That Place Between Sleep and Awake

Wasn't Disneyland supposed to be Magic Kingdom? Where was the magic in her life? All these laughing happy people swirling around her as she stood staring down Main Street, USA.
Music tinkled around her, children squealed with delight as Goofy walked out of a shop ready for his close up.
She did not feel the magic. She felt bereft, alone, and sad.
But she came here to feel better and to erase what had gone before.
Magic existed and knowingly it was within her, but she had no idea how to melt the ice around her heart to feel again.
When she walked away from that place where she left her heart she thought he would scoop it up and come running to her. She really thought he needed time to think things through, to see she really was gone and it was his fault.

She inhaled deeply, smelling popcorn and flowers, and she stepped into the flow of traffic on Main Street. She would find her magic.

After a few rides and one Dole Whip she stood inside a shop that was filled with treasures to bring home. She had always been a sucker for souvenirs.
Her smile was in place, the Matterhorn always made her smile, that ride was always her favorite as a kid.
Then her heart stopped as she saw a plaque leaning against the wall on a small shelf.
Peter Pan stood there and his words rang through her heart.

You know that place between asleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming?
That's where I will always love you, that's where I'll be waiting.

Those words slammed into her like a hammer and she felt the tears well up in her eyes.
That was exactly it and so she typed those words into her phone and sent the text to him before she could even think of the consequences of her actions.

Taking the plaque from the shelf she took it to the counter where it became hers.
Safely in a bag she stepped back out into the throng of people and her phone buzzed.

Heart hammering she looked down to see he had answered.

Where are you? I will meet you in that place so you don't have to wait alone.

A smile crept onto her lips and she pressed call on her phone.

"Where are you?" he said as he answered.

"Disneyland." she said

"LA?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm here for a week...." he cut her off with rushed words.

"I will be there in the morning. Come get me at the airport?"

She knew she looked like a fool standing there in middle of the happiest place on earth with tears sliding down her face but damn it, they were happy tears.

"You want to come here?" her words were almost a whisper

"Yes, I want to be there with you in the Happiest Place on Earth and you can show me around. I have never been. Teach me my love, show me how to live....to love..." he said earnestly.

Her smile was amazing and she said, "I will pick you up....text me the information."

"Ok...I am not going to tell you how I feel just yet...I want to do it there....under the fireworks. See you tomorrow."

"Bye..." she whispered and then stared at her phone in awe.

"He's coming...here....." she said softly to no one as tears still ran down her face.

Suddenly a little girl walked up to her smiling, holding a large white balloon with another balloon in the shape of Mickey inside. The balloon glowed red from a light inside and then she realized it was evening, the balloons were everywhere.

"This is for you......you were crying, this will make the tears stop." she said holding out the balloon.

"Oh...my....um...thank you....but the tears weren't sad they are happy...you see my boyfriend is coming here to see me." she smiled

The little girl's mother then stepped up and took the balloon, pressing it into her hand.

"All the more to take this balloon, red for the color of love." she smiled and took the little girls hand to walk away.

"Thank you.....so much." she said as she watched them walk away.

Her gaze went to the glowing red balloon and she grinned.

Dreams do come true after all.