by Ashlyn Chase
“I’m sure, Goddess, you must have a lot going on. I’m sorry to give you any more to do. If you’re busy and you’d rather talk some other time…”
“No, no. I’m here, and I like your company. I would rather be talking to you than trying to undo some idiot’s mistakes.”
Aaron smiled. She likes my company? He couldn’t help but feel incredibly pleased. “Actually, I was thinking I might be moving here. Do you come here often?” He mentally rolled his eyes at his cheesy-sounding line.
“No more than any other place that needs my help. Where would you be moving from? And why?”
“Brookline, Massachusetts. I’m getting tired of the winters there. My daughter loves it here, and as you know, my home has been feeling rather empty. I might become what’s known as a snowbird. I have two daughters. Ruth is in Boston with her fiancé, and they’re expecting their first child. Kizzy is down here with her new family. They all seem like delightful people, and I enjoy the good-natured teasing and lively energy.”
“Yes. They are good people, I think.”
“You’re not sure?”
“I’ve thought others were wonderful and then they did something stupid, but everybody makes mistakes, even me.”
“Really?” Aaron exclaimed. “I didn’t think you made any mistakes at all.”
“Oh, that’s kind of you. But no. I misjudge people sometimes. I think giving humans and paranormals free will might have been one of my biggest errors. They seem to abuse it regularly.”
Aaron chuckled. “Indeed. As a cardiac surgeon, I gave patients important advice following their surgery, which some of them ignored completely. It can get discouraging.”
“What is a cardiac surgeon? I know you cut people open, but why?”
“Oh. It’s a doctor who specializes in heart problems. I wouldn’t cut anyone open if their lives didn’t depend on it.”
“Ah. Problems of the heart. Now, that wasn’t my mistake. It just came about on its own.”
“I imagine many things have evolved that you hadn’t anticipated.”
“Oh my, yes. So if you move here, are you going to be a cardiac surgeon in Puerto Rico?”
“Not exactly. I’m ready for a change, but I want to use my knowledge and experience. I was thinking I might like to study some of the plants in your beautiful tropical rain forest. There are many cures we have yet to discover. I would be extremely gratified to discover a new treatment or cure for diseases of the heart.”
“Dis-ease of the heart…” They were suddenly transported to a mountainside in the rain forest. “You mean this?” Gaia reached down and plucked a short stalk with two leaves growing together in the shape of a green heart.
Aaron’s mouth fell open. Did she just hand me a cure? “What is it? What does it do?”
“You said you wanted a plant to ease problems of the heart. Here it is.” She shrugged. “I don’t name my creations. You can name it if you think it needs a name.”
Aaron couldn’t believe his luck. Not only had he been handed some kind of cardiac remedy, but he would be allowed to name it! Perhaps it would be named after him. Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Perhaps this little plant was well known to the medical community already.
“No. I don’t think anyone knows about it,” Gaia said.
“Are you reading my mind?”
She smirked. “Li’l bit. Don’t worry. If you don’t want me to listen in, either ask me not to or don’t think so loud.” She held her hand out to him. “The herb only grows here, on this very steep slope.”
Taking her hand, he walked over to the edge of the cliff and gazed down. The mountainside was covered with these double-leaved plants.
“Oh my Goddess! There are millions of them. But you say they only grow here? And no one else has discovered them?”
“No one. Not even the tribes that once populated the island. People settle near water sources. The nearest river is miles away.”
“Amazing…”
“So what now?” Gaia asked.
“I will have to test it first. I need to see what it’s made of—break it down to its chemical formula. And then I’ll compare it to other items in the pharmaceutical formularies. If indeed it’s something new, I’ll find the best delivery system for it. And then I must find test subjects—”
Mother Nature threw her hands in the air. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, no wonder it takes you humans so long to do anything.”
“Excuse me? You know how I do things?”
“Oh, not you. Just people in general.”
“Ah. I understand. There are things that need to be checked and double-checked and triple-checked just to make sure they’re safe for human consumption. Don’t you agree that what people put in their mouths and bodies should be safe?”
Mother Nature sighed. “All I know is I handed you something that does what you wanted it to do, and yet you’re going to change it, then double-check, triple-check, and go through all kinds of chemical rigmarole. Why question Mother Nature?”
“It’s nothing personal, Gaia. I’m positive you would not have given me something that would hurt humans. But it’s bureaucracy. All of these things have to be recorded, tested, proven, and presented to the powers that be—oh, not you, of course. You’re the ultimate power…” Stop it, Aaron. You’re babbling! “I’m sorry for any confusion. Let’s just say it would not go on the market without a lot of scientific examination and analysis, and if it’s going to do anybody any good, it has to go on the market.”
“I understand what you’re saying, and I’ll try not to take it personally.”
“Good. It’s not meant to be personal. It’s strictly the way things are. And we already talked about being honest…”
She scratched her head. “So many things seem absolutely ridiculous to me. I wish people could just trust me. I knew what I was doing when I invented most of this stuff.”
Most of it?
“Some of what I created morphed into its own thing, but had my beautiful world just been left alone, I wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
Aaron thought about it and couldn’t agree. Sharks? Killer bees? Scorpions? Rattlesnakes?
“Not if you leave them alone, like humans are supposed to.”
I can’t get used to you reading my mind.
“I know. I’ll try not to.”
“Well, Gaia, I thank you for your help. I’m very excited about the possibilities.”
“You’re welcome. You might want to get started on this right away. I imagine you’d like to see it come to fruition during your lifetime.”
“Ha ha.” He smiled and was relieved when she smiled back. “I wish I could take some back to Brookline with me, but I’m sure it won’t be allowed.”
“Let me guess…bureaucracy?”
Aaron nodded. “Yes, quite so.”
“Well, you have to do what you have to do. Oh, speaking of that, I have a tsunami to stop.”
“Oh dear. You better get to—”
Gaia disappeared, and Aaron was left holding a heart-shaped leaf. It would take years to go from this form to a usable pill or liquid and then to human trials. But first, he had to do what he could here on the island. “There must be a university with a good botany or chemistry department that survived the hurricane,” he said.
* * *
“Are you sure about this?” Karma asked.
“Not really, but do you have a better idea?”
Karma paced across Fate’s lush garden with her hands behind her back. “It’s risky.”
“Of course it is. Nothing worthwhile is without risks.”
“Did you get that off a T-shirt?”
“Coffee mug.”
“Same thing.”
“Come here and sit down, Karma. You’re making me nervous,” Fate said.
Karma slipped int
o the small chair opposite her sister at a wrought-iron bistro table.
“Tea?” Fate snapped her fingers, and two bone china cups plus a steaming porcelain teapot appeared on the table.
“I hope there’s ginseng in there. It’s supposed to stimulate brain cells. We need all the help we can get.”
Fate tittered and poured a cup of tea for Karma and another for herself. “You can fix it however you like.”
Karma snapped her fingers and took a sip of her ginseng tea with honey. “Delicious. Thank you, Sister.”
“You’re welcome. Now, how do we introduce two people who already know each other for a blind date?”
“It shouldn’t be hard. Just summon them both here, and tell them what we have in mind.”
“Then stand back and wait for the inevitable fallout?” Fate asked.
“Oh, ye of little faith.” Karma took another sip of tea. “Look, Gaia already knows what we’re doing. She won’t be surprised. In fact, I think she’ll be pleased we chose someone she already likes.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Well, we won’t know unless we try.” Karma shrugged.
“True.” Both goddesses finished their tea in silence. Karma was hoping some kind of plan B would occur to her as they sat there, but nothing came to mind.
Fate snapped her fingers, and all the items on the table disappeared. “All right. Here goes nothing.”
“Wait a minute,” Karma said. “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right?”
“What are you thinking?”
Karma snapped her fingers, and the table was set for lunch. A small rose in a bud vase graced the center.
“Perfect! Okay, now, before we chicken out, let’s do this.” Fate rose and looked at the sky. “Apollo! I beseech you. Come here!”
The handsome sun god floated to earth in a gleam of light.
“Fate! Karma! What a pleasant surprise.”
“Here’s hoping,” Karma muttered under her breath.
Fate gave her sister a quick headshake. “Apollo, dear. We hoped you’d join us for lunch.”
“Sure. That sounds great.” Apollo produced a third chair, but before he sat down, Fate created another one.
“Is someone else joining us?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. But first, what would you like to eat?”
“Oh, whatever you have is fine with me. A roast pig? A side of beef? You decide.”
The goddesses hesitated. At last, Karma spoke. “Of course. Let’s have both.” She snapped her fingers, and both legs of lamb and generous slices of pork roast appeared on three plates. The fourth held a vegetarian meal.
“Now, we must invite our other guest.” Fate took a deep breath.
Here goes nothin’, Karma thought.
Fate ignored her and called out, loud and clear, “Gaia! I beseech you. Come and join us for lunch.”
As soon as Gaia appeared, Apollo rose. “Great-Grandma! How nice to see you!”
Gaia’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Facing her sisters, she screeched, “Are you insane?”
“Of course not,” Fate answered. “We just thought, you know, a handsome young god, a beautiful goddess… He’s not really your grandson, is he? I can’t keep track of them all.”
“And he is your favorite god…” Karma added.
Gaia dropped her face into her hands and mumbled, “Gawds, no.” Then she raised her head and shouted, “No gods! They’re almost all related to my grandson, Zeus. Maybe some gods and goddesses don’t care, but I do.”
“Okay, okay. We didn’t know how you’d feel about it, but we had to try.”
Gaia folded her arms. “Perhaps you shouldn’t try anymore.”
“What do you mean? Don’t tell me you’re giving up,” Fate whined.
Apollo’s gaze traveled from one goddess to the next. “Wait. Was I supposed to be my great-grandmother’s date?” He burst out laughing.
“Geniuses,” Gaia mumbled sarcastically, and then she disappeared.
Fate sank down onto her chair. “Oh dear. That did not go well.”
Karma rolled her eyes. “You think?”
“Great-aunties, I appreciate your invitation to lunch. I can’t wait to devour this appetizer and visit with you a bit.”
“You can take it to go,” Fate groused. All the food was wrapped and in a sturdy bag a moment later.
He shrugged. “Fine. Well, thanks for the snack and a good laugh—even if it was at my expense.”
As soon as he was gone, Fate let out a deep breath. “Thank goodness he thinks it was a joke.”
Karma rolled her eyes. “Probably because it was—however unintentional.”
* * *
Gaia wished she had someone to commiserate with, but who would believe what her stupid sisters just tried to pull?
Suddenly, Aaron popped into her mind. He’d been a supportive friend. She liked how he didn’t tell her what to do or how to think. He just listened and initiated reasonable discussions. Even if she didn’t know what he was talking about half the time, he didn’t treat her like a moron. When she didn’t understand much about his job, he simply explained what his noble cardiac surgery profession was like. He also shared his hopes and dreams with her. Could she make herself as vulnerable?
Maybe I could try…
Now, where was he? She closed her eyes and homed in on his energy. Ah! He’s visiting one of the Habitat for Humanity sites where his son-in-law is building something. She was curious about that too. Sometimes, her humans reminded her of her ants. Industrious. Never giving up. Never leaving a fallen friend behind. When humans came together like this, she had to like them.
She materialized behind the concrete blocks that were already stacked and reinforced. These walls would stand up to the next hurricane she couldn’t stop because she was busy elsewhere. Gosh, she still felt bad about that.
Striding around the corner of the building, she spotted Aaron talking to tall, dark-haired Noah Fierro and admiring the work that had already been done.
“Only part of the island has had electricity restored, and a lot of temporary generators are still being used,” Noah said.
Aaron shook his head. “I can’t imagine living here without air-conditioning.” He wiped the sweat from his brow. “Look at me. I’m sweating, and I’m not even doing the hard work you and your brothers are doing. How do you stand it?”
Noah winked. “If it gets to be too much, we shift into bird form and fly up into the mountains for a bit of a cooldown.”
When the two of them spotted Mother Nature, Noah gasped. “Oh no! Please don’t get mad at me, Goddess. I haven’t let humans see me shift. Unless they already know what I am.”
“Relax, phoenix. You’re not in trouble.”
Noah let out a deep breath. “Thank goodness.”
“I was actually coming to see you, Aaron. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”
“Of course.”
She smiled. “Want to go where it’s cooler?”
“Oh yes, please.”
Instead of the mountains, she transported Aaron to his home in Brookline and snapped her fingers. His-air conditioner roared to life.
“How did you know where I live?”
“I simply followed your heart. They say home is where the heart is.”
“My heart is in my body.” Aaron smiled teasingly.
Mother Nature chuckled. “I was talking about your energy, silly. I followed your mind’s eye to see where you were in Puerto Rico. But then I saw your heart split between there and your home in Brookline, Massachusetts.”
“And where is your home?” Aaron asked.
“Wherever I want it to be. Mostly, I stay in my garden penthouse in Boston.”
“Boston?” Aaron said.
“Yes. Why are
you surprised? I like to see my seasons come to fruition each year. I see many different people coexisting there. I get to witness all kinds of progress as well as tradition and history. It’s an interesting place and keeps me entertained.”
Aaron grinned. “That it is. I never thought of my city next door as entertaining, but you’re right. There’s a lot to be said for Boston if you’re observant.”
“I was hoping we could just talk. Not about anything in particular,” Gaia said. “I just need to be with a friend.”
Aaron scooted his chair forward and leaned in. “Feel free. I’d be happy to listen.”
“I knew you would. That’s why I like…um…being with you.”
Aaron leaned back, looking pleased.
Suddenly, the phone rang. Aaron fished it out of his pocket and checked the number. “It’s my other daughter, Ruth, Goddess. Do you mind if I take this?”
“Of course not. I like that you care about your daughters.”
Aaron answered, “Hello, Ruthie.”
“Oh, Daddy…” Sniff, sniff.
Aaron leapt out of his chair and strode to the next room. It wouldn’t do him any good, since Mother Nature could hear both sides of the conversation anyway. But she let him have the illusion of privacy.
“What’s the matter, pumpkin?”
“Daddy, can I come home?” Ruth sniffled some more.
“Why? Did something happen with you and Gordon?”
“Yes. He said he doesn’t want children. And he walked out on me.”
“Are you kidding? And he didn’t tell you until now?”
“Yes. I’m eight months pregnant, and now he tells me he doesn’t want a family. So he finally decided he was not going to stay with me and be forced into having one.”
“Oh, honey. It would’ve been nice of him to tell you this sooner.”
“Yeah, no kidding. But there’s something else. I finally told him I’m a witch. He laughed and called me delusional.”
“Oh dear. Was he going to leave before or after you told him?”
“Before. I’ve been trying to tell him for months. He called me deceitful—about the baby—so I thought I’d better come clean about the one secret I’d been hiding, in case we got back together. But if he can’t accept the real me, we shouldn’t be together anyway.”