The Strangest Dream (part 6)

"Oh, my baby, wake up!" She found herself being rocked by Autumn in her bed. She was in such shock, and her face was burning where she had was slapped. Evelyn burst into tears, telling her mother all about her dream, and her mother gasped when she saw a big red handprint on her cheek.

"Who did this to you baby, who?" all Evelyn could tell her was that she didn't know.

After her favorite breakfast and the beginning of once again an almost perfect day, she noticed concern in her mother's face whenever she glanced at her cheek. Evelyn knew her mother was pretending not to let her know she was upset.

Autumn then told her to work on her letters while she made a phone call upstairs, she pointed to the paper Evelyn was working on and told her.

"The last letter in her name still looked like an L Evie."

Evelyn waited a moment then snuck to the bottom steps listening to hear who she was talking to because this wasn't like her to change the routine of their perfect day. Her mother crying on the phone to someone then ended the call with "Alright, we will be there tomorrow, thank you," then hung up.

Evelyn ran back to the table, pretending to be writing when Autumn came in, wisping her hair from her face and tidying her dress.

"That's enough for today, let's play Evie."

While they were playing tea, Autumn asked her, "How much would you like to go visit grandma and grandpa tomorrow?" Evelyn was happy, "Yes, yes, yes," she replied. It had been so long. That night after Clyde came home, they were all eating dinner when Autumn asked Clyde if they could take a trip the next day to visit his parents, and he agreed that it would be a good change for all of them. "Angel, would you like that?" "Yes, daddy, I would love it!" Just then, he noticed the red mark on her face.

"Come here, Evie."

While inspecting her cheek, he replied, "That almost looks like a handprint" then, he looked at Autumn with a perplexed but stern look. Evelyn said out loud while sitting on his lap, "I had a bad dream, and a ghost hit me."

"Did you tell her to say that?" Clyde asked her, "No, no," Autumn replied, "I can't believe you just said that to me, she woke up and it was there! Something bad is happening to our little girl Clyde!"

He put Evelyn down and stood up, wiping his mouth with the napkin and throwing it on the table "The only bad thing that is happening in this house to OUR little girl just might be you!" He then walked over to the coat-rack by the door and started to put on his scarf and gloves. "Please don't go, we have to talk about this" Autumn pleaded with him, then Clyde looked at Autumn and glared his eyes "How do I know it wasn't YOU!"

As he was putting on his black coat, Evelyn ran up to him, pulling on his sleeve. "No, daddy, no, it wasn't mommy. She's a good girl, please! I was scared and alone!" He opened the front door and stepped out, slamming it behind him. Autumn kneeled, consoling Evelyn's broken heart when the door opened back up.

"I know your mommy is a good girl Angel" He apologized to Autumn and hung up his coat, wiping Evelyn's tears he promised her he would listen and try to understand.

Evelyn later asked her parents if she could sleep with them, and they both agreed.

That night she dreamt of butterflies and the warm sun on her face and the smell of grandma's freshly baked apple pie and how much she couldn't wait to have some.