Once my shift was over I felt so tired. More tired than I had in a long time. So tired I felt like I could sleep for at least four hours. I had so much going on in my head that it exhausted me to the point of pure agony. A few months ago and I was just a normal girl, living a normal life and now I have weird dreams, frequent Angel visits, and two men who want to be with me. I walked to my car and sunk into the driver’s seat. I didn’t even say goodbye to Kerri tonight. I was way too tired to talk about anything and she would go on forever about her day or God knows what else. I drove to my apartment and pulled into my parking space. As I shut off the car I looked at my phone I realized that if I was going to call Landon it would be right now because once I got upstairs I was not calling anyone. So I dialed his number and within two rings he answered.
His voice sounded so perfect. He also looked perfect if what I remember was correct. It occurred to me that our chance encounter could have been a set up. I was pretty darn sure that he knew everything about me in this life and all the ones past.
“Hi, this is Avery.” I hoped then that I would not be so tired that I would sound uninterested in setting up a date. So I perked up my voice so he wouldn’t notice.
“I was calling to tell you that I would love to show you around town sometime.”
“Really? That sounds terrific. I was beginning to think you thought I was some crazy stalker.” He laughed and even that sounded perfect.
“Oh no, I don’t think you’re a stalker, I just think you want to get to know me. And you want to see the town. Which is fine by me.” To spend the day with my soul mate was pretty intimidating and I wasn’t sure what I would show him on our date.
“Ok well when is a good day for you? I own my own business so I pretty much have an open schedule being the boss and all.”
“Must be nice being your own boss. I wish I was that lucky.” Then I remembered my date with Dallas. Oh no! I told him I would stop by the bar tonight. I totally forgot I had to end this call soon and call Dallas and tell him I was too tired to make it. I didn’t want to be a no show and no call. I didn’t want him to think I was standing him up. I knew he would understand how tired I was and that the bar was the last place I wanted to be right now.
“Um, how about next Wednesday? I have the day off and it is supposed to be a nice day. I could take you to the historic part of town if you want to. It has a lot of shops and antique stores. And there are a couple of museums if you like that kind of thing. It will give you and idea of the history of the town.”
He didn’t say anything for a few seconds making me kind of nervous. I wondered if he thought my idea was not good enough for him. It was hard talking to him because all I could think of was Ianni telling me to stay away from him like he was bad or evil. I was so torn as to whether this was right or wrong.
“Are you still there?” I asked him.
“Oh yeah, I was just looking at something on my computer, I am so sorry for being rude. Your idea sounds terrific I would love to go to some of the shops and museums. It’s a date. Well, not a date but you know what I mean.” He laughed nervously. What did he have to be nervous about? He had found me in this town after looking all over the United States for me. He got his way and apparently he always did.
“Ok well do you want to meet me at Old Town Coffee and Chocolates? We can have some coffee then figure out what we want to do from there.”
“Avery you really seem like you are pretty organized. It’s a good thing because I really don’t know the town very well. So how is noon on Wednesday?”
“Sounds good to me. I have to get going, I need to try to get some sleep. I have been lacking sleep and my bed is calling me. So see you then.” I felt bad for ending the conversation but I really was tired and wasn’t really feeling talkative.
“Ok well have a good weekend Avery. Goodnight and sweet dreams,” he said.
“Goodnight to you too.” I hung up the phone and laughed to myself. I was excited and giddy, too giddy. I needed to get a grip I couldn’t get excited about this. I had two dates now with two totally different guys. I had gone from spinster to harlot.
Chapter 7
Dreamland
I walked to my apartment and as I turned the key I prayed that I would not see any Angels or dead people. All was good when I walked in and I felt relief. I remembered the Yulu that Dr. Charlie had given me so I went to the kitchen and made it. It smelled so sweet I didn’t even add sugar. When I tasted it, it reminded me of oranges. I undressed and laid on my couch in my comfy jammies. With tea in hand I got my phone and dialed Dallas’ number. When he did not answer I figured he was busy, so I left a short message saying I was too tired to make it but I would see him Friday. After the call I started to feel sleepy from the tea. So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I felt so sure that I would sleep tonight and sure enough I fell into a deep sleep.
The dream began with me walking down a hall and coming to a big door. The same door that I had dreamed of previously except for this time it opened and I walked through it. I saw him sitting on a bed with his hands crossed looking very handsome and calm. When he saw me his expression changed and he smiled widely showing his perfect teeth. He stood to meet me and he hesitated for a second before embracing me. I didn’t push him away because something told me not to, that I knew this man. His smell was even familiar but I could not place it.
He was much taller than me so he rested his chin on my head. He smelled my hair and ran his fingers through it, sending shock waves through my body. I stood there frozen not knowing what I was supposed to do. I noticed that he was dressed very strange and it didn’t go with my time period. He was dressed as if we were in the 1900’s. His hair was dark and parted down the middle and his eyes were a dark autumn brown.
“Claire I have missed you so much. It’s been too long since our last meeting and I have been dying to see you. Did you miss me as well?” Claire! He called me by another name but I knew this name. I looked at him confused and helpless hoping he would explain to me what was going on.
“Oh, you don’t remember do you? Is it like it was the last time?” He asked me with a sad look on his face. “It’s okay darling I will explain again. You’re Claire and I am your husband Henry. Well, I was your husband I’m not now though.” Now I knew what was going on. I knew this was in a dream and since he said he missed me since we met last we must have met here in my dreams before and talked or visited at least. I felt that this was all too familiar. He reached out to take my hand but I pulled away.
“Don’t touch me I don’t know you anymore. Even though you once were my husband or whatever you were I am not that woman anymore. I don’t remember you. You are a stranger to me. So don’t touch me,” I told him
“I can help you remember Claire. I have before in other meetings that we have had. I just need you to take my hand and trust me,” he said.
How could I trust him, I didn’t even know him? For some reason I gave him my hand and he took it and held it to his heart. Then he closed his eyes and I did the same. After only a few seconds had gone by I felt a rush of memories flood back to me, memories that I didn’t even know existed. Times before this life I live now.
I remembered the first time I met Henry and how he kissed my hand so gently. I remembered our courtship and how I fell in love with him after only a few meetings, he made it so easy to do because he was so kind and loving to me. He told me he would love me forever and never let me go. Our wedding was the talk of the town, everyone was in attendance and I felt like a queen. Our marriage was perfect, like the ones you only read about, but ours was a reality. He was a hard working provider while I stayed at home. He always greeted me with yellow roses when he returned home from his long day at work. I could smell the roses as if they were in front of my face. I could feel his touch on my face and his kiss on my lips, but it was only a memory. My heart started to race at the thought of him kissing me. I remembered our first child Annabelle and how I didn’t think I could love anyone any
more than I loved her. Then came Anastasia and Henry Jr. and I did love them just the same. There was room in my heart for all my children and Henry as well. I remembered how snobby and rude I was to others around me. I did not trust anyone except my family. I hated the poor and I despised the needy. I was a true, genuine bitch. In return for how horrible I was to others, my death was a horrible, painful experience. I could not wait for the pain to leave my body! I begged for Henry to let me go and let me go to God. And I did. I went home to God and as I entered I felt at peace. The pain was finally over.
I met with my Spirit Guide, Ianni, who’s wings were pure white and breathtaking. She led me to my house where I would wait for my family. It was a remarkable resemblance to my home on earth with all the same furniture, pictures, clothes and all that I felt was important on Earth. All except my family and my husband. I knew I would see them soon so I waited with great patience and peace and soon enough they all joined me.
I decided that I wanted to try again on earth. I wanted to be a better person than I was as Claire. I wanted to do it right and be a kinder person so I met with the council of Angels and they granted me a new life. They helped me set my path and journey in my next life. I said goodbye to my children and they happily wished me luck but Henry begged me to stay. He said he could not lose me again. I found this odd because I didn’t feel sad for leaving him. I knew I would see him here again. There was no sadness at Home only joy.
I left anyway and was reborn as Emily Laurent. I was born to a wonderful family who gave me all they could and I was thankful for it every day. I was the woman I wanted to be. I became engaged to a writer Garrison Whitaker. He was loving and kind and treated me like gold. I had no reason to look elsewhere for love. I had all I needed in Garrison’s arms, until I met Cooper Shade. Cooper was a nice man, who was much younger than I was, that was hired by Garrison to help around his home. Garrison’s work would sometimes lead him to take many trips away from home. On those trips Cooper was very persistent about him and I being together.
At first it was small attempts. Then as time went his advances toward me became stronger and stronger until I started sneaking around to see him and I fell in love with him. I could not help it I was drawn to him like a fly to honey. Soon I broke off my engagement to Garrison, breaking his heart into a million pieces and soon after he took his life. Both Cooper and I were heart broken. Our love had driven him to kill himself but we felt in our hearts that this relationship was the right thing. My family did not agree and they told me that they were not going to accept my choice, so I ran off with my new husband.
When I returned Home at the age of 70 I learned that my dear Cooper was in fact Henry. I learned from Ianni that he could not bear to be without me so he found me somehow and took me away from Garrison. I came Home years before he did. So I decided to leave again and be reborn. This time I set out to live my own life and not get married to Henry. I wanted to try again and start a new family without Henry. As most people do they fall in love with other souls. I did still love him but I felt it fair to love someone else this time, my intended mate in this new life.
I was now a woman named Elsie Hodge. I owned my own bakery, which soon turned into three bakeries, one in New York City and two in New Jersey. I was strong and goal oriented when all of a sudden I was struck ill. I had cancer and it was making me so sick. I was very weak and could no longer run my bakeries so I was forced to sell them. I took my money and moved to Vermont to live closer to my family. Just when I was feeling better Henry started to haunt my dreams, which made me sick again. I tried to not sleep so that I would not have to face him. I was almost afraid of seeing him because I wanted to live a different life, to be on my own and see what happened without him for once.
Even though I tried otherwise, once again Henry won my heart and soul when he came to me in Vermont as Adam Lawrence. Adam owned a dress shop in town. He and I would talk as I would take my morning walks. I was still weak but I needed my fresh air and after my walk I would feel a very strong need to walk into a dress shop. Not that I needed dresses, or not that my life would be long enough for me to go out anywhere fancy, but at our first meeting we stared at each other for a very long time. And that was it. We lived my remaining few years together in Vermont. We never married, there just was not enough time.
I returned Home once again before him. And then again when I talked to Ianni I learned Adam was Henry’s soul. He had done it again. He had somehow found me and made me fall for him.
After all these memories came flooding back to me I became angry at him for not letting me live my own life. Ever! He has stalked my every move and my dreams for decades. It was not fair for either of us to not live different lives. It was our destinies were, to live other lives, but he could not give me up. I looked at him and he gently let my hand go. His expression changed from happy to see me to nervous and waiting for me to explode.
“You look very unhappy Claire, please let me explain.” He had no idea just how unhappy I was.
“You’re a soul stalker Henry, or whoever you are. I remember it all. I remember living my life with you and being very happy with you. I loved you very much it is almost unexplainable how I adored you. But you never let me live any other life or love anyone else and that’s why I left Home to live and love again. It is what I was supposed to do and you kept me from it. And poor Garrison, how you did that to him. All he did was love me, want to please me and he would have done anything to make me happy. You tricked me! I don’t want you to bother me anymore, just leave me alone. You know you’re making me sick, I can’t sleep and that’s affecting my health. I don’t want you here go away.”
He looked at me as if my words had stabbed him in the heart. The pain he felt I felt as well. I did love this man, I felt it and I remembered it, and telling him to leave me was very hard to do. I just knew it was not in my life path to be with him. I knew it in my soul. I knew he had a path that he had to follow as well.
“How can you say that? After all you just saw. We spent three happy lives together and I made you happy in each one. I never cheated, lied or hurt you in any way. All I ever wanted was to be with you. You don’t understand! We are meant to be together, you are my soul mate and I can’t be with anyone but you. If we are not meant to be then how do you explain why I always remember you? In every life I have led I start to revive memories. I was ten the first time I remembered you in my second life. That’s not normal for a child that young. The feelings get stronger and then I’m drawn to you like a magnet. I try to forget but I can’t. I can’t love anyone else. ”
He sounded so sad. He was right, he did love me and he never hurt me, ever. He was my best friend and lover in every life. He never lied to me, he was always honest and he gave me five beautiful children altogether. This raised a good question for me to ask him.
“How come you haven’t tracked the children down like you have me, huh?” He looked almost guilty.
“Well, I check on them from time to time. Some are here and some are at Home. My memories of them don’t come to me as fast. They take a little longer. After we are together I can teach you how to look for them if you would like.”
“No! I want them to live and not be bothered. I will see them in Heaven when we are reunited. I want to hear about their lives and share stories. That is what I want because I love them so much. I want them to be happy. Don’t you just want me to be happy?”
“Please don’t ask me that, you know I do, but I can’t just stand aside and let you be with someone who is not good for you. Especially when I know I can do better.” I had had enough with this. He was acting like a selfish child. I had to get out of here and I didn’t know how.
“I want to leave! How do I wake up? I can’t talk about this right now. I don’t want to anymore. You sound crazy and you’re starting to scare me.” I wasn’t scared but I somehow knew that if I said that he would leave me alone. Just as I said it he kissed my hand and was gone. I stood in the room all alone. I had a lot
going on in my brain. My head started to hurt and I started to cry.
“Don’t cry,” said a sweet voice.
I looked up and saw Ianni standing in front of me. This time she had ruby red wings. I remembered seeing the same color feather in Dr. Charlie’s office and I wondered if she was there checking in on me. She looked so serene and beautiful, as she had at our first meeting. Her dress this time was blue, it was the exact same fit, tight on top and flowing on the body. I felt much better knowing she was there and I knew I could trust her. I have known her for a very long time and she has guided me through so many things. I walked to her and she opened her arms. She covered me with a hug and her wings surrounded my whole body. I felt so warm and safe.
“Avery, you remember it all now don’t you?” She asked me.
I nodded and sniffed. I felt drained. My brain had been through too much in this dream.
“Well then you know that he would do anything to be with you. He showed you how much he cares for your soul but you are a different personality this time. You, as Avery, you don’t trust anyone. That is due to your father. Lovely man that he was. Landon won’t hurt you, you can trust him, his intentions are good, but you can trust Dallas too. I know this for a fact. You need to make a decision, one you make with your heart and soul. Make sure it’s the right one for you this time. Now that you have all your information from your past you can go from there. I also still want you to go see Justin and see what he has to say. He is very open with the spirits so you can talk to your mother and this may help you.”
The Many Lives of Avery Snow Page 6