by Holly Smith
“I was feeling so good that I wanted to come to Garden where it feels good to feel good.”
“I love that, Nelise!”
Esleen seems exceptionally pleased with me today. And she hasn’t mentioned the body shop. Well, I’m not going to risk losing these good feelings for even a second!
“Let’s go to the body shop, Esleen.”
“All right.”
When Nelise came out, Esleen seemed surprised.
“Nelise, I love those streaks of red in your hair but is that a tattoo I see on your shoulder?”
Nelise laughed.
“Yes, it is. I have been wanting to see how I would look with one in Garden before I get one for real and surprisingly, the mirror picked up on it. What do you think of my bumblebee?”
“It’s cute,” she replied humorously. “Why a bumblebee?”
“Ha! I thought you might ask. I heard that a bumblebee is not supposed to be able to fly because of its body weight but it is known they are quite efficient flyers. I’d like to think, in a way, I’m like that,” Nelise said and added, “silly I suppose, but it makes me smile to think about it.”
“If it makes you smile, then it’s a great idea! So, what do you have in mind for us on this visit, Miss Bumblebee?” Esleen asked with a laugh.
“I want to ride a motorcycle. Would you like to ride with me? Oh yes, of course you would!”
Esleen nodded approvingly.
Nelise drove on country roads through small towns, weaving through woodlands, passing homes and farms. She loved the sensation of air blowing her hair every which way, the sound of the engine, and the feeling of power and freedom it gave her. They were riding along when she felt two arms gently encircle her waist.
“Hang on, Esleen; one more hill and I’ll be satisfied,” she promised, finally pulling over to a roadside lemonade stand. When she got off the bike and removed her helmet, she didn’t see Esleen anywhere. She bought two lemonades and sat at a nearby picnic table to wait.
“Are you looking for me?” Esleen asked, startling her.
“Oh! Where did you go? I thought you were on the back of my bike; I felt your arms around me, Esleen. Why did you disappear?”
“The arms around your waist were not mine and that was when I left you. I had the feeling that you were happy with your company so I waited for you here.”
“Not yours? Then whose?” Nelise asked dumb founded.
“Again, it was your invisible mate. You two were so happy together.”
“I don’t understand, Esleen; I wasn’t thinking of any mate and I would never put you off for anyone.”
“Of course you wouldn’t, Nelise; I know that. It happened because your mate was thinking of you so strongly, and since you were receptive to his thought, he intercepted my presence which is quite all right. It’s about love so I let it be.”
“No, I don’t like the idea that someone could intercept you, Esleen,” Nelise said nervously.
“I am always with you, Nelise. I just allowed you both to focus on being together on the bike for the time being. You were so happy,” Esleen said again with a twinkle in her eye.
“We were?”
“Yes, you are building quite a relationship here. While you were riding your motorcycle, for a moment, you imagined putting your arms around your lover’s waist but since you were the driver, you felt his instead.”
Nelise’s face felt hot and her cheeks turned red.
“Be comfortable, Nelise; I enjoy seeing you happy,” Esleen assured.
“I’ve got to go now, Esleen; I’ll see you next time.”
“OK, bye.”
Nelise burst into hysterical laughter. I cannot believe my desire for Loyle is so strong that it’s showing up in Garden! And Loyle was apparently thinking of me as well! I’m so excited; I can’t stay home. What is Petal up to? She picked up the phone and called.
“Nelise?”
“Of course. Why do you sound surprised?”
“I wasn’t expecting to hear from you. What’s up?” Petal asked.
“I’m sitting here not wanting to do the stuff I should do. You want to meet up for a drink?”
“Are you asking me to hang out with you?”
“Yes Petal, if you’re available,” Nelise said with a chuckle.
“I am! When you say drink, what do you mean exactly?”
“A cocktail or a beer or something, anything. What do you want?”
“A beer, and I know just the place. I’ll pick you up in a half hour, OK?” Petal asked excitedly.
“Sure.”
When they got to the place, it was packed, noisy, and couples were dancing to music from the jukebox. Nelise and Petal sat on barstools at a window counter, the only seats left.
“I would have never imagined you in a place like this, Petal,” Nelise commented as she reached for one of the beers the waitress brought.
“Ha! I would never come here by myself, Nelise. I wanted to take you out somewhere different. Have you ever been to one of these down home places?”
“I didn’t even know places like this existed except in movies.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Now, if I can get enough alcohol into you, perhaps I’ll find out what is going on in your life to cause such drastic changes in you, eh?” Petal said playfully.
“Petal, how can I get you to understand that there isn’t anything going on? Besides, what drastic changes are you talking about? I lost a little weight, big whoop.”
“You call that a little? Not to mention new clothes, coming to work early, more outgoing and humorous; that definitely qualifies as drastic, I would say!”
“All these years I thought people only noticed my weight, and now it seems they’ve been watching me closer than that! Should I be more paranoid than I was already?”
“To be honest, Nelise, we’re probably watching you because we wish we could make big changes in ourselves too. Anyway, are you saying there is no new lover?” Petal asked with a downturned lower lip.
“Well . . . ,” Nelise said haltingly.
“I knew it!!!! I just knew it!!!!” Petal yelled triumphantly, causing people around them to look.
“For heaven’s sake, Petal, calm down; you’re embarrassing me,” Nelise said, putting her hand over Petal’s mouth.
“Is it someone I know? Someone from work? How long has it been going on? Does he live around here? Tell me, Nelise, tell me now, puhleeeezzz?” Petal begged.
“Petal, I can’t because we’re just friends right now. I’m hoping for more along the way but it’s too early to tell.”
“All right, if you say so; I suppose it’s none of my business anyway,” Petal said, finishing her beer and waving to the waitress for another.
“Petal, are you going to be able to drive?”
“No problem, Nelise; I’m fine. This is my last beer, I promise.”
“What about you, Petal? Do you have a boyfriend?”
Petal laughed loudly.
“Why do you think I’m asking you so many questions? The last relationship I had ended over a year ago. Since then I’ve been on a few blind dates but that’s about it. I think I spend too much time with family and not enough getting out and about but then, who was there for me to hang out with? That is, until you came along. I’ll be right back, I gotta pee,” she said, giggling like a school girl.
Oh no, she’s definitely drunk. I guess I’d better think about catching a cab for us.
Petal swore she was fine and dropped Nelise safely at home some time later.
That’s the last time I go out drinking with her unless I drive, Nelise decided. Between the drinks and the smoke, I probably couldn’t get into Garden now if I tried. She put some coffee on to sober up and lay on her bed until the coffee finished brewing.
Chapter 16
The morning arrived with a hangover. Nelise reheated the coffee she had made the night before and ate some toast hoping it would help revive her.
She arrived at work before the othe
rs again.
“Whoa, Nelise is here early again! Bagels?” Chad asked hopefully.
“Sorry, not this time. Is Petal behind you guys?”
“Haven’t seen her.”
Nelise called Petal who said she was running late.
The day seemed long and tiresome to Nelise but she plodded through until she was able to get home and plop into bed. She woke up after nine o’clock and made herself some noodles and sauce. As she was eating, she contemplated the idea of calling Loyle but did not want to seem pushy so decided to visit Garden like she had promised herself.
“Hi, Nelise; I’m happy to see you. Body shop?”
Nelise laughed. The last time she visited, Esleen didn’t mention it. I guess I don’t look too good. It will be interesting to see what the mirror comes up with this time.
When the mirror finished, Nelise had ash blonde hair, turquoise earrings, a seafoam-colored dress, and turquoise sandals on her feet. She was pleasantly surprised at this conservative appearance considering what she had expected.
“Nice, Nelise. Where to?”
“I want to sit in front of the ocean and listen to the waves.”
“OK,” Esleen said, leading the way.
Esleen brought them to two blue canvas chairs under an umbrella facing the ocean. No sooner had they sat down when a waiter stopped by to take their refreshment order. Nelise ordered iced tea.
“Esleen?”
“Yes?”
“I am healthier and more energetic than I used to be and now I’m feeling impatient for things to happen in my world out there. I’m no longer satisfied to sit home and read, sew, or peruse the internet. I like coming here and doing things but it is causing me to want more on the outside too. Why is that?”
Esleen smiled. “You are swiftly approaching expression of your best self out there!”
“I am? I hope it comes soon. I want to be through with this mental stuff that still sometimes throws me out of Garden. Is that how I will know when I have reached my best self?”
Esleen laughed good-naturedly. “I wouldn’t worry about that, Nelise. You will know when you are your best self wherever you are; you won’t need to ask.”
Nelise tittered. “So how do I carry who I am in here to out there?”
“That is what has been happening, Nelise. It occurs naturally. Your experiences in Garden enable you to change your ‘out there’ world faster.”
“Is that why there is so much drama out there? To make us want to come to Garden and change?”
“No, that’s not why, but it does move you closer to wanting to become your best self. It happens every time you try to create a better world for yourself and fail. Have you ever noticed that in your ‘out there’ world, you get restless, irritable, and bored with routine? You are then open minded enough to be drawn to Garden where your ideal self comes to light and causes you to evolve into an even greater you.”
“I see,” Nelise said, not sure she did understand.
“Do you remember deciding to walk a different way home to distract yourself from negative influences? You had been feeling quite weary of your life for some time before that event.”
“Yes, I do. That’s how I came to meet you,” Nelise recalled.
“Exactly. You evolved into a better you just by wanting your life to be changed to something better that morning. And when that happens, you shift into a new sphere with others who are feeling the same way at that time,” Esleen explained.
“Oh, flying to another sphere, eh?” Nelise said with a questioning smirk.
“Nelise, you don’t shift through spheres like flying in a plane as if you were a piece of luggage. Changes are subtle, ongoing, and incremental within all spheres. It takes some beings longer to let go of the old concepts and accept the new even though you all assimilate new information faster than you can think. That is why you must have sleep time, and you don’t feel right when you don’t. Each and every change in just one being’s consciousness ripples out to change everything in the universe. Sleep is necessary for all beings’ realignment with the new changes within spheres.”
The sound of ocean waves blended with Esleen’s voice and Nelise had a passing thought to take notes but was sure she would remember it all so did not bother.
“But, Esleen, every day I wake up; I don’t see any changes,” she said and yawned.
“This has been explained to you already, Nelise, but until you understand, you’ll have to take my word for it. Can you do that?” Esleen asked.
Nelise felt goosebumps on her skin and awakened more fully. “Wait a minute; what exactly are you saying?”
“There is no ‘world’ as you know it; there are spheres in the universe that are formed by assemblies of beings with similar ideas and desires, which is why things can seem to change in ways you didn’t think were possible.”
Nelise felt herself drifting off to sleep in spite of wanting to hear more. She wondered why as her drowsy eyelids felt like sandbags and closed uncontrollably. The last thought she had was that shifting to different worlds was quite a curious idea.
Chapter 17
A dog barked outside and startled Nelise awake. She looked at the clock. Eleven in the morning! What day is this? Why didn’t the alarm go off? Why didn’t I wake up? I never sleep this late! She grabbed her phone to check what day it was. Saturday. She went into the kitchen for some juice and stood in front of the refrigerator trying to recall the past week’s activities.
It went by so fast, I can’t remember anything.
Puzzled, she stood there earnestly trying to remember any part of it but could not. She saw a picture of the ocean on the calendar she kept in the kitchen and reflected on the sounds of ocean waves. For a moment, she contemplated what it would feel like to be with Loyle by the ocean. She felt a gentle touch on her hand and her spirit was uplifted. She knew it was her invisible lover who she also knew was Loyle, regardless of what Esleen said. She could feel her heart beating happily.
Nelise woke up and stretched, feeling well rested and happy. She went into the kitchen to make tea and looked at the clock. Six-thirty in the morning. I guess falling asleep in front of the ocean made me dream. Since it’s early, should I catch the crew at breakfast? She called Petal.
“Hi, Nelise. We’re at the breakfast place on the corner near work; are you joining us this morning? We’re still waiting for two others,” asked Petal.
“Yes, I think I will. Save me a seat.”
“Great, Nelise is on her way. C’mon!”
Nelise arrived at the restaurant and took her seat next to Petal.
“Thanks, have you eaten yet?”
“No, I waited for you. We were thinking of turning this breakfast into a party since you are joining us again!” Petal said with a wink.
“Hey! What have we here? Is that Nelise I see?” asked Chad, coming through the door and sitting down across from her.
“Yes, Chad, behave yourself now,” advised Petal sternly.
“What? I’m just saying I’m surprised to see her at breakfast; it’s been a long time.”
The waitress came to get the rest of the orders. “The special today is one large pancake with fruit compote and whipped cream with two slices of bacon.”
“That sounds good if you want to go into a sugar coma, eh Nelise?” Chad asked and laughed.
Nelise froze. Within her mind, she threw Chad into the Great Hall of Light. As soon as she did, she was able to relax. She responded by looking at him quizzically.
“Gosh, sorry; I didn’t think before I spoke,” he suddenly said. “That’s not the Nelise of today, right?”
“Thank you, Chad,” Nelise said while at the same time not recalling any such incident. Does he have me confused with someone else? Was this on another sphere in the past?
Chad saw her blank stare. “Don’t you remember?”
“Chad! Seriously?” Petal said, cutting him off. “We came here to find out what’s going on upstairs so please keep with tradition!�
�
“Yes, let’s do that before it gets late. Good to have you with us again, Nelise,” said Sara, one of the firm’s file clerks. “Now, the news I’ve been waiting to tell you guys is about the fight between Mr. Oakford and his paralegal. Did you hear about it?”
“For real? I didn’t,” Terry, the messenger, said as others nodded in agreement.
And so the breakfast conversation continued and there were no more comments directed Nelise’s way for which she was very grateful.
On the way to work, Nelise recalled how, after throwing Chad into the Hall of Light, he spontaneously apologized for something she still didn’t recall anything about. Maybe there is something to that shifting idea, she thought and laughed. Gosh, who knew?
Later that morning, Nelise was working on her computer when a woman approached her desk. “Do you have any reports to turn into Finance?” she asked.
“No, not today. Are you new here?” Nelise asked, surprised.
“Fairly new; I’ve been here for a few weeks. I’m Deena,” the woman said, reaching out to shake hands.
Nelise shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Deena.”
As soon as Deena left, Nelise hurried over to Petal’s cubicle.
“Petal, have you met that new girl, Deena? She’s been here for weeks and I’ve never even seen her, have you?”
“No, not until yesterday. I guess Rod hadn’t finished collecting all the reports before he left.”
“What? Rod left? Did he get a new job somewhere else?” Nelise asked, feeling quite unsettled.
“No no, he transferred over to the Paralegal Department since he graduated. Where has your mind been, Nelise? Hmm, I can’t imagine,” Petal said with a sideways glance.
Chad was passing by, overheard part of the conversation and stopped. “He’s been over there for weeks, Nelise. You’re in a whole new world now where people actually get promoted within the same company!”
Petal threw a spitball at him and he rushed down the hall with a laugh.
Nelise went directly to the breakroom and made herself a cup of tea. Her arms were covered with goosebumps and her legs felt like rubber bands as she recalled Esleen’s conversation about shifting. Could it be true? Is this another sphere?