"In Her Dreams" - Synopsis

Teresa is a middle-aged woman, mother, daughter and employee. She is being torn apart by the demands of her teenage children, elderly parents and her less than fulfilling job. Having worked to put her husband through college, she never completed her education. One day she found herself alone and trapped by her past decisions.1

Her husband left her for a younger colleague. Her father’s health is failing quickly and since her relationship with her mother has always been strained, she is being blamed for everything by her extended family. She knows that if her life is going to improve, she has to make it happen, so she decides to tackle the only part of her life that she has any control over at the moment. She goes back to school to finish her BS in computer science. This adds stress to her life, but it gives her hope for the future and that makes all the difference. This bright spot in her life gives Teresa the courage to consider the possibility of a real relationship. Someone to be there for her; something she’s never had. She meets the widowed father, Daniel, of one of her daughter’s acquaintances and at first it seems like a good thing.2

Something has to give, though, and it can’t be her children or her job, so Teresa cuts back on the time she spends with her parents. Unfortunately, her father’s ailment worsens to the point where Teresa, as his legal guardian, must make a life and death decision. Her mother is verbally abusive and her mother’s family is trying to convince her to sell her home cheaply to them. 3

Teresa struggles with all the conflicting demands and appears to be juggling everything masterfully but her dreams show her internal turmoil. She isn’t sleeping well; her father passes away; there’s new management at work and she could be out of a job. But through it all she has Daniel to talk to although his behavior has been a bit erratic. One day he is overjoyed to be with her, and the next morning he is totally against the relationship. She begins to fear that he may have an emotional problem.4

Then after a particularly stressful few days in the hospital with her father, Teresa receives an email from Daniel breaking of their relationship and alleging that Teresa has been a damaging influence on his life. This is more than Teresa can take. Add to that Hurricane Wilma that is on its way to Miami!5

Daniel is beginning to confuse Teresa with his wife, Jackie. He doesn’t understand why Teresa has stopped talking to him, and he decides to drive down to Miami to confront her. He feels that face to face she will have to tell him why she left him alone. Unfortunately the confrontation becomes violent because Daniel has an alcohol problem on top of his emotional ones, and Teresa escapes only because her neighbors call the police.