I awoke with a start.  I was alone in bed, thankful that I wouldn't have to navigate an awkward moment, but I missed him at the same time.  This is so confusing.  I wonder where he is.  I got out from under the covers and stood up.  I knocked on the bathroom door.  There was no answer, so I opened the door and went in.  I shut the door and turned on the shower.  I did as he instructed the night before and pictured myself with no clothes.  It worked!  I got in, taking time to wash my hair.  It felt like washing my hair any other time.  Nothing felt different about washing my body.  I wonder if it works for hairstyles.  I decided to try it.  I turned off the water and got out.  I wrapped my hair up in a towel so it wouldn't be dripping wet and dried off with another towel.  I put on one of the robes from the closet and got out toothpaste and a new toothbrush.  I spent extra time brushing my teeth since I forgot to last night.  I pulled the towel out of my hair, noticing that I had some gold strands now.  I wonder how that happened.  I used his hairbrush to untangle my hair, then closed my eyes and pictured it in a ponytail.  I opened my eyes and looked in the mirror.  It worked.  This is amazing, and I can't even share it with a friend.

I took the robe off and hung it back in the closet.  I pictured myself in my favorite pair of blue jeans and a comfortable pink and white striped sweater.  I am going to have to get a hold of some fashion magazines for some ideas on what to wear.  So far, I can only think of clothes that I own.  I pictured my worn bunny slippers and was good to go.

I left the bedroom, closing the door behind me as quietly as I could, and softly walked down the hallway.  Ripley was asleep, snoring away softly, on the living room sofa.  I went to the kitchen.  The door was standing wide open.  Yaris was sitting at the table, with his back facing me, studying something in front of him.  I waited, observing him for a moment.  His long snow white hair, sprinkled with gold and silver strands, hung down his back in waves, reaching about halfway between his shoulders and his waist.  Broad shoulders bent forward in concentration.  His head was resting in his hands, and elbows bent on the table.  His long legs stretched out under the table, crossed at the ankles.  “Have a seat,” he offered before I had a chance to go any further.  How did he know I was there.  I was quiet.  I know I was.  I walked to the table and sat across from him.  “Are you hungry?” he asked.  Is my stomach grumbling that loud?  I nodded my head yes.  “The others went to get breakfast.  They should be back soon.  They are bringing back pancakes, bacon, and sausage for you.”  How does he know what I like to eat?

“Do you read minds?”  “I can read your mind,” he looked up at me, “I will not be intrusive, though.”  Reading my mind at all is intrusive.  He looked like he was at a loss.  “Would you like for me to ask permission first?”  I didn't know how to answer.  “I think so.”  “Alright, can I read your mind to find out your likes and dislikes?”  I hesitated, “yes.”  He looked back down at what he was reading, clearly done with the subject.  “Did you like watching my memories last night?” he asked without looking up.  “Is that what those were?  I did like them, but I have questions about them.”  He looked up at me and waited.  “Is the little girl your daughter?”  “No, she is you, Jade.”  “So, I knew you before I was with my parents?”  “You and I were very close before.”  “The older man and woman were my parents, then?”  “Yes.”  “So what happened?  Why don't I remember any of that?”

“Our planet had grown increasingly toxic.  The air quality was getting worse and worse as time went by,” he explained, “I and a few others had been tasked with finding us a new home.  A new planet.  We searched for years.  Even before you were born.  Once you were on the way, we became more insistent.  Those memories are of you at five years old.  That is around the time we found Earth.

There was a great uprising.  The city barriers were breached.  Toxic fumes spilled into the city.  Many died, including your parents, our king and queen.  Your mother made me promise to take you to Earth and never come back.  I, Theo, Kale, Antony, and Ripley took you.  The few of our people who survived loaded onto other ships and left.  We all came to Earth.  You stayed with us for a few days, then I took you to the Frosts.  I do not know why you do not remember.  Do I have permission to look into your mind to find out?”  “You do.  I would like to remember.”  “I will try when you sleep again.”

“We will probably have to discuss this further later because the food is here.”

Just then, I heard the front door open and close and voices.  How did he know?  “Wake up, Rip.  Food is here.”  “Is she up?”  “I do not know,” Ripley answers.  They get louder as they get closer to the kitchen.

They come in carrying delicious, smelling food and drinks.  “Sleeping Beauty awakes,” Theo hands me a diet Coke.  I must be the only one who drinks diet because they all just grab random drinks.  Kale hands me a sack.  In it, I find pancakes, bacon, sausage, and two apple pies.  “Awe, you remembered,” I say in my sweetest tone of voice.  “They do not sell chocolate bars at McDonald's,” Theo apologizes.  “I'm fine with apple pies!” I respond, pouring syrup on my pancakes.  “Normally we would cook here, but our maid is on vacation this week,” Yaris apologized.  Wait a minute, ‘our maid.’  “Do you guys live here?” I ask between mouthfuls.  Nothing gets between me and pancakes.  “Sometimes.”  “Where else do you live?”  “You will see.”  “Do you usually live out of hotels?”  “Just this one and one other because I own them.”  I stopped asking questions, sensing that he didn't want to discuss it.

I ate all of my food except for one apple pie.  “Would anyone like an apple pie?  I can't finish it.”  They all gave me funny looks.  “Seriously.  I can't eat it and they are not as good if you save them for later.”  “I want it,” Ripley spoke up.  They all looked at him funny.  Something is going on that I don't know about.  I handed him the pie.  He took it out of the box and started eating it, “These are good.”  “Close your eyes.  It's  even better,” I instructed.  He closed his eyes, and I swear I heard a small moan.  They watched him with those weird looks the whole time he ate it.  “What is going on?” I asked.  “It is just amazing watching Ripley come out of his shell,” Kale answered.  I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I let it slide.

When everyone was finished eating, we cleaned up.  I sat back down at the table.  “We are getting ready to go to the store.  Is there anything besides chocolate that you would like us to get?”  Theo asked.  “How long are we staying here?” I asked.  “We will leave tomorrow morning,” Yaris answered.  “A salad, an apple, and an orange,” I answered Theo.  “We will be cooking you dinner tonight,” Antony explained.  I directed my attention to Ripley, “should I be scared?”  “We are good cooks,” he replied with a smile.  They were all looking at him funny, again.  I decided then that I like Ripley.  He is probably just shy.  “What are you cooking?” I asked anyone in general.  “It is a surprise,” Kale answered.

They finished making the grocery list and all left except for Yaris and I.  “How are you liking your skin?” Yaris asked.  “To be honest, I forgot about it until just now.”  “That is fine.  It means you are getting used to it.  Has it talked to you yet?”  “No.  I didn't know it was supposed to.”  “Let me know when it does.”   “Okay.  What will it say?”  “I can not answer that.  You just have to wait and see.”

I folded my arms and laid my head down on the table, suddenly very sleepy, and closed my eyes.  “I have some paperwork to complete.  Would you like to go lay down?” he asked, “I will walk you to our room.”  He stood up.  I stumbled as soon as I started walking.  He caught me and carried me to bed.  “What is going on?”  I asked him.  “You are just adjusting to the skin,” he answered, putting me on the bed, “ it will get better soon.”  “Are you staying?”  “I will until you fall asleep.”  He got into bed beside me and covered us up.  I snuggled up close to him.  I didn't even need to look into his eyes.  I was ready to pass out.  I don't really need them to buy apple pies or chocolate.  I have it right here.

“I have a headache,” I whispered.  “Right here?” he asked, rubbing the left side of my head where it meets my neck.  “How did you know?” I asked.  “I can feel it too.”  “What do you mean?  I don't understand.”  “You will.  For now, just rest.”  He kept massaging my head and neck until I drifted off to sleep.

This time, sleep was full of my memories.  They are not really dreams.  It is like watching little movies in my sleep.  I remembered several happy times with my parents.  Going ice skating with my dad.  Zumba with my mom.  Christmas holidays with them, Rosa and Jeffrey.  The four most important people in my life had no other family.  All we had was each other.  Then, the memories take a dark turn.  The bullying at school, when I was younger.  How mom and I tried to color my hair, but it didn't take.  She said it was probably for the best.   I wasn't convinced.  She didn't have to deal with boys tugging her hair and calling her Ghost all of the time.  Then probably the worst memory.  The night my parents didn't make it home from their dinner date.  Answering a knock on the door, two hours late, to find two policemen making the notifications.  Rosa, holding me until I cried myself to sleep.  Then, stunned silence for the next few days.  Then the anger.  I hope to never feel that anger again.  I am so grateful for Rosa and Jeffrey.  They stuck by me through the whole process.  I don't know what would have happened without them.

What seemed like moments later, I woke up.  Yaris was still lying next to me with his eyes closed.  He must have fallen asleep, too.  Still really tired, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep again.  This time, there are no movies or dreams.  Just a Male voice and darkness, “I can show him all of your memories, if you like?”  Why show them all?  Won't they just be boring?  “They won't be boring to Yaris.  He really does want to know everything about you.”  I don't want him to see the embarrassing ones, though.  “If there are embarrassing ones, I will just withhold them.  If I send them all at once, you don't have to watch them.”  I agree, then.  Who are you?  “I am your skin.” Occasionally, I would get a glimpse of a memory, but, for the most part, I was blessed with glorious, uninterrupted sleep.