and Holly built a large snowman in the middle of the pond. The community tree was lit up after a few speeches and the ale began flowing freely around the pond as people began to skate to some live music. Jack and Holly glided around the rink, holding each other tight and dodging the little kids.
"Even with the excitement, it has been a wonderful evening." Holly said, holding out her hand with the ring.
She squeezed Jack's arm tight and kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you, Jack Granger."
They stopped in the middle of the ice and Jack held her close, giving her a long, passionate kiss. People skated by, kindly giving them plenty of space, whispering and nodding with approval. However, one of two boys playing tag who were weaving in and out of people fell, and slid right into the two lovers, knocking their feet out from under them. Everything went black as they both hit the ice hard.
-------------------------------------------------
Jack's leg jerked wildly, awakening him from his sleep. Disoriented, he rolled back and forth a few times, blinking hard, clearing his eyes.
"Oh, no." he moaned, rubbing his head. "It was only a dream!"
He stared at the ceiling for a moment and then looked around his hotel room. A bottle of whiskey on the table was half gone and he remembered stopping at the liquor store after leaving the children's home. He could not remember if he had eaten supper.
He sat up, immediately feeling a twinge in his left hip. There was a knot on the back of his head and his left lower leg was sore. He slowly bent over and pulled up his pajama leg to see a straight, red mark on the back of his calf.
"What the he--?" he began and then remembered.
He jumped up and quickly dressed. A new layer of snow had fallen overnight and the streets were a little slick as he drove towards the children's home. It was Saturday morning, so traffic was light. His watch said "7:45." The parking lot at the home was almost empty and he pulled right up to the front. He limped slightly as he climbed the stairs to the front door. A blast of warm air hit him in the face as he went in, finding the same guard sitting at the desk.
"Good morning, Mr. Granger." he said with a smile.
"I would like to speak to Mr. Montgomery." he replied, a little out of breath.
"Of course, Mr. Granger." the guard said. "He is expecting you. He asked if you would join him out back in the village. Just go through that door and down the stairs. The exit is at the end of the hall."
Jack paused for a moment.
"Expecting me?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Okay." he said, heading to the door.
"This is just a little strange." he thought as he stumbled down the stairs and jogged the hall.
The morning air slapped him in the face as he went outside, his eyes watering and nose beginning to run. The snow village was spectacular in the morning sun; the sun light glistening off of the new snow. He strained to see around the perimeter fence until he heard a voice calling "Jack!" and saw Arthur standing on the far side of the skating pond, waving for him to come. Jack breathed hard as he trudged through the heavy snow on the outside of the fence, coughing and sniffing hard. As he approached Arthur, he stopped, noticing the snowman in the center of the pond.
"Good morning, Jack. Would you like some coffee?"
"Yes, ah, yes, that would be great." he said, staring a the snowman. "I'm sorry, Arthur, if I seem a bit distracted. That looks awfully familiar." he said, pointing.
"Here you are." Arthur said extending his hand with a cup of steaming coffee.
As Jack reached for the coffee, he paused, looking toward the edge of the pond. A blackened fire site with two covered pots sitting next to it sat before him. Jack almost dropped his coffee as he stared at the scene, mouth hanging open.
"Mr. Montgomery, what is going on here?" he asked nervously, backing away a couple of steps.
"Jack, I want to tell you a story that happened a while back. A little girl was skating on this pond by herself one afternoon, early in the season. The ice was not of proper thickness to support her weight and she fell through. The water was barely over her head but her heavy, water-logged clothing pulled her under. She was close to drowning when a young man came along and risked his life on the thin ice to save her. They became close friends after that ordeal."
He turned toward Jack and finished, "That little girl is the same girl standing next to you in your picture."
Jack was stunned. The memories of his two years at the home were still vague, but he knew in his heart Arthur was telling the truth.
"What became of her?" he asked.
"She was adopted shortly after you left, but unlike every other child, she did not forget her time here."
"Do you know why?"
"Yes, I do, Jack. She is my daughter. My daughter Holly."
Jack dropped his coffee and stepped back farther, holding up his hands and shaking his head.
"Okay, Arthur, this is getting really weird now. Just what is this place?" he asked, timidly looking around.
"Dreamwood is a place where people come to live out their fantasies during the holiday season. You see, Jack, we know so little about what goes on in our sleep, but we spend one-third of our lives there. This place is one of many that people come to in their dreams. The vast majority never remember being here, but it is as real as their everyday lives. Their experiences here have as much to do with their lives as the real world. Our dreams and our daily lives are forever entwined together to make us who we are."
Jack pondered his statement for awhile, considering the possibilities. It was a lot to take in all at once, but he was beginning to understand.
"So, if I had a dream about Holly last night, you are telling me that, basically, it actually happened?" he fumbled for the words.
"Let's put it this way, Jack. Holly has been waiting for twenty-five years and, though you did not ask, you have my permission to marry her."
Jack felt a hot rush come over his body as his memories fully returned.
"Whoa." he said, steadying himself against the fence. "Man, oh man."
Arthur came to his side and put his hand on Jack's shoulder.
"She never forgot you, Jack. Since the day you saved her life, you became a part of her. Her soul mate, if you will."
Jack took a deep breath and asked, "Where is she, Arthur?"
"I'm right here, Jack." a voice came from behind.
He turned to see Holly standing there, smiling with tears in her eyes.
"I couldn't believe it when Daddy called yesterday to tell me you had come back." she sniffed.
Jack moved slowly toward her and took her in his arms, gently at first, and then, tightly. He stroked her hair, she touched his face. The smiles and kisses went on for what seemed like hours as their love had finally been realized. A love misplaced, but never forgotten.
---------------------------------------------------
Jack sat in his office in the Everwood Children's Home going through some paperwork. Outside, the children were busy building the snow village as a foot of snow had fallen the day before. For the last forty years, he had supervised and watched the kids dutifully construct the miniature town of Dreamwood. He struggled to stand as the arthritis had taken it's toll over the years and went to the window to watch the work. For many years, he and Holly had watched the building together, overseeing every aspect of construction. Now, she was gone and Jack had delegated the oversight to his assistant, Henry. Jack was ready to hand over the reins to a successor, but Henry was not the one. He was waiting for that special person; someone from the past. He poured some coffee and added a little whiskey, just the way he had enjoyed it over the years. The phone buzzed as he took a sip.
"Yes, Bill?" he answered.
"Mr. Granger, there is a Mr. Elliott here to see you." said the security guard.
"Mr. Elliott?" he asked, trying to remember the name.
"Yes, sir. Roger Elliott. You
know, the baseball player." the guard explained.
Jack smiled as he looked at the picture on his bookshelf of a boy with a mean fastball standing by the Everwood Children’s Home sign.
"I'll be right down, Bill." he said.
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