Page 29 of Hook, Line, Infinity, Part 3

“Go on peanut, don’t keep your love waiting.” I tear my eyes away from the door and turn my head look at my mother, those deep brown eyes I’ve longed to see glisten with tears and it suddenly dawns on me.

“This isn’t real, is it?” I ask, my eyes searching hers, my voice barely a whisper. “This is a dream.”

My mum shakes her head and cups my face with her hand, her thumb stroking my cheek when I lean into her touch. “It’s not a dream.”

“Am I… am I dead?”

“No, mi amor, you’re not dead, not yet which is why you have to go back now.”

I shake my head when she pulls me up to my feet, “No, mum, please I don’t want to go, I don’t want to leave you.” I sob woefully and she kisses my knuckles a couple times.

“Rein, just close your eyes and listen.” I hesitate but do as she asks and close my eyes.

“I’ve had a taste of what life is like without you and I don’t want it, Rein. I told you I would follow you to the end of this earth and I meant it.” That’s Talon’s voice, is he crying? “I need you to save me this time, snowflake,” He cries. “Please come back to me, baby.”

I gasp and look down when a warmth encloses around my hand and feel it getting squeezed.

My mother walks over to me, “Rein, you have a long and happy life waiting for you, a great love and a baby boy who needs you. You don’t want your son growing up without his mother, do you?” An endless stream of tears roll down my cheeks. I shake my head and she pulls me in for a tight hug. I bury my face into her neck and inhale deeply. “I’m always with you okay, and just remember that this separation is only temporary. We’ll be together again one day, so don’t be sad when you think of me. Go and don’t you waste a second of the life you’ve been blessed with because your whole world is about to change.”

“Mum…”

“Promise me, Rein.” She pleads staring sorrowfully into my eyes and for the longest moment I couldn’t get my mouth to move. “Prometeme,” she presses firmly.

“I promise,” I finally whisper.

My mum smiles and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Te quiero, mi amor.”

I close my eyes and sob, “I love you too.”

“Come on, it’s time to go.” She holds her hand on to me and I take it and we slowly walk toward the bedroom door together. I stop when I hear the cry of a baby and turn to look at my mother. Her eyes fill with tears, and she smiles widely and nods encouragingly giving my hand a squeeze. My hand slips out of hers when she loosens her hold and I slowly move toward the bedroom door. As I go to walk through it I feel a weight on my chest and press my hand against it. I look back at my mother one last time and she blows me a kiss and gestures for me to go, so I close my eyes and walk through.

The next time I open my eyes I’m in a hospital room surrounded by beeping machines, IV drips and a nasal cannula supplying me with oxygen. And sitting in a chair beside me holding a tiny bundle wrapped up in a blue blanket is Talon, looking tired and utterly distraught.

“Talon…”

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