Chapter 34
A New Beginning

Noa awoke the next morning and refused to open her eyes. She didn't want to face the day just yet. Obi was gone, for the first time in years he was not beside her when she woke. She knew that she eventually had to get up, to see her children, to see the tribe, to tell her children that she loved them. But for now, just for a minute, she wanted to lie there, by herself, and imagine her husbands arms around her.

And then a smell hit her senses that made her start.

"Fabric Softener?" she said to herself. She hadn't smelled that in almost 50 years. And then she noticed another smell. Coffee, then the smell of her mother's pancakes came to her. She opened her eyes and sat up. She was in her bedroom. Her posters were on the wall, her laptop closed on her desk. She looked down and saw she was wearing the same clothes as the day she disappeared to the island. She jumped off the bed and ran to the dresser. She let out a scream. She was 15 again.

"Was it a dream? Was it all a dream?" she asked her reflection. "It couldn't have been, it was all so real!" She touched her lips. She could still feel Obi's kiss on her lips. She could feel his strong arms around her. She looked at her leg and saw the scar that had been there since the mice appeared on the beach. Bewildered, she sat for a moment. This just could be right, she couldn't be back home.

She ran to her door and wretched it open. It opened to a hallway, not a beach. Dazed, she went down the stairs and found her mother in the kitchen. She ran to her and threw her arms around her. "Oh mom!" She cried. "I missed you so much!" Her mother paused for a minute.

"Honey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine mom, just fine." And she pulled away to look at her mothers face.

"I take you forgive me then?" her mother asked.

"Forgive you? For what?"

"For the fight we had last night. You were so upset and never came out of your room. I was worried." The fight returned to Noa's memory.

"Oh mom, I'm so sorry. You were right. I'll keep the music quieter and after nine, I'll use my headphones, I promise." And she hugged her mother again.

"Who are you what did you do with my teenage, moody daughter?" she chuckled and Noa laughed with her.

"I'm right here. I think I've always been here. I just had to find myself." Her mother studied her.

"Are you sure you're alright, honey. You look a little pale."

"Yeah, I think I'm okay."

"Well, I made your favorite, pancakes. Come and eat." And they sat down. "How are you going to spend your Saturday dear? The Mall, the Movies?"

"No, I thought I would spend it with you, helping you around the house." Her mother choked a little on a pancake.

"That would be wonderful, I could use your help. I have some cleaning to do and I need to bake a pie for tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes, don't you remember? They new neighbors invited us over for dinner tonight, to meet them. I'm bringing desert. You'll still join your father and I won't you?"

"Yes, yes, I'd love to!" Her mother smiled. Noa kept busy during the day helping her mother, learning how to bake a pecan pie. She enjoyed the day with her mother but a sadness hung in her heart. She couldn't get her dream out of her head. It was just too real to her. She could still picture Obi and her friends and her children. She could smell the ocean, hear the birds. It was hard to believe it wasn't real. After they put the pie in the oven, she went upstairs to shower and change for dinner.

"Sweetheart, this is Mr. And Mrs. Riker."

"Hi Noa!" Said Mrs. Riker "it's a pleasure to meet you finally."

"Hi!" Said Noa.

"Unfortunately, our daughter is away at college so you won't be able to meet her today but our son will be home from work any minute to join us. He was anxious to meet all of you. Come and join us in the living room." Noa followed them into next room and sat down in a chair, her back to the hallway. She listened as the adults spoke for a while, getting to know each other. She found that she enjoyed the conversation. Normally, she would have hated this, but it wasn't bothering her this time. But even as she listened, her thoughts kept drifting back to her dream.

"Hi!" said a deep, smooth voice from behind her. A shiver ran down her spine. She jumped in surprise and whipped around to see a tall, fit young man standing behind her with a shock of glowing, silver hair. He put and hand out to her, intending her to shake it. "I'm Obi, Obi Riker. You must be Noa. I've heard so much about you."

The End