I had decided last week that I was going to start participating in the Writer’s Workshop on Thursdays that Mama Kat hosts, but as I read over the writing prompts for this week, I drew a blank.  I couldn’t’ think of a story to go along with any of her prompts.  A time I stood up for a friend–nothing!  A time I didn’t follow my intuition–nope.  A time I put off something until the last minute–I’ll think about that one later.  I know I have a story to go with each of these prompts, but I also have a bad memory.  The bad memory was winning.

Then there was the prompt ‘my confessions’–umm, no. I mean, I’m already pretty transparent on my blog.  Everyone knows more or less about my parenting failures, those days I’m a less than stellar wife, and areas of my faith in which I’d like to improve.  Shouldn’t I have a little privacy?  Besides, I really don’t have any deep dark secrets.  The Jennifer V. Davis who blogs is essentially the same woman whether or not she’s typing on the computer.

And then I had a dream, a dream where I had to come face-to-face with the truth, a dream where I had to fess up.

In my dream, I was Jack Bauer’s wife.  Not Kiefer Sutherland’s, but Jack Bauer, the character he played on 24. I was madly in love with him in my dream, but to complicate things, I was one of three wives.  Even more awkward than being one of three was being one of three with a woman who attends the same church small group as I.

But I was his favorite, and he showed me his love by letting me share his bed. In my dream, ‘sharing a bed’ was not a euphemism for sex; I literally got to share the bed with Jack.  The woman from small group  slept on a mattress on the floor of the room, and the third nameless wife slept in the den.

I wasn’t comfortable in my status, however, and for a majority of the dream, I dealt with my insecurities, keeping my eye on Jack’s other two wives who were vying for my top position.  But Jack assured me with his crooked smile that I was his Rachel, the other girls, Leah.*

When I woke up from this stupid dream, I immediately thought, “Why in the heck am I dreaming about Jack Bauer?” Part of the dream I can explain: The previous week at small group, the sister of the woman in my dream made some comment about the TV show Sister Wives of which I was not familiar and still have no intention of viewing, especially if the show will cause me to dream about being in a polygamous relationship.

But that fact doesn’t explain why I was married to Jack Bauer, and if I’m going to confess everything, why I have dreamed about him once (okay, twice) before.  Or why each time I woke up with butterflies in my stomach. I didn’t even realize it at the time, but I have to face the facts.  I have to confess:  I have a huge crush on Jack Bauer.

I never realized my feelings.  I’m not a fan of Kiefer Sutherland, and in all honesty, I was happy when 24 finally ended–I could  have my Mondays back.  But, obviously, Jack means more to me than even I knew.

Maybe the dreams aren’t about Jack.  Maybe they represent the time that my husband and I spent together for the last seven seasons as we shared each ridiculously unbelievable episode together.  They represent our weekly dates on the couch as we watched with bated breath to see how Jack would save the day again.  They represent something we enjoyed as a couple, and I’m a little sad that the tradition has ended.

Or maybe I just have a huge crush on Jack Bauer.

Perhaps Matt could yell, “Jennifer, Get out of the car!  GET OUT OF THE CAR!!” and take care of my longings.

*In Genesis 29 of the Bible, Jacob promises to work for seven years for Laban if he could marry Laban’s beautiful daughter Rachel.  After seven years, Laban tricks Jacob and sneaks Leah, his firstborn, into Jacob’s tent on the wedding night.  Jacob works another seven years in order to get Rachel, his true love.