The Mystery at Sag Bridge

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Cora pedaled an old balloon-tired bicycle, a little girl in a scout uniform behind her, arms clinging around Cora's waist. Cora panted for breath and her legs burned. She stopped at a church and watched the girl run off.

She pedaled frantically, then stopped and locked the bike to a rack. Next she was banging on a door. A woman answered, accusing. "You're late."

"Only five minutes...sorry." Cora smiled, trying to break through the woman's bad attitude. Another woman came into the room and showed Cora what to do-take tall stacks of documents, scan them, and save them to a DVD. There were so many documents! Cora had to hurry-she had to be somewhere else. The women glared at her, angry.

Back on the bicycle with the little girl, Cora rushed. She was late again-who would watch the girl? She was distraught. A creek ran under the street. She sent the girl to play there. She looked around and Cora's mother appeared, standing on a bridge and watching the girl. Her mother was young and healthy.

Cora was in an empty store. She called...two women came from the back. Cora said she had to leave right away, she had to take care of a little girl, but she could come back later. The women were angry-they had to leave and Cora had to take over. Cora's mother came into the store. She was aged and frail. She had to eat or she would be ill. Cora sent her across the street for food. Cora watched as her elderly mother dodged cars across six lanes of traffic, terrified she would fall or be struck. Her mother stumbled, regained her balance and disappeared into a restaurant. The little girl was alone.

Cora was frantic. She had to take over the store...the little girl needed her, unaccompanied by a dangerous creek...her mother couldn't fend for herself. She could do only one thing. Which would it be? She screamed in frustration, "When is it my turn?"

Distraught, unable to make a decision, Cora woke up.

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Cora couldn't get back to sleep, thinking about the dream. Beside her, Cisco snored softly. His snoring usually disturbed her, but tonight she found the sound a comforting reassurance of his presence. After the stressful meeting with Meg at Saint James the previous day, Cora tried to put it out of her mind. She discussed the experience extensively with Cisco, then retired early. Surprisingly, she was able to sleep, until the urgency of the dream woke her.

She glanced at the clock. Two in the morning. She needed rest badly, but she tossed and turned, finally gave up and let her restless mind go where it would, taking advantage of an opportunity to think things through.

The symbolization in the dream seemed clear to her. The little girl represented her family, children and grandchildren. Rushing to commitments on the bicycle revealed the emotions Cora struggled with, trying to balance personal and family life with other responsibilities. She wanted to give back after she retired and did a lot of charity work, but she took on too much. How could she do it all-be a good mother, daughter, wife, when so many other things, although worthy, tugged at her and monopolized her days? Where was time for herself, to relax, to read? Life was full of stress, and she was unable to enjoy anything she did-there was simply no time as she raced from one thing to another.