honey..." her mom smiled and got up from the computer, "How are you? We've been so worried."
Her dad excused himself from his phone call and walked over to hug Wendy.
"I'm fine, you guys," Wendy confessed. "I'm so sorry about yesterday. I don't know what came over me."
"It's okay," her dad sighed and kissed the top of her head. "As long as you are alright, that's all that matters to us."
"I didn't mean to worry you," Wendy declared.
"Honey, we know you didn't. We would never blame you for what happened," her mother reassured her. "We just need to make sure you're okay, and we do need to talk about it."
"Are you feeling up for a talk, Wendy?" her dad asked.
She nodded and they walked her over to the sectional and sat down.
"You said that Evelyn was here," her mother began.
Wendy took a deep breath. While she really believed Evelyn had been there, she wasn't about to admit it to her parents. They were already overly worried about her mental state. Confiding in them about her best friend making appearances from beyond the grave didn't seem like an idea that would work in her favor.
"I guess I had fallen asleep and had a dream. It was pretty realistic and when I woke up, I believed it was true. I thought Evelyn was here, but now I realize it was only a dream," she assured and hoped it was convincing. Apparently, it was.
"We spoke to the doctor and he wants you to have some lab work drawn. It will tell us if the medication doses are too high, causing the dreams you have been having lately," her dad explained. "Given the circumstances, the lab made arrangements to have someone come to the house to draw."
Wendy sighed, happy they had believed her. She took a deep breath and tried to change the subject.
"Mom, I'm a little hungry. Do you think you could make me a little something to eat?"
"Of course, honey. What would you like?" she asked, getting up from the couch.
"Not much, just enough to put a little something in my stomach. It feels really empty and a little nauseated."
"Absolutely," she said and kissed Wendy on the forehead. "I'll be back in just a bit."
Wendy tried to steer the conversation away from herself. "How are John and Mikey? Did I really freak them out?"
"They're alright, just worried about you. We all are," Mr. Darling confessed.
"I know, I'm sorry I worried you. I'm sure the medication just needs to be adjusted like you said. Then everything will be fine," she promised.
"I believe that. Things will work out, they always seem to. We just have a few kinks to work through is all."
She smiled at him, glad that he wasn't carrying on about what had happened. She planned on making this a worry free day, and if that meant eating to make them happy, followed by taking a nice long nap to stay out of trouble, then that's what she would do.
Mrs. Darling came back a few minutes later with a couple of pieces of toast. "Let's start with this. If you want something more I will get it for you, okay?"
Wendy nodded her head, "I think this will be fine, thank you, Mom."
"You're welcome," she sat down and watched Wendy thoughtfully. "Those must be some dreams you are having. Are they bad dreams?"
"No, not bad dreams... Just realistic. It really seemed like Evelyn was here, but I couldn't find her," she confided, taking a small bite of toast. "But I do know that it was a dream." She didn't want to leave them with any concerns.
"Well, I'm sure that getting your lab work drawn and medications adjusted will put those dreams to rest," her father reassured.
Wendy finished her toast and excused herself to take a shower. She never did get one the day before. So much for my "normal" day, she sighed. She had single-handedly made it the worst day yet since she had gotten sick. Well, not single-handedly, she reasoned, Evelyn is partly to blame for that.
She still could not understand why her friend was tormenting her.
Thanks to you, everyone thinks I'm crazy, Wendy grumbled to herself.
She was hoping to feel better after her shower, and maybe find some way to forgive her friend. Maybe she just isn't strong enough to show herself, she wondered hopefully. Or maybe I've read too many ghost stories.
Wendy did feel better after showering, and went into her room to work on her mural. She always felt closer to Evelyn through her paintings, and she felt it was something she needed to do today to help erase the memories from the day before.
Her anger dissipating, Wendy realized she shouldn't be so upset with Evelyn, but happy to know that she was attempting to communicate.
I'm sorry, Evelyn. I know I'm acting sort of unstable, but it has been so hard for me since you've been gone. I have no one to talk to the way that we talked together. I'm scared and I'm alone, and I miss you, she sighed.
Wendy put down her paintbrush and laid on the bed. Her eyes were starting to feel very heavy and she decided to take a little nap before the phlebotomist arrived to draw her blood.
As soon as she closed her eyes, she heard stirring around her room. She sat up thinking that maybe one of her parents were checking in on her, but her bedroom door was still closed.
"Looking for me?" a voice asked.
Standing next to her open window and leaning one shoulder up against the wall was Pete.
He noticed Wendy's surprised expression and tried unsuccessfully to hold back a chuckle.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized with a cheeky grin.
"I think that's exactly what you meant to do," Wendy stated after the shock wore off.
"Look, I'm sorry that we got off on the wrong foot," Pete offered, moving closer to the bed. "I'd like to make it up to you."
Wendy could not figure out why this guy kept showing up in her dreams! She had never seen him before in her life and it seemed odd to have a reoccurring dream about a stranger.
"You can make it up to me by not creeping around my room anymore."
Pete laughed, "You're spunky! I like that. I was worried you may have lost some of your spirit."
"What do you know about my spirit?" Wendy questioned.
"I know lots of things," he paused, "I know that your name is Wendy Darling, and that you live here with your parents and your younger brothers John and Michael. I also know that you've been sick for the past year, and that you've had to stop going to school. And I know that you're lonely and sad," he finished quietly.
Pete looked deeply into Wendy's eyes and held her gaze. She could sense he felt sorry for her. Was she really so depressed that her mind had decided to make up an imaginary boy to visit her in her dreams? Maybe she was losing her mind. This did not seem normal to her.
"You're lost... And I'm here to guide you," Pete continued with a small smile.
"What do you mean, 'I'm lost'?"
"You've lost your way," Pete answered, "And you're too tired to find it again on your own."
Wendy had no idea what he was talking about. She knew exactly where she was, and she didn't need some strange boy sneaking into her room, confusing her.
Although, she had to admit, there was something about him that intrigued her. She knew she should be cautious of this boy who didn't seem to understand boundaries, but she couldn't help herself.
"I want to know why you're here, and how you get in. The last time that I saw you, you jumped out of my window! And, when I looked...you were no where to be found," she demanded.
"I told you before, I'm here to help you," he answered patiently.
"Why do I need your help?"
"You just do."
"Why?" she asked again, irritated.
"Hey, I thought you wanted to know how I got in here," he offered, changing the subject.
Wendy sat up straighter in bed. It crossed her mind that he was evading her question, but she was more interested in solving at least one part of the mystery that was Pete.
"Well...?" she waited.
"I can fly," he announced proudly.
"What?" she asked in disbelief, shaking her head, "People cannot fly!"
"Well, I can," he stated matter-of-fact. "And I can prove it if you don't believe me."
Wendy stared at him for several seconds before answering.
"Okay... Let me see," she challenged.
"Come to the window," Pete invited her, excited to show off his talent.
"Are you serious?" she questioned with wide eyes.
"Absolutely! It's clear to me that if I am to win you over, I'm going to have to impress you," he laughed softly.
Wendy climbed out of bed, and stood in front of Pete. They were exactly the same height, only Pete's presence far out-shined hers, she noticed. With his sandy blond hair, brilliant green eyes and infectious smile, Wendy found it hard to look away. She would never admit it to him, but she was completely hypnotized by this charming, mysterious, cocky boy. She felt her stomach stir with butterflies.
Pete smiled at her and led the way to the open window.
"Now don't go screaming again. You'll wake the angels," he winked, and jumped from the window.
Wendy gasped and leaned over the ledge, expecting to find Pete splattered in her mother's rose garden. She looked all around, but did not see him anywhere.
"Pete...?" she called out, slightly panicked.
"Did you call?" a voice came from behind her.
Wendy turned around to find Pete standing behind her.
"Pete! But... How?" she exclaimed, confused.
"You should see your face right now!" he laughed.
Wendy could not contain her giggle.
"How did you do that?" she asked, the tension leaving her shoulders now that she knew he was alright.
"It's like...magic," he answered mysteriously.
"I don't believe you!"
"How else do you think I pulled that off?"
She shook her, trying to make sense of what she had just seen.
"I don't know... Some kind of optical illusion?" she guessed.
"An optical illusion?" Pete acted insulted, but she knew he was just playing around.
"I didn't actually see you fly," she retorted with a smile. She was amused by his antics and was having more fun then she'd had in awhile.
"Is that a challenge, Wendy Darling?"
"Maybe it is," she answered, enjoying the game.
"How about you come with me this time?"
Wendy grew silent, the smile falling quickly from her face. She couldn't go with him. She would surely kill herself!
Pete noticed the look of uncertainty cross Wendy's face.
"Oh, come on... You're not afraid, are you?"
Wendy thought for a moment. She knew that this was a dream - it had to be! But she had heard once if you died in your dream that you would die in real life. She was afraid that if she jumped out of that window with Pete, she may never wake up.
"I don't know..." she hesitated.
"Do you trust me?" Pete asked, a genuine look of concern coming over his face.
She had absolutely no reason to trust the boy that had been breaking into her dreams, but she did.
"Yes, I do," she answered quietly.
Pete gave her an encouraging smile and reached for her hand.
"We'll do it together," he offered, and guided her to the open window.
"On the count of three, okay? One...two... Are you ready?" he asked.
"Yes," she exhaled, completely bewildered.
"Three," he exclaimed, lifting Wendy from the window.
The cool autumn air hit Wendy sharply in the face and her body felt as light as a feather. They were flying! If this was a dream, how could it feel so real?
She looked over at Pete, who was still holding her hand.
"We're flying," she cried out to him. "I can't believe it... We're flying!"
She took in the sights around her, marveling at the view. It had been so long since she had been outside of the house for something other then a doctor's appointment, or a test. And it felt good. It felt really good.
She looked over at Pete and found him staring at her, his face alive with joy. She couldn't remember a more exciting dream, and hoped she would be able to remember it in detail once she woke up.
"Where are we going?" she questioned, her eyes bright with adventure.
"Where do you want to go?"
Wendy thought for a moment. Where did she want to go?
"I want to fly over the park, near the lake," she decided. It had always been one of her favorite places, especially in the fall. She loved to look at the colorful trees and imagined that they would look even more amazing from this view in the sky.
Before she knew it, they were flying over the red, orange and yellow forest. The scenery was breathtaking! She had never witnessed anything like it before. They were flying so high! Suddenly, a thought came over her and she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to fall from this height. She imagined that it would not feel good.
She noticed that they were changing course and were now headed toward the lake. The thought of flying over the water only increased her mounting anxiety, but at the same time she couldn't wait. She had so many different emotions! She squeezed Pete's hand tightly.
He looked over at Wendy and marveled at her excitement. It had been awhile since he had introduced someone to the magic of flying, but the wait was well worth it. He would have waited a thousand years to have been able to witness the myriad of expressions come across Wendy's face. She reminded him of an excited child on Christmas morning.
"Pete," she exhaled, as they flew over the gently waves, "this is the most amazing thing that I have ever seen!"
"I'm glad that you like it," he smiled at her.
"I love it! Thank you so much for taking me flying with you. I feel like a bird," she closed her eyes and lifted her face toward the sun. She felt so free!
"I wish that we could fly all day," Pete said, the smile disappearing slightly from his face, "But I need to get you back soon. You are needed at home."
"But we've only just begun! I don't want to go home yet. Can't we wait just a little while longer," she pleaded.
Pete wanted desperately to say yes, he did not want to disappoint her. But, he had to be responsible. There would be more opportunities to fly with Wendy.
"I'm afraid not," he said sadly and watched her smile fall, "But we can do this again real soon!"
"Do you promise, Pete?"
"I promise, Wendy. We will fly together again."
Reluctantly she agreed, and they began to make their way back home.
What do you think of Wendy and Pete's little adventure? Is she dreaming?
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