Sarah sat among the many boxes that filled the room and nearly towered over her, a giddy smile on her face as she gently unwrapped the plate from its protective covering and placed it in the hutch. They were finally here. Their very own home, parts of her still could not believe it as she carefully picked up another plate from the box at her feet.
"Hey Sarah?" a teenage male voice called out from the other room, "This box isn't marked where do you want it?"
"Bring it here Tobe," She called back, soon a lanky sixteen year old, with sandy blond hair appeared in the dining room with a small box. Sarah started to remove the tape. "I thought I labeled everything," she muttered to herself. As soon as the tape was off, Sarah stopped, took the box out of Toby's hands and gently placed it on the floor. "Oh wow," she gasped, "I haven't seen this stuff in years." She got down on her knees and began to reverently lift the contents out of the box, an old dress that had laces everywhere, a music box with a princess inside, an odd looking figurine of a wild looking man, a scrapbook, and then she paused.
"What's all this," Toby asked, "and what's it all doing in this box?"
Sarah sighed, a red leather book in her hands, "That's a long story Tobe."
"That's okay," he said sitting down on the floor, "I could use a break from all the hard labor you have been putting me through today."
Sarah chuckled, and then rocked back on her heels and thought for a moment. "You know that when I was your age, you were about a year old right." Toby nodded. "Nether of us were the easiest people to get along with all those years ago." This time it was Toby's turn to chuckle. Sarah shifted into a more comfortable position. "I did something I'm not that proud of, but it taught me a lot. It taught me about family, love, growing up, even a little about my dreams, and a lot about my priorities." She then when on to tell him about the night she regretted most, and the quest that she went on to reverse that horrid act. She thought he would be angry, or upset about what happened, and it surprised her how well he accepted the entire situation. If it had been her in his shoes, at that age, she would have hated the person who had done that to her. They talked for quite a while, and as Toby had questions, Sarah answered them as lovingly and patiently as she could. When the tale was over Sarah began to put the items back in the box. "You know Toby," She said, "You took that a lot better than I thought you would. Are you sure you're okay with finding out what happened to you at such a young age? Have I scarred you for life?"
"Yah, I'm cool," Toby reassured her, "Really Sis, it's nice to know that you love me that much."
"Aw," Sarah said as she gave him a hug. "You're quite an amazing kid…for a little brother."
Toby chuckled as he got up and started to leave the room. He stopped at the door way and turned back, "I just have one more question for you Sis." Sarah stopped. "You said that he offered you your dreams, do you ever regret not taking him up on that offer?"
Sarah didn't hesitate for a second; she shook her head with a smile on her lips, "Not one bit." This time it was Toby's turn to look surprised. Sarah folded up the dress, "Dreams change Toby. The dreams I have today are totally different from the dreams I had when I was fifteen. This house has been a dream of Mark's and mine ever since he carried me over the threshold of that tiny, roach infested, box of a room we called our first apartment."
Toby looked concerned, "I mean wouldn't you life have been easier? You got to admit your life lately hasn't been a piece of cake, what with the accident and all."
Sarah was about to say something more, when she was cut off by a "Hey Honey," from the other room. "Yes Love," she replied, still closing the box.
The voice drifted in from the other room again, "Do you think you could move some of these boxes out of my way?"
"Oh sure," she called and immediately went into action, "Hey Toby, help me make a bigger aisle." As soon as that was finished, the hum of an electric wheel chair followed them into the dining room.
"Wow," Mark commented, as soon as he entered the room, "you two have been doing a lot of work. This place is starting to look like people live here, not just a packing supply company."
"Thank you," Sarah said as she came up and touched noses with the man who had just entered the room, "and where have you been?"
"Oh, just playing on the ramp out front," he said with a twinkle in his eye, and after he got the expected response (Sarah mouth open with hands on hips), he smiled. "Kidding, I was ordering us some pizza. They should be here in about fifteen to twenty minutes."
"Great," Sarah chimed, "that means we can probably finish a little more before they get here." Toby mock saluted and went back into the living room. Sarah picked up the small box from off the floor and placed it on Mark's lap, "Do you think you could put this in the bedroom, I'm not quite sure what I want to do with it yet."
"Sure thing my most beautiful wife," Mark said and gave her a peck on the lips.
"I love you," Sarah said with a smile.
"I love you too," Mark said and then his machine hummed off into the next room.
As Sarah went back to the hutch, she thought she saw a flash of white outside the dining room window. What she did not realize was that a white owl, who had been present at most of the important events in her life, had taken off into the night sky.