"Nora. Wake up already," he whispers. **I don't want to wake Mom up. It's just a dream.** She stirs and stares at him. For some reason she doesn't put up much of a fuss when he asks her to talk. He pours milk into two tall glasses and she puts a double handful of Chips-Ahoy! on a small plate. **I hope she doesn't laugh at me.** He pours out his story is a single breath. She whispers, "Me too," and they stare at each other, stunned.
"What are you guys up to?" He realizes that their mother has been watching them for some time. Behind her something flickers in the moonlight. A church bell somewhere begins the gentle, dull bonging of the witching hour. The light seems to settle and dribble of some partly-solid form. **Dad! It was you. I knew it. We'll be all right, I promise--