Mr. Sandman

Celia pressed play on her Bedtime Tracks to Help You Fall Asleep and wrapped her curly hair up. Tonight, was the night that she was finally going to meet her dream man. This evening was prepared like she had planned, and nothing was going to interrupt it. Celia had gotten two days off, so she wouldn’t have to wake up early from that annoying ring tone. She had made her room smell like lavender and found the crystals that should help her sleep peacefully. She even paid that Sandman double to keep the dream gates connected longer. It took a hit out of her, but this “will-they-won’t-they” routine was getting on her nerves.

Of course, this whole thing was getting on her nerves ever since people could discover their soulmates by making a deal with Mr. Sandman himself. Celia didn’t believe it at first until a few of her coworkers showed up with people she never saw before. Even her close friends started explaining the whole process as they gushed about their soulmates magically whisking them away each and every night. And attending her sister’s wedding and talking to her future brother-in-law about how they met was also icing on the cake. So, she put it to the test.

           Celia wasn’t expecting it to actually work. Especially since she had made Jo wait more than the average dream scheme. She was sketchy since in dreams everyone could still lie and create whatever they want in their imagination. That’s why a year felt suitable to get to know Jo for who he truly was.

“Time to sleep, time to sleep!” chimed her phone pulling her back into reality.

           “I know, I know.” she sighed while turning it off and throwing the covers back. “No more stalling, no more hesitation.” Celia turned off the lights once in her bed and closed her eyes to allow herself to fall asleep.

“20 minutes and 41 seconds to fall asleep, a new record.”  

           “Mr. Sandman.” Celia sighed while opening her eyes to see an older gentleman dressed in blue pjs and had long pointy ears. He was currently looking at her hourglass amongst the many timekeepers on his wall of people. How he could stand to look at all of them was beyond her, but after coming here for a year she could tell which one was hers.

“Jo is taking a little longer to fall asleep.” Mr. Sandman hummed while holding up an hourglass that almost look like hers, but it was deep blue, instead of gold. And currently, the sand inside was still moving signaling her partner was still awake. “Must be as nervous as you.”

           “Not possible, he’s always the excited one out of us.” Celia voiced up not even noticing her shoulders relax hearing her soulmate was feeling the same.

“Perhaps the pace has changed.” the old man said while putting the hourglasses away with the clocks, sundials, and anything else that kept time. “I can say that your outlook on this has too.”

           “Well, it starts to become hard to deny a magical being’s match-making skills.”

“Haha now that is something isn’t it.” Mr. Sandman said letting that hardy laugh linger in the air. Celia looked at Jo’s hourglass still running and felt uncomfortable being with this person for so long. Her eyes fell onto the other clocks seeing some of the matched up and already stopped.

           “Is this how you find our soulmates? The matching time devices?”

“Yes, similar people have matching time devices. Though it takes a keen eye to see which ones actually match correctly.” Mr. Sandman said while pointing to his tired, glassy eyes.

           “Why are you doing this now?” Celia asked trying to fill the air, so the awkward silence didn’t eat her alive.

“Hm, that is a good question.”

           “Do you not have an answer to it?”

“Say, why do people want lips like roses and clover?” the old man asked dodging Celia’s question all together.

           “I’m not too sure…maybe the satisfying taste.”

“Perhaps that is why.” Mr. Sandman said while floating to another timekeeper and placing it next to one that looked similar to it. Celia bit her lip, wondering if her soulmate was asleep yet. “Try not to worry so much.”

           “Well, easy for you to say. You’re not the one standing here feeling like she’s being stood up for a blind date.”

“True, though a lot of others busy themselves by dreaming their own dreams.”

           “Ah, that would explain why nobody else is here.” Celia mumbled while looking around still being the only one here.

“Oh, they’re some around you, you just can’t see them.” the old gentleman said while continuing his work. “Can’t have people getting confused now, can we?”

           “I guess not.” Celia said while looking at a door with her and Jo’s name on it. “So, I can just go in, right?”

“You could, or stay here I don’t mind.”

“I feel like I have taken up most of your time already, so I will make my way.”

“Sweet dreams Celia.” Mr. Sandman said while blowing some sand her way and the door opened for her to step in. She nodded at the magical being and made her way into the dream world.

           Celia felt better being in a familiar place even if there were things that made her question herself. It was filled with bubbles in different hues and turtles made of glass in the air. The ground was like a vaporwave music video which pulled from Jo’s interests. The creatures where also a noteworthy blend of animals and birds, so they were always flying around. Apart of her couldn’t figure out which was from her mind and his. She felt content.

“Still crazy to see all this.” a familiar robotic voice said which made Celia turn around too quickly making her fall into the landscape. “Oops! Haha sorry!”

           “Wonderful timing Jo.” Celia said while taking the offered hand to escape the land making her sleep attire appear like a vaporwave light show. “Seriously I’m the one that’s usually late.”

“That is true, I was just surprised you wanted to finally see the real me.” he said showing a digital smile that hinted a bit of anxiety. Celia looked at him, the helmet that expressed his emotions like a computer and the spacesuit that looked way too tight on him were getting a bit tiring. She had exposed her real appearance to him right away, feeling it was easier than hiding. They were supposed to end up together anyways, so why not. But he seemed shyer.

           “I figured we waited long enough.”

“Yeah, think a lot of our family and friends are also starting to get impatient.”

           “Don’t I know it.” Celia sighed knowing how everyone couldn’t stop asking when she was going to introduce the mysterious Jo. Except for one, who she thanked him for every day. Honestly, they would probably get along since they had similar interests. Though, it wasn’t that unheard of.

“Don’t be too disappointed if I’m not good looking.”

           “Pffh please,” she laughed pushing his arm. “if I still talk to you in that funky cyber getup, I will talk to you as a normal guy.”

“That might be the case,” Jo said while removing the helmet. “however, what if I’m someone you know?”

           “Jojo?” Celia gasped to see the face of her friend who used to go to college with her.

“Heh still can’t say Joaquin.”

           “No wonder you wanted me to call you Jo! Why didn’t I see it coming?” Celia groaned while hearing his normal laugh. Though, she had heard it multiple times whenever they hung out with the old gang.

“Jo is a common name that’s why you didn’t see it coming. Plus, I didn’t know if you were going to be disappointed.”

           “Why would you think that?”

“Well…” Jo said while pointing at all the bubbles that seemed to act like soda pop as the turtles were crashing into each other. “Dreams also like to tell the truth you know.”

           “Guess I know you were listening to me when we were talking.” Celia said while making the world calm down and return to normal. “It’s not like I am disappointed just…shocked that it’s someone that knows me.”

“Yeah, hearing a lot of soulmates not really knowing each other is scary.” Jo said while sitting on a cloud and getting another cloud for her. Celia took the offered seat and waited for the conversation to continue. “But I wasn’t really that deterred from it like you.”

           “Why is that?”

“We meet strangers every day, and sooner or later those strangers will become someone important to us, or not.” Jo said while shrugging and getting Celia to actually think about it. “Either way, I found someone I could connect to, even if she finds all of this silly.”

 “Finding a way to make this very simple for me; but I can agree.” Celia said giving him a smile making the landscape change the turtles into a solid form and the bubbles to pop into flowers. “But still, I’m glad it is someone I know.”

“Hm can’t argue there.”