fact that he was older than he looked, and Kate guessed that he must be Adriana’s father.
“I’m Kate,” she said. “I spent the night here last night since you weren’t here. Adriana didn’t want to be alone so she asked me to come over. I hope that it was alright for me to stay here,” she added, not wanting to seem rude.
The man smiled and moved toward the table. He caught sight of the stack of blueberry pancakes and pointed at them before speaking. “If you’re sharing those you can come back anytime, sweetheart.” He laughed and sat down.
“Of course,” Kate said, gesturing to the pile, showing him that he could have as many as he wanted. She grinned as he picked one up with his fingers, folded it twice, and popped the entire thing in his mouth. When he finished chewing it, he praised Kate, telling her that it was the best blueberry pancake he had ever had in his life.
“That’s not very nice,” Adriana joked as she joined them at the table. “You should try telling me that my pancakes are good, Dad. I might have to stop cooking for you if you’d prefer Kate’s cooking,” she added with a smile.
Adriana looked at Kate’s outfit then and winked in approval. “Dad, this is Kate. Kate, this is my dad, Donovan.”
“Sweetheart, Kate and I have met already but thank you for the introductions. I haven’t found the opportunity to state my name yet, since my mouth was filled with her delicious pancakes. Nevertheless, we’ve shared pancakes and bonded over their exquisite flavor. I’d say we’re close friends, actually. Wouldn’t you agree Kate?” Donovan winked, teasing Kate. His smile was friendly and genuine, and Kate decided instantly that she liked him.
Kate nodded and smiled at Adriana. Adriana rolled her eyes and grabbed a pancake. She poured copious amounts of maple syrup on top of it, so much that Kate wondered if she would need to be diagnosed as diabetic after breakfast. Kate smiled as Donovan grabbed more and piled them on his plate. He didn’t put quite as much syrup on his pancakes.
The three of them ate breakfast together, partaking in small talk about Kate’s thoughts of Dolphin Bay and the weather. Donovan was friendly, and Kate could tell that he loved Adriana very much. He watched her movements and listened to her comments with adoration, proud of his beautiful daughter.
When Adriana dropped Kate off at home later that afternoon, Kate was sad to watch her go. She had enjoyed breakfast and spending time with Adriana’s father, even though he looked a little young to have a daughter Adriana’s age. Kate wondered, absently, how old he was when Adriana’s mother became pregnant as she stepped into her less extravagant, yet homey, beach house.
Kate was walking in a dark, wooded area. The air was wet; a blanket of fog covered the moss and grass underneath Kate’s bare feet. She lifted up the long ivory gown that she wore, making sure that the bottom didn’t get too muddy as she wandered through the dense forest. Birds whistled all around Kate, announcing the sunset. Kate looked up, trying to find a break in the trees, searching for the sun to see how much time she had left. She couldn’t see it, and quickened her pace, afraid that she wouldn’t arrive in time.
Kate began to fear that she was lost, moving in circles, stuck in time. Her fears taunted her, but she pushed them into the corners of her mind and kept moving. She didn’t have much time and she couldn’t, no she wouldn’t, be late. Confused, Kate searched her memory, asking herself why she was so anxious to find this place but came up empty handed. She wouldn’t dwell on it too long, though, because it took precious time to think of things other than where she needed to end up.
Another moment and Kate spotted a break in the trees ahead. She began to run toward it, her bare feet raw from striking the rocks that lay hidden in the soft grass. She pushed herself forward, though, knowing that what she found on the other side of the trees would save her and those she loved most.
Kate stopped suddenly, almost afraid of what she would find beyond the trees. She took careful, deliberate steps and found herself on one side of a curtain of vines. She lifted a trembling hand, her fingers stretching to push the vines aside.
Heat. Kate’s hand felt dry warmth as it moved closer to the curtain. She flexed her fingers enjoying the sensation, and pushed the curtain to the side, so that she could see what she was searching for, what she craved.
Kate fell to her knees, tears tumbling down her cheeks, drowning out the scream that was caught in her throat. Before her, the world caught fire, burning so brightly the light chased the shadows into the forest. She watched in horror, knowing that the people she loved burned in those toxic flames.
Kate woke with a start. Her blankets were sticky with sweat and her skin was burning; her head spun from the heat. Kate got out of her damp bed, tearing the blankets and sheets off in frustration. She tossed them into the hamper before taking a cold shower. She couldn’t think properly until she took a shower.
While Kate stood under the frigid water she tried to decipher her dream. She wasn’t truly afraid of the world catching fire, so what did it mean? She found herself sifting through a plethora of explanations: It was so warm in the house that she felt as though it would catch fire. No. The flat stovetop at Adriana’s, the way it changed into an orange circle as it heated up, sparked the dream. Not likely. Kate’s heart would burst into flames if she fell for Rico. Utterly ridiculous.
Kate stepped out of the shower, no happier than before she got in. She wrapped her towel around her body and stepped out into her warm bedroom.
“Don’t undress,” Rico said quickly, scaring Kate. She stepped back, bumping into the wall, and grabbed her heart, afraid it would burst.
“Don’t you ever do that again,” she said, glaring at Rico as she rifled through her drawers, snatching up the clothes that she needed to put on immediately. She rushed into the bathroom, her hands full, and locked the door. She emerged a couple moments later, her damp curls already soaking her tank top.
“I apologize for scaring you,” Rico said.
“How did you get in here? Are my parents gone already?” Kate spat, still upset.
“Your parents are gone. I came through the front door. It’s not smart to stick a key on top of the door frame, you know. By the time I got up here you were already in the bathroom so I let you shower in peace.”
“How sweet of you,” Kate retorted.
Rico ignored her comment and looked at the pile of blankets and sheets in the hamper. He looked at her, clearly curious.
“I didn’t wet the bed if that’s what you think.”
“That wasn’t my first thought. I assumed you had a bad dream. However, if you do still wet the bed I’ll try my hardest not to tell Adriana. I don’t know if she would ever stop laughing at you.”
Kate stuck her tongue out at Rico in response.
“Well?” he demanded. “Was it a bad dream or what?”
“Yes,” Kate said. “It was weird,” she added, turning to look at Rico when she spoke. “I was walking through a forest, searching for something that I wanted to find. When I found it, it turned out to be something I would never want. It was awful.” Kate sat down on the edge of her bed, lost somewhere in her mind, reliving the worst part of the nightmare.
“What did you see, Kate?” Rico asked, pressing.
Kate stared out at the ocean without even seeing it and shook her head. “I can’t say,” she said. “It was terrible and I won’t tell you.”
Rico pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed. Kate instantly pushed up her defenses, ready for the argument that would come next.
“You need to tell me, Kate. It’s important. I wouldn’t ask you to tell me if it wasn’t important.”
“I’m sorry, Rico. I won’t tell you. I’m not ready to face it myself. Why would I tell you if I can’t even decipher the meaning on my own?”
Rico glared at her, infuriated by Kate’s persistence. He opened his mouth to persuade her further but she held up her hand, stopping him.
“Don’t try to convince me right now, Rico. I don’t feel like fighting with yo
u this morning. I’m tired and hungry. Please, don’t start an argument with me.”
Rico sighed silently, purposefully not giving Kate the satisfaction one gets from winning a single battle. He didn’t want her to think that she won, because she would end up telling him eventually; if not, he would find out, one way or another.
Instead of leaving in a fit of rage, Rico stood up and held his hand out to pull Kate up as well. As soon as she was standing, Rico pulled his hand away and moved toward the door so that she would follow him. Rico led Kate to the kitchen where he rummaged through the refrigerator and cabinets, searching for the things he needed. He turned to Kate, taking his index finger and spinning it around, making a motion to tell Kate not to look at what he was doing.
Kate was perplexed by these actions. One minute Rico was angry at her for not telling her the end of her nightmare. The next minute he was gathering ingredients for a meal, and telling her to leave so that it would be a surprise. Their awkward relationship seemed like it could be more than just petty arguments and defensive remarks. Kate would have to wait to see if conversation remained light during the meal; this was still their weakest area, considering they fought every time they spoke.
Rico, somehow, seemed fine after the attack. Kate imagined that he would be limping around his house somewhere, a pack of ice taped to his shoulder. She