Perfume is the sweet-smelling white musk fragrance that comforts me as I embrace my mom after a nightmare.
Perfume to me, especially white musk, means more than the world.
As I grow older each day, and the nightmares start to fade away....
I realize that it was never the perfume--it was her.
That scent was just a small part of it.
And the rest was all her.
It was her, as she held me close at night.
And once I had that knowledge, I held tight to it all of my life.
18 short years later.....
I heard crying coming from the room next to me, so I got up to investigate.
"Mommy, I had a nightmare." my young daughter, at the age of five says.
"Well, it's okay. Mommy's here now."I say as I softly shush her and hug her close while tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
And as I tuck her back into bed, she quickly sits back up as I'm walking out the door and says, "Mommy, you forgot something!"
"How could I forget?" I said grinning at her, and she was doing the same as well.
"Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite, pleasant dreams, I love you." I say.
"I love you more mommy!!" she replied back to me.
As I tucked her back in bed and walked out the door, I closed it softly for what I hoped was the last time that night, I thought to myself.I just hope she figures out the same thing that I did, when I was around 8 years old.
I took in the scent of my robe as I walked to my room shaking my head; half smiling as I did so; because I turned out to be just like my own mom.
Because all I could smell as I sniffed my robe was.you guessed it...
White musk.
