Brian Walker was having troubled dreams; despite having a somewhat normal day working at the elder council building with his were-beaver girlfriend Patricia, Brian could not get over what his incarcerated father said to him.
“I never wanted you. I never wanted to be forced to marry your mother. As far as I’m concerned, you were a mistake.”
“It’s never nice to hear that,” Brain waking up from his bed; the were-otter sitting up to see a strange man sitting on his computer chair, smiling his un-nerving smile. “More so when it comes from a parent,” the strange man getting up; “want to talk about it Brian?”
“How do you know my name,” Brian looking around; trying to see a way to escape or defend himself from the intruder.
“Because we talked before,” the strange man answering; “back when you were just dipping your paws into the waters of a gigolo. I showed you a possible future of yours,” the strange man looking serious and noticing Brian’s distress; “and this is a dream, so calm down your still asleep.”
“I told my mom,” Brian looking scared; “what dad said. She didn’t… she didn’t have anything comforting to say. So is it true,” Brian welling up; “am I mistake? Was I never meant to be?”
“No,” the strange man answering; “while I don’t have all the answers, what I do know is your mother had to have been surprised upon hearing you ask those questions.”
“How can you be sure,” Brian responding.
“Because I sense your mother’s dreams are just as troubled as yours,” the strange man answering. “The best advice I can give you is this,” the strange man speaking as he begins to fade away; “forget what your father said. Stop dwelling on the past and stay true to the path you are on. Patricia was a happy surprise that you will find to be your rock later on.” The strange man fading; Brian getting the briefest of glimpse of his true form; an ethereal dragon before disappearing completely.
Finding it had to keep his eyes open; Brian falls back asleep, a deep dreamless sleep.
“I wonder,” the strange man travelling to pay Emily Walker a visit; “Will I have to visit George?”
******
“Son,” Emily watching Brian picking at his meatloaf; one of his favorite meals to have, Brian usually devoured it before Emily could even sit down to eat. Yet seeing him looking melancholy; Emily could not wonder if something was on his mind. “Are you not hungry,” Emily looking at Brian; “it’s your favorite.”
“I don’t feel like eating,” Brian looking sullen; pushing his plate away.
“Something on your mind,” Emily speaking; “you have been moody and sluggish since you came home from working at the Elder council today.”
“It’s what dad said,” Brian responding; “he said I was a mistake and that he never wanted me!”
“Why would he say that,” Emily looking stunned.
“Is it true,” Brian shouting; “was I never meant to be?”
“I,” Emily unable to answer or continue as Brian growls and runs upstairs slamming his door. She stares at his untouched plate of food only to see it being consumed by some odd looking man.
“Have to admit,” the strange man looking at Emily; “that is some of the best meatloaf I’ve ever had.”
“Who,” Emily looking shocked, “the hell are you?”
“Just someone who can give you guidance,” The strange man finishing the meatloaf; “while you sleep. Your dreaming at the moment,” the strange man smiling; “so all this,” the strange man looking around; “it’s all in your subconscious, except me. I’m real,” the strange man responding.
“What do I tell Brian,” Emily looking exhausted; “that George wanted an abortion and I refused?”
“He deserves to know the truth,” the strange man answering; “Brian is old enough to handle it, despite how shocking it may be.”
“What if telling Brian,” Emily looking despondent; “drives him back to wanting to be a gigolo or worse?”
“Let him decide how to digest the news,” the strange man answers; “but before you speak to your son, perhaps you should pay your ex-husband a visit tomorrow. Give Racheal Gauldet a call,” the strange man smiling as he gets up from the dinner table; “I believe she is expecting a call from you.”
Emily wakes up; shaking as the vivid dream she had felt so real. Pulling back the bed sheets and putting on a bathrobe, despite being in her were-otter fursona; Emily heads to Brian’s room. Opening up the door; Emily sees her son in his were-otter fursona sleeping on his stomach on top of the bed covers. Closing the door as she heads back to her room; looking at the time and seeing it’s still early, Emily sighs as she heads back to bed. Falling back to sleep; Emily hears the strange man speaking to her again.
“Call Racheal Gauldet in the morning, arrange to meet with George at the council building.”
Sighing; the strange man hopes he did what he could to help the two were-otters weather the latest storm they are swimming through.
“If only you knew,” the strange man heading off to the next person in need of guidance; “how close your son Brian came to becoming like you.”