by Dermot Davis
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THE SIMPATICO SERIES
by Dermot Davis
* * *
SIMPATICO
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
SYNERGY
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
SOUL LOVE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
AUTHOR BIO
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
OTHER BOOKS BY DERMOT DAVIS:
* * *
SIMPATICO
They Will Never Tear Us Apart
by Dermot Davis
* * *
SIMPATICO
Chapter 1
Standing on top of a bluff, in the Santa Monica mountains in the Pacific Palisades, eighteen-year-old Fiona stood looking south towards the Santa Monica Bay. It was approaching her favorite time of day – sunset – and, from her vantage point, she watched three airplanes in the distance as they made their descent towards the Los Angeles international airport.
Nestled off-shore, looking like it was a continuation of the Palos Verdes peninsula, Catalina island captured her attention as she remarked to herself how wonderfully visible it appeared. Usually obscured by a mixture of fog and smog, the island sat up proudly above the deep and tranquil depths of the blue-green Pacific Ocean.
Silhouetted against the blue and orange-hued sunset sky, dressed in a light flowing summer dress, Fiona raised her arms to form a straight line. Imagining herself gliding through the air, she savored the soft cool wind as it breezed past her cheeks and gently ruffled the soft cotton of her floral-printed dress.
Stressed from driving through LA rush-hour traffic, twenty-two year-old Andrew finally turned his pickup truck off Sunset Boulevard and into a narrow side road where a large sign promised a parking lot for Santa Monica National Park visitors. Andrew was now quite used to going out of his way to meet what he considered the whimsical demands of Fiona. Being totally enchanted by her beauty, and what he considered her attractive, quirky nature, he proffered no complaints.
When he finally did find parking, the sun was sinking below the horizon. In the semi-darkness, Andrew had a hard time reading the directions which she had emailed to him earlier in the day. He also had to squint hard to read a visitor information display which outlined directions to each of the hiking trails. When he saw the flickering lights of candles in the distance, he knew that he had finally found her.
Casually lighting more candles, and placing them in a large circle around her, Fiona sang or perhaps chanted a soft incantation which sounded like a sweet lullaby.
“I know I’m late but you wouldn’t believe—” Andrew said as he approached her position but instantly stopped talking when Fiona stood up straight and faced him boldly. Her hands were raised in a gesture of “Stop!”
“Breathe deeply and leave the city behind,” she instructed him sweetly.
Relieved that her gesture didn’t refer to some other, more serious scenario, Andrew stopped walking. As instructed, he took some deep breaths (more as a show of compliance than as a genuine attempt to calm and center himself).
“What’s with the candles?” he asked, stepping forward yet half expecting her to tell him that he hadn’t completed his instructed task.
“I’m going to give you your answer tonight,” she answered.
“All right!” Andrew exclaimed, a broad smile breaking out on his face. Finally, he said to himself.
“Are you here yet?” she asked, looking like she didn’t want him to join her in the circle until he was more centered and present within himself.
“Almost, almost,” Andrew responded as he took some more deep breaths and waited for her to give him the okay to stop and step forward. After a few more labored inhales and exhales from her exasperated boyfriend, Fiona - now smiling and looking happy - stretched out her arms to him.
“Come join me in the circle,” she said. “I’m so thrilled to see you.”
“I’m thrilled to see you too, Fi,” Andrew said as he gingerly stepped between two candles and hugged her like he needed her, heart and soul. “I mean, I’m really thrilled to see you, Fiona, like you wouldn’t believe,” he whispered, his face buried into her neck; his face partially obscured by her long flowing strawberry-blond hair. “You have your answer?” he asked softly, his body now tense with trepidation.
“That’s what we need to find out,” Fiona said as she ended the embrace.
“You don’t know what your answer is? I thought you said?” Andrew asked, looking puzzled.
“Sit here, across from me,” she instructed as she sat down beside a book that was on the ground. “Sit closer,” she asked. “Your left should be at my left, where our hearts are closest.”
Inching his bottom closer to her, Andrew decided against asking any further questions. As in similar occasions of the past, he decided instead to go along for the ride and allow himself to be led by the beautiful young woman next to him.
“We’re going to consult the I Ching,” she said as she took three Asian-looking coins from her small purse.
“Is this the thing you used when you were deciding whether to go out on our first date together, that day?” Andrew asked, remembering how odd it had sounded at the time.
“I ask the I Ching all kinds of questions, not just that one,” Fiona said. “For a question like this, we need to ask it together.”
“Okay,” Andrew said uncertainly. “And if it says no, then that’s it? Your answer is no?”
“That’s not how it works, Andrew,” Fiona replied as she rattled the coins together within her clasped hands. “The I Ching doesn’t give yes or no answers; it gives guidance, that’s all. Kings and world leaders have been using it for centuries. It’s like having your very own team of wise advisers to consult on any issue. It’s brilliant and amazing. You’ll see.”
“Cool,” Andrew said, as if indicating that he had no more questions, for now.
“Now, think of the question in your mind. Try not to be negative or skeptical or it won’t work,” she said, closing her eyes as an aid in concentration.
“Wait, now,” Andrew said quickly, hoping to catch her before she tossed the coins. Fiona opened her eyes and gave him her full attention. “What’s the question, exactly? I mean, I know what the question is, I think, but shouldn’t we be on the same page and ask the same exact question? It’s about going away together, right?”
“Yes, if it’s in both our best interests, as a cou
ple, to run away together,” Fiona said thoughtfully.
“Cool. Only, I mean, we’re not running away, like, I don’t know, eloping or something. We’re just going to hit the road and be together, start over someplace new. Right?” Andrew asked.
“We’re packing a couple of suitcases and driving away in your truck, probably in the middle of the night without telling our parents or anyone. I think that qualifies as running away together, wouldn’t you think?” Fiona responded with a grin.
“Yeah, I guess,” Andrew agreed, sounding reluctant. “Just sounds, I don’t know, like we’re two teenagers or something, which we’re not. I mean, yes, you are, you’re like eighteen or something, but you’re way much older than that, I mean, you act and think much older, like you’re even older than me and I’m twenty-two already and–“
“Alright,” Fiona interrupted, “we’ll inquire if it’s best that we hit the road together and go on some kind of indefinite road trip and only tell our parents when we’re well gone and not exactly where we are or where we’re going. How’s that?”
“Sounds better, I guess,” Andrew replied, feeling somewhat cowed. “We all know your father’s going to go ape-shit, which is really the only reason we’re—”
“Andrew, just focus on the question, for now, for me. What do you say?” Fiona interrupted kindly.
“Yeah, sorry,” Andrew then said, breathing deeply and shaking his body to induce relaxation. “Okay, I’m good.”
Once again, Fiona shook the coins between her conjoined hands and after a few brief shakes she spilled the coins to the ground. Noting the arrangement of the dispersed coins, she drew a small line on the earth with a twig. “Well?” Andrew asked, looking concerned. “Is it a yes?”
“That’s just one toss, Andrew. We need to do it five more times to complete a full hexagram,” she answered. Deciding not to ask what a hexagram was, Andrew reckoned that he would most likely find out soon enough. Fiona repeated the tossing and recording of coin throws five more times. Andrew looked closely at the coins and each time tried to read her facial expression for clues.
Checking the series of straight lines–some broken, some not–now etched in the dirt, Fiona picked up the book and consulted a chart of hexagrams in order to find a match. “That’s a hexagram, huh?” Andrew inquired, looking at the six lines placed atop each other. “Is it good news?” he then asked as Fiona turned the pages of the book to decode its meaning.
The expression on Fiona’s face was far from good, however.
“It’s not good news,” Andrew said, answering his own question.
“No, Andrew, it’s not,” Fiona said sadly. “Disharmony,” she read aloud. “This path is fraught with danger. Many obstacles need to be overcome for this journey to be a success.”
“Okay,” Andrew said pensively. “It doesn’t say that it can never be successful, just that there’s a few obstacles in the way first, right? I mean, nothing we don’t know already; it won’t be a Sunday picnic or something.”
“Yeah,” Fiona said, sounding disheartened as she shut the book. “It’s bad news.”
Looking like he had barely slept all night, Andrew read on his laptop as he descended the stairs to the kitchen. “What time is your exam today, sweetheart?” his mom, Angela, asked as she put away some clean dishes.
“Um, in like two hours or something,” he replied, his eyes still reading from his laptop screen as he placed the computer on the kitchen table.
“If you don’t know it by now…” Angela said, not finishing her sentence. “Want me to make you some eggs?”
“I’m just going to have some cereal,” Andrew answered, emptying a box of corn flakes into a bowl.
“I don’t have time, anyway,” Angela said, sounding relieved. “There’s some coffee in the pot,” she said as she prepared to leave for work. “Good luck with your exam,” she then said as she departed.
“Have a good day at work,” Andrew said as he looked in the fridge for some milk. “Where is the milk?” he then asked. Looking up from the fridge he watched the front door closing shut. “Great!” he said out loud, his eyes searching the interior of the poorly stocked fridge. “No friggin’ milk!”
Feeding the flakes into his mouth with his fingers, Andrew washed them down with black coffee. Cramming for his exam, he didn’t have the time or inclination to pay much attention to the poor taste or nutritious inadequacy of his makeshift breakfast. When he checked the time, he panicked into full-on action mode.
Slamming his laptop shut, he picked up his keys and raced out the kitchen door to his pickup truck parked in the small driveway. Fatigued from lack of sleep, he drove like he was in a trance. The neighborhood streets looked more surreal than normal. Stopped at a set of traffic lights, he stared blankly ahead.
Thinking of his forthcoming exam, he could see himself sitting at a desk along with fifty other students in a large lecture room. As Professor Collins disbursed the test papers, he could feel himself grow pale and weak with terror: what if he didn’t know any of the questions?
“Cox, you look like death,” Andrew heard Prof. Collins mutter, then saw him slide a copy of the test onto Andrew’s desk. It was as if it were really happening, even though Andrew was aware that it wasn’t. In his vision, as Collins moved on, Andrew held his breath and looked at the test in his mind’s eye. All his eyes could immediately see were graphs and charts. As he was about to read the actual test questions, a car horn blared behind him. Andrew snapped out of his daydream. Seeing that the traffic light was now green, he waved a “Sorry” gesture to the car behind and sped forward.
Arriving to the test room, just as everyone else had taken their seats, Andrew found a vacant desk up front. Looking around to locate his buddies, Andrew caught the eyes of Tony, who sat a few seats behind. Looking just as terrified as Andrew felt, Tony sighed and made a “Here’s for nothing” expression. Andrew smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I feel your pain,” he wanted to tell him.
Andrew spotted Bobby but failed to make eye contact as he sat too far apart.
“Cox, you look like death,” Prof. Collins said as he put a test paper on Andrew’s desk and moved on as Andrew felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Turning over the test, Andrew looked at the charts and graphs: they were the same diagrams he had seen in his earlier daydream.
Andrew’s entire spine tingled as if a wave of cold air had risen up from the ground and went right through him. That was weird, he remarked to himself, not knowing what to think. Casting the experience from his mind, he focused upon the exam.
It seemed like only a few minutes had passed before Prof. Collins called time. Andrew stopped writing and looked at the clock. He was surprised to see that a full two hours had gone by.
Outside of the building, by the non-working large fountain, Andrew joined up with Tony and Bobby. Looking stressed, Bobby put a cigarette in his mouth before he remembered that there was no smoking allowed on campus. “You can’t smoke that here, dude,” Tony chided him.
“I know that,” Bobby snapped back, keeping the cigarette in his mouth on principle. “I’m not going to light it, am I?”
“I don’t know about you two but there’s no way I passed that sucker,” Andrew said as he approached the pair.
“I know, right?” agreed Tony.
“After four years they should just give us the friggin’ degree. I’ve had it with cramming sessions before exams,” Bobby chimed in.
“If it was hard for everybody, they have to pass most of us, right?” Tony asked uncertainly.
“I don’t think it works like that,” Andrew answered. “But maybe,” he added when he saw his buddy’s face drop in despair.
“What was with you being so late, bro?” Bobby asked Andrew. “One minute till and they close that door, see ya,” he said, his hand waving from his head, as if to salute to further make his point.
“I was up all night, dude. Couldn’t get to sleep so I just kept cramming shit; for all the good it did,” Andrew replied.
“Collins sucks, man. He made it hard for us on spite,” Tony said angrily.
“I had this really wild déjà vu thing just before the exam,” Andrew recalled. “I had this daydream; I saw Collins, the exact test paper, everything, like an hour before it happened.”
“You saw the test questions before the exam?” Bobby asked.
“Yeah, well, not the test questions, I mean I didn’t read the questions, just saw the paper with all the graphs and charts and everything. Then Collins telling me that I look like shit, just like he did in the-"
“Collins is a shit,” Tony said, interrupting.
“Doesn’t sound like much if you didn’t see the questions, bro,” Bobby said to Andrew.
“Yes, it does. I mean, what’s the odds of that happening?” Andrew asked, not sure of how to defend his argument and explain his wonder.
“What’s the odds we pass that sucker?” Tony asked.
“Will you shut up about it for a second?” Bobby chided Tony. “So we all fail and have to repeat, big deal.”
“Just saying, is all. I just want it over with, you know?” Tony said weakly.
“See, if you saw the questions first, in your dream or whatever and then you studied for those and then got the same questions in the test, then that’s something, right?” Bobby asked. “That would be a story, right?”
“Yeah, seeing graphs and shit an hour beforehand, but not getting any useful info, is pretty lame,” Tony added.
“No, you guys are lame,” Andrew answered. “I guess you had to be there, I suppose. It kinda freaked me out, that’s all.”
“Sounds like some shit your freaky girlfriend would say,” Bobby said, smiling.
“Yeah, how is the weird chick these days?” Tony asked. “You haven’t told us any more of that freaky stuff that she—“
“She’s not a weirdo,” Andrew interrupted. “She’s a really cool person with some weird ideas, that’s all. I never said that she was a weirdo.”
“Yes you did,” Tony insisted. “You said she was into all that woo-woo stuff and could see dead people and shit.”