Dream Orchids

I dreamt that I had attended a party near my house. Walking home, I noticed some orchids suffering from neglect. the blossoms were tattered by insects and the leaves, dried and cracking. I picked up one which was potted, gathered some still green stems which had fallen from the trees and added a few blue and violet blooms which had not been too damaged. As I came up the hill and rounded the corner to my driveway, I noticed a brown car and guessed that it belonged to Cecilia who must have been at the party. Her mother and sister were visible in the front seat, both slouched down and frowning. As I passed the car, the doors opened and Ceci emerged to trade places with her mother in the drivers seat. She looked wonderful, not angry at all and as young as the day I last saw her (it's been over twenty years now.) In passing, I took her left hand and we greeted for a moment like that: a sliding hand shake in the dark, grazing each other wrists with our finger tips. I heard the door close behind me and the gravel crunch under the wheels as the car rolled away.