After a series of sleepless nights, I finally found it in myself to successfully fall asleep in the middle of a workday. As the last vestiges of consciousness slipped away from me, I remember hearing the sound of receiving a message from work, but I simply could not care.
I was suddenly sitting in our drawing room, lounging on our cane sofa and enjoying the feeling of our brown carpet against my feet. I remember basking in the happiness of being home, finally. I jumped in joy quite literally, jumping from one sofa to the other and laughing in glee. It all felt so real.
But was it real? A small part of my mind which was still thinking about the message from work asked me. Wasn’t I at home though? I could even feel the carpet, you couldn’t feel such things in dreams! I had to be at home!
I felt my eyes welling with tears of despair. My mother, being the magical all knowing being who always knew when I was in trouble, came up to me from the far end of the house and hugged me. The hug felt so real, I could even smell her. How could this be a dream? I sniffed.
I felt the words tumble out of my mouth as I tried to explain my dilemma to my mother. After a point, I knew I was no longer making any sense, but my mother patiently listened to every word with a reassuring smile. I finally ran out of breath and could speak no longer.
“What do I do Mummy?” I finally stammered.
My mother tightened her grip around me, widened her smile, and calmly said two simple words.
“Wake up.”
My eyes widened in surprise and I saw the dull lights of my computer screen flashing in front of me. Another message from work. It was all a dream after all… But then why do I still feel the warmth from my mother’s hug?