Falling Slowly [Barry Allen]

Chapter 20

That night, I dreamt of my mom again. The same dream that's been recurring lately: She tells me I don't remember her, that I don't love her anymore. I yell back that it's not true, but she never listens. The only difference now is that Barry is beside me, holding my hand while I try to convince my mother that I love her, and my father too. But she points an accusatory finger at Barry, saying, "He's the reason you are forgetting about your own parents," before disappearing into the darkness.

I've become accustomed to waking up in a cold sweat, and it's gotten to the point where I keep an extra blanket on my bed to pull over me at around two o'clock every morning.

With three blankets covering me, my alarm woke me from my post-nightmare slumber on Friday morning. I rolled over, considered hitting the snooze button, and then thought better of it and shut the alarm off. Throwing my legs over the bed, I pushed myself into a sitting position and stretched my arms over my head.

Today is my date with Barry.

The thought made me nervous and excited, and it just caused me to jump out of bed and get ready for work even faster. I was halfway through putting on my makeup when the doorbell rang.

"Iris, can you get that?" I called across the hallway to her room. "I'm not quite ready yet."

I heard a muffled "Yeah!" through her closed bedroom door, and then footsteps thudding down the stairs as she hustled to answer the front door. I finished applying my mascara before grabbing a light jacket and heading down the stairs behind Iris.

Barry Allen was standing in the living room, and he was explaining something to Iris about the unzipping of individual atoms within a solid substance. No wonder Iris needed a little insight... That stuff is crazy complicated.

I came down the stairs and stood next to both of them. Barry nonchalantly wrapped one of his arms around my shoulders and squeezed me lightly in a side-hug before letting his arm fall back to his side.

"Sounds like you two have a long day ahead of you," I said, looking between them both.

"Probably longer for Barry," Iris joked. "He has to attempt to explain all of this boring science stuff that you and I both know I'll never actually understand."

"Oooooh, that's rough," I said, turning to Barry with a playful smile.

"And she's driving us there," he replied, feigning a terrified expression.

I patted his shoulder comfortingly. "May God have mercy upon your poor, unfortunate soul, Barry Allen."

Iris brushed by, punching us both in the arm as she moved toward the door. "You two don't even know what good driving is. And since neither of you has a car, I would be a little nicer to me if I was you," she said, and seeing both of the expressions on our faces, she added, "Check mate" before turning and flouncing out the front door.

"I hate to admit it, but she has a point," I said to Barry.

He just smirked and leaned down, whispering into my ear. "Too bad she has no idea that I can get across town on foot in a fraction of the time she could drive there."

I chuckled. "Also a valid point. I guess she has a good argument as far as she knows," I said. "Well, good luck today. Have fun, I know you'll enjoy the press conference. Meanwhile, I'll be bored at work without you or Iris there."

"You'll have Joe and Eddie. Maybe today will be slower. You could relax a little," Barry suggested, heading toward the door after Iris. "Try not to miss me too much today," he added with a wink, closing the door behind him.

I followed soon after, walking to work and enjoying the slightly warmer weather today. The snow was beginning to melt, and people were shedding their winter coats and replacing them with lighter jackets. As I walked through the streets, the city seemed to have a brighter mood. People were bustling around as always, but greeting each other and offering friendly smiles to passersby.