As luck would have it, the sun was shining and a gentle breeze was softly blowing. “Couldn’t ask for a better day for golf,” he thought aloud as he pulled his car up the winding road to the guarded gate.
Tall trees lined the entrance and pink, purple, and white impatiens overflowed the brick planters, giving the grounds an elegant, well-kept appearance. A sprawling clubhouse with massive windows was planted inside the gate immediately to the left.
Steve sucked in a deep breath of the freshly washed air and smiled. He momentarily wondered if he would ever be successful enough to own a membership in a club like Fairview. For now he was satisfied with the chance to spend his afternoon there.
Trevor was already inside the airport waiting. Michelle spotted him approaching their departure gate and waved, relieved to see him already there. He smiled and waved back.
As she got closer to him, she saw he had a small backpack on his back and a duffel bag in his hand. His teal shirt accentuated his sparkling eyes, and his smile was disarming.
Again, she felt that rush. Get a grip! she chided herself silently as she walked towards him.
“The plane’s delayed for fifteen minutes. Want to grab a cup of coffee?” he suggested.
“Sounds great. I didn’t get a chance to finish mine this morning. Too many things to do before I left.”
They strolled over to the coffee stand. The fragrance of freshly brewed coffee smelled delicious. She ordered a mocha hazelnut blend and Trevor opted for his favorite French roast. Carrying their coffees over to the gate, they settled down to wait for boarding.
Trevor had pulled off the Internet some updated information about the seminars at the conference, so he showed her the printouts. She was disappointed that the Dream Interpretation workshop had been cancelled, but he reassured her there were more than enough interesting seminars and workshops available for her to attend during the weekend. Besides she already had Gessler’s book. It was the best dream work available.
Within ten minutes the airline attendants were announcing boarding for their flight. Trevor explained that he had gotten to the airport early to request two seats together, one of them by the window.
“It’s such a beautiful day, I thought you might enjoy looking out,” he explained.
Michelle was touched and thanked him for his thoughtfulness.
“Anything for my favorite kitten,” he responded.
She began to tell him not to call her that, when his cell phone interrupted them. While he finished his conversation, they reached the boarding attendant. Handing her their tickets and identification, they began walking the ramp onto the plane.
Once they boarded, Trevor adeptly placed her carry-on and his duffel bag in the overhead compartment. His backpack had conference information in it, so they decided to keep it at their feet to go through during the flight.
As if to make up for lost time, the plane began its taxi down the runway almost immediately. Michelle peered out the window at the airport drifting past her and thought about Steve for a minute.
Her anxiety rose momentarily as her mind played a game. What if we never make it there? What if the plane crashes and I never see Steve again. She started questioning the whole trip. Why was she doing this? It was crazy taking off with Trevor for a weekend in Idaho. What was she thinking?
She was brought back to her senses when the flight attendant tapped her on the shoulder and reminded her to buckle her seat belt.
Trevor reached over and patted her hand on the armrest. He seemed to be able to read her mind. “Relax. Everything will be fine.”
Michelle took a deep breath, used her yoga techniques to find her center, and quieted her inner tremors. I’ll be fine, she reiterated silently to herself.
Once the plane achieved cruising altitude, Trevor and Michelle unbuckled their seat belts and began reading through the conference material again. Michelle could feel Trevor’s arm pressing up against hers as they leaned together to share the information. Her pulse quickened.
Soon the flight attendant was serving them beverages and snacks. Michelle decided to have a glass of wine to help her unwind and relax. After a few sips, her tension melted away. Trevor told her a funny story about his first flight across country, and she found herself engulfed in laughter. He had quite a sense of humor and really knew how to tell a tale. It was very entertaining, and further loosened any grip of anxiety.
On one of the new printouts he’d brought from the Internet, Michelle noticed a course that caught her eye: Ancient Scriptures and Prophets of Old.
“What is that about?” she asked him, pointing to the title. He skimmed through the description and then summarized it for her.
“It is about books like the Bible, the Koran, and the Talmud—an overview of the teachings of ancient prophets such as Buddha, Mohammed, Moses, and Jesus. It explains the common thread of these teachings and how they mesh together to explain the path to God. Sounds interesting,” he concluded.
“What do you think of the Bible, Trevor? My husband is really getting into a study about it with some friend of his,” she said.
“Well, I think the Bible is a valuable history of spiritual evolution in the Jewish world. It gives us some insight into how we all evolve. Take Jesus, for example. Now there’s a guy who was far beyond His contemporary society. They knew nothing about spiritual evolution, so they actually thought He was God Himself.
“Now, of course, we know better. He was just living at a higher level of consciousness—able to tap into that universal power or divinity we are all able to attain, whether in this lifetime or a subsequent one,” he concluded.
“Wow, I never thought of Jesus that way. I told you my grandparents are Christians, and they taught me to see Him just as you described the people of biblical times—like God Himself, or a part of God, or something.”
“I understand, Michelle. My mom was a Christian, and I remember how she used to pray with me and teach me Bible stories before my father took off with her best friend. I used to kneel by my bed and pray to Jesus to bring my dad home. But, of course, that never happened. As I watched my mom start drinking and meddling in drugs, I realized that either Jesus was a fraud or was misunderstood.
“Now I see that Christians are just stuck at a level of perception that doesn’t allow them to see the bigger picture. As well meaning as they may be, they are simply too narrow in their thinking. And they try to fit Jesus into a mold that He was never meant to fill.” He paused and seemed to search her face.
“But what about my grandparents? He fills that mold for them.”
“Perhaps this is not the lifetime for your grandparents to understand God-consciousness. This may be their current state of personal evolution. The next life may be different for them, or maybe you will be the one to open their eyes,” he suggested.
“So you don’t buy the ‘one way to heaven’ theory?” she asked with a smile.
“No way, kitten. There are too many people lost if that is true.”
This time it didn’t bother her that he had called her kitten. His sincerity and obvious compassion for people of many faiths was apparent. And now she understood that his affectionate name for her was somehow a symbol of that global love.
Before she went to bed that night, she suddenly remembered to call Steve. He sounded really tired, mentioning a stressful meeting with a client that had followed his golf game. They didn’t talk long. Michelle felt guilty thinking of the playful fun she was having here at the conference while he was wrestling with issues at work.
Still, it was nice to have some time to explore her new beliefs, and what better place than at a weekend seminar with her teacher?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Running, running, running. The familiar black tunnel and the icy fingers of anxiety gripping her heart. Faces appeared along the steel walls. They were stretched tight with agony. Arms and fingers were reaching out to her, trying to grab her as she ran. The light was far down the tunnel. It seemed to move further
away with every step.
Ducking and dodging the outstretched hands, Michelle began to sob. She saw a man appear ahead of her. Steve? No, it was Trevor. Michelle called his name as she cried. One of the hands caught her by the hair. She screamed and yelled, "Trevor, help me!” From somewhere in the darkness, a pounding on the walls of the tunnel released the grip on her hair.
Lunging forward, Michelle sat up in bed. Her face was streaked with tears and she was shaking violently. A persistent pounding sound brought her to her senses. Someone was knocking on her door.
“Michelle! Are you okay? It’s me, Trevor. Let me in.”
She fumbled for her robe and pulled it tightly around her as she walked over to the door. She was wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve. Sliding the chain off the lock and opening the door, she stood there trembling. He carefully guided her back into the room and shut the door behind them.
“I heard you calling me and came as quickly as I could. What happened? Are you all right?” he asked as he gently led her to the edge of the bed. Sitting down beside her, he looked into her eyes.
Michelle’s heart was still racing as she struggled to recover from the terror of the dream. Trevor’s gentleness melted her, and she began to cry again. He held her in his arms and stroked her hair.
“It’s okay, kitten. Everything’s okay,” he soothed.
Finally Michelle regained her composure enough to sit up on her own. She glanced at him to see his expression, afraid that he would think she was nuts. But all she saw was genuine concern and an aura of love that was so appealing.
Slowly she began to tell him about her dreams and how they haunted her. She apologized for waking him and told him that she had been calling him in her sleep because she was hoping he could rescue her from the tunnel.
Trevor showed his understanding by the warmth of his countenance. After she was finished telling the story, he pulled her into his arms again.
“I’m so sorry you are going through this, Michelle. Such a beautiful soul to be so tormented. I will help you get free of this karma,” he said, pausing for a moment as if in deep thought.
“Think of it this way. You are like a butterfly still trapped in the cocoon. You know you must escape it, but you can’t find your way out. I will teach you how to break free and fly.”
She wanted to believe him. “How, Trevor? How do I break free?”
“We’ll start by a simple meditative technique.” He propped some pillows against the headboard. “Here, sit back against these pillows and close your eyes.”
Michelle obeyed.
“Feel your arms close against your body, Michelle. These are your wings. Visualize the pure white cocoon surrounding you. This is your past. It is trying to hold you back.
“Do you see the small opening at the top? There is a light coming into your world. To make your wings strong enough to fly, you must resist the past. Feel your arms trying to push outward. Push hard, Michelle. Now allow them to move a tiny bit outward.
“Look up. The opening is growing a little bigger. Feel the sweet fresh air coming in from above. Now push again with your wings. You can move them further now. Yes. That’s right. Good girl. The opening is big enough now for plenty of air to get in.
“Take a deep breath, Michelle. Let it fill your chest with the opportunity to grow and change. Do you feel it? Feel the power, Michelle. Let it all in.”
Michelle’s eyes were still closed, but her face was very relaxed. She breathed deeply and smiled. Suddenly she felt her arms lifting upward as if in worship. Fully extended over her head, she spread her fingers to the sky. Trevor was silently watching the transformation, nodding and smiling.
“I feel free,” she murmured softly.
Trevor did not break into her thoughts. He sat quietly, and she could feel him watching and waiting.
A few moments later, Michelle slowly opened her eyes. She grinned, sighed, and squeezed Trevor’s hand.
“Thank you, my dear friend,” she said sincerely.
“No, thank you for letting me be a part of your unveiling!” He smiled in return.
“I don’t want to go back to bed now,” Michelle said reveling in her lightheaded feeling of release.
“Me neither,” Trevor responded. “Let’s go out for breakfast!” he suggested.
“At three o’clock in the morning?” Michelle asked with a smile.
“Yep. You get dressed, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Okay, if you insist!” she replied, laughing.
His smile and caress of her cheek gave her the answer to that.
After he left, she quickly got dressed and brushed out her hair. “I can’t believe he saw me looking like this,” she sighed, gazing into the mirror. No other man but Steve had ever seen her first thing out of bed. Then she smiled, twirled around, and said, “But I’ve never felt more alive!”
Trevor really understood her. He knew what to do. He would help her break out of these nightmares. Michelle was certain now that she was meant to be here this weekend with him.
It was Saturday afternoon. The morning had flown by, consumed with two fascinating lectures on parapsychology. Winding their way through the crowded displays that filled the grand ballroom, Trevor instinctively reached back and took her hand. The touch of his hand was now familiar and comfortable to Michelle. She held on and let him lead her through the maze of booths.
“Michelle!” a voice called out to her. She turned to look and spotted Starla waving from a display of books across the aisle. Trevor also saw Starla and diverted their path to stop by to say hello.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” Michelle said, suddenly a bit flustered that someone saw her there with Trevor.
“Been coming to this conference every year for ten years now!” Starla explained with a smile. “It’s a great opportunity for me to meet the people on the leading edge and to sell some of my books at the same time.”
“You look great, honey,” she continued as she looked at Michelle. “Different somehow. Freer or something.”
Trevor and Michelle caught each other’s eyes and exchanged smiles.
“Trevor is helping me get out of my cocoon,” Michelle explained.
Starla nodded knowingly. “He’s a good guide, Michelle.”
“I know,” she answered with a blush.
“Well, have a great time! Drop by the shop next week and tell me about the seminars you attended.”
“I will,” Michelle promised.
“See you later, Starla,” Trevor said as they waved and walked off.
“That woman is amazing,” he said to Michelle once they were out of earshot. “She’s almost like a spiritual mom to me. What an encouragement to see someone who is past midlife and still has such an interest in growing to higher levels of consciousness. Most women her age are so trapped by the past that they can’t understand any of this.”
“I know what you mean. My mom would think I was crazy if she saw what I’m doing this weekend. I guess that’s one of the benefits of being an adult—‘Mom’ doesn’t have to approve of your activities,” she replied, as she giggled and smiled.
Down in Seal Beach, Sheila was pacing back and forth in the kitchen of her home. She kept rereading the note from John.
Honey,
I’ve got to get away for a few days. I’m not sure where I’ll be or when I’ll be back. There’s too much to sort through. I need to be alone. Everything will be okay. I promise. Just give me some time. Please don’t call anyone at work. If they try to reach me, tell them I had urgent family business out of town.
All my love,
John
Where did he go? Was he okay? She was really worried. This was not like her husband. She decided to call Michelle.
Steve answered the phone. The expression on his face changed from friendly to concerned as he listened to her voice. Ben could tell that something was definitely wrong. He could gather from the conversation that it was Michelle’s mom and that somethi
ng was wrong with Michelle’s dad. While Steve tried to sort through the details, Ben prayed.
“Did you try Michelle’s cell phone?” Steve asked. “She’s not here this weekend. She’s at a conference with some friends from that class she’s been taking at the bookstore.”
After a pause he added, “Yeah. She probably let the battery run out or left it back in her room. Let me get the hotel phone number for you. Hold on a sec.”
Steve fumbled through the papers on the counter. “Here it is.” He recited the number at the hotel and then asked if there was anything else he could do. Finally, he asked her to call back if she heard anything.
“My father-in-law has taken off somewhere,” Steve began to explain. He told Ben about the lawsuit and about how concerned everyone had been. “That’s why I was so surprised to see this in the mailbox this morning,” he said as he held up the envelope for Michelle from her father. “Michelle and her dad talk fairly often on the phone, but they don’t correspond by mail.”
“I think we should pray,” Ben suggested. Steve said that he didn’t really know how to pray but that he would listen while Ben prayed.
“Lord,” Ben said with a combination of reverence and affection, “Michelle’s dad is in some kind of trouble. I pray that you would be with him on this journey. Go before him, God, and draw him close to you. Teach him the wonders of your love and the safety of your arms. Show him a way through this mess and give him wisdom. Do whatever it takes, Lord, to bring him into the kind of faith he needs today. I lift him up to you, entrusting him into your able hands, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Steve didn’t know what to say. He felt such a peace listening to Ben pray. It was almost as if God Himself was in the room with them. Somewhere inside he knew that he wanted what Ben had. He wanted that peace for himself.
Out of a Dream (Sandy Cove Series Book 1) Page 11
