Dreaming of Mom

The first time it happened, I wasn't sure it had happened. It could almost have been a coincidence. It was a term break so I had slept late and got up after my dad had already left for work.

"Hey, Sleepyhead!" Mom had greeted me. "Your dad left you some oatmeal."

"Oh! I had a dreamy you made bacon," I said, because I had.

"Oh, yeah, I did!" She exclaimed. "Want some?"

And the kitchen did smell like bacon. But I was sure it hadn't a moment before. Mom hadn't made bacon since dad's heart attack two years ago. But she presented me a plate of the stuff like it was perfectly normal.

And it could have been normal, I guess. But it wasn't. I was sure of that.

I sat there eating bacon and drinking coffee and not enjoying nearly as much as I should have. Something was so wierd.

And so I decided to try something. At worst, mom would just think I was joking. She never really understood my sense of humor.

"Did dad leave me any lobster?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Didn't you boil a lobster this morning?" I asked.

"When have I EVER boiled a lobster?" She asked, looking bemused. "Especially for breakfast?"

"Oh, sorry," I said. "It's just, well , I dreamed you had boiled me a lobster."

She shrugged and chuckled.

"You caught me!" She said. "Just let me finish slicing up a lemon and I'll serve it to you"

I was absolutely sure there hadn't been a lobster pot on the stove a second before. As far as I knew, we didn't own a lobster pot. But there it was and mom pulled a platter from behind it to reveal an honest to God lobster.

"You're the best, mom!" I told her.

"Yes. Yes I am," she agreed.

I ate it. What the hell else was I going to do? And then I cleaned the kitchen, much to Mom's delight. My mind was a whirl. It helped me think. I hadn't actually dreamed that she made lobster, so I didn't have to actually dream it. Did just saying I dreamed something make it come true?

"I drempt there was a key lime pie on the counter," I said aloud to the kitchen when mom had stepped out. I wasn't still hungry, but I guess I was just stuck on food. Regardless, I was disappointed.

"Hey Mom?" I called out to the living room. "Wasn't there a key lime pie?"

"No, there wasn't," she called back. "Maybe I'll make one this weekend."

I tugged at my chin and then called out "I drempt you made one last night and left it out on the counter."

"I did! It should be right there!" She said without missing a beat.

And it was indeed there.

"Found it!" I said.

"Don't eat pie for breakfast, sweetheart!" She reprimanded gently. "We can eat some after lunch."

It was sensible enough, plus I wanted to test something. I told Mom I was heading to the library and hoped on my bike. Megan, this girl I knew in highschool, worked there. She had darjk hair that she dyed even darker, a nose ring and a perpetually pissed-off expression.

"Hey Megan!" I greeted her. "You dyed your hair back?"

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"I had a dream that you dyed your hair pink," I said, hoping it would work.

It didn't. She started at me with all the contempt I'd just earned.

"You are such an idiot," she said.

"And I drempt you made me cookies!" I exclaimed as she turned away, wondering if it only worked for food.

She turned back to me in disgust, completely with out cookies.

"Are you trying to flirt with me?" She demanded. "Cuz if you are, you suck at it."

I mumbled an apology and went home, blushing furiously.

"You're back!" Mom exclaimed. "That was quick!"

"Yeah, um, they didn't have the book I wanted so I put it on hold," I lied.

Then I looked at her.

"Your hair is brown," I said.

,She looked at me quizzically.

"And this surprises you?" She asked.

"I had a dream you died it pink," I said.

"I did!" She exclaimed as her hair suddenly turned bright pink. "Do you like it?"

My heart skipped a beat.

"I love it, Mom!" I said. "You look like an anime character!"

She giggled.

"Your dad freaked," she confided. "But I think it's fun!"

And so I thought I understood the rules. If I told my mom a I had a dream about her, it came true.

The only question was, what more could I dream up?