Dreams and Nightmares

“It’s so cute.”, Kasumi gives me a smile while she looks around the small apartment as I step inside. “I think we could make this place feel like a home!”, She quickly adds unable to hide her excitement. “Just picture it!”, She continues as she raises her arms out to the surprisingly spacious empty main room, “A couch here.” She moves to the middle of the space continuing, “The table here.”

“Glad you like the place.”, The realtor says with a smile as she steps into the room from the hallway. Normally I would say that her figure is what would draw my attention. “Something wrong?”, She says as her golden eyes meet my gaze.

“Nope.”, I answer as we look over at Kasumi cheerfully looking over the apartment.

“You sure?”, The realtor presses the issue. Her golden eyes look down at me as she continues, “Lydia.” She raises a hand from her hip and rests it on my head as she exclaims, “Get up!”

-- -- --

“Lydia!”, Dandelion’s voice brings me back to my new old reality. “You’re usually up before me.”, The caretaker continues as I open my eyes to the sun shining through the window. An excruciating pain shoots through my whole body. So much pain, I cannot think straight.

“I-”, I stammer as I put a hand to my gut. “Owwwwwww!”, I yell as I feel this pain somehow become even more intense. Note to self, do not touch my gut right now.

“What’s wrong?”, Dandelion asks as she tosses the blanket off of me. A moment of silence falls between us before she simply says rather blasé, “Oh.”.

“What is it!?”, I exclaim in pain as I grip the young woman’s arm, “I’m gonna be okay right!?”

“You’ll be fine.”, Dandelion answers still nonchalant about the pain. “Welcome to womanhood.”, She adds as she walks away.

My eyes go wide as my arm lets go of the caretaker. No way! I… No… Please no… My vision blurs as tears fall down my face.

“Seriously!?”, I cry.

-- -- --

A knock at the door breaks me out of my stupor.

“Lydia?”, Gardenia’s motherly voice inquires from the other side of the door. “Are you alright?”

“No…”, I meekly answer.

“I’m coming in.”, Gardenia replies as she opens the door. “Dandelion merely said you didn’t help with making breakfast.”, She continues as she closes the door. The mother walks over to me and gives me a once over. “You look fine to be honest.”, She says as she pulls the blanket off and looks down. “Ohhhhhh.”, The caretaker utters with understanding at the sight under the blanket. “It was bound to happen eventually. Unfortunate that it happened to you so soon.”, She says as if that was supposed to be comforting. I know it was bound to happen, but I was really hoping this would never actually come to be. “You’ll need to get out of bed eventually.”, The caretaker explains giving me one of her gentle motherly smiles, “You’re going to be in pain and your emotions are going to be volatile, not made any better because of the pain.”

“How long?”, I ask holding back tears knowing full well what the answer is. She sits me up in bed and hugs me.

“About a week.”, She answers as she gives a maternal kiss on the forehead to me. “You’ll get used to it.”, She adds.

“How long?”, I ask again, still hoping this is all just a joke.

“A long time.”, Gardenia answers before laying me back down. She stands up and heads to the door as she speaks, “I’ll come back in a little bit, okay?”

“Okay.”, I respond wearily.

-- -- --

A knock at the door brings me out of my wallowing once again.

“I’m back Lydia.”, Gardenia says as she opens the door. I sit up, grimacing in pain the entire time. She smiles at me as she speaks, “Good to see you can get up.” I merely give her an annoyed glare in response. I do not care if it seems insubordinate or inappropriate, I am in too much pain to care really. “I’m going to ignore that adorable pout.”, The mother responds to my glare as she walks to my side. She smiles at me with that damn disarming smile as she continues, “I know you’re not in a good mood and in pain.” I get up to my feet with her help as she says, “But we’re gonna have a chat in my office.”

-- -- --

“Would you care to sit or stand?”, Gardenia asks me as she walks behind her small desk in the cubicle sized office.

“I don’t wanna shift too much.”, I respond as she sits down in her chair.

“Understandable.”, Gardenia says as she pulls something out from her desk. The mother pulls out a piece of paper as she continues, “Since you’ve entered the first stage of adulthood.” There is paper here? I hunch in pain. Why does this have to hurt so much? “Normally we wait a few more years but you’ve hit adulthood a little earlier than most.”, She says as I walk over to the desk. “You’ve entered a stage of your life where you’ll be figuring out what to do with it.”, She continues as she looks over the paper. So I am just supposed to decide my life path at ten years old? Well forty I guess technically. As good a time as any I suppose. “There are quite a few options for you.”, The caretaker continues still, “Albeit your age might be a slight problem.”

“Does it matter that much?”, I inquire as I try not to double over in pain.

“For the more physical things, most certainly.”, Gardenia responds without missing a beat. “While you are surprisingly fit for your size and age you’re still not quite as strong as most of those who join a physically demanding guild or life.”, She says with her reassuring maternal smile.

“Do I have to have an answer now?”, I ask with a wince.

“No.”, She answers, “But it should be soon.” Gardenia stands up and walks over to me as she continues rather somber, “Unfortunately all of you will have to face the world at some point.” She wraps her arms around me in a paternal hug. It feels nice.

“Can I go now?”, I ask Gardenia as she pulls away from me. I reflexively hold my gut from the pain.

“Yes. We can talk again once you feel better, alright?”, The mother answers with a gentle maternal smile.