by Meltem Y. K
CHAPTER 13
“Mom, I am going to school to empty my locker, speak to a couple of the teachers then swing by the hospital and see how Pavlina is doing. I am not sure when I’ll be back.”
“Okay, hon. If Pavlina is awake say ‘Hi’ to her and tell her to get well soon.”
Jayna grabbed her purse and headed to the door. Mia followed behind her, wagging her tail.
“Bye Mia. Take good care of the house while we are away. Love you.”
Jayna patted Mia’s head as she walked out. She had a spring to her step today; all the anxieties and uncertainties of the last couple of days were gone. She wasn’t sure where life was taking her, but she was determined she would figure things out with her soul mate – and have fun while doing it. The journey was just as important as the destination. She believed in this philosophy more than ever before.
She got in her car and turned on the radio to her favorite station. The eight o’clock, morning news was on. She thought about changing the station, but her hand stopped in midair when she heard about a house fire in the early hours of the morning.
Fire fighters were able to remove Tim O’Donnell safely out of the burning house, but his wife, Olivia O’Donnell, was not so lucky. She was trapped inside. Olivia O’Donnell perished in the flames. The fire had started in the basement and quickly spread out to the rest of the house. Mr. O’Donnell was very distraught when he spoke to the fire fighters. He was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation………
Jayna did not hear the rest of the news. She was incredulous at how fast justice was served. The demon-invoking-slut, Olivia, who had cast a bounding spell on her father, tried to ruin her parent’s marriage, caused Mehmet’s death and almost killed Ayshen, was burned to death. She could not help, but feel a huge satisfaction at her demise. Jayna’s faith in Karma was now solid. She wished she knew the details of what happened in that basement. She did not believe for a minute that this was a random house fire. Something had terribly gone wrong for Olivia and she had paid the price with her life. Good riddance, Jayna thought, one less evil to pollute the world.
Jayna had only her exams to write and her high school career would be over. She was ready for the next phase of her life.
On her way to the hospital Jayna heard Ethan’s voice in her head, loud and clear. Her mood immediately perked up.
Hi Ethan, I can hear you, Jayna smiled from ear to ear.
Can I say, “I told you so?” What are you doing?
I just finished cleaning out my locker at school and I am on my way to the hospital to check up on Pavlina. What are you doing?
I am walking the dogs?
The dogs? How many do you have?
Right at this moment, I have 2 with me, the rest are waiting for their turns.
The rest are waiting for their turns? How many dogs do you have?
Oh today, we have about ten of them.
You are not making too much sense, Ethan. Are you playing with me?
Nope.
Okay, explain yourself.
The count changes daily, today we have ten dogs in the kennels.
You work at a kennel?
Sort of.
Are you being mysterious just to get me going or is this part of the restrictions imposed by the Masters?
Hmmm, let me see. I suppose there are no restrictions on this particular topic. I am working at the Humane Society and today we have ten dogs. I am taking them out for their walks, two at a time.
Hey, that’s awesome. Is that a regular job?
It’s a part-time volunteer job when I am in school; I get more hours when I am not in school. I enjoy working with the animals. It comes in really handy that I am able to communicate with them. They can tell me what’s bothering them, how they were abused, what kind of a home they would like. I try and help as much as I can. People around here call me Dr. Doolittle.
No kidding.
None at all; it’s actually funny how they accept the fact that I have a strong connection with animals.
Do you think I can do that?
I don’t see why you couldn’t. It’s only a matter of tuning into their thoughts, the rest is easy. Once you establish the connection, it will always be there. Try it with Mia first. That should be the easiest way to get you communicating with animals.
I can’t wait to go home and try it.
Are you paying attention to the traffic?
Yes, I am. Jayna was defensive. Hey, I am used to driving and chatting at the same time. Okay, I am almost there. Wish me good luck to find a parking spot.
No worries, people who are attuned to the universe have no problems finding parking spots, you’ll see.
Jayna pulled into the hospital’s parking and exclaimed. Hey, you are right, there are two of them.
Can I say “I told you so” again?
Show off.
Ethan chuckled and Jayna heard his laughter in her head. This was a very neat skill that she welcomed. It beat shifting into the Astral plane and screaming at the top of her lungs in order to call him. Jayna wondered if the connection was “on” all the time.
Ethan, are you still there?
Yes.
Sooo, how does this connection work, do we hang up or are we always connected?
As long as you are directing your thoughts to me, I can hear you.
Then, why did you not talk to me earlier this morning?
I didn’t want to distract you at school.
Oh….Sorry, don’t mean to be a pain in the ass. This is such a novelty that I am just trying to get my head wrapped around it. I am just really happy that we are always connected.
No worries. I understand.
I am in the hospital now, feeling kind of nervous; not sure what I will find once I get to her room.
This is when you must stay true to your own energy; don’t let other peoples’ anxiety pull you down. Her parents might be anxious and worried; you can’t let them suck you into their despair. You know that she will be okay even if she isn’t at this moment.
Okay.
Jayna walked up to the nurses’ station in the ICU.
“Hi, could you tell me where I can find Pavlina Pek, please?”
“Pavlina is out of intensive care. She is in Room 5B. That way,” the nurse informed her cheerfully and pointed with her finger.
Jayna took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Ethan, she is out of intensive care!
That’s great. Now, go see how she is doing.
Jayna walked into Room 5B. Pavlina was in a semi-private room. Her room-mate had the privacy drapes pulled over. Pavlina opened her eyes when she heard Jayna approach. Pavlina smiled, but Jayna could see that she looked pale and tired.
“Hey Pav, how are you doing?”
Pavlina’s answer was a helpless shrug. She also looked a little embarrassed.
“You don’t have to say anything that would make you uncomfortable. I am here for support, nothing else.”
Pavlina nodded silently. Jayna held her hand.
“I saw her Jayna. I saw my baby. They allowed me to see her,” tears ran down her cheeks.
“I know Pav, Ethan told me about that. I saw her too, but not like the way you did. I’ll tell you about it later, when you are feeling better.”
“Okay.”
“Who is there?” Jayna mouthed the words and pointed to the next bed. She didn’t want to freak anybody out with their conversation.
Pavlina smiled. “She is very old and can’t hear anything unless you shout. It’s okay to talk.”
Jayna mimicked an exaggerated sigh.
“Any idea when you are coming home?”
“The doctors said in a couple of days, but they want me to take some counseling which I agreed to. My parents are still trying to come to terms with my situation. I think their relief at my coming back outweighed their disappointment over my problem. I told them that I am keeping the baby.”
Of course you are, Jayna thought, but didn’t want to go there ye
t. “Are you going to be able to write your exams?”
“Believe it or not, I look forward to writing my exams. It will do me good to focus on something other than the mess I made, but even that feeling is fading away. I don’t feel like I made such a mess of my life anymore. It’s just that it’s going in a different direction. I have a lot of thinking to do. I have to figure out a way to earn a living, go to school and raise my daughter. I don’t think med school is the best option for us.” Pavlina had matured a decade overnight.
“There are other professions, Pav. You’ll figure it out.”
“I am working on it.”
Pavlina had genuinely changed. Gone was the distraught teenager of yesterday, in her place was a mature woman ready to face the challenges of motherhood.
Pavlina needed to lighten up the mood. She gave Jayna a mischievous look and made her opinion known on the subject of Ethan.
“You are a lucky girl, Jay. Ethan is one of the hottest guys I’ve ever laid eyes on. Or is everyone that hot in the Astral world?”
“I haven’t met a lot of people in the Astral world, Pav, only a few children; the rest are Ascended Masters and light beings. I am new at this, you know.”
“It doesn’t matter, that guy is hot - I mean smoking hot. He could easily be a model. He is cover page material.”
“He is, isn’t he?” Jayna laughed and puffed out her chest, very proud of her boyfriend.
“What, you are not blushing?” Pavlina was surprised.
“No.”
“Wait a minute, how much did you change in three days,” Pavlina asked.
“A lot more than you could imagine. You might say I am a new woman.”
“A new woman? Wow, Jay, what happened to you?”
“Something spectacular happened in the Astral plane last night. Our energies fused together, we are now connected, our minds are linked. It’s really hard to explain, you probably won’t even believe me anyway.”
“Don’t bet on it? After everything that happened to me last night, I have no trouble believing you. I’ve seen some of this stuff with my own eyes when I floated out of my body. You know Jayna, the doctors said that I was clinically dead for a few minutes. I’ve come back from the dead. That doesn’t make me a zombie, does it?” Pavlina joked.
“Absolutely not. I think zombies are reanimated after a period of time; their bodies are half decomposed and they are pretty gross. You are looking pretty healthy for a zombie, so I would say you fall in the category of NDE – Near Death Experience.”
“Wow, you’re full of information today.”
Pavlina was tired. All the talk about what had happened last night drained her of what little energy she had.
“I am glad you didn’t cross over, Pav. We have our whole lives ahead of us. You need your rest now, but if you are willing I will teach you a simple but powerful technique to recharge your batteries. You can do it while you are lying there,” Jayna offered.
“I am all yours, Master Jayna. Teach me.”
Pavlina followed Jayna’s instructions and immediately an electrical charge shot through her body. She was literally buzzing. She tried to open her eyes, but Jayna quickly told her to relax and keep at it. Within minutes Pavlina was in a deep sleep. She had absorbed so much energy that it made her black out. Her conscious brain had to shut down for her body to process the infusion of life force that was injected into her system.
Jayna left the hospital room and headed to her car. Her next destination was Ayshen; she had to visit and offer her condolences in person. With a heavy heart, she drove to Ayshen’s place.
Ayshen welcomed her with a big hug. They both burst into tears; then Ayshen pulled herself together, wiped the tears away with her handkerchief.
“I am a tough old bird,” she said. “I will be okay.”
Ayshen’s house was a busy place; there were visitors who had dropped in to pay their respects. They couldn’t talk about the night’s events in front of them, but the visitors were talking about the house fire that was on the news that morning.
Ayshen and Jayna locked eyes. They both knew that it was not an ordinary house fire.
The phone rang and Ayshen’s daughter went to get it. She brought the phone back to her mother saying it was a long distance call from back home. As Ayshen took the call, her visitors left promising to come back and visit again. The call from Turkey was not a long one. Ayshen hung up the phone and sent her daughter on an errand to have some private time with Jayna.
“That woman got what was coming to her,” Ayshen said. “The demon she invoked turned on her, that what happened,” Ayshen explained.
“What do you mean the demon turned on her?”
“Black magic is a bad thing; demon is more bad. You do work with demon, one day demon kill you. Pay big price. I know no one who do black magic and not get hurt; always get hurt.” Ayshen shook her head disapprovingly.
“She learned demon magic from African witch. She use it all the time to control husband, make slave and other man too. She pay price with her life.”
“How do you know all this, Ayshen?”
“I look in water. That how I know trouble for your parents. I see your father under spell. When Olivia find spell is broken, she get mad and insult demon, call him bad names. She think she is powerful, can control demon – not this time. Demon burn her to ashes. That how fire start in basement. Fire chief can look and look but never find reason. It will be mystery. Good news her husband escape fire. Maybe now he can be better.”
“Do you think the spells she put on her husband are broken now that she is dead?”
“No, honey, spell no cancel because Olivia is dead.”
Ayshen and Jayna felt sorry for the husband, poor man.
“I wonder if there is there anything that can be done,” Jayna asked.
“Only Masters can help. That demon very powerful, you know.”
“I am really sorry, Ayshen. I had no idea this is how things would end. So many things have happened in just a few days, my head is spinning.”
Now that all masks were down, Jayna was free to ask a few questions she couldn’t before. “Ayshen, where did you learn to gaze in the water?”
“Long time ago in Turkey, I saw. I was twenty-seven and single. My mother not happy me be single. If a young lady be twenty-five and single, not good news; people say she old maid. I was almost twenty-eight. Poor mother was so sad, always worry maybe I never marry - on the shelf, she say. One day mother take me to old lady; she read fortune with water. I never believe in it; I was teacher, educated person not village girl,” Ayshen laughed. “I was science teacher, not English,” she laughed again and shook her head. “I learn English here, not in Turkey. My husband, he learn English back home and study hard when we come here. He speak good English,” Ayshen sighed deeply remembering her husband and the tears ran down her cheeks. She shook her head and wiped away the tears. “I promise, I be strong.”
“You are strong Ayshen, very strong. I know that for a fact.”
Ayshen nodded, “I finish my story… I not want to go, but mother begged and begged so we go. Fortunetelling underground business in Turkey, against the law. If police hear, you go to jail. But people go anyway just keep it secret.”
“Wow, you’re kidding. We have psychic fairs here all the time and it’s advertised on the radio. Nobody cares.” Jayna couldn’t believe the difference in the two cultures.
“Yes, honey, I know. Different country different laws. I go to psychic fair here, but not good psychic like in Turkey. No advertising in Turkey, secret but good ones have lots of customers.”
“Ayshen, if you went to one of those psychic fairs, you would steal the show.” Jayna couldn’t resist complimenting Ayshen.
“Not my life path, honey.” She shrugged, “Maybe neighbors complain too much people come and go to my house, call police, think I sell drugs. No, I don’t want trouble.” Ayshen smiled sweetly.
“So what happened when you went to see the
old lady with your mother?”
“She tell my mother no worry. Light hair, tall man coming to ask my hand in marriage - two months. He work for railroads, she said. He is boss, and handsome and good man, perfect husband. That was my Mehmet.”
Ayshen laughed, “I promise him no cry too much.” Jayna listened with much interest to this old tale. What an interesting story.
“She say I take this offer not refuse him. She say think hard before you say no, if you are smart say yes, you not regret later, be happy. She say we get engage on New Year’s Eve and marry in three months. I not believe her, but mother was very happy I will find good husband and get marry. Mother say, good visit to old lady.”
“So did Mehmet show up as she predicted?”
“Yes, very yes. I was at school trip with my class; he was inspecting trains; he saw me. He give inspection job to his assistant and follow me all day, from distance. He find information from my students; who I am, where I live, where I teach. Next day a bouquet of flowers come to school, and one to my house. I have no idea who secret admirer is, but mother is glowing, very happy. She hire cleaning woman to clean our house top to bottom, preparation to receive suitor and his family. Those days, families very strict about these things, must follow custom. Proper thing to do is visit girl’s home, meet her family and declare intentions. I get more flowers every day; finally his mother send message to my mother; family would like to come visit on Friday night. Mother sent back message saying very happy to receive them, and send me to coiffure, get my hair and nails done; she buy new dress for me. My grandparents also invited. Time comes, doorbell ring and guests enter our home. My mother try so hard to make everything perfect, and she has no idea who these people are. All she know is they are coming to ‘see’ me and propose chaperoned dates. Well, I never forget my mother’s face when she see Mehmet. He fit description perfect: Tall, blond, good position with railroads, perfect husband for me.”
Ayshen stopped her reverie and shook her head. “Honey, I am boring you with my story. So sorry.”
“Ayshen, please, don’t stop. You got me hooked. This is the most romantic story ever. I want to hear the rest of it. Please, tell me the rest,” Jayna begged.
“Well, as long as not boring you.” She took a drink of her coffee and continued.
“I was shocked everything old lady saw in water was coming true, but do I trust everything or not? I laugh at people who believe in these things. But I think hard like lady advised. No harm if I go out on chaperoned dates with Mr. Handsome. He have great taste in flowers and dress fashionably. My classroom full of flowers, and my house. Many tongues wagging at school about my secret admirer. Everyone waiting to see who he is.”
“So how were the dates? Who chaperoned them?” Jayna asked.
“First date my grandmother come with us. We go to very posh ice cream shop – I have pistachio ice cream in a crystal bowl, with silver spoon.” Ayshen smiled at the memory.
“Grandmother impressed, but we not talk much, she tell stories and we listen. Next day, a letter come to me at school. He write ten pages for me, a beautiful letter. He tell me how he see me on train, follow my class around all day. He say it is love at first sight, he wants to marry me; but he also wants to give me chance to get to know him. Only, there is a little problem: with chaperone we can’t talk about personal things; not appropriate, scandalous. He say we write private letters to each other. And we do. We go on chaperoned dates and we write letters to each other. That’s how we really get to know each other. November when we start dating. Mother wants engagement party on New Year’s Eve. His mother agree, this is good idea. We get marry during school break in February. Everything old lady see water come true; make believer out of me.”
Ayshen punctuated her last comment with a serious nod of her head.
You made a believer of me, too, Jayna thought, but she had more questions for Ayshen.
“But how did you learn to do water gazing yourself? Obviously not in your school books,” Jayna asked.
“No, not in school books. I go back and find that old lady. This time my mother is sick and every doctor we see say different story. I want to go consult old lady. She is accurate before. I find her, but it not easy, because she move to new place. She remember me and know something is wrong. I tell her how everything she say about me come true, and this time I want her to look in her water and tell me about my mother.”
Ayshen sighed deeply and shook her head. “She take out her bowl and pour water from a bottle. Later, she tell me it is holy water. She look and see my mother’s condition not good. She is dying and no doctors cannot make her better. Choice is ours; we put her through treatments and pain, or make her last days comfortable. This is so hard for me to hear, but it is good to know what is coming.”
“That couldn’t have been easy on you, knowing that your mother was dying.”
“No, not easy; but I am grateful for the warning. It allow me to make the most of the time I had left with her. Old lady do another reading for me that day and tell me my husband will talk about immigrating and I should not stop him. She say move will be good for us. Start our lives in a new country; new opportunities. She also offer to teach me water gazing; of course, I jump at her offer.”
Ayshen’s expression became sad.
“Next time I go to see her, neighbor tell me she pass away. And that, my dear, is end of my story.”
“Oh my God, Ayshen, you are giving me goose bumps - head to toe.”
“Yeah, me too. Old lady know she is dying and want to pass her skill to someone. For some reason, she choose me.”
Ayshen wiped away fresh tears from her eyes.
Jayna nodded, “I understand, Ayshen. Life is a journey full of mysteries.”
A lot of things that she thought impossible were true. Who would have thought demons really existed, or that there was an Astral world invisible to most, but some of the gifted people were able to tap into it. Ethan said they were the prototypes of what humans would evolve into in a few thousand years.
“Ayshen, as far as you know is there some sort of a policing system to keep people straight if they dabble with the supernatural,” Jayna asked. “I mean if there are witches who are able to invoke demons and wreak havoc in our world, who would punish them? It’s easy to charge people and throw them in jail if you catch them hurting someone with a knife or a gun, but who could possibly police these other types of crimes?”
Ayshen nodded at the seriousness of Jayna’s comment.
“You know saying, you reap what you sow?” Ayshen asked. “That is Karma. I am sure in future more people like you will be born; good people to fight evil. Even now special children are born more and more.”
Jayna was shocked at Ayshen’s answer. “Ayshen, how do you know about the children?”
“No secret, honey. Everyone know new generation babies born smarter now. Born eyes open. Old days babies slept for forty days before opening eyes. Now they born and look at you like they know something.”
Hmmm, Jayna thought. If you only know who else is coming. I just met her last night.
“I guess there are no coincidences in life. You didn’t just happen to be my grandparents neighbor, there was a reason behind it. It’s amazing how a whole bunch of little dots are connecting for me.”
”They sure are,” Ayshen agreed.
“Ayshen, could you do me a huge favor and when you have time, have a look in your water bowl to see about my friend, Pavlina?”
Ayshen nodded her consent. “Yes, I look.”
“You want to tell me something? Why you worried about her?”
Jayna took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. Ayshen’s eyebrows moved up in a questioning way.
“What’s wrong, honey?”
Jayna bit her lips and thought for a minute. She had to bring Ayshen up to speed with Pavlina’s situation.
“Ayshen, Pavlina found out that she is pregnant.”
Ayshen’s eyes popped out at the pregnancy news
, but she kept quiet.
“She was very upset about it when she found out and in a moment of weakness decided to take her own life.”
Ayshen’s hands flew to her face. “Oh my God!”
“Well, the good news is that she didn’t succeed. It’s a long story; she is in the hospital recovering and she will have this baby and keep it.”
How can she give it away? That is not an option. I would have to step up and adopt it myself if she went that route. We are destined to be together, all of us, and including Ayshen.
Jayna shook her head and continued her story. “Pavlina was given a second chance to life and she took it. I am not sure about her parents, though. I have a little voice in my heart telling me that even though they are grateful Pavlina didn’t die, they won’t be as supportive of her.”
Ayshen nodded her understanding.
“Her parents love her, obviously, but they were so wrapped up about Pavlina going to medical school and becoming a doctor and so forth that I am not sure how they will take it when she tells them she is keeping the baby.”
“Okay, I understand; I look now.”
Ayshen rose from her chair walked over to her china cabinet where her silver bowl was in display. All this time I used to think the silver bowl was there as part of the décor, Jayna thought.
Ayshen also brought her holy water from the cabinet. It was in a crystal decanter.
What is it about hiding stuff in plain sight, Jayna thought. Ayshen’s got all her magic displayed in the china cabinet.
“One more thing, Ayshen, before you start, just so that I am honest with you: Pavlina’s baby is no ordinary baby.”
Ayshen immediately understood what Jayna meant.
“Of course.”
“Ethan and I saw Pavlina’s baby; except she was fully grown. She talked to us, told us things. My head is still spinning.”
Ayshen’s eyes popped out of their sockets, “Yes, yes. I am sure she say important things to you.”
“Yeah, things are a bit complicated,” Jayna said. “So, you see why I would support Pavlina keeping the baby and not putting it up for adoption. That baby is very special, we can’t just give her away.”
“She is a girl?” Ayshen asked.
“Yes, it’s a girl,” Jayna confirmed.
Ayshen came back to the kitchen table with her silver bowl and decanter of holy water – water she had prayed upon earlier and kept in ready-to-use form. She poured it in the bowl and gazed into it, holding it in her hands. She studied the water quietly for a few minutes, not making any comments. Her face wouldn’t reveal any clues to Jayna about what she was seeing. She had a perfect poker face. Then she put the bowl down on the table and faced Jayna. She was ready to talk.
“No worry about Pavlina, she and baby just fine, but parents no, big trouble there.”
“What do you mean,” Jayna asked. “Could you elaborate, tell me more?”
“I see parents going separate ways and moving away; Pavlina not going, she staying here,” Ayshen said.
“You mean, like they are going to divorce?” Jayna had a hard time digesting this bit of information.
“Maybe not divorce but separate, not together anymore.”
“How will this affect Pavlina? Her parents will separate and go away when she needs them the most?” Jayna shook her head in astonishment.
“Pavlina not alone, honey. She have lots of support here, for her and for baby. You see, everything will be okay,” Ayshen reassured her.
Jayna sighed and nodded.
“Thanks for doing that reading for me, Ayshen. I better go. You will probably have more visitors soon.”
Jayna rose out of the chair and gave Ayshen a hug. “I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I really appreciate it. Let me know if I can help you with anything.”
Ayshen hugged her close and patted her back with affection.
“Thank you for saving my life. You did a lot for me too.”
“I am sorry we didn’t get here sooner.”
“In Turkey, we say ‘God’s will’. Nothing you can do.”
“You mean like destiny?”
“Yes, destiny.”
Ayshen held Jayna’s , “I like Ethan. You make lovely couple. I know these things. You and Ethan perfect match.” Ayshen beamed at her with approval.
“Thank you, Ayshen.”
“Good match make successful relationship.”
Jayna smiled coyly and blushed.
“If you say so, Ayshen.”
“I do say, my dear, I do.”