I wake to a soft humming and the smell of bacon.

"Mason," a soft voice beckons me out of dreamland. "You need to eat something."

My eyes are blurry as I'm shifting out of sleep. The form eased onto the side of my bed is just clear enough for me to see dark hair and a caring smile.

A hand brushes my hair off my forehead and the humming returns. Some familiar tune I'm used to hearing at night, not morning.

"Mom," I whisper, a sob building in my throat.

The hand hesitates and I already know I've made a mistake.

Even with one foot in the dreaming world, I know my mother is dead.

But still, the hand returns and her soft voice coos, "shh, shh. It's alright, sweetie. I've got you."

"Don't go," I beg, willing myself back to sleep so I can spend just a few more seconds with her.

She scoots closer and leans over to kiss me on the forehead. "I'm not going anywhere, sweetie."

Her dark locks tickle my nose, and she smells like citrus.

My eyes flutter closed again, and I'm swept into another dream before I can fully process what's happened.