The words she said lingered in his head for hours after they got home. She was in the room that was hers, but he hoped she never really used. She was unboxing things. Though she was trying to figure out where to place them as he walked in and saw that the closet was now filled with clothes that he thought were all too big for her. Understanding that she had not been the one to pick out the things she wore was a big thing to him. She probably needed some more things for herself that she could pick out. That was for another time, though. They would start off slow for her new wardrobe.He was propped on the door jam watching her work as she noticed him standing there. She continued knowing that he would either say something or continue to watch her. She wanted to get at least two more boxes done and emptied before she started on their dinner. He had limited food in the house, and they had discussed the next day going and getting more.

 Greg held her in the open kitchen and living room as she cried. He knew she was letting go of all the past. It had hit her all at the same time. Yesterday had been hard, but she didn’t really process any of it. Now she had no choice. Her mother had pushed her too far.  She had to do that to be able to move forward with him. Though he knew her mother was trying to get under her skin and doubt herself and him. It made him furious in so many ways. She didn’t know him or what he believed. It was then he knew without a doubt that this was the right thing for them both. The fact her mother had tried this route was speaking volumes. He was angry but not for himself. Kristen had her life run by this woman. At the first chance, Kristen had to find her own way. This woman did this and had the chance to be happy and away from them taken from her.  Gently he moved her to the couch and held her against him as he moved the pair to lay down. She was prop

 As he drifted off to sleep, he saw things in the dream that he had no idea what they were. He looked around and knew somehow this wasn’t earth though it looked like it. Things were different as he continued to look around the area he was in. Soon there were people there. They were looking at him as he looked back at them. He was sure he had never seen them before.“Welcome home.” One said as he looked at Greg and then all around him.“Home?” Greg asked.“As you guessed, this is not your birthplace.” The being in front of him said. “Actually, not even this is real. It is an image that we placed there so you could understand how close our planets are alike. Everything you see here is a way for you to understand.”“So you are what exactly?” Greg asked as he looked around, and he was trying to take everything in that was there. The room was something that he had never seen before.

  When she woke up and started to stretch, and remembered he was right there. He looked at her and smiled. “Glad to see you return to the land of the living.”“I was just so upset.” She said. “it made me so tired, and I had to sleep. I normally don’t do that. Even when I am upset.”“That is fine.” He smiled again as she got up, and he was able to stretch as well. “Everything that you felt is completely valid, honey. But I want you to remember it is okay to be upset about things like they did to you and how you were treated as well. It is perfectly fine but also understands that it isn’t normal. That won’t happen here. I will listen to you. We will talk about things. You don’t ever have to think that someone won’t listen to you. You don’t have to hold on to anything with me around.”“I know.” She said. “Why a

  The two settled into their places in the outside world as well as the one in the apartment. Days turned into weeks. Then weeks turned into months. Kristen had begun college, and she was working hard for the first year. Greg had begun teaching at the middle school. He found that he liked the environment much better, with the exception of a few female co-workers, and of all the things he could end up teaching, it was earth science. He found the irony in that.As he was sitting at his desk wrapping up his paperwork for the day, one of the female teachers from the music department popped her head in. “Mr. Bridger.”“Miss Devinport,” Greg replied with a head nod. ”What can I help you with today?” Though he already knew the question the woman was going to ask. She was a few years older than him. The gossip he had overheard was that she was working up the courage to ask him out. He looked at the