Only in Your Dreams Chapter 18
The atmosphere in the house later that evening was slightly strained as the boys waited for Jan to speak with Joey. Joey could tell that there was something going on, but decided that it had to do with the previous night�s events�his latest nightmare. It almost made the young man ill to look at the damage that he had unintentionally inflicted on his friends when they had all sat at the kitchen table for supper.
He first looked over at Chris who was sitting directly across from him. Chris was sporting a black eye that practically covered the left side of his face. Joey looked down at his right hand in disbelief�he had hit his older brother. He could remember bits and pieces of how it had happened. He could recall Chris pushing him to the floor and sitting on his chest. He must have still been half asleep because the next thing he remembered was his fist making contact with something and then he was swallowed up in blackness.
He then snuck a glance at JC, who was sitting at his left. JC�s right temple was swollen and had a purplish-blue color. Joey�s screams had startled the young man so badly that it caused him to fall out of his bed. On the way to the floor, his head had slammed into the nightstand sitting between their beds. Joey could remember hearing a sick thud before being pulled to the ground by Chris.
He then looked at Lance and saw that the young man was pushing his food around on his plate while rubbing the back of his head. Joey felt overwhelming guilt for hurting the person who had worked so hard to help him these last few weeks with the nightmares.
Justin, who was seated by Chris, looked exhausted�probably the effects of the sedative that Dr. Shannon had to prescribe to the young man when he appeared to have gone into shock over the tumultuous evening. Joey knew that Justin was fighting confusion with the whole nightmare business. Knowing Justin, he was probably hating the idea of not being able to help him or the others deal with the current situation.
Finally, Joey glanced down the table at Jan. She looked tired, but no worse than Justin. Joey could not feel anything but amazement in this woman�s ability to just drop everything and drive 1000 miles in order to be with her boys. Jan could make each of them feel so special�like she was there for only one of them when in reality she was there for the whole group. Joey knew that his private time with Jan would be coming soon. He would be telling her his nightmares and the thought unnerved him. Would Jan feel the same way about him after hearing his nightmares?
Joey looked down at his plate feeling shame and despair for his actions even though he knew that he had not been in control of last night�s situation. He had hurt not only JC and Chris last night�he had hurt the whole group�the most important people in the world to him.
Jan watched Joey as he looked from fact to face. She knew the look in his eyes. She had been there before too. After her husband Mike died, she lashed out at anyone and everyone who wanted to help. True, she never actually hit anyone, physically, but the things that she said had been just as hurtful, if not more. Somehow, she was going to help Joey make it through this bump in the road.
�Great supper Jan,� said JC, interrupting her thoughts, as he stood to excuse himself from the table. �I�m going to go get cleaned up and take something for my headache.�
�Okay sweetie,� she said. �When you get out, there�ll be some cheesecake for dessert.�
JC nodded as he took his plate and glass to the sink. �Be back down in a little bit.�
�Cheesecake?� asked Chris, barely containing his excitement. �When did you do that?�
�Earlier this morning, before my nap.�
�You must have hidden it pretty well Jan because there wouldn�t have been any left over if Chris had been able to find it,� chuckled Lance ducking under Chris� playful swing at his head.
�Where is it so I can bring it to the table,� asked Chris with a sly grin on his face.
�No way babe. I have found the perfect hiding place and I plan on using it again.� Jan stood and picked up empty plates, putting them in a stack before heading into the kitchen with them. The boys got up, gathering the empty glasses and serving bowls and joined Jan in the kitchen.
�Why don�t you guys go watch some television after you take your medicine.� Jan�s suggestion was greeted by collective groans from the group, but they slowly turned around and headed out the door.
�I really don�t like how that stuff makes me feel,� admitted Justin in a whining voice.
�Me either,� added JC and Lance, almost in unison.
�It�s okay. You�ll be finished with it tomorrow. And speaking of tomorrow, Dr. Shannon wants to see the whole group Monday night instead of Tuesday.�
�Okay�I�ll take it, but I won�t like it.� Justin stuck out his bottom lip at Jan, trying to find some sympathy from her�maybe even change her mind�if at all possible.
�Darlin��if you stick that lip out any further, you�ll be steppin� on it,� Jan drawled as she turned her back to Justin.
Justin crossed his arms across his chest as he heard his friends loud laughter at his expense.
�I can tell that I�m not really appreciated around here at the moment. I�m going to take my poison and watch television.� With that, Justin gave one good stomp of his foot before leaving the room. JC and Lance both stomped their feet and another wave of laughter rolled from them as they followed Justin into the living room. Jan and Joey chuckled at the display, as JC hesitated from leaving the room. He briefly thought about asking if Jan wanted any help, but saw that this might be the perfect opportunity for Jan�s conversation with Joey. He pulled at Lance�s arm, as Lance also seemed to hesitate for just a moment.
�Not now,� hissed JC quietly. �Joey�s going to help.�
Lance immediately understood what JC was saying and allowed himself to be pulled out of the room. All of this was done without Jan or Joey noticing a thing.
�Here are a few more things Aunt Jan.� Joey handed Jan an empty pot off the stovetop along with a large spoon.
�Thanks Joey.� Jan placed the items in the sink without looking at the young man. Jan could sense that Joey wanted to talk to her, so she decided to go ahead and speak to him.
�Joey�when do you think you might�� Jan began as she turned to face him.
�How about we go outside after I have a chance to shower?�
�Okay�I want to clean up too after I finish up around here. You go ahead and take a shower.�
�You sure you don�t want any help?�
�Nah�this will give me a chance to think things out. I�ll see you outside later, okay?�
Joey stepped up to Jan and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
�What was that for honey?� Jan asked in surprise.
Joey cocked his head to the side before answering her question. �For you being you Jan.�
Jan watched the retreating figure before turning back to the task of cleaning up the kitchen. Jan could feel tears begin to sting her eyes as she quietly prayed for God to give her wisdom in knowing the right things to say in the hours to come.