of nothing. It’s hard to explain; as soon as
you’ve done it once you’ll always be able to do it. Like your shooting stars.
You’ll always be able to make those.”
Emily smiled at Wes. The beach faded away as did Emily and
the pier that stood in the distance behind her. There was more “nothingness”
for an instant and then Wes opened his eyes. His vision was clear.
Chapter 5
K im sat in her
car looking out the windshield, but not seeing anything. Right before arriving
home, the rain had increased from the light drizzle that had started that
morning to a heavy downpour that now ran down the glass in front of her. The
rapid rate and high velocity of the droplets were so extreme it was difficult
to see the front door from where her car sat in the driveway. She watched and
waited for her chance; the rain needed to lighten up long enough for her to get
from the car and make the mad dash to the house. This was the most exciting
thing that would happen to her all day.
Pulling the key out of the ignition, Kim gathered her things
and placed her hand on the door as she prepared to open it. The rain eased its
pounding, and Kim took her chance. In one motion, she opened the door, leaped
from her car, slammed the door behind her, and ran up the front walkway to the
door.
The house was empty. Mark, her husband, was still at work
and their three children were all grown and gone. The youngest had moved out
just six months earlier. Kim put her things down on the hallway table and
caught a brief glimpse of her reflection in the mirror that hung above it. She
paused, keeping her eyes on her things on the table before slowly lifting her
head to look in the mirror. She knew she would see what she didn’t want to see:
herself.
Kim’s makeup had run as a result of her dash through the
rain, and the tracks left by the water and the running mascara gave the
illusion that she was even older than she actually was. So much for the claims
that her new skin care line would erase years. She had just celebrated turning
50, but she was feeling much older. Kim ran her fingers under her eyes to
smooth the makeup and skin. Where had all these wrinkles come from?
The doorbell rang. Quickly smoothing out the rest of her
makeup with her hands, Kim turned to answer the door. Always careful to check
first, she could see a package delivery man when she looked out the window at
the side of the door.
“Hello,” Kim said, as she opened the door and looked through
the space left by the still-attached chain.
“Hi,” the delivery man said. “Are you Mrs. Powell?”
“I am.” Kim looked down at the box that sat on a dolly next
to the man. The box was of significant size and stood higher than the man’s
waist. It didn’t have any markings on it to provide clues to its contents or
origin. Her mind raced to remember if she’d ordered anything, but knew she
would never have sent for anything that would come in a box that size. “Are you
sure that box is for me?” Who would send her something that large?
“Pretty sure,” the man said, handing her a clipboard with a
delivery receipt on it through the space made by the open door. “Look it over
and if it looks all right, just sign at the bottom. There’s a packing slip on
the box if you need to send it back. I just deliver.”
Kim unhooked the chain and opened the door. She looked over
the sheet. The address on it was hers. The sheet, like the box, didn’t have any
evidence of where the package was from or who had sent it. She would have to
accept it and open the packing slip attached to the box after the man left. Kim
signed the receipt and handed it back to the man.
“Thanks,” the man said, taking the clipboard back. He moved
behind the box and pulled the dolly back, rolling its two wheels across the
threshold. “Where do you want it?”
“Bring it inside, if you don’t mind,” Kim said, opening the
door as wide as it would go. “You can place it in here next to that
you’ve done it once you’ll always be able to do it. Like your shooting stars.
You’ll always be able to make those.”
Emily smiled at Wes. The beach faded away as did Emily and
the pier that stood in the distance behind her. There was more “nothingness”
for an instant and then Wes opened his eyes. His vision was clear.
Chapter 5
K im sat in her
car looking out the windshield, but not seeing anything. Right before arriving
home, the rain had increased from the light drizzle that had started that
morning to a heavy downpour that now ran down the glass in front of her. The
rapid rate and high velocity of the droplets were so extreme it was difficult
to see the front door from where her car sat in the driveway. She watched and
waited for her chance; the rain needed to lighten up long enough for her to get
from the car and make the mad dash to the house. This was the most exciting
thing that would happen to her all day.
Pulling the key out of the ignition, Kim gathered her things
and placed her hand on the door as she prepared to open it. The rain eased its
pounding, and Kim took her chance. In one motion, she opened the door, leaped
from her car, slammed the door behind her, and ran up the front walkway to the
door.
The house was empty. Mark, her husband, was still at work
and their three children were all grown and gone. The youngest had moved out
just six months earlier. Kim put her things down on the hallway table and
caught a brief glimpse of her reflection in the mirror that hung above it. She
paused, keeping her eyes on her things on the table before slowly lifting her
head to look in the mirror. She knew she would see what she didn’t want to see:
herself.
Kim’s makeup had run as a result of her dash through the
rain, and the tracks left by the water and the running mascara gave the
illusion that she was even older than she actually was. So much for the claims
that her new skin care line would erase years. She had just celebrated turning
50, but she was feeling much older. Kim ran her fingers under her eyes to
smooth the makeup and skin. Where had all these wrinkles come from?
The doorbell rang. Quickly smoothing out the rest of her
makeup with her hands, Kim turned to answer the door. Always careful to check
first, she could see a package delivery man when she looked out the window at
the side of the door.
“Hello,” Kim said, as she opened the door and looked through
the space left by the still-attached chain.
“Hi,” the delivery man said. “Are you Mrs. Powell?”
“I am.” Kim looked down at the box that sat on a dolly next
to the man. The box was of significant size and stood higher than the man’s
waist. It didn’t have any markings on it to provide clues to its contents or
origin. Her mind raced to remember if she’d ordered anything, but knew she
would never have sent for anything that would come in a box that size. “Are you
sure that box is for me?” Who would send her something that large?
“Pretty sure,” the man said, handing her a clipboard with a
delivery receipt on it through the space made by the open door. “Look it over
and if it looks all right, just sign at the bottom. There’s a packing slip on
the box if you need to send it back. I just deliver.”
Kim unhooked the chain and opened the door. She looked over
the sheet. The address on it was hers. The sheet, like the box, didn’t have any
evidence of where the package was from or who had sent it. She would have to
accept it and open the packing slip attached to the box after the man left. Kim
signed the receipt and handed it back to the man.
“Thanks,” the man said, taking the clipboard back. He moved
behind the box and pulled the dolly back, rolling its two wheels across the
threshold. “Where do you want it?”
“Bring it inside, if you don’t mind,” Kim said, opening the
door as wide as it would go. “You can place it in here next to that
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