by Shea Meadows
The baby actually snorted at this. “Not saying much about a man who was a sociopathic tyrant. He respected me but didn’t like me. His wife and children were merely stage settings for the drama of Norton Reston, man of the people. He couldn’t have gotten into government without the persona of a family man.”
Ricky walked over to the rocking chair and put the baby in a comfortable feeding posture. Once she established that Nory, was, in fact being fed, the animals felt they had done their duty and left the room.
“So, darling, do you remember going on a dig with your former father when you were about three? You, of course, were in China before you were born, but apparently you and your former mother returned when you were barely out of diapers,” Ricky asked.
“That’s true. My former mother didn’t want to go back, but the lord and master insisted. He could feel my natural abilities to connect with ghosts and metaphysical objects and wanted to try me out in the field, so to speak.
“My former mother screamed at him, not wanting to go out in the eighty-degree day, but he insisted. She would have stayed in the house he rented in Xian; but she couldn’t imagine he’d keep me safe. He had a favorite cave, and at the bottom of it, was a manmade passage that went into the edge of a burial mound. These were mounds from the Han Dynasty, which came after the Qin, who were the people that built the vast clay army. The Han figures were much smaller but even more beautiful. When he found them, they were kind of ugly. They had no arms or clothes, and only a few had paint on their faces.
“He let me hold one of them after he said he had ‘freed it,’ whatever that meant. I went back in the Akashic Records of the time, to when it was new and saw it in another way. It had wooden arms, a beautiful silk robe, and human hair shellacked to its head.”
“Did you dig anything up that day?”
The baby smiled as she continued nursing. “Little clay farm animals, a chicken, a goat and a pig. I was delighted. It might have been the only time I ever heard my former father laugh. He let me take them back to the house and carefully play with them. He then put them on the shelves he had made in the cave when we returned the following day. Truly, that was the only loving thing I remember him doing.”
“He remembered that, too. He said you were the best in the family of all the children. But it looks like the others didn’t have a chance to try. Is that true?”
A frown replaced the smile. “Susan was always getting sick, so she had a nanny and never traveled to China. Paul was there in our mother’s womb but died when he came back home. And William didn’t want anything to do with it. He never told me why. When he came home for holidays in the early years, before Sandra and I died, he was a good big brother. He played with us and told us stories. I couldn’t form words well enough to ask him why he didn’t want to go on expeditions. That’s something we can ask tomorrow.”
“You’re right; I’ll put that on the list. One big thing that I wanted to ask: did you ever hear the name Bi Mo Chu?”
Nory detached from her mother’s breast and stared into Ricky’s eyes. “Was that name in the letters? I heard that before, but it was during arguments between my former parents. I was listening from downstairs as they screamed at each other in the bedroom. I think Mother shouted it at Father, telling him it was an abomination. I didn’t understand the word ‘abomination’ and was thinking on that, not giving much thought on what Bi Mo Chu might be.”
“Were you in spirit world when Shri Sai Baba and Sima Qian were researching Norton Reston’s work in China? Did Sima Qian mention that name?”
A shake of the small baby head. “I only heard some of the discussion, and that name wasn’t mentioned at the time. There were big holes in my former father’s Akashic Record. It most likely was in one of the places he’d blocked.”
“Come nurse on the other side. If you don’t keep eating, we’ll end the discussion. First priority for you is to grow this body,” Ricky reminded Nory.
The baby latched on while the very mature spirit being continued to voice her opinions telepathically. “So what it looks like is we should talk to Sima Qian and perhaps find the spirit guide who was assigned to my former father. We could also have the spirit world librarians look into that name. Funny. I don’t want to say it or even think it. It feels wrong, powerfully wrong.”
“I agree; it gives me the creeps, too. It will be interesting to see how William reacts to it,” Ricky said.
“Have you shown the letters to Daddy? He was copying them. Did he read them?”
“Yes, he skimmed them, but he’s been busy moving things from York to here and keeping students and staff up-to-date, so we haven’t talked much.”
Just then the doorbell rang and Ralph barked, alerting them to the fact that the afternoon dog walker, Stephan, had arrived to walk Ralph around Lake Harriet. In a moment Rita would call up to the stairs to alert them in case Ricky and Nory wanted to join them.
Nory burped a satisfied burp and cooed at her mother. “Can we bundle up my preemie body and take a walk with the stroller? Maybe I’ll fall asleep and fly over the lake a few times.”
“Sounds like a good idea. We can let the wind blow Norton Reston out of our energy fields.”
* * *
Chapter 7
Sunday started chaotically. It was Rita’s morning off and she had left for church. Ralph was barking at a squirrel which was making faces at him from the top of the stone wall in front of the house. Pigeon was jumping from counter top to stove, to refrigerator top, searching for some morsel of food in the spotless kitchen. Nory woke up plastered with a stinky diaper that Ricky blamed on the chemical changes in her milk brought on by the Mexican food she had eaten for dinner.
Katera was packing for the airport because she and Gimma were flying to New Orleans. They were committed to teaching classes in shapeshifting to a group of eager students. Bonta would be staying to help with Nory, thank Spirit for that, but the girl was silent with the stress of losing the constant companionship of her mother and sister. She had always been a girl of few words, but was conversing more than she had during their adventure in Georgia. The Maybums would drive to the nursing home in their rental car when the Clarks visited with William Reston then on from there to the airport for the travelers. The plan was to visit quickly, then take off from Taylors Falls by 10:30 am to get to the airport for the 1 pm flight.
It was 8:45 am, and everyone was doing last minute tasks. The doorbell rang and Bret, the morning dog walker was at the door, so David demonstrated how to put Ralph’s giant halter over his furry body while attempting to keep Pigeon in the house.
By 9:15 am, Ralph was in his doggy exercise walkabout in the yard, Pigeon was sulking under the desk on the third level, and everyone else was piled into their respective cars. Ricky remembered to bring the letters in their mahogany box which was the main reason for the trip to Taylors Falls in the first place.
“Remember when we were able to slip into clothes and leave the house in under a half hour?” David asked as he pulled out of the driveway.
“It will get better when I’m bigger, Daddy, when I can do stuff for myself.”
David laughed. “No problem, honey. All new parents go through this phase, or so I’ve been told by several people. Everyone has been understanding when we can’t take on new work.”
“David, you don’t have to turn down ghost removal. I can easily fit it in between feedings as long as they’re okay with me doing it out of body,” Ricky added.
“It wouldn’t have worked for the last lady. She wanted to see you working and she wasn’t someone who could have observed from a higher frequency. I gave it to Jessica, so it’s being taken care of,” David replied.
Ricky sighed. “Sure sign that I’m getting used to my new life. When I first started, I was tense about going to a home and releasing a ghost. Now it seems like a fun diversion. This whole sacred object or deadly artifact thing has me longing for the good old days of clearing wayward spirits and leading seminars.”
“The guides keep telling us this is what we signed on to do this incarnation. Not just the day-to-day fun stuff like healing people and talking to their dead relatives, but the mission impossible stuff, like escaping from egotistical aliens in the Prime reality and disarming something ancient that has taken over our house. Come to think of it, this is really the gig that you and Moon chose; I just got swept up in your beauty and became a partner because I couldn’t help myself,” David mused.
“Oh, boo hoo, poor you. I don’t see you running for the door,” Ricky said with a loving pat to his arm.
After thirty miles of banter with intermittent comments from Nory, they arrived at the senior complex and pulled into the parking lot near Katera’s rental car. Ricky got a glimpse of Bonta and Gimma hugging in the back-seat, then they got out of the car. Both girls’ faces were damp with tears.
“Katera, could I speak with you?” Ricky asked as she took the baby out of her car seat and David brought the rest of the supplies.
“Do you think the girls will be okay with the separation? The time we laid out was from now, the second week of June until the last week of September. If this is going to be too much of a stressor, we can find a mother’s helper sooner. We don’t want them to be miserable all summer,” Ricky said.
Katera smiled. “I have taught the girls to grieve openly and fiercely, and then to get on with what comes next. Bonta volunteered for this. She wanted to be around your group and learn from you. She has taught and witnessed shapeshifting multiple times. This will be something new. Besides that, she needs the money for school. She will start her degree as an art therapist for children and needs the wages you’ll pay to give her a nest egg.”
Ricky nodded. “We could easily give her a scholarship through Moon Angel Spiritual Network. Moon had a long tradition of helping those who are strong in metaphysical skills as they get academic credentials.”
“That is very kind, and we might take you up on that later on when we see if Bonta feels coherent with this path. Who knows? She may drop out the first week. Her art is beautiful and unique but very esoteric. Her imagination and visions pour out onto the paper. She says it as a way to help traumatized children release what they have experienced. Personally, I think she could do this without a degree. I would bring her into my trainings without a second thought. But her heart is set on this.”
David’s voice pulled them from the conversation. “Ladies, Nory wants to visit her brother and some of you must catch a plane. Save further conversation for an out-of-body meeting.”
“Good advice, David. You are like my husband, the keeper of wisdom,” Katera said with a smile.
The two families entered the nursing home reception area like a small army, covering each other’s flank. Ricky was still smarting from the behavior of the “nosey parkers” toward the twins. She warned Katera that they might be greeted by a delegation of bigots as they came through the door. The assemblage was even bigger than she expected.
She leaned toward her friend and whispered, “Why is it always the women?”
Katera whispered back, “Men are bigoted, too, but often hide it better unless they’ve been drinking.”
Selma was at the reception desk and was at her passive-aggressive best. They stood in front of her for at least three minutes before she deigned to look up and then startled in surprise when she saw David. “Oh, Agent Clark, you haven’t been here in a long time. Two years ago, wasn’t it? Jeb Foley took his daughter’s car out of the parking lot and drove it the wrong way on 35.”
David smiled. “You have an amazing memory. I’m no longer with the Highway Patrol. My wife and I are in charge of an educational service. We’ve come to visit William Reston.”
“Oh, you’re married to Mrs. Clark, she brought the…” Selma looked away from David’s handsome face and saw the rest of the group, focusing on the joyous faces of Katera, Gimma and Bonta who were sending love to the receptionist and the stalkers who gathered a few feet away from the desk. Katera reached over the desk and grabbed the woman’s anxiously twitching hands.
“My daughters have told me how welcoming everyone was when they visited. I am sure you led by your example. You are a woman filled with love,” Katera said.
Selma looked down at Katera’s hands, just about to pull them away from her, then something shifted. This was evident by the softening in her face and the smile that bloomed.
“The ladies on Mr. Reston’s floor told everyone how delightful your daughters are. They have been waiting to see the girls again. We’re glad you came with them,” she said, her voice surprisingly warm.
“We called earlier and reserved a family room since we are such a large group,” Ricky said. “Could you tell us where he’s waiting?”
“Of course. Go to your left and past the activities room where you were before; two doors down on the left is a sitting room. Mr. Reston is waiting there. Is there anything you’d like the staff to bring in?”
“A pot of coffee would be nice, and maybe some cookies?” Katera said with a radiant grin.
The receptionist returned the smile, magnifying it ten times over, as if she and Katera had been friends for years. “I’ll call the kitchen right away. So happy to see you all.”
The change was not only the receptionist; the previously vulture-like chorus of nosey parkers were smiling and reaching out to shake hands or pat them on the backs as they navigated through the crowd. Murmurs of “what a beautiful baby” and choruses of baby talk were directed to Nory, with several comments about how fast she’d grown. They sounded like they all shared the exalted position of being her grandmother.
When they moved past the crowd, David leaned toward his wife. “What just happened? I felt obvious hostility directed toward Katera and the girls, but as soon as she opened her mouth everything shifted. I’ve never seen a crowd do a 180 so fast.”
“She did what we taught everyone in Georgia. You were in the pavilion when we were all sending love across and around the space so everyone was included in an ocean of love,” Ricky answered with a smile. “If I hadn’t become so angry about their gossiping when we were here last time, I could have easily done the same thing. I have to learn to practice what I teach.”
“The students become the teachers. Knowing Katera, she was an amazing teacher long before either of us considered sharing metaphysical skills,” David replied.
They arrived at the designated door, knocked, and heard William’s voice welcoming them in. He looked startled to see the additions to the group, but Katera went up to him immediately and brought him into the love energy. The girls gave him a hug, and then he turned to the Clarks.
“This is your husband, I presume. I felt his energy when you visited before; you are both so committed to the work Moon Angel began. It is so good to get to know you and not be afraid to be who I am,” William said, extending his hand.
“I’m David Clark, sir. Thank you for sharing your time and information. Any brother of our daughter’s is officially one of us,” David answered.
Ricky handed him the box. “I spent long hours with these and have a list of questions.”
“I’ll do my best to give you any answers that come to me,” William said with a nod, as he rubbed his hand over the smooth surface of the mahogany.
An employee from kitchen services pushed open the door and sat an urn of hot coffee on the table. Her coworker placed a large plate of cookies next to it, and they left with a smile.
“We only have a few minutes, Mr. William.” Katera said as she poured a cup of coffee. “Gimma and I have a plane to catch. We must get back to New Orleans. Bonta is staying on as a mother’s helper for a time.”
“Your girls are beautiful mirrors of each other physically. Their energy is different but complementary. Which girl is Gimma?”
“That is me, Mr. William. I will act as an assistant teacher for my mother’s class,” Gimma informed him.
There was a knock on the door, and William called out a welc
ome. The two women from his floor who had played cribbage with the girls before stood tentatively in the doorway. “We heard the girls are here and wondered if they had time for a game of cards,” Glory asked.
Gimma and Bonta went over and gave them a hug. “So sorry, I won’t be able to join you,” Gimma said. “This is my mother Katera, and she and I will be leaving in about five minutes for the airport.”
“Oh, how disappointing,” Maria, said. They turned to Bonta. “Can you play, Bonta?”
Bonta smiled and nodded as tears trailed down her face. “When I have hugged them both I will join you. Where will you be?”
“Is the second floor sitting room okay?” Glory asked, tears glistening in her eyes. “We’ll be your substitute grandmas again.”
Bonta hugged the ladies, and they left after kissing both Katera and Gimma goodbye.
Katera looked at her watch after they left. “Is best that we are on the road”. Hugs were exchanged between Katera and all of them, and Gimma did the same. Before they left, they surrounded Bonta with love and protection.
Ricky took Bonta in her arms, and let her sob for a time, until the girl dried her tears, blew her nose, and straightened her clothes. “I can visit with them out-of-body daily, and you can join me if you wish.”
Ricky nodded. “You know how much time I spend with Moon, so I’m all for that idea.”
“Mr. William, I want to apologize for making a scene. I will visit with you on a better day. Now I must keep my promise to Glory and Marie,” Bonta said, with a parting hug for William.
“I understand. I’m glad you felt safe enough to show how you feel,” William said as he patted her arm.
The room seemed empty without the Maybums. Ricky and David poured their own coffee and some for William and brought the cookies closer to where they were sitting. Nory cooed to remind them she was in fact visiting her brother. Ricky took her out of the stroller and put her in William’s arms. It was quiet for a time as William and Nory conversed.
