Candles and Wishes
Chapter 7: bedtime story
(June 22th, 2008. Clare is 37, Alba is 7, Ray is 5, the twins are 2)
Ray: I was woken up pretty early that day, mom had made me my favorite breakfast: chocolate chips pancakes, there weren't as the ones daddy used to make but still tasted good.
"Happy birthday kiddo!" Uncle Gomez hugged me tightly "you are old now huh?"
"Not that old" I laughed as he placed me on the floor. I then dedicated myself to say hello to everyone else at the party: Kimmy, Grandpa Richard and Grandpa Philip, Uncle Mark and Aunt Alicia, Rocky, Lily and Celia.
The party went great: I got some really cool presents, including a new bike and clothes
"Are you having fun?" mama asked and I stared at her. She understood instantly and whispered
"Me too" I sneaked into my room next and looked under the bed, a shoe box rested. I opened it
"I whish you were here daddy" I whispered and took an old picture. I stared at it for a while: it was only me and daddy sitting on the grass one summer day. Mom had helped him sit on the floor while I sat on his lap. His accident had already happened so he couldn't play ball with me anymore, but still we were happy and the most important thing: we were together
"Honey?" mum entered the room "are you okay?"
"I guess" I stared at her, I was crying, I just missed daddy too much and wanted him to be home
"Come here" she sat on the bed. I joined her; she was staring at the picture in my hand
"Oh, I remembered when we took this" she laughed "I hated that shirt"
I chuckled. It was good to hear her laugh, she'd been so sad since 2007
"You want me to send everyone home?" she asked. I didn't, so we went back to the living room
Later that night
I was putting my pajamas on when I once again disappeared
(June 24th, 2005, Henry is 42, Ray is 5 and 1)
I landed on my back in a very familiar place. My own loving room, I didn't know the date, so I couldn't be sure of where to go
"Hush little guy, your mama is going to kill us if you don't get some sleep" dad was rocking a much younger me across the nursery
I smiled to myself at the sight of a much younger me. I was wrapped in a blanket crying. I crawled towards the nursery quietly and stayed outside the door
"Hello?" Dad answered the phone "oh hey, he won't go to sleep Gomez… no I tried everything" he looked desperate
"You haven't tried it all" I said walking towards him from behind. He stared at me for a while forgetting the phone
"Hey comrade I got to go" and he hung up. He turned to me, still unsure "Ray?"
I nodded. He sat on the rocking chair, still holding my baby self close "daddy, I'm hungry"
"Right" he ran his hand trough his face "come on" he left the baby (still crying) on the crib and I followed him to his room "here" he handed me a shirt. It covered me completely and then walked to the kitchen, he placed me on the counted and gave milk and Oreos "better?"
"Yes!" I smiled with a milk mustache "what year is it?"
"2004, February" he said sitting next to me and taking and Oreo
"So I'm 8 months old?" I asked thoughtfully, he smiled
"Yeah, give or take, how about you?"
"My birthday 2008" I stared at him for a while
"So am already dead?" he couldn't speak "how's your mom?"
"She's sad, but she's okay" I say trying to making him feel better "daddy?"
"Yes?" he asked quietly looking at me
"Do you know why I'm crying?" I asked hopping he did. He shrugged "you have to tell me a story, you do it every night and so does mama"
"What kind of story?" I could see he was relieved
"Any kind, It'll make ne sleep like a baby" I joked
We walked back to the nursery and I sat on his lap while he held my younger self. I told the story and dad watched me carefully. The baby fell asleep and so did we. But when I woke up I was at home in my own bed. I guess the only thing mummy found when she got back was an old shirt in daddy's lap