The Quincy Brothers | ON HOLD|

9~ I Wish That I Was Eighteen...Not

"Easton, wake up sweetie," A soft voice called, waking me from my sleep.

I opened my eyes, but I wasn't at the house. I was back home and my mom was sitting at the edge of my bed. Everything was exactly as I remembered it. My mom sat with a soft smile and her chestnut brown hair, the same as mine, was thrown into a messy bun at the base of her head.

I knew this scene. I knew what happened next.

"Momma? What time is it?" I asked as I sat up and rubbed my eyes. It was still dark outside.

"Never mind that, baby. Momma has to go away for a little while, okay? She won't see you for a long time," she explained as her eyes glistened with tears.

"Are you coming back?" I asked sadly.

I could see the tears rolling down her face. I crawled over to her and sat on her lap. "Yes, baby, Momma will come back. I promise you, Easton, I'll be back. Happy birthday, baby. I'm going to miss you so much," She cried. "You take care of Ethan, okay? Will you do that for Momma?"

I nodded my head. She hugged me and squeezed me tight. "I love you, my baby boy. I will always love you," She kissed my head and laid me back in my bed.

"I love you too, Momma," I said as she walked out of my bedroom door before shutting it behind her.

What I didn't know then was that I'd never see her again. When she walked out of that door, she walked out of my life, forever.

I woke up in a sweat. My shirt stuck to my body. My heart pounded in my chest, my hands shook violently, and my breathing was quick and shallow. I couldn't get control of myself. The thoughts of everything that has happened since Mom left raced through my brain. I ran my hand through my sweat-soaked hair.

I couldn't handle it anymore. I grabbed a hoodie and threw on my running shoes. I ran out of my room and out of the house, without even realizing what time it was. The sun hasn't risen, so it had to be before six. I assumed it was around five. I didn't bring my phone with me to confirm my suspicions. I ran around the neighborhood until I stopped by a pond at a park to catch my breath.

The sun had just begun to rise and it shone right on the water. Everything was calm here. I couldn't hear the poisonous traffic. I couldn't see the trash being thrown on the streets. I couldn't smell the morning coffee and bagels in the air mixing with the other smells of the city.

It was peaceful.

I took a seat and watched the scene in front of me for a good thirty minutes. I couldn't take my eyes off of it, even with the sun in full, blazing everything. Leaves began to fall as the air got chilly.

A family walked in the grass behind me. It was a man and wife with a little girl around six and a baby in a stroller. The little girl was dancing and playing. She noticed me watching and smiled. She picked something off the ground and ran over to me. She handed me a dandelion.

"You looked like you needed this," She told me with a smile. I smiled back at her.

"Hazel, come on" the mom called with a smile.

"Bye-bye," She said before skipping away happily.

I looked back at the dandelion. I twirled it around in my hand. It was a delicate little flower, but the urban legend is that it grants wishes. I made a wish before taking a breath and blowing the dandelion in the air to release my wish into the world.

I ran back home and the sun was up in the sky. I guessed it was almost eight by now.

"Easton?" Ethan called from the kitchen.