Chapter 14
AJ
AJ was a little puzzled. She knew she wanted to take a 'giant step forward' in her career, but she didn't even know for sure what her career was actually going to be.
"Zisa, what should I do? What is really going to put me on the fast track to a successful future with lots of public recognition?"
AJ wasn't exactly praying, at least she didn't think so. She just knew Zisa would sometimes give her ideas. It was better if she said things out loud. Zisa didn't seem to know her every thought.
AJ sat quietly meditating on her future. She occasionally spoke softly but audibly.
After about an hour, AJ's seemed to have two ideas at the same time. First, she thought it would be a good idea to take some dual credit classes in school. That would allow her to start college with quite a few classes already done. For some reason, she didn't think college was going to be a fun or profitable way of life for her. The idea just stuck here to get it over as quickly as possible.
Second, she was going to volunteer to help with the re-election of a state senator. Actually, AJ thought he was cute. He was too old for her of course being in his mid thirties. But he was a nice looking man. He was openly 'inclusive' in his religious outlook too. He quickly and firmly criticized any religion that claimed an exclusive way into heaven. His name was Mitchell Farmer.
Never being one to put off doing something once a decision had been made. AJ moved from her meditation position and went to the phone. First she called the high school counselor and asked to have her fall schedule adjusted to contain as many dual credit classes as her academic standing would allow. She was careful to mention that her father, a major contributor to school activities and policies, would probably visit the office to be certain everything was properly done. Next she called the local campaign office and offered to volunteer.
AJ was certain her father would be able to make sure she connected to the right people at the campaign. She wasn't really interested in passing out campaign flyers. She wanted to meet the man she was going to help get elected, and she wanted her picture in the paper standing beside him.
Malachi
Mal was a new man. He really was. He was born again, and he was in love. He didn't know how life could get any better. He was meeting Belle for lunch at one of her favorite reasonably priced restaurants. It was just a little bit embarrassing to him that she occasionally would only order an appetizer or something instead of a full meal. But she insisted that it was wasteful to order more than she really wanted to eat. If she did order more than she could eat, she would get a take out box. He could not remember his parents ever doing either. But he was willing to get used to it. He admitted that he didn't have a clue about frugal living. He had never had to learn it, and he wasn't naturally inclined to frugal living. Today she had something to talk to him about. He wasn't worried because she had told him not to worry. "It is important," she had said, "And we have to talk about it. But it isn't something I think is really going to be a problem." So Mal was really just curious.
They met at the door of the restaurant and walked in together.
"Ok Belle, what's up?" Mal asked questioningly.
"It isn't really anything that big. I already told you that when we get married, Amelia will be living with us. But I haven't told you the entire story."
"She isn't sick or something is she?" Mal asked quickly, genuine concern in his voice. "I know she will never fully recover from the broken bones, but is there something else?" Mal didn't want Belle to suffer the loss of another family member, but he also had grown fond of Amelia just for her sake.
"Sort of. But don't get hysterical or anything. It isn't that bad. Amelia has sort of a new disease called Fibromyalgia. Have you ever heard of it?"
"No, what is it, something sort of like West Nile Virus or something? Did she get traveling out of the country?" Mal asked
"It isn't anything like that. It is like arthritis of the muscles or something."
"So she doesn't need another expensive operation?"
"No, it's nothing like that. Actually, Amelia is very young to have it. She was probably predisposed to having it, but the accident may have brought it on sooner. It just means she has a lot of pain. She manages it quite well, but there isn't any known cure for it, and treatment is really just taking care of herself, swallowing a lot of nutritional supplements and things like that. Because of the accident when our parents were killed she is in physical therapy. They work on her muscles too."
"So what does this mean? What does it mean to us? Do you have it?"
"It doesn't mean anything to us except that sometimes I have to make an accommodation for her health. She doesn't complain so I watch how she is doing. If she starts to appear overly tired, I try to compensate for her. You would have to do the same thing. That's all there is to it."
"I can do that." Mal said. "So far I have had to make accommodations if dad was grumpy, if AJ was moody, and if mom was bawling because dad and AJ were being difficult."
"Well, I didn't want to make a really big deal out of it. But with Amelia trying to get finished with high school, she is over doing it somewhat. So I am trying to make sure she gets enough rest without making her feel like a really sick person. A lot of her friends sort of disappeared after the accident. She was in the hospital quite a while, and she has had several surgeries on her legs, which took her out of school again. She really is a good student or she would not have been able to make up all the work she missed."
Mal grinned broadly. "Belle, I just realized, you said 'when we get married,' not 'if we get married'. Does that mean we are officially engaged. Can I tell everyone now?"
"That is exactly what it means."
"Boy," Mal thought silently, "I hope I get a better reaction from my friends than I did from my family." Out loud Mal said, "Can we go shopping for a ring now? Who gets to pick it out?"
"I guess we better go together so I can keep you from spending the equivalent to a down payment on a house. But you can pick it out within certain limits."
"OK, how about tomorrow?"
"You're on. In fact, I can't wait. I love you."
4th Demension
stratigic operations
"Cabiri, I have AJ on the path to early graduation from college, and an 'alliance' with Mitchell Farmer."
"Zisa, you know she can't have an affair with a married man. She is underage right now too."
"I know all that. She likes him. He likes young women. This year they will just form a 'lasting friendship'. Mitch is pretty careful about underage girls since his wife found out about the last one. She likes the political life. She is just holding it over his head so he can't divorce her for a younger woman."
"What do you have in mind?" Cabiri asked.
"I am not sure yet, Zisa answered. "I want him safely tied to his wife for the next 5 or 6 years. AJ will work on every campaign and maybe a few trips to the capital as in intern or something. Then I am thinking a fatal illness for his wife. If that can't be arranged, maybe an accident. An opportunity will present itself if we all remain vigilant. I hope you are working on getting me more help. You know I need it."
"We will see. In the mean time, do what you can do." Cabiri replied. Cabiri liked Zisa's ideas, but he didn't want to give her too much help. He didn't want her to look too good. He deserved the glory. And he hated Zisa more than he hated most other creatures.
Stellar Dominion Outpost
Command Center
"I knew Mal would be willing to adapt to any special needs Amelia has or might develop. I am surprised that Belle decided to officially get engaged. I suppose she has been lonelier than she let on since her parents death," Raphael thought.
"But I am concerned with what sort of trouble Mal's family will come up with. I don't know what can be done with his father and sister. I guess his mother is still up for grabs, but if I know the opposition they will try to reinforce the idea that all she has to do to get to heaven is be good enough.
I hope reinforcements are on the way."
Chapter 15
AJ
School had started and AJ was doing quite well with everything. The dual credit classes had been a little harder than anticipated, but AJ was passing with the help of some notes on test material that had mysteriously appeared in her notebook one day. AJ didn't care what their origin might be. Zisa had told her not to worry about it, so AJ wasn't worried.
She really had a chance to be popular, but it seemed she had outgrown any need to connect with her peers in scho’ Miss Better Than The Rest of Them’. AJ decided she really did like it at the top. She wanted to be there forever.
And there was the campaign. Mitch was running for state senator, but it appeared he there would be an opening in Washington DC within a few years. The elder senator from the state was approaching retirement age. He also had health problems. It all looked good for Mitch.
AJ thought about their first meeting. She had been introduced to someone by her father who could introduce her directly to Mitch. She had dressed carefully for that meeting, paying attention to every detail. It was hard for someone not quite 17 to get the attention of any adult, so AJ had spent hours meditating with Zisa as her guide. She had known in advance that Mitch would instantly like her. And she was right. She had also known his wife would hate her. And she was right again.
Mrs. Farmer had taken one look at AJ and known she was the type her husband would go for. She had tried to put her in an out of the way place on the campaign. Just an envelope stuffer job. But Mitch had seen the sparkle in her eye, and the sophisticated way she dressed. He had asked her how she would like to be the junior reporter for the campaign. She could be on a campaign bus on weekends, write articles for her school paper, and send out press releases to the other high schools in the state. He said it was growing voters for the next campaign. AJ would be his official spokesperson to the generation who would be old enough to vote in the next election. It was just wonderful. AJ was in love. Well, sort of. She was in love with herself and very happy to have someone appreciate her unique abilities. She was going somewhere.
Malachi
Mal and Belle were officially engaged. The wedding was tentatively set for June. But that was going to change.
Mal heard his cell phone ringing. It was just a normal ring. Like "riiinng - riiiinngg. Mal was a very straight forward kind of guy and he liked a plain straight forward ring.
"Hello," he answered in his most pleasant voice. Belle had scolded him that his telephone manners were not really what anyone could call polite. So he was working on saying 'hello' in a way that would tell the caller he was a nice guy. He felt like a nut about it.
"Mal, its Amelia. I need to talk to you a minute."
"What's up baby sister?" Mal asked. He wasn't expecting anything unpleasant from Amelia. He could really relax around her.
"Well, Mal, I know it's a little early, but I thought you and I could go shopping for Belle's Christmas present."
"Huh?" It's only the end of September. Christmas is almost years away. I do my shopping December 21. I can get it all done in one day. It isn't hard."
"Well, you can forget that now. You have to bargain shop anyway. That takes forever. Besides, I have something else to talk to you about. Let’s meet at the food court at the Mall close to the house. When is a good time?" Amelia asked.
"I can get there today at lunch - but what about your classes.?"
"My classes are on my own schedule now. I was going to the Christian School at the church, but now I am doing home school through the church. I do my work when I feel like it. Of course if I don't do my work, Belle would really be mad. Anyway - I'll see you at lunch."
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Mal arrived about 10 minutes early. He ate an ice cream really fast and had a mild ice cream headache when Amelia arrived. He suggested they both pick what they wanted to eat and then sit down to chat while they ate. Soon, their meals in front of them on one of the lovely plastic tables in the food court, they began to chat and munch on their fries.
"You know Mal," Amelia began. "It has been really hard on both Belle and I since mom and dad died. But harder on Belle, because she sort of feels like she has had to be both my sister and my parents."
"I cannot possible imagine what you two have gone through." Mal said with genuine sympathy. He wondered where this conversation was going,.
"Well, I have been thinking. The holiday's are coming before you know it. They are just awful in that house by ourselves."
"Do you think you should go ahead and move into an apartment until you finish school?" Mal asked.
"No, I think you should move in the house with us!" Amelia stated matter of factly.
"Well, that won't work. Belle laid down the law from day one. She gets a ring on her finger and words in front of the preacher before anything like that happens."
Laughing, Amelia said, "Silly, I mean get married now instead of next June."
"Mal was about to begin explaining why that was not a good idea when the strangest thing happened. His chair began to move. Startled, he looked around quickly, only to see that everyone's chair was moving. The entire building was moving.
"My first earthquake!!" Amelia said excitedly. "A sign of the times!"
Unsure of what to do, Mal tried to remain calm. He failed. Grabbing Amelia he tried to run for the exit. Fortunately, the mall was not busy, but most of the people there were also trying to get to the door.
Later, Mal was thankful he tried to make the door, because a beam above their table had collapsed crushing the table. But they did not make it to the exit before a piece of debris hit Amelia on the head and almost knocked her unconscious. Amelia was not really small, but Mal was able to carry her to his pickup. Mal thought the earth had stopped shaking, but his legs were so shaky he wasn't sure. He had two things on his mind. To get Amelia to the hospital and to contact Belle.
4th Demension
stratigic operations
Zisa was furious with Cabiri. "I thought you were supposed to know when something like that earthquake was going to happen. You should have told me. I might have been able to set up an accident or something.
"Well, you should have known yourself. What do you think? That I get bulletins or something? We both know there is only ONE who actually knows everything and we are not on speaking terms," Cabiri said sarcastically.
"Well, I didn't know. So I wasn't able to use any of it to our advantage."
Stellar Dominion Outpost
Command Center
Raphael was relieved that Amelia and Mal had moved from the table before the beam had come down. It was an artificial wood beam made of Styrofoam, but it was still heavy given its size. That had been the work of one of his co-workers. He would thank him later. Right now Raphael was working to make a way through the rubble for Mal to get Amelia to the hospital. Another co-worker was checking in on Belle. Everything would be alright - probably.
Chapter 16
AJ
AJ was sitting at her desk in journalism class. She was working on a story about the campaign. It was hard to go down to the high school level. She was out in the adult world on the campaign and loving every minute of it. She wondered why she ever wanted to be popular with the bunch of babies at school. She was just born to be grown up. Zisa had said so.
"You will always be happier as an adult than you were as a child. Children are just not your cup of tea."
"Once again," AJ thought, "Zisa was right. "I don't really like kids. I never did. I guess I was always grown up inside. I wonder if I am one of those ‘old souls’ who has lived many lives in the past?" It was an intriguing thought, but AJ decided to set that aside for the time being. She had an article to write.
AJ was thinking about Mitch as she wrote her article. He was in favor of formally delegating additional power to the UN. But he was also aware that the general public, and especially the right wingers, were just not ready for anything so openly global. So part of her new job
was to prepare the generation getting ready to vote to accept globalism as an appropriate road to world peace and prosperity. That meant she had to write indirectly about globalism, but also favorably.
"Help me Zisa," she whispered silently.
As AJ worked on her news article, she stopped abruptly. She was suddenly uneasy. But the moment passed and she went back to writing. She had to finish the article by noon.
The article finished, AJ quickly emailed it to the editor of her high school newspaper, and the editors of high school newspapers across the state. She loved seeing all of them. This was a good article and AJ was expecting to make the front page on a couple of school papers. "Why not submit articles to state newspapers?" she wondered.
AJ was just about to congratulate herself on her idea when her she felt the floor move under her feet. She was surprised, but she knew immediately it was an earthquake. She thought she heard Zisa tell her to get to the door way and hang on. So she did.
She didn't know how long the quake lasted. It felt like a long time. Later she learned it was a 6.9 on the seismic scale.
When the building stopped shaking, AJ quickly went to the nearest exit. Fortunately, there were no injured in the hallways, although a few lockers had fallen off the wall. The building was relatively new, and structurally designed to take a small earthquake.
AJ didn't take time to access the damage to the school, or to anyone at the school. She got in her car and drove to campaign headquarters. It was chaos there, but the senator was ok. So was his wife. Then AJ thought she better show up at home and check on her mother.
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