AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here's another dream.
Chapter 8
"Dickie, you don't mean that!" cries the dark haired woman standing in front of the boy.
"Of course I do," as he stamps his foot. "I want to stay here. Why can't I?"
"Dickie, you don't belong here," she replies gently, kneeling down to stare at her child in the eye.
"But Mom!" cries the boy once more. "The circus is where I'm supposed to be!"
"No, son," she replies gently.
Taking her son into her arms, she stands up and walks over to the only bed in their circus trailer. Cuddling her son close, Mary Grayson kisses her son's forehead.
"I love you, Dickie," she whispers.
"I love you too, Mom," replies the boy, as he burrows further into her arms.
"And though I love you very much, this isn't your world," she continues gently.
"But…" says Dickie, pushing away from his mother to stare up into her eyes.
"She's right, Dickie."
Turning in his mother's arms, Dickie watches as his father climbs into the trailer to join his family.
"You're still needed out there," continues his father.
"But this is where I started," says the boy, glancing between his mother and father.
"And where you will end one day," replies his mother with a smile. "But not today."
Slipping from his mother's arms, Dickie stands on the floor between them. Closing his eyes for a moment, he opens them to realize that his circus costume is gone. In its place, the Robin costume rests. Looking at his parents, he realizes that he is taller. No longer the five-year-old boy, a man stands in the boy's place.
"Mom? Dad?" says Dick, not wanting to take his eyes from his parents.
"We love you, Dick," says his mother, gaining to her feet.
Walking over to the man, Mary Garyson kisses her son on his cheek. Stepping away, Mary looks at her husband. Smiling at his wife, John steps up to his son and hugs him tightly.
"We're always with you," says John, before stepping back to take his wife's hand. "Always."
Nodding his head, Dick watches as his world turns gray and his parents disappear.