Maya's Aura: The Refining

by Smith, Skye

  The more I think about it, the more I think my changing camps at this point would be viewed as suspicious by the public, and that may hurt the party at the polls."

  "Then you are saying 'no'?" he whispered hoarsely, as his blood pressure rose.

  "I am saying 'no' unless the senator chooses to back you," Gladys said and watched his face grow even redder with repressed anger.

  Maya looked up from her prayers. It was what she had been doing so she wouldn't leap at this man's face with her fingernails. She knew all about the new birth control pills he had mentioned. On her last visit to India, she had helped a woman's group destroy a container load of them. The man looked angry. He was straightening his suit jacket and pulling at his tie. This meeting was over.

  Maya stood and walked over to stand close to him and facing him. "At least we can help you to straighten the knot in your tie," she said and leaned forward to started messing with his collar and tie with both hands. She felt his hand slip through the slit in the front of her skirt , caress the inside of her leg, and then slowly carry the caress up the leg. The feeling of darkness from his touch made her almost lose balance in her knees. She put her hands under his jaw in a lotus opening, and allowed the pure white light of her aura to fight his darkness.

  After a moment she teetered backwards against the window feeling drawn and weak and shivering. She looked at Glover, and then at Gladys. "I think he has stopped breathing!" she exclaimed to Gladys.

  "Quick, go to the door and get his handlers!" Gladys sat forward and felt his wrist for a pulse. "Hurry! Tell them he has had a heart attack. He needs a resuscitator."

  Maya went to the door, unlocked it and yelled for help. The suits hurried in, as did Paul. Gladys looked at them. "I told him no way. He got flushed, he got angry, and then he just sat back and stopped breathing. Have you ordered a resuscitator? Does he have a heart condition? Does he have any nitro pills? Do any of you have any nitro pills?"

  Paul led Gladys away from the scrum of suits now surrounding Glover. He took her firmly by the arm and marched her towards the door where Maya was still standing. "We are out of here, now." was all he said. One of the suits yelled a warning that they were leaving, and rushed towards them.

  "We can't allow you to leave. This must remain a secret until we can reorganize the convention to keep the senator from winning." The suit grabbed at Gladys's suit jacket and yanked her backwards, almost pulling her over. That was the last thing he did before the first of Paul's fists doubled him up and the second fist laid him low.

  The three of them made it down the elevators and to the Mercedes before they saw a number of security suits running after them. The Mercedes chirped out of the hotel driveway gaining speed, while suits tumbled into two big SUV's , and then followed.

  The driver of the first SUV had to stand on his brakes to miss hitting the pale green sedan that had pulled out of the hotel service alley without warning. The driver of the second SUV hit his brakes too late and smashed into the rear of the first SUV. The airbags went off inside each of the vehicles so that no one could see the license plate of the green sedan or even which way the Mercedes or the sedan turned when they left the hotel grounds.

  Paul stopped at the first police road block, identified his passenger and was allowed through. The same at the second road block. He was asked to turn right and use highway 101 north to evade the demonstration marches. He did as he was asked.

  "I would suggest phoning the senator," said Paul looking at Gladys in the rear view mirror. She was in the process of putting her suit jacket around Maya's shoulders and holding the girl close in her arms. The girl looked as pale as death, and was shivering. "But he will already be in Tampa at the convention center. The chances of getting through to him will be nil to zero."

  "Hand me your phone," said Gladys. She was feeling fantastic. This was like something out of an adventure movie, and she was actually feeling healthy enough to enjoy it. She punched a number from her memory into the phone.

  "Carolyn? Hi dear, this is Gladys Muir.

  Why, thank you, I am feeling better than I have in years. Next time you stay with me I must take you walking along the beaches. Listen, are you in Tampa with your father?

  Yes. Are you with him now?

  Oh, good. Please hand your phone to him. This is urgent.

  Ron, Gladys.

  I don't care. Tell them to talk to each other for five minutes while you talk to me.

  Ron, shush and listen. Glover Walland is dead. Heart attack.

  Yes, ten minutes ago. Ron, pray for him later, right now you have to get your people to swamp the convention center and force it to stay open. Do not let the party delay the convention.

  Ron, Ron, okay, do you understand?

  Exactly, exactly. Ron, don't hang up, there's more. I was there. I heard his last words. They were 'I want the senator to be president.'

  Are you calling me a liar? Well, maybe I misheard some words, but that is what I am going to tell the press in about an hour.

  Okay, you can hang up now. Good luck."

  Gladys handed the phone back to Paul and then looked at Maya. "The senator is too honest for his own good. I like him a lot."

  "I know," said Maya, "I met him once. We were sitting together and I was very cold and he lent me his jacket, like you're doing. I wouldn't mind if he became president."

  "Paul, take Maya home first, she needs a bed." Gladys looked at her. "Is this the first time you've seen death, honey?"

  "No, but it shakes me up each time. It bruises my aura worse than using an airport. I'm going to pray a little. Nudge me when we get to Karen's house."

  * * *

  There were no lights in the TV room window. It was too early for bed. She leaned back into the Mercedes and asked Paul to wait until she found out if anyone was home. No one was. There was one word on the kitchen white board. "Hospital" The Mercedes got her there in less than ten minutes.

  The hospital was a zoo. The riot police had tried to break up a peaceful demonstration that was blocking a freeway onramp, and there were young people screaming in agony from the pepper-spray and the beatings, all writhing on the carpets in the Emergency waiting room. Maya tried to ignore them and hurry through to the maternity ward. It was no use asking the room number. Reception was swamped.

  Hospitals bruised her aura as much as airports did. She prayed all the way up the elevator. One of the nurses in the elevator patted her on the back and spoke some soothing words. They both got out at maternity and the nurse asked her who she was looking for. The name Karen Marshall got an immediate smile and she was led to the delivery room.

  Karen's mom was there sitting with Gerry. Maya leaped into her friend's arms. "You shouldn't be here. She said she never wanted to see you again."

  "I know, but how could I stay away? I've been camped by the phone in the motel room for a week waiting for her mom to call."

  "Alone?" Maya pulled her head back to look him in the eyes.

  "Alone," replied Gerry.

  "Like really?" Maya asked in a disbelieving tone. "You, here in Frisco, and you haven't been cruising?"

  "Honest. Alone. I want a family. I want her to forgive me. I want her to marry me."

  "Gerry, I've heard this all before. The last time was at the Laurel Canyon house when she found you in her bed with her ex-boyfriend. Gerry, she was three months pregnant. What did you expect her to do? You were just lucky that Bruno keeps his guns locked up. I mean really, her ex boyfriend, that's like, like, incest."

  "No, I mean it this time. I'm finished with cruising. It's too risky these days, anyway."

  Karen's mom broke in. "Maya, she wanted you to go right in when you arrived, to help with the delivery."

  "Thanks, but no thanks. Come on, help me find a gown big enough for this lug and let’s get him scrubbed up. If there is any chance of her forgiving him, it's while she is having his baby."

  * * *

  She was a beautifully-formed seven pound six ounce girl. Even
the head was not misshapen. The doctor said that she was so surprised and angry to see the father there that she pushed it out on the spot. So fast that there wasn't time to squash the skull.

  They had to wait until Karen and baby were wheeled into her room before Karen's mom or Maya got a chance to hold the baby. Even then, they had to convince the new mother and father that other people deserved a turn. Gerry hadn't let go of Karen's hand since the delivery except to hold their little girl.

  Maya waited her turn patiently, sitting on a bench near to the door. She had been holding her elbows for a half an hour trying to put her aura completely to sleep. Despite that, as soon as the baby was passed to her, she could feel it in her chest, in her breasts. Especially in her breasts. They felt like they were swelling and getting hot. She had held babies in her travels across Asia, and it was always the same. Swollen aching breasts. It had made her wonder if the milk white color of her aura had something to do with her breasts.

  She held the baby as long as she dared and then passed it back to Karen's mom, and grabbed her elbows. Karen's mom laid the baby against Karen's breast. Karen's breasts were already producing and the newborn knew exactly what they were for.

  Eventually mother and child fell asleep and Gerry pulled everyone out of the room and into the hallway. "I am going to stay here overnight, but you two may as well go home."

  "So are you back together?" asked Maya.

  "Sort of, on sufferance, like, until I can show her a clean bill of health from an STD clinic."

  * * *

  * * *

  The taxi took the shortest route from the train station to Kitsilano. She couldn't believe how quickly the last month had passed. Eventful was the best word to describe it. Gladys had strongly suggested that she stay away from her mansion for a while for her own protection. The senator was now a presidential candidate. The studio had grabbed another week of her time in Hollywood. Chuck was walking around with his cameras again. The demonstrations had become a nationwide movement that was demanding that bankers go to jail.

  The baby was named Petra after Karen's grandmother. Karen's wedding was very simple. A justice of the peace and a few friends and relatives and one bouncing baby. Maya had spent two weeks living in the world of a newborn and had bought some new, larger bras. It was all good.

  The taxi drove passed the weeping willow park. It was Sunday, and there were rows of people doing Tai Chi. She almost had the taxi stop when she saw that Lin was teaching the class, but decided that could wait. She paid off the cab at the guys' house. It didn't matter if there was no one home, because the hide-a-key would probably be in the same place it always was. In any case, she probably wouldn't even need it. Karl had probably forgotten to lock it, yet again.

  Erik answered the door and looked out at the slight blonde woman smiling sweetly at him as she dragging her suitcase closer. For a moment he did not know what to say. He just stared, unbelieving, a great goofy grin starting to blossom on his face.

  "Is it okay," whispered Maya, fearful of what the answer might be, but encouraged by his expression, "if I live here with you guys again and make some babies?" She was so relieved when Erik swept her off her feet and twirled around with her in his arms, and then half-carried her into the house.

  "Karl!" Erik yelled joyously into the house, "put your jacket on! You have to go and sign a marriage license!"

  THE END of Book Two

  Be sure to watch for the further adventures of Maya, this time in India searching for explanations of her aura.