Dream a Little Dream of Me

by Daniels, Cobie

  Gareth couldn't help but smile and was about to ask her why she told him the story when she picked back up. “I learned two very important things that day. First, never underestimate a fiery five-year-old, but especially my Gareth Henry. The second thing I learned that day is that you were my decision maker; once you had made your mind up to do something, there would be no talking you out of it. You had absolutely no fear. Even if that decision meant that you could be making a mistake, we knew that, as long as your life wasn’t in danger, we had to let you decide on your own; you’d learn and be a better young man later for it.”

  “Did I learn anything that day?” he asked with a snarky grin.

  Smiling right back, she answered, “Oh, yes, after we got you home you received three swats of your father’s hand on your backside for scaring the shit out of us. There was no point in taking away the telly as you never watched it anyway, so we took your football away for a week. You would’ve thought we ruined your life from the amount of tears you shed, but you seemed to have learned your lesson that day as we never had to take it away from you ever again.”

  They both had a good laugh when Camilla finished saying what was on her heart, “Just know, Gareth, that it’s been very hard watching you hurt and mourn the past year over your father’s passing, and the idea of seeing you hurt again for love, makes every bone in my body ache. I know better than to stop you, and I hope you also know that I’m here no matter what.”

  Gareth took two big steps over to his mum and held her. Being six-two to her five-seven allowed him to fully embrace her, kiss the top of her head, and quietly speak, “Thank you, Mum. Love you.”

  And with the most tender of responses only his mother could reply with, she leveled him, “Oh, my dear boy, I adore and love you.”

  Kelsey spent the rest of the weekend working diligently on her final projects, in her room toiling away on the painting so that Gareth would not see. Then, when she needed a break and change of pace, she took all her tools for the stained glass outside into the garden and began to work on that. She’d found a plaque hanging in the formal living room with the family crest and sketched it out as her guide. She just had to keep Camilla away from the outdoor workspace so she wouldn’t spoil the surprise.

  Sunday afternoon, Gareth stepped out on the patio. “How’s it coming?”

  Covering her work so he wouldn’t see either, she looked up at him and smiled, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  Grabbing his heart in a mocking manner, he said, “Well, I’m only asking as Pam has rung to let us know that she has two rooms for us for arrival on Thursday if we want them.” Kelsey just stared at him while processing his words, thirty seconds later she heard her name. “Kelsey?”

  “Oh, sorry! I have some touch up that I need to do with painting, and then this needs to set. Then I’ll need to add a few more pieces, but I feel comfortable that I could have all that done by Wednesday.”

  “You’re sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured into saying yes; your grades are way more important.”

  “Oh, no! I’m game. What I’ll have to present to the professors will be great.” Liking the confidence in her voice, he gave her two thumbs up.

  “I’ll call Pam to confirm. We can talk details over dinner.”

  “Okay, sounds great.” Kelsey went back to working on the glass, excited about another adventure. Gareth went inside relieved and yet almost sick as he knew it would be the last chance that he’d get to tell Kelsey how he really felt.

  April 2014

  One Month After the Opening of the Stadium

  Spring was in the air, and the weather had cooperated for every home game since the opening day March 16th. The new Major League Soccer Club Virginia United was now officially open. Enjoying the Bauer Construction luxury suite that came as a part of their contract, Kelsey sat next to Jason just as they had every home game to date and watched him beam with delight. His crew had met every deadline for this place after four long years. Each home game he invited his staff to come and enjoy the fruits of their labor. It was a great way to build on the strong relationships he already had with his crew.

  Kelsey got up, “I’m grabbing a soda. Do you want a beer?” Thinking for a moment, Jason answered, “Yeah, grab me a Yuengling, babe.” Inside there was a fully stocked bar and a fresh spread of food: one of the perks of the luxury suite. She came in on some of the employees cutting up and enjoying those well-deserved perks. Mac, the head driver, stood around with the others, swapping war stories from the past four years. Kelsey noticed that Michael wasn’t present, and, as she pulled out the drinks from the fridge, she asked aloud to the group where he was. It grew very quiet, and no one made eye contact.

  Mac finally spoke up, “You may want to ask Mr. B about that.”

  All of the sudden, the sinking knot that had resided in her gut many weeks ago returned. “Did something happen?” she asked in a low, tentative voice.

  “Yeah, you could say that, Mrs. B, but it’s not our place to tell.”

  “Of course, Mac. You’re absolutely right.” Not wanting to make the moment any more uncomfortable, she changed the subject, “I hope you’re all enjoying yourselves; you have a boss out there who thinks the world of all of you and couldn't be more proud.” They all tipped their drinks to her as Mac said, “We couldn't work for a better boss.” With that, Kelsey smiled at them, but Jason had some explaining to do, and it would begin the moment they got in the truck to head home.

  When the match ended, Virginia United was still undefeated. As they walked to the parking lot, as always Jason could tell something was on Kelsey’s mind. With a smile and treading lightly, he asked, “Care to talk about what you’re thinking, or do I need to drag it out of you?”

  Smiling back yet with a more serious tone, she grabbed his hand and said, “Oh you think you know me so well, do you?”

  “I think after almost twenty years of being together, I may have you figured out just a little.”

  She loved how, after so many years together, the ease of caring and the love between them was still there. Sure they had endured their rough patches, but what they’d both discovered in all that time together was that working out those rough patches required a higher level of communication, trust, forgiveness, and sex. Lots of sex. It sounded simple, but it was anything but. In the end, both people in the marriage had to decide that they wanted to make it work.

  As they got to the truck, before letting her hand go, Jason pressed her against the door and, taking his other hand, tucked her hair behind her ears. Kelsey’s breath hitched as she playfully asked, “What are you doing?”

  “Since I’ve been asking you for the past five minutes what’s on your brain with no response, I figured if I pinned you here, you might tell me.” Kelsey laughed as he sweetly asked, “What is it, Kelsey Jane?”

  After taking a minute to swallow, she looked up. “I don’t know that I want to know, but I noticed that Michael wasn’t here tonight, and when I asked Mac and the guys sitting inside the suite, they wouldn’t look at me. Mac spoke up a bit confused and said that it wasn't his story to tell.”

  Jason’s gaze was locked on her; then he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Hop in the truck; we can talk about it on the way home.”

  Kelsey listened to Jason’s explanation in stunned disbelief. “What did you say to him next?”

  “I told him that I was beyond disappointed.” As they pulled into the driveway and parked, Jason looked over at Kelsey for a long moment. “I should’ve told you last week when it happened; I need you to forgive me for not telling you. I just didn’t want you to worry.”

  Wringing her hands, she put her head back against the headrest and looked out the window. “Did he tell you why he took the money?”

  “Apparently he’d gotten himself into a hole in a game of poker. He knew where the safe was and eventually found the code on Bonnie’s computer.”

  “What happens next?” Kelsey asked with a strained tone.

/>   “He’s going to work it off, and I’ve agreed not to report it to his parole officer. If I did, he’d be thrown right back in prison. I think what I find beyond sad is that he’s one of the hardest workers we’ve ever had. It’s like he doesn't seem to believe that he deserves any of the good in his life, especially when he’s earned it. He allowed himself to get involved with the wrong crowd again.”

  Kelsey looked over at him. “Is he a danger to anyone? Or the people he’s associating with, are they dangerous?”

  Jason took deep breath. “Only to himself.”

  “Are you going to let him stay with the company once he works off his debt?”

  After a long pause, he looked back over at her. “Yes. He whole-heartedly regrets his actions and has assured me that it was just a momentary lapse in judgment.”

  Desperately trying not to lose her temper, she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Jason, the only one having a momentary lapse in judgment is you.” After a pause, she regained some level of calm and continued, “How’d you catch him?”

  “Bonnie noticed on a few occasions that items on her desk had magically found new homes, but the big one was when she took the deposits to the bank, and they came up short. We went back and watched the video from the hidden camera. We showed him the footage, and he burst into tears.” Grabbing her hand before she could jump out of the truck, Jason continued, “He just had six-month drug test that came back clean. He’s done amazing keeping clean for the past four years. He made one very bad decision because he was desperate, and I don’t think that warrants erasing four years of hard work with us.”

  Now her anger level was at a boiling point. “You cannot keep giving this guy chances that he’s going to throw away. Think about this, Jason, what if you hadn’t caught him, and then what if drugs came back into the picture? Can you imagine that hitting local news just as we were nearing the completion of the park after four long years!”

  Jason could see that rage. “I know you’re angry, but let me get him through this, and if he messes up again, then it’s game over. I just know in my heart it’s the right thing to do.” Kelsey sat there, a perfectly good night ruined by information that she should’ve been told about a week ago, and it was all related to Michael James Dupree, an employee of her husband’s who never sat right with her from the first day they met.

  Before getting out of the truck, she put her gaze back on Jason. In her most deliberate tone, a tone that Jason hated but respected because he knew that she was trying to drive home the seriousness of her point, she told him, “I’m holding you to one more chance, Jason, one more. That is, it. If he screws up again, I’m counting on you to follow through with your word to me because you value me, our marriage, and your other employees more than this one employee who only truly cares for himself. I love you, and I love your heart, but there are some people who, in the end, just don’t want to be helped.”

  Kissing her hand, Jason said, “I’ve heard every word you said. I know you’re holding me accountable, and I love you.” Kelsey opened the truck door and slid out. Jedi was at the fence to meet her. “I’m going to head out to the barn for a bit,” she said. With that, she shut the door and walked away.

  Jason sat in the truck and watched her leave. The barn is where she spent alone time. Sometimes to decompress from a long day at work or, in this case, get away from her husband with whom she was royally pissed. Rubbing his stubbled jaw with one hand while the other one rested on the steering wheel, he realized sometimes he let his heart do too much of the thinking, an overused skill that now made his wife believe that she, her opinion, his safety, all the other employees’ safety, and business were less important than this one employee. When he saw Michael in his office crying and pleading how sorry he was, it just made his heart ache, but now he had to repair a breach of trust with Kelsey. He needed to make sure she knew that everything was going to be okay. His words to her tonight were a promise to fix the first crack in the foundation of their trust. It was now his duty to make good on them. Kelsey deserved nothing less.

  August 1995

  Road Trip

  Thursday had arrived. Kelsey stood back in her room and gazed at the oil painting and the stained glass window. She’d worked tirelessly for nearly two weeks. She hadn’t been super sociable at dinner, usually skipping dessert and tea as she needed to get back upstairs to finish. But she was very happy with the final outcome of her projects. Carefully wrapping them, she looked at her overnight bag lying on her bed.

  She went into the bathroom, grabbing the last few items, and then back into her room where she picked up her color palette and an eight-by-eleven canvas just in case she could do a quick painting, maybe even offering it to their hostess as a thank you since she was not charging them for the weekend. As she confirmed with one more glance that all she needed was packed away in her bag, she zipped it up. Hearing a knock at her door, she opened it to see Gareth standing there. Seeming a bit jittery, he asked, “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes, do you think you could help get my projects to the car so we can drop them off on campus on our way out?”

  “Yes, of course. You wrapped them already? Why have you been so secretive about these? I was looking forward to admiring all your hard work.”

  “I want all the flash of a big reveal,” she replied with that smile that made Gareth’s heart skip a beat. As he walked in to get the painting, Kelsey all but tackled him. “I’ll get that one! You get this one.” Startled, Gareth put the painting down. “I didn't mean to scold you,” Kelsey explained, “I just needed you to carry this one.” Kelsey pointed to the wrapped stained glass and immediately felt bad for her overreaction. “It must be something special,” he said back with nod. “Yes, it is…well both pieces are, but I’m little more protective over this one.” Kelsey quipped as she held secret the painting of him to her tightly, squeezing by him and heading down to the car.

  Camilla met her at the bottom of the steps. “Oh, is that one of your projects?”

  “Yes, I’m taking them to the school to leave with the professors for grading before we head out on our trip.” Camilla smiled and looked up to see Gareth coming down the steps carrying the other project. With a wink aimed at his mother, he decided to tease Kelsey, “Well I’m glad the school is just three kilometers from home; apparently this is precious cargo.” Kelsey whipped around and threw a smile at Gareth, “Yep, they are precious cargo. Glad to know we’re on the same page.”

  Camilla interrupted their banter, “Okay you two, is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Actually, Mum, you take this and follow Kelsey out to the car and help her load them. I’ll go get her overnight bag to save another trip into the house.” As Gareth carefully handed her the wrapped project, which he knew from the weight was the stained glass, he took the stairs two at a time. Upon reaching her bedroom, he grabbed the rather large bag off her bed when he stopped dead in his tracks and saw the picture of himself sitting on the easel. He walked over to it and stared in total shock. How had he not seen it five minutes ago when he was up there? He studied it and could recall the day with clarity but didn’t recall seeing Kelsey take his picture. What in the world would she want with this? he thought to himself.

  “Gareth, are you coming, slow poke?”

  He quickly bounced out of her room. “Yep, just trying to make sure I didn't forget anything, and I grabbed your bag.”

  “Okay, perfect. I think I’m all ready then.”

  As they headed out to the Defender, Camilla hugged Kelsey. “Have a marvelous time, my dear. See you in a couple of days.” Kelsey returned the hug warmly and got in the passenger side. As Camilla turned to hug her son, she pulled back and looked long and hard into his eyes. “You know I love you and want you to have a good time. Just mind your heart, Gareth.” Bending down, he kissed her forehead. “Promise.” Gareth got in on the driver’s side, and they made their way out of the driveway and onto the main road. Gareth caught Camilla in the rear view mirror, her fac
e full of concern as she faintly waived.

  Twenty minutes later, Kelsey hopped back into the vehicle after dropping off her artwork. “Okay, the professor said that he’ll evaluate and have them graded by Monday, but we have to leave one of the projects there until the reception next Thursday.” Gareth was reviewing the map one more time and then pulled out the brochure that confirmed the ferry times, making sure they’d be able to catch the last five o’clock ferry. “I bet you feel relieved,” he said. “You have no idea. Now I can just enjoy our trip!” As Kelsey put her seatbelt on, Gareth reached for a book that he’d obtained and stored in the console between them. As he handed it to her, she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “What do we have here?”