Dream of Me

By LifeRich Publishing

When people come into ones life, there is no way of knowing if it will be for a moment or forever. Finding true love can be hard, and when it is taken away so quickly, what does one do?

For Dana Miller, she picked herself up and focused on her children and her job to fill in the void of her true love. Being human, however, she has regrets and makes mistakes along the way. While her daily life continues, Dana is never able to forget that one special love. In the end, her continual journaling reveals her dreams to prove as much.

Dream of Me encourages readers not to give up on ones sweet dreams because who knows whats lurking around the corner in this journey called life?

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Jan 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781489705778

Book preview

Chapter 1

As Dana pulled her dark blue Oldsmobile into the parking area of the restaurant, Chez Tranche, she glanced at the dashboard clock. Their date was for seven o’clock and she had arrived ten minutes early; perfect.

Before she even had time to check her lipstick, the valet opened her car door so he could hurriedly park her car and get to the next vehicle. Her hand slightly trembled as she reached for the claim ticket, only to watch it slip from her fingers. Sorry, she apologized. Walking to the ornately carved door she took a deep breath, and as she entered the restaurant, mumbled, I know it’s only dinner, but I so hate blind dates.

Dana approached the mahogany podium brightly lit by the small Waterford lamp and watched the maitre’d scratch off names of the dining patrons that had just been seated. Pardon me. She paused and patiently waited for him to acknowledge her presence which he never did and finally with confidence announced herself, My name is Dana Miller. Has anyone asked for me?

No Mademoiselle, you must have arrived first. Monsieur Pompous spoke those oh so indignant words without even a glance in her direction. Motioning for her to be seated and wait he pointed his right index finger to an empty settee beneath a gilt-framed Renoir.

So here she was, a young woman of 29, though being made to feel like a child at that moment, from the small town of Lansing moved to the big city of Houston and tonight in a fancy place like this. Even though she wasn’t comfortable sitting there Dana had to admit the restaurant was beautiful. The decor inside had an old world charm with lots of Victorian oil paintings and adornment, or at least someone probably meant it to look like art from that period. A large crystal chandelier hung from the center of the room made the entire room glisten. And to celebrate the season red bows were hung on silver candelabras that hung from the dark paneled walls while Christmas instrumentals played softly in the background.

Dana looked at her watch, it was 7:05. Her date was late and one of Dana’s pet peeves was people that weren’t considerate enough to be on time. It was then she began to wonder if maybe she was being stood up. Looking down at her shoes she noticed she was rotating her foot at the ankle in a circular motion, an anxious habit she had been unable to break over the years. Moments later she uncrossed her legs only to start tapping her right foot to be the beat of Deck the Halls on the cherry hardwood floors.

The prettier of the two hostesses noticed Dana watching the door, leaned in and asked her softly, Would you like to sit in the bar while you wait? I can come get you when your party arrives if you’ll give me your name.

Dana felt more self-conscious than ever now sitting there alone and figured the young girl was probably embarrassed for her. Glancing at her Timex again, ten after now, she chastised herself for still waiting. She looked towards the maître‘d questioningly, and with pursed lips he shook his head no but smiled after Dana turned her head. After seeing his response to her unspoken question she answered the hostess, I might in a few minutes if my date doesn’t arrive soon, thanks. Oh, my name is Dana, and smiled at who seemed to be the only friendly person she had encountered there.

The last thing Dana wanted was to sit in the bar having noticed earlier when she walked by there was a cloud of filmy haze from all the smokers perched on their stools gazing at most of the women who walked by. She decided to give her date Will until twenty after seven, and not one second more; then she would leave. And, for the third time she looked at her watch and huffed, irritated by the events of the evening.

Driving frantically to the restaurant all that was on Will Connor’s mind was the meeting he had just left. Stuck in traffic, he exited the jammed freeway and began taking side roads to avoid the crowded highway. Wishing he had picked a different night for this particular meeting, he spotted the restaurant ahead and sighed a breath of relief that he had finally reached his destination. When Will had made the date, his only hope was for some casual conversation and a nice dinner with an interesting woman for the evening.

At twenty after and watching numerous couples enter, Dana finally gave up and started towards the door. Great, now I have to pay for a babysitter I didn’t need. She opened the door while digging through her purse for the claim ticket for her car, only to collide into a tall broad-shouldered man wearing glasses.

Excuse me. Will backed up to let her by.

Dana knew this had to be her blind date. He wasn’t what one would call handsome, but had nice looking features. His smile was charming and he possessed a presence of confidence, looking just the way her friend Laurie had described him.

Will? Even though she knew the answer to her question of his name, Dana spoke to the man as if she weren’t sure.

Yes, he responded looking puzzled that this stranger knew his name, but then remembered his purpose for being there. Are you Dana? Sorry I’m late, traffic was horrible. The few words he spoke were all he offered as an explanation before he asked her, were you leaving? Do you have to go?

Dana checked the time again. I guess not. Not a great start Dana thought, but it would be a free dinner after all.

Will opened the door for her, gave his name and they were seated immediately by the hostess that had been nice to her earlier.

The year was 1982. People still dressed nicely to go out that decade and that night Dana had selected a light blue boucle suit she found on sale, pearl earrings that were her grandmothers and a little gold bead necklace. Clothes shopping really wasn’t in her budget but every once in a while she splurged on something new. She was glad she had chosen the little blue suit because Will looked very distinguished wearing tan trousers, dark blue jacket over a lightly starched white shirt, no tie and gold cufflinks. She loved cufflinks and couldn’t put her finger on why; she just knew she liked men who wore them. Trying not to stare, she studied his face while he perused the menu. His eyes were the color of a blue summer sky, the bluest eyes she had ever seen and he had perfect light chestnut hair, every hair in place. She ran her hand across her hair to check hers, feeling as always like she was a mess. As they were being seated she noticed he smelled fresh, like a newly opened bar of soap.

Will noticed Dana’s petite size and pretty eyes and that she only wore a trace of makeup as he pulled out the chair for her. Her shoulder length hair was a rich glowing auburn that shimmered and her topaz colored eyes sparkled from the lights in the room. Will liked the way she looked, but Dana never saw that he even noticed her.

White damask tablecloths covered the half dozen tables in the room where they were seated, and in the center of each of those tables was a rose bowl holding a single lit candle.

Dana commented how nice the restaurant looked. It had been a long time since she had been taken somewhere this nice and she couldn’t understand why she was still so uneasy. She shrugged it off as ‘first date jitters’, but knew it Will’s distant attitude that added to her uneasiness. Laurie, her friend who had arranged the blind date, had mentioned several times what a gentleman Will was. Dana had expected him to offer suggestions when ordering dinner, and when that didn’t happen Dana knew she was on her own. And to top things off because she was so jumpy, she dropped her fork during dinner, feeling humiliated.

He noticed Dana jittery in her chair. Not knowing what to say to her because she seemed so restless he sat there hoping she would do the most of the talking, most women did had been his experience. And when she dropped her silverware he leaned closer in to her from across the table and asked, Are you nervous? I don’t bite.

He raised his hand to gesture for the waiter before giving her time to even answer his question. Will you bring us another fork please, and before the waiter returned Will asked, So Dana, are you originally from Houston?

Oh, he does know I’m here Dana reflected. So far it was Will’s only attempt to contribute to a conversation since they had been seated, and a rude one at that. No, I’m from a little town in East Texas, Lansing, have you heard of it?

Sure have, I grew up forty miles from there, in Tower. How long have you known Laurie?

Almost a year, we met one day downtown during lunch. How do you know her?

Greg, her husband and I are friends, Still in his own world Will answered with nothing more.

That’s it, that’s all he’s going to say, Dana thought, totally frustrated she was carrying the whole exchange of words between them. After a rather uncomfortable period of silence they discovered they were the same age and had both moved to Houston the same year.

Trying to keep the dialogue moving, Dana added, My neighbor is watching my daughters, Taylor and Victoria tonight. I’ll have to get home soon to pick them up, deciding to use it as her excuse to escape after dinner. She loved her babies with everything she had and wanted a father for them, if she could find the right one. Not this guy she summed up. Her divorce from Paul, the girls’ father, had been a battle but was finally over. Dana’s love life had definitely been less than to be desired, but knew she had been blessed with those two adorable little girls.

The waiter asked if they wanted to order dessert or coffee. Dana quickly answered his routine question, No, thank you.

Will paid the waiter and escorted Dana outside, then tipped the valet for both cars. I’ll call you Dana, and waited with her for the valet to bring her car. They said goodnight to each other and he watched her drive out of the parking lot realizing he had learned nothing about Dana during their time together.

Dana didn’t care if Will called or not at that point; she had no idea how to explain what went on at dinner with him. How many words did he say all night? Twenty-five, maybe. Most of the tête-à-tête had been totally her contribution to their encounter.

After a thirty minute drive home Dana pulled into the driveway of her little house she and Paul, her ex, had bought early in their marriage. It was a small one-story multi-colored brick accented with cobalt blue shutters. Most of the houses on the street were already outfitted with their Christmas lights, but not the kind of decorations that stopped traffic. The lights looked like they were just haphazardly strewn up, which made the setting actually look worse to her. The neighborhood had been a nice quiet little place to live when she and Paul bought there. Several houses had sold to investors therefore regular maintenance was let go since the houses were leased.

How did I get here? she asked herself out loud before she got out of the car to open the garage door. Hopefully, this is only temporary.

She darted across the yard to the neighbors next door to pick up Taylor and Victoria. Almost ten o’clock Victoria was already sleeping and Taylor was close, although glad to see her mommy. Dana paid the teenager who babysat the girls on the rare occasions she went out; then walked to their house carrying Victoria and holding Taylor’s hand.

Can we turn on the Christmas tree, Mommy, Taylor asked, yawning, as Dana was unlocking the front door.

Not tonight honey, it’s already late. We’ve got to go to bed, but we’ll do it tomorrow, I promise.

Dana had had the forethought to leave the girl’s pajamas with the babysitter so all she had to do was put them in their beds when they got home.

Nightie, night, Dana whispered after she and Taylor finished their prayers.

Dream of me, Taylor giggled, clutching her stuffed animal as she wiggled under the covers.

What did you say? The comment sounded so sweet and Dana wondered where Taylor had even heard that expression.

I told you to dream of me, she repeated before turning over and falling asleep as soon as her head hit the faded pink pillowcase covered with her favorite, unicorns.

I will Sweetie, Dana whispered as she stroked Taylor’s curls and tucked the quilt around her tightly. She then checked the blanket on the baby one more time and lightly kissed her forehead after stroking the fine hair out of her baby’s eyes, although careful not to wake her.

After she quietly closed the door to their bedroom, Dana washed off her make-up to start getting herself ready for bed. Even though the air in the house was chilly, she put on a sleeveless pale blue nightgown, but added thick socks to keep warm. All her life if her feet were warm she had been fine with the cold. She prayed before she got into her bed, as always; then got under the white floral comforter covering her queen-size bed. Feeling exhausted, she closed her eyes for a moment then turned towards the nightstand to reach for her book to start journaling. She had started jotting down her thoughts years earlier, her entries not always long. Raising two little girls there wasn’t always time or perhaps she was just plain worn out from her hectic life as a single mom. One of her brothers had given her a diary for a Christmas gift in junior high, but she was never really what one would call diligent about writing in it. Some days she wouldn’t even pick up that first diary for weeks at a time, but would later catch up by scribbling something as simple as, ‘Rode the bus’, just to fill in the pages. But when Dana turned twenty-five, a friend in a Sunday school class gave her a leather journal and the words began pouring out of her. She turned to the middle of the book, to the first clean page, and began jotting her thoughts:

December 9

Laurie set me up on a blind date with her husband’s friend Will. He wasn’t what I expected at all. Actually, I’m the one who asked her if she knew someone I could go out with. I told her if he didn’t like kids, to just forget it - I’ll have nothing to do with that kind of man. But, she said he likes children. What else is he going to say, that he hates them? When Laurie first mentioned Will, he sounded more than dull. She mentioned he was a nice guy - What!!!??? I have no idea if he was nice at all he talked so little to me in those two hours, which seemed more like an eternity. Just the minimum have to conversation was all I got from him, if that much even. I had him meet me at the restaurant. What if I didn’t like him and I got stuck riding home with him? Thank goodness I took my car. Supposedly his life is complicated right now from his divorce from Valerie (I think that’s her name). Whose life isn’t? Ha-ha. I wonder what all Laurie told him about me; talk about complications! I don’t have a clue why I even mentioned going out with someone to her. Oh yeah, I’m lonely! Oh well, it was only dinner. We’ll just chalk this one up to experience – no more blind dates for me.

Taylor said the cutest thing tonight, ‘Dream of me’. I like that – I hope someone is dreaming of me out there.

Kind of strange – I never enter the date. I wonder why I wrote it down tonight.

Chapter 2

Dana arrived at work early the next morning and called Laurie first thing, just as she promised her friend yesterday afternoon. Thanks a lot Laurie!

How did it go? Laurie’s voice was filled with excitement. She couldn’t wait to hear how her matchmaking between her best friend and Will had gone.

Oh, it went alright, let me tell you! That man had absolutely no interest in me what so ever. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone less interested.

Dana, I’m sorry. That doesn’t sound like Will at all.

There was a lull in the conversation before Dana spoke again. It’s okay, Laurie, I’ll think twice before I ask anyone to fix me up. Do you want to have lunch today?"

No, I’m pretty busy, better not. I’ll call you later though or maybe we can get together this weekend.

Sounds good to me. I should go too, my phone is ringing.

She pushed the second button on the phone and changed from her personal voice to her professional pitch, Hello, this is Dana.

Hi, Dana, and then all was quiet on the line – total silence. Uh, this is Will. Sounding somewhat awkward Will cleared his throat loudly before continuing, I want to ask for forgiveness for last night, hoping he sounded apologetic, just as he had rehearsed repeatedly before calling her. He knew he had blundered up last night at dinner and had thought most of the night how he wanted to see Dana again and hopefully be able to remedy the situation.

Oh, hello, then paused because she was so shocked that he had even dared to call after last night. No apology is necessary, Will. It’s fine, thinking that she really wanted to force her fist through the receiver somehow and punch him. After all she had spent all that money for a new outfit and left her daughters with a babysitter all evening, instead of being home with them.

No, please! Last night was not my normal behavior. I’d really like to make it up to you, if you’d allow me.

Thinking he didn’t sound at all like the jerk she had met last night, Will actually sounded sincere, however Dana was still leery.

Would you have dinner with me tomorrow night at Laurie and Greg’s? I’ve already talked to Greg. He and Laurie are good with the idea.

Well, I just hung up the phone talking to Laurie and she never mentioned a thing about dinner. I’d hate to do that to them, last minute and all, all the while knowing seeing Will again wasn’t even at the bottom of her list of things she wanted to do, and was wondering how to put him off, even though he didn’t seem at all the same.

What if I get Laurie to call you? I can pick you up at seven, waiting for a hint of acceptance in her voice he finally asked, How does that sound?

I’ll let you know. Okay?

Thinking Laurie wouldn’t have set her up with someone as rude as Will had been last night; Dana still wanted to discuss this with her before she agreed. This guy on the phone definitely wasn’t the same person Dana had encountered last evening. So what was the difference today she wondered?

That’s great. He was encouraged that she almost accepted and they hung up before agreeing on a time.

Laurie called Dana back within ten minutes. I just talked to Greg, are you free tomorrow night?

Will just called me about dinner at your house. What’s the deal with this guy anyway?

Well, can you make it?

I don’t know what to do, Laurie. He sounded so nice when he asked me out last week and again today. But last night, well, he was just blah; there was nothing there at all. I don’t really know if I want to put myself through that again.

He told Greg he really wanted to make it up to you, said he was so inattentive to you last night that he hoped you would give him a second chance. Laurie, almost pleading, stressed, Come on, Dana, give him another try, he’s really nice.

There you go with that nice guy bit again, Laurie. I’ve fallen for that once already this week. She sighed before deciding to give in to Laurie’s badgering, I guess.

Dinner was scheduled for Saturday night at seven with one change - Dana insisted on meeting Will there. Not wanting to take the chance that the man had a split personality or something weird like that she wanted to have her car, just in case she needed to escape from him again. One good thing was she wouldn’t have to leave the girls with a sitter again since it was their weekend to visit their dad. The year since she had divorced Paul had been rough, but a lot more peaceful than the last year of their marriage.

Saturday afternoon Dana tried to think of an excuse to call Laurie and cancel, but knew her friend wouldn’t let get out that easily, so she decided to grin and bear it. On the other hand Will was eagerly looking forward to the evening. After a rocky few months with his ex, the prospect of an evening with someone as nice as Dana had seemed to be the other evening gave him hope that all was not lost.

Dana pulled in front of Laurie’s and Greg’s house at seven o’clock sharp. After parking her car, she noticed how gorgeous the professionally installed decorations on Laurie’s street looked compared to the lights in her neighborhood. Walking to the front door she took a deep breath hoping she wasn’t in for another night of torture. See what happens before you make up your mind, she mumbled half-heartedly as she pulled her glove-laden hand out of her coat pocket to ring the bell. She had promised Laurie she would try to be optimistic about the evening, so she smiled as she rang the doorbell.

The chimes from the doorbell peeled throughout the first floor of the house.

I’ll get it, Will announced when he heard the bell. Holding a bouquet of flowers he answered the door. Hi, Dana, and handed roses to her.

This wasn’t necessary, but thank you, as she took the tiny pink roses from his hand. It had been a long time since anyone had thought to give her flowers.

Will noticed the up-turned smile on Dana’s face when she had thanked him. I’m sorry for the way I acted Thursday night, as he helped Dana off with her coat. I had a horrible meeting right before I left the office and my mood carried over into dinner. Then traffic driving to meet you came to a standstill. I couldn’t get to the restaurant fast enough and I was totally fed up by the time I got there. Again, I’m sorry, I guess I should have told you all this the other night. I took it out on you, I’m afraid, realizing he was scrambling for words, feeling like a nervous teenager on a first date.

It’s all forgotten, Will. No need for any more apologies, shaking her head slightly from side to side as she responded. She would give him a second chance she decided. After all, it did sound like a legitimate excuse and she felt a little sorry for him he seemed so uncomfortable.

Laurie and Greg appeared on the scene to say hello to Dana. Dinner’s almost ready; I’ll just be a few more minutes, Laurie mentioned as she headed back into the kitchen. Greg, get Dana something to drink, okay, then go put the steaks on the grill, please? Dana, if you’ll hand me those flowers I’ll put them in water for you.

Do you want any help, Laurie? Dana was still uneasy around this new man and thought she would much prefer the company of her friend versus being alone with Will so soon.

No, I don’t have much left to do, I can handle it, she answered and nodded for Dana to retreat into the next room.

The large den was furnished with two oversized but comfortable sofas that were placed across from the other divided by a dark wood coffee table. On one end of the sofas was a large fireplace and the other was a wall with