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dreams are slim. He’ll be well-guarded while he’s trapped in the Book of Secrets for many decades,” Seth explained. “He’s in a special hell.”
    Chloe met his eyes. “And you, Seth? Will we ever see you again in our dreams…or in the real world?”
    Seth’s gaze was direct but not very comforting. “I’m sor t of your guardian angel but I work in the background. You won’t even know I’m there.” He looked away from her, down at the floor.
    “Thank God. And, thank you, Seth.” Laurie gave him a bright smile.
    “Yes, thank you,” Nicola murmured, smiling but still deeply lost in her thoughts.
    Laurie was picking up the strangest tension between Seth and Chloe. She caught Chloe’s gaze and nodded. “Excuse me and Nicola. We need to speak in private.” Laurie ushered Nicola back out onto the balcony, sliding the door closed behind them. Seth cleared his throat. “In a few minutes, the sun will rise here and you’ll wake up in the real world.”
    “Not much to go back to without you, Seth,” Chloe said quietly. “I’m afraid that I’m a smitten kitten when it comes to you.”
    “No, you have a whole full life to return to, with friends and good times. You have so much beauty and strength. You’ll be blessed with a good man who can love you as you deserve. You’ll be rich in love. You’ll have everything but…you won’t be mine.” Seth stopped speaking, closed his eyes, and kissed her forehead.  “Let’s go out to the balcony.”
    Seth held Chloe’s hand as she stepped outside to be with her friends. The sky was beginning to lighten, shades of pink showing on the horizon. He stood at the balcony for a moment watching the three of them staring at the sky. As quietly as he had come into their lives, Seth disappeared. When Chloe turned around, he was gone with the Book of Secrets.
    ******
    As she awakened on Nicola’s sofa, the last thing Chloe remembered from their time in the dream realm was standing on the balcony in the peaceful silence of dawn. She looked around to find Laurie and Nicola also waking up. The Trifecta looked at each other and laughed aloud together.
    “We are home!” Laurie exclaimed excitedly from her position on the floor.
    “And glad to be here and alive,” Nicola said, sitting up.
    Chloe felt a pang of separation sadness as she realize d her whole day would be about missing Seth. He would be working in secret in her life but that brought little comfort.
    “Today is a spa day,” Nicola declared.
    The doorbell rang loudly and Nicola got up from the sofa. “I’m not ready for visitors,” she said. She looked through the colored window pane on her door before opening it and frowned in confusion. She slowly opened the door, not quite trusting what she saw.
    Byron stood there with a teenage boy who looked very much like h im but with Laurie’s eyes. It was an older Byron, but definitely him. “Hey, Nicola,” he said cheerfully. “Looking for my wife.” He nudged the teen boy who cleared his throat and gave her an awkward smile.
    “Good morning, Ms. Nicola. We’re just looking for my mom.”
    Nicola noticed Laurie standing right behind her, shocked to her soul. She stepped aside and let Laurie move to stand in the doorway. “How…I mean…hi.” She embraced Byron and a thousand memories that she had never truly experienced flooded her mind. She remembered birthing her son with Byron by her side and naming him Brent. She remembered their wedding day two decades ago. She remembered that she no longer lived alone in her beautiful house. She had a family. God had granted her a second chance. On impulse, she pulled her son into her arms, smiling as he squirmed.
    “Mom,” Brent complained, moving out of her arms. He l ooked over her shoulder. “Good morning, Ms. Chloe.”
    Chloe and Nicola looked at each other, completely baffl ed. They helped Laurie get her things together and they all hugged at the doorway. Byron and Brent had returned to the big, black