Chapter 19 The end
I open my eyes. I'm back in bed. I close my eyes and open them again. Still here. The voice comes back. But nothing freezes this time.
Am I truly home?
"Congratulations," the voice announces. "You are truly home."
"Really?" I squeal. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
I hug the plushies on my bed and dance around in my pajamas. Immediately, I make my way around the house incredibly grateful for each and every thing I've ever owned. When my work laptop pings, I shut it off.
Not making that mistake again.
"You have learned to trust yourself," the voice continues. "Never forget that you can overcome the impossible."
The voice disappears and I'm all alone in the comfort of my townhome. No sneaky servants or gods and goddesses to worry about. I glance at my journal, debating on whether or not I want to write down what happened. But as soon as I grab a pen, it feels like all of it has already begun to slip.
What I do remember though, is the rude way my boss was talking about my behind my back. I put the pen down and glance at my phone. It's January 2nd at 9:32am. Technically, I have today off and I refuse to waste it working.
"What was I doing again?" I ask myself. The journal in front of me remains blank. I'm sure I'll remember it later if it's so important.
I give up on the journaling and change into a comfortable, yet presentable outfit. My mom is old fashioned in the way she worries that something's wrong whenever I show up in athleisure. Instead, I opt for light wash wide legged jeans and a red sweater with a pair of boots.
Strangely, I don't need to touch up my hair. It flows down my back in glossy waves as if I'd been wearing it up for a while. Weird.
"Whatever," I mumble to myself. I grab my car keys and head straight to the department store then to a nearby restaurant to pick up some gifts for my family.
When I arrive home, my mom and siblings are surprised to see me. We eat together, laughing and exchanging memories for the New Year. After dinner, I write my letter of resignation and send it before I can regret it.
What I hadn't realized I'd saved so much money from the impossible amount of work I was doing. Plus, my investments were doing better than I thought was. I'd have enough time to recover from burnout, take care of my family, and find out what I actually want to do.
Our little family dog runs in circles around me using it as her way of asking for a walk. I dress her up in a cute little parka to protect her from the cold outside. After I put her leash on, I glance behind me to see if anyone wants to join.
No one volunteers. Classic.
"I'm going to take Roo Roo for a walk," I call out to my family as I put Roo Roo's leash on.
She sneezes with excitement. We walk around snow dusted paths and wave as we pass by the old people who like to go on evening walks.
Just as we're about to turn into the driveway and warm up inside, we notice a lone white fluffy dog.
"Are you lost?" I ask the little dog. For some reason, it looks so familiar like I'd seen it before. It jumps into my arms and snuggles into my chest as if it knows me. Roo Roo yaps in jealousy and I carry the two.
"Hey, no fighting," I gently scold the two. They begin to settle down as I make my way towards the porch. Just as I'm about to open the door, I hear a pair of footsteps behind me.
"Bao Bao," a voice calls out. A tall, striking man makes his way over towards me. He leaves enough distance between us to make it clear he's not a threat. His dark brown eyes flicker with recognition when he looks at me. Warmth flows through me as he steps closer.
He observes the little fluff ball in my arms. "Come here, it's cold out." Bao Bao leaps out my arm and whines as he reunites with his owner. Roo Roo gives him a smug look as she snuggles into my chest.
"Is he yours?" I ask, confused by Bao Bao's reaction to him. The man nods as he pulls out a blanket to wrap Bao Bao in.
"He has a thing for wandering off when I need him the most," he admits. He gives me such an intense look that I take a step back. Roo Roo snuggles into my chest again and I can tell she's getting cold.
"You should go inside," he says noticing Roo Roo's discomfort.
I make my way towards the door, my hand lingering on the knob as I glance back at the stranger. His eyes lock onto mine and there's a quiet intensity that sends a ripple through my chest. Do I know him?
Roo Roo whines again and I open the door. She runs inside, not bothering to wipe her paws. I turn back around.
"Maybe..." he pauses. "I'd like to thank you for finding Bao Bao. Is it okay to take you to the new teahouse down the street? I hear it's divine."
I raise an eyebrow at his choice of words. What kind of person casually throws in words like divine? "Sure," I hear myself say. It's not like I have anywhere else to go anyway.
"See you tomorrow," he says. "Stay warm."
When he walks away, I can't help but feel as if I'd seen him before. Was that what I meant to journal about earlier today? I shake my head as I step inside.
That would be crazy.