Judith and Stella - Part One

Preface

It was a typical winter’s day in Florida. The sun was brightly shining and the air was cool and crisp from a low pressure area which came down from the Northeast. White puffy clouds dotted the blue morning sky and the sounds of various birds chirped a serenade to the world. Judith always welcomed the crisp weather; a real treat in Florida. Taking a big breath of the morning air outside her sliding glass doors, Judith goes back inside for another cup of coffee.
She was supposed to visit with her mother that morning. She was dressed and ready to leave when a strange feeling came over her. She seemed to sense a voice gently saying to her, “There’s no need to rush; sit; relax; do your ceramics on such a beautiful morning.” Not one to ignore her inner voice, Judith figured there would be no harm in visiting her mom this afternoon. She really wanted to finish the Christmas ornaments she was making for her mom as a Christmas surprise.
Forty five minutes after she started working on the ceramics she was startled by her phone ringing.
“Hello?”
“Is this Ms Judith Russo?” the voice on the other end, asked.
“Yes, this is Judith, how can I help you?
“Judith, I’m Dr. Murdock, and I’m sorry to have to tell you that your mother has been brought into the hospital in critical condition; she’s in a coma.”
“Oh, my GOD” Judith gasped “Which hospital?
“Parkland General”
“I’ll be right there”
Judith rushed to leave almost tripping on her calico cat as she went out the door. As she was driving frantically on the turnpike, she again heard the soft voice say “Judith, there’s no need to rush.” Judith ignored it at first, something she usually never did, but again it repeated the same thing Judith slowed the car and as she did she felt suddenly calmed.
Thirty minutes later she walked into the emergency room and asked for her mom. From that moment on she seemed to be watching herself from up above going through the various motions.
A nurse escorted her into a private room. “Please wait here; the doctor will be right with you.” The nurse left quickly.
After a few minutes, the doctor came into the room. They exchanged pleasantries, and he asked Judith to please sit down.
“I’m sorry to let you know that your mother passed away this morning. The home health care worker found her passed out on the floor next to her bed.”
Judith watched herself as she thank the doctor for his efforts and then sat back down to digest the information. The doctor left giving her all the time she needed.
Before Judith left the room, she paused. Taking a deep breath she then looked upwards. Slowly and sincerely she said, “Thank you, God, for giving me my life back. “ She left the hospital trying to sort things out in her mind.
It had been ten years since her step father died, and her mom’s health had been declining steadily ever since. Judith was the only one who would check on her and take care of her in their family home.
Judith remembered feeling that this was another reason for her moving to Deerfield Beach. She thought her mother wouldn’t call her to “pick up a pack of cigarettes” for her, although she always found some reason to have Judith drive to the house, in North Miami, 30 miles away.
“I guess she was just lonely” Judith conceded.
Once in her car Judith knew what she had to do.
“Okay first to the bank”
Her mom told her to empty her bank account immediately if she should die. All that was in the account was a surprising five hundred sixty four dollars.
“How, in the world, did she even have this much money?” Judith remembered thinking.
Then she remembered all the times her mom had asked her for cigarette money, grocery money and cash for bills that were to be paid. Judith never said “No”
“She must have been stashing her money away, the sneak.” Judith smiled. “Here I thought she was checking her balance every time I brought her to the bank, instead she was making deposits.” Judith shook her head.
After the bank, she called the funeral home. She was the only one there to make funeral arrangements so she may as well get started. Judith went to her mother’s house to pick up her mother’s long pink dress. Judith bought it for mom to wear at her brothers wedding.
“And the sweater”, she thought, “don’t forget the sweater.” Mom was always cold and always wore one.
“Shoes! Now shoes” Judith looked around and saw her mom’s pink fuzzy slippers.
“The hell with shoes.” she thought, “These will be just perfect; besides no one will see them anyway. Mom would love this.”
After several hours Judith left the funeral home. It was the same one they had used when her step–father passed away. Her Mom had pre-arranged for her own funeral plot next to his and when she finally paid it off Judith remembered her mom saying “Now ‘I’ can die!”
“Oh my GOD” Judith had just realize she had to call her brother and sister and tell them.
“How in the hell am I going to do THAT?” “You can do this” she heard herself say and she knew in her heart that she had to. Unfortunately that is when the chaos began.
Once her brother, Frank had heard about the death instead of comforting his older sister and asking to help with the arrangements, he immediately went to his childhood home and tore it up looking for money and whatever else he could possibly pawn. Her younger half-sister, Theresa managed to fly in from Omaha two days later. She also went straight to her mother’s house and took the 8 foot mural which hung over the Credenza in the dining room. She also took all the china and crystal. She then helped herself to prime pieces of furniture and what ever else she could have afford to have shipped. Then she went to Judith’s apartment where she was staying for the funeral never saying word one about what she and her brother had done.

While she was at the apartment Theresa asked if Judith would like her to clean up the apartment. It wasn’t dirty, just lived in. If Judith wasn’t so numb, she would have been insulted when her sister told her that she wasn’t the “homey type.” Judith let her clean all she wanted.
It was a Roman Catholic funeral and burial. Mostly close family friends, family and neighbors came to pay their respects. The funeral was relatively short in the church; and in Judith’s mind it was more real when they came to the burial plot.
After the funeral, they all returned to Judith’s apartment. Even her ex-husband was there. He offered his condolences and then went on his way.
Food was set out, everyone was there and I just walked into my bedroom, shut the door, and went to bed. I just needed to rest. I needed to stop. I needed to regroup and figure out what was next. Mostly I needed to sleep.

Different relatives from time to time came into the room to speak to her. She was even quietly reprimanded by Theresa that they had all come down here from Idaho, the least I could do was visit with them.

“Didn’t they understand? MY MOTHER DIED!” Judith yelled to herself. “I do not want to visit! I need to find my way out of this numbness.”

Eventually she came out of her room and said good bye and thank you to the remaining guests. Stella had taken the out of town relatives to the airport for their departing flights. That was one more thing out of the way. She knew Judith was just not up to milking this experience out any further than it needed to be. When she returned, Judith asked to borrow the suburban and drove down to the Florida Keys.
This drive gave her plenty of time to cry, as loud and as long as she needed in a certain amount of privacy. She even yelled at her mom for leaving and throwing all the family responsibility on her, even though no one in the family listened to her or even cared about “her.” The solitude was just what she needed. The sun began to penetrate her skin and she realized she was still alive. When she was done, she drove back to her apartment.
The day after the funeral Judith went back to her mother’s house she found it almost bare. One of the few things remaining other than the old dresser stuck in a nook in her mother’s room, was a pile of photographs on the center of the living room floor. Judith picked one up a saw her mother with her younger brother and sister sitting against the backdrop of their acre and a half yard before it was planted with all the fruit trees. She began to look through some of them and quickly decided to pick them all up and bring them home with her.
All Judith could feel at this point was “numb.” She seemed to move like a robot going down the check list of things to do, remaining as detached as possible. She allowed herself the drive to the Keys to grieve; now she had things to do. She held back tears as best she could, and walker towards her car with purpose.
“One day at a time” she remembered, “One day at a time”

Chapter One - “When the Student is ready, the teacher will appear”
Judith walked out of the Reservations Building, like she had always done for the last five and a half years. She always savored the sunshine. It was always too cold in that building. Although she wore a Jacket, it made little difference. When she entered the red Volkswagen she shut the door and sat. She sat there defrosting herself. This was the one part of day that she really liked, the going home part. Since her mother’s death the days seemed much longer than normal. It hadn’t been that long ago that the two of them spent a day at the beach. Memories still lingered in the mind and feelings in the heart, kept the pain brand new.
Judith turned on the ignition and zipped out of the parking lot and onto 36th Street passing the airline’s mechanics building. People were leaving in droves marking the end of the early shift. Seven to three thirty was a great time to work. As the three to eleven, and the four to midnight shifts filtered in the street was jammed with cars both entering and leaving. Some just went across the street to the Travelers Lounge to wash the dust from their throats. Judith had to chuckle because someone had rearranged the letters on the Marquee to say “VILE” instead of “LIVE DANCING.”
“Where were some of those funny signs contest when you wanted one?” She thought.
Judith began surfing the radio stations to find something to lessen the frustration of the drive home; she finally stopping on her favorite “smooth jazz” station. Once on I-95 she took a deep breath and settled in for the long drive.
Living in Deerfield Beach, a good 30 miles away, was a choice she made consciously. The last thing she wanted when she was off was to see anyone or anything that reminded her of work.
Tonight she was going to a Meditation Class her Doctor insisted she take. She went over what he had said in her mind: “If you won’t take the meds,” he scolded “then I want you in a meditation class pronto. Your heart problem manifests itself when your stress level increases. ‘Wolf Parkinson White’ syndrome can mimic a heart attack, as you well found out. Your job, in order to avoid surgery at this point, is to control the stress that’s taken hold of you; or at least learn some meditation techniques to help you bring those levels down. Even though it’s a fairly common condition, you still need to pay attention to it.”
Judith reluctantly agreed, taking a piece of paper he handed her. On it was scribbled the name and phone number of an Isabel Walters. When she left the doctor’s office she took her cell phone out of her purse and called the number.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is Isabel there?” Judith asked.
“I’m Isabel, how can I help you?”
“Hi, my name is Judith Randall and Dr. Weintraub recommended I call you concerning a meditation class….
“Oh that sweet man” the woman replied. “He’s always sending me clients, what did you want to know Honey?”
“Well, how soon can I start?” Judith asked, “And where are you located?”
“As a matter of fact we are having a class Tuesday evening at 730PM. We’re located in Dania Beach, on the east side of US1, just south of Harvest Road. You really can’t miss us; we have a huge stuffed Unicorn in our store window”
“That should be easy; and the classes, how much do they cost?”
“Since they are doctor prescribed, they are free, however if you wish to leave a donation, no one will try to stop you.”
Judith laughed feeling at ease with this older woman.

*******

Judith parked her car and entered the “Mystical Garden”, a gift shop specializing in all things Metaphysical. There was a classroom at the back of the store used to conduct the weekly meditation classes, as well as a variety of other classes and meetings. Judith had heard that Wicca classes were also held here and was somewhat curious about it. Her mom always talked about the Italian ‘Stregga’; the witch that brought presents at Christmas time.
The chairs were arranged in a circle. Several people were already there, either sitting or wandering to and from the coffee pot. A continuous stream of people seemed to enter through the doorway. The incense burning at the front of the store competed with the smell of perfume and coffee. Judith spotted an older woman, approximately 55 years of age with her grayish blond hair tied up neatly in a bun. She had a fair complexion and only stood about 5’ tall. She was in charge of this event so Judith decided to stay close to her.
Isabel sat down in the cushioned arm chair set out especially for her. The room immediately quieted down and anyone standing was now sitting; attentively waiting to hear what she had to say.
“Welcome, everyone!” She began. “We have a new participant this evening.” Looking over to Judith she continued; “Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself?”
Judith stood up. “Hi everyone, my name is Judith Randall and I need to reduce my stress so that’s why I’m here” she said, spitting out the last part of the sentence as quickly as she could.
Some chuckles bubbled up for a moment and immediately quieted down. Nods of approval and acknowledgement made Judith feel at home. When she sat back down, Isabel continued to speak:
“Judith, since you are new here, let me tell you a little bit about our class. “My name is Isabel Walters and I own this shop. We meet every Tuesday, except for holidays of course, and go through various meditation techniques. During the class you can find the one, or two that work best for you and continue practicing at home. If all goes well, you should be able to step out of a room, center yourself, and walk back in calm, refreshed, and a lot more stress free. Now let’s get started, class”
Every one seemed to straighten up in their chairs.
“First, I want us all to put our feet flat on the ground, uncrossing our feet, and arms; Palms facing up, on your lap and your eyes closed. She paused while everyone got into position’”
Isabel proceeded with a breathing meditation, counting as you inhaled to a count of four and exhaling to a count of four. Judith found it difficult to moderate her breath to the count and fidgeted in her chair. “God, they could at least get better chairs than these metal things” She muttered to herself.
“Just breathe” Isabel continued softly “and feel the cool cleansing air fill your lungs. Hold it, she paused “and release”
“Let go of all thoughts other than breathing.”
Judith had never given much thought to breathing before so this seemed very odd to her.
“Picture yourself surrounded by a white glowing light, enveloping you like a cloud. This pure white light penetrates your body replenishing every organ, every cell and cleanses your spirit.
After an hour of breathing and cleansing and learning to center herself, the class was over. Isabel walked up to her and said “I could see you were having a little bit of difficulty.” taking Judith’s hand. She looked into Judith’s eyes and smiled. “We all have difficulty when we first begin, but by practicing this technique every day you should be able to get it in no time”
“Thank you” Judith replied “I’ll do that”
She looked around the shop for a few minutes. There was a crystal chess set that she adored, and a great big chunk of Amethyst, her birthstone. Her stomach growled, so she decided to go get something to eat. She decided on the drive through at Subway.
“I really need to change my diet” she thought after she ordered a spicy Italian. Why do I even think about being a vegetarian when I love meat so much?” With that, she took a big bite out of her sub.
By the time she had gotten home she had devoured her sub and soda. She tossed the remaining trash away, stepped out of her heels and stripped off most of her clothes as she walked to the kitchen. Cali was right there underfoot to welcome her home.
“Hi Sweetie”, She cooed, “Mommy got you some food.” When she stooped down to feed her cherished calico and long time friend; Judith scratched under Cali’s chin.
”Yeaa-ah, that’s right”
“You like that, huh? Yeah, you dooo like that!” Giving her some water Judith stood up and pondered “What next?”
“A long, hot bath is what I need” she said out loud to herself and Cali, “and that is exactly what I am going to do.”
Judith walked through her apartment on her way to the bathroom. She relished living here. She made it a sanctuary for herself, filled with objects she had collected in her travels and those with memories attached. Her history was displayed in the various objects. On the mantel, her grandmother’s picture with a rosary draped over it, a small oriental vase filled with incense sticks, the scented candles and a picture of her and her Mom. Judith especially liked her Guardian Angel Picture hanging in the hallway. It showed a red headed little girl and her younger blond brother crossing a bridge, the Guardian Angel behind them. She imagined these children as a private wish of the children she wished to mother some day.
Also displayed were elemental items; representing earth air, water and fire; a collection of various feathers which she found on the ground all the time. Her collection of books ranged from “How-To’s” to Philosophy and Religion to Real Estate and Health books. She had gotten her real estate license soon after she graduated high school. Unfortunately she seemed to buy more books than she ever had time to read.
She lit a scented candle and brought it in with her; not that she needed another candle in the bathroom. She did however; want the Jasmine scent to help her relax some.
“Aromatherapy is a really good thing” she whispered after she breathed in the sweet, memory producing fragrance. There was a Jasmine bush outside her bedroom window when she lived at home.
Sinking into to the soothing hot water, Judith sunk deeper in the tub allowing the water and bubbles to cascade over her fair skin. She had turned off the light so the glow of the various candles could relax her as much as the hot water surrounding her body. She remembered how excited she was when she saw that this apartment came with a “Steeping Tub; that she immediately wrote them a deposit check and moved in the next week.
Lingering in the peaceful glow, Judith went over her day. She tried to keep from thinking about her mother and the bills taunting her in the kitchen. One thing about learning meditation is that she had successfully learned how to divert her thought away from the things that were disturbing her. She knew she would have to deal with her mother’s death, but now was not the time she was going to do it.
Toweling off, she put on her teal colored, silky nightshirt. Judith decided to give this meditation thing a try. She sat on her bed, back straight, palms up, her legs comfortably folded to support her but not crossed as Isabel had instructed.
“Okay, now breathe, oooone, twooooo, threeeeee, fourrrrrr, and out one, two, three, four”
Cali viewed this as an invitation to climb up on her lap and tried to get comfortable. Judith gently pushed her off, and Cali came right back on her legs again. Again she gently pushed Cali off and again Cali decided to crawl back onto Judith’s lap.
“This is NOT going to work” she muttered picking Cali up. She gently put her cat out of her room and closed the door.
Judith worked with the breathing technique for a little bit but thoughts kept leading her on different tangents. “Stop that” she scolded herself and began counting once again.
“oooone, twooooo, threeeeee, fourrrrrr”
Thoughts of things needing to be done, people she had to see, and her upcoming promotion snuck into her brain. Cali was outside the bedroom door, meowing and adding guilt to the mix, plus she could see Cali’s white paws reaching out from under the door and heard another pitiful meow.
Judith decided to stop aggravating herself and just go to bed. “I just can’t do this” she muttered. “How the hell am I supposed to relax?”
She thought of Isabel and how much easier it was with her speaking in the background. “Hmmm, maybe I’ll go talk to her during lunch; I know she’ll be in the store tomorrow.”

Chapter Two - “To sleep, per chance to dream”

The next morning went the same as many other mornings at World Wide Airlines. The difference however, was that today Judith sat at the desk in front of the row of cubicles as “Supervising Lead Agent”. There were twenty rows of twelve reservationists, seated in front of computers, answering telephone lines, and taking airline reservations. Judith would be responsible for only four of these rows.
She loved being able to assist the newer agents since the senior ones rarely asked for anything. She really respected her manager, Bob Lassiter, and was excited when he asked her to be his lead agent. His previous lead had transferred to Tampa after her wedding. She enjoyed answering all the questions they had for her. Judith had more seniority then most of them and had been doing this work for over six years.
When lunchtime came around, she chose another experienced agent to take her place until she got back.
“I might be a little late getting back, she told her, “I have to drive to Hollywood and back and I’ve already cleared it with Bob.”
“No problem-mo” replied Jennifer.
Judith went through the drive-thru at McDonalds ordering a chicken pita and coke. At least she would actually have some lunch, even if it was in her car.
Traffic was minimal once she passed all the lunch goers crossing 36th street and took the ramp to the Interstate. The sun was shining, there was a light breeze and it was starting to get closer and closer to her favorite holidays. “If only “peace on earth and goodwill towards men” would be that way all year long” she smiled.
In less than 20 minutes she was walking into the “Mystical Garden.” The soft scent of lavender floated about and the new age music in the background was very soothing. She felt so at ease in the store, she felt she could easily take a mini nap in one of those wicker arm chairs to the left of the sales counter. There were Lucky Bamboo stalks of all shapes and sizes, CD’s, and so many other things to look at; Judy resisted looking and just did what she came here to do.
“Hi Isabel, how are you doing?” She greeted the smartly dressed lady behind the counter.
“I’m doing great!” she chirped while handing change to her customer. “What brings you to my part of town so early in the day?”
“I tried to meditate last night and ’m having serious trouble getting centered. I just couldn’t do it. ” Judith complained. “First it’s the cat, and then it’s the telephone, then all these maddening thoughts; of work, and mom, and bills, I just can’t seem to get them to stop. I thought maybe you could help me work through this.”
“It seems to me you are suffering from the 4 P’s” she chuckled.
Judith looked at her questioningly.
“Piss poor prior planning!” Isabel continued.
Judith’s eyes widened. She had not expected to hear Isabel talk this way.
“So, she giggled, “What would you suggest I do?”
“Well, first put the cat in another room not outside your door.
“I can do that” Judith chimed
“Although cats make wonderful familiars, until you establish the rules, she needs to stay outside the room while you are meditating.”
“Next, turn off your cell phone, unplug your home phone and try this guided meditation for a few days and see if that helps settle your thoughts. Isabel handed her a CD. “Bring it back with you to class on Tuesday and we’ll see how you do. This is not as easy as people think.”
“I found THAT out!”
Judith said her good bye’s and walked outside the store, taking note of the silver and crystal chess in the front window.
“God that’s gorgeous,” She thought visualizing the set in the middle of her coffee table. “I wonder how expensive it is” She wondered; maybe she could teach Cali how to play chess.
********
Judith invited Stella to eat at Chico’s before going home. Stella lived in Miami Springs, very close to where they worked. This would work out well since it would allow Judith to miss rush hour traffic.
Of course Stella wanted to sit outdoors so she could smoke and enjoy the cooler weather. She twisted her long brown hair up and pinned it to the back of her head. Her green eyes seemed to reflect the evening sunset.
“I thought you were giving those things up,” Judith scowled.
“I am,” Stella responded taking another drag, “But just not now!”
“Next time we have dinner you have to come up to Deerfield and dine by the ocean.”
“And that is supposed to help me stop smoking, how?” Stella retorted.
Judith laughed, “I was just changing the subject” Stella flashed a semi-sarcastic smile.
“That does sound like a good idea. I could use some ocean air” Stella took another, this time longer, puff.
Judith again laughed, “Yeah, what you can get in-between the cigarette breaks”
“I know I can stop, Stella said, “but with all the clubs I go to there’s cigarette smoke everywhere. I’m not sure I want to quit right now.
“No one says you have to go to all those clubs”
“Or that I have to quit” Stella quipped.
“Just your bod-dy!” Judith rebuked playfully.
It was just as well that the waitress came up to take their order. Judith had had this conversation with Stella before, to no avail.”
When the waitress left Judith tilted her head and decided to try something new. “How about, you join me in my meditation classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings?”
“God, I haven’t done that in years, I wonder if my chakras still work?”
Judith laughed. Stella was pretty funny at times. This was one of the reasons Judith liked spending time with her. Of course sometimes it was pretty dry, but mostly it was always unexpected.
“You can meet me in the parking lot after work Tuesday, I’ll show you the way. “
“Okay, but give me the address just in case I loose you in traffic”
“Great idea, Judith agreed.
Stella raised her eyebrows as she sipped her rum and coke. “That sounds promising; let’s go get some salad and a couple of Strawberry Daiquiris”
“No Daiquiris for me.” Judith said, “I still have to drive 30 miles to go home.”

********

Later that evening, after Judith fed Cali, she made herself a cup of raspberry tea and settled in the extra bedroom for her meditation. She found a cushioned matt which she used in the past to exercise on. “This will be perfect” she told Cali..
Her spare bedroom was used as her work out room. “It may as well be meditation room, as well” she reasoned. Looking into the mirrored wall across from her, she could focus on her posture. The walls of the room were painted a pale moss green and the ferns draping from her windows added to the serenity of the room. All she would need to do was to re-arrange the tread-mill and stationary bicycle to give her some room closer to the mirrored wall. She then set up some candles around the room for ambiance and knew she was all set to go.
Judith made sure to give Cali a tiny treat so she wouldn’t feel left out. She disconnected her land line, turned off her cell phone, locked the front door and went into the room, closing the door behind her.
After following all the advice Isabel had given her and comfortably seated, she inserted the CD into its Player on the floor next to her. She began to breathe slowly as it opened with soft melodic music. A low, soothing voice welcomed her. It then assisted her in breathing in and out to a count of four. Judy never seemed to match all the numbers but at least she was slowing down her breathing. She remembered Isabel saying that it would take some time to get it right.
Next she began relaxing her muscles; starting from her toes and working up to her neck, head and jaws. Once the loosening up was complete, the CD began a guided meditation. Judith began to picture herself next to a meandering stream, water gurgling over some rocks to form a small, but effective waterfall. She was surrounded by lush greenery. Sunlight gleamed reflections of the Bluebells which took refuse in a rocky area next to an oak tree. The sound of the water falling and rippling past her gave her a sense of contentment. The CD had allowed her time to enjoy her sacred place for a few minutes while it paused narration for a minute.
The sound of flutes gently brought Judith back to reality. Opening her eyes, she saw that a total of forty minutes had passed and she found herself relaxed, calm and ready for bed.
Closing the door to the workout room, she set Cali free and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Looking at herself in the mirror she braded her waist long reddish blond hair. As she did, she couldn’t help but wonder what her life would be like five, maybe ten years from now.
“Che Serra, Serra” Judith thought quoting her mother “What ever will be, will be”. She tied off the end of the braid and turned off the light. Now, she was ready to go to bed.
“Ahhh” she whispered to herself and Cali, “To sleep; to sleep, per chance to dream.” She crawled under the covers and Cali quickly leapt up taking her spot on the other pillow next to her mistress.

Chapter Three - “He who hoots with the owls cannot soar with the eagles”

Stella stood up to address the members of the meditation class. “Hi, my name is Stella Watson and once upon a time I used to do this sort of thing all the time” She boasted, “then I guess life just got in the way, and the men, don’t forget the men!! A few people chuckled.
“Always on the lookout for Mr. Right” Judith thought, “Sometimes just Mr. Right Now. “ She smiled showing sincere support for her friend and brought her eyes back to Isabel.
“No need to stand” Isabel smiled “we’re a casual group.”
Isabel continued “Meditation has to be something you do for ‘you’ not anyone else. You should be able, when this series of classes are over, to center yourselves in less than a minute, in any place, at any time, and any where. Regularly scheduled meditation will lower your blood pressure, improve your sleep, improve your cognitive thinking and as well as opening up your “third eye.”
Isabel taught two meditation techniques that evening; a bubble technique, where as the thoughts come, you put them into a bubble and watch them float away. Judith found this one difficult. The second one was a “safe place” technique which she really liked. All she needed to do was picture her apartment, make it a house, and transport it to a deserted Caribbean island. The view and sound of the gentle surf was very pleasing. As she walked along the beach she saw a golden retriever running towards her, wagging its tail. She could feel the soft white peasant dress against her skin and her bare feet made soon to be erased footprints along the shore.
When class was over, Stella excused herself and rushed off to visit a male friend in Pompano for a late night drink. Unable to ask how Stella liked the class and if she would be coming back, Judith also left. She made sure to pick up some cat food on her way home, and maybe a frozen strawberry yogurt for herself.
When Judith checked her mailbox she found a letter from her mother’s attorney.
“I just cannot deal with this right now” she said as she tossed it on the dining room table.
She placed a “Lean Cuisine” meal into her microwave and poured herself a cup of tea. When it was ready, Judith sat at that very same table to eat her meal. The letter seemed to taunt her: “Open me, O-pen me-e” Aggravated, Judith turned the letter over and turned on the TV.
Once dinner was over she did a little cleaning and a quick load of laundry. She wasn’t a neat freak or anything but she tried hard to stay on top of things during the week so she wouldn’t waste any of her week-end days. Judith thought about catching up on some reading this weekend and could just hear Stella telling her what an “Old Cat Lady” she had become.

********
The next morning Stella did not show up at McDonalds for coffee. Judith finished hers and decided to just go in early. She wanted to make up time for her late lunch a few days earlier anyway. It was a good two hours later that Stella showed up for work. She was explaining to her supervisor that she had car trouble and had to take it to the garage.
“It’s a good thing she doesn’t work on my team” Judith thought “Now, THAT would be a serious conflict of interest”
That evening, after work, her co-workers planned a celebration party for her at Chico’s. Although she knew it really was just an excuse to party, she appreciated the sentiment. It also meant she had to be there. Much to her surprise, even Bob showed up with his wife. Now she really knew the sentiment was true!
Judith actually enjoyed herself. Since she had a tremendous amount of nervous energy she spent a lot of her time mingling with all her coworkers. Judith was very good at networking having been in the Real Estate Industry for many years. Although she wasn’t selling much this year, her leads generated her surprisingly tidy sum of money; most of which she put into a bank account earmarked for her dream house on the beach.
Stella finally showed up and now Judith knew the party would really begin. Because she lived so close to work, Stella had gone home to change first. She showed up in a red, very low cut, form fitting cocktail dress which accented her every curve.
“No need to dress up on my account” Judith teased.
“Oh honey, I have some hot plans for later” Stella cooed.
“Why does this NOT surprise me” Judith laughed and gave her friend a hug. The best thing about this friendship was that both women allowed the other to be exactly who they were without trying to change each other; well, except for the smoking part.
Six months earlier Judith’s mother passed away from lung cancer. Judith herself did not smoke but she had been on Stella’s back ever since then to quit or at least slow down. Judith knew Stella understood where she was coming from as she was continually humored with promises of quitting. Judith’s one wish was that she at least planted the seed.
It was about eight o’clock and the party had pretty much thinned out. Most of the gang had gone home or elsewhere to party. Those who didn’t leave decided to stay for some excellent Mexican food. Judith was sitting with Bob and his wife, Christine. They were both enjoying Fajita’s enhanced by margaritas. Judith was glad she decided to join them because the food would go along way in keeping her alert on the way home. Although Judith was not a big drinker, she did have a little more libation than her usual two drink limit. Once her bottom lip started feeling numb, Judith knew to quit drinking.
Nursing her cup of coffee Judith thought about the letter waiting to be opened. “I’m gonna have to open it sometime” she thought

*******
The next morning Judith clenched her jaw and opened the letter. As she suspected it was announcing the date for the final probate meeting and the reading of her mother’s will. The pit of her stomach seemed to knot up and tears began to well in her eyes. The date was set for one month from today, with a post script saying that the attorney wanted to talk to her before the actual final reading of the will.
“I’m just not ready for this” she sighed. Cali rubbed against her legs letting her know that she was not alone or maybe she just wanted more food.
Her mother’s death had been devastatingly hard on Judith. It was bad enough she had to drive by the hospital that her mother had worked at (and latter died in) every single day on her way to and from work. Judith figured out that as soon as she saw the hospital, if she began saying the Lord’s Prayer over and over again, she could get past the hospital and still hold herself together.

“Cali, get down from there!” she scolded. Cali jumped down from the top of the walnut bookcase. “You know you’re not supposed to be up there!” She cringed as she saw her Hummel collection wobble during the decent. “And you stay off of there” she added.
Gathering up her keys and papers, Judith left for work.

Chapter Four – One foot in front of the other
Judith usually enjoyed her days off. Saturdays were the days that she watered and cared for her numerous plants. She promised herself, once again, not to bring another one home with her. Later she spent time reading as she sat in her big comfy arm chair and saw a Baltimore Oriole appeared on the branch out side her living room window.
“A sure sign winter is here” she asked Cali; “Isn’t it?” The spotted multicolored cat stretched on the sofa next to her and yawned. “Well, if that’s how you feel” Judith went back to reading.
A few more chapters into her book, Judith heard her mailbox clank outside the apartment. She saw the mail lady walk by to deliver to all the other apartments
Judith was glad she had rented the downstairs corner apartment instead of the 2nd floor middle one that was also available. Judith hated stairs. It brought back memory flashes of her being so little and the Curbs in Chicago being too tall for her to climb onto. She also remember the long whitewashed stairway she had to climb when her mom and step dad first moved to Florida. Any time she had to go up or down them she was so afraid of falling and killing herself like people in the movies. She celebrated her fifth birthday there. How she ever survived those stairs was beyond her.
Judith put her book down and went outside. Along with bills and flyers there was another letter from her attorney. Reluctantly she opened the letter and saw the date for her final divorce hearing. Staring at it she knew it was what she wanted and her ex, Steve did not fight it.
The final hearing was a week away and ironically, the day after her mom’s probate. The sad thing was that Judith was still in love with her ex. It tore her heart out to divorce him but she knew that she could not live with him. His sarcasm was more that she could deal with as well as the excessive condescending remarks he would make about her body. Judith felt ugly when she was around him; like she wasn’t one of the “perfect things” he loved to surround himself with.
He also had a terrible temper when he drank, which frightened Judith very much. Although he had never struck her, she was always afraid he would. After finally deciding she wouldn’t live this way, she left taking only her car and the clothes on her back. She stayed with Stella until she found a place of her own.
Putting the letter down, she called her long time friend, Stella. Two letters in one week was more than she had bargained for and she knew joining her friend would certainly take her mind off them.
*******

On Tuesday, as usual, Judith and Stella met at the Mystical Garden for the ongoing meditation class. Judith arrived in plenty of time to look around. While admiring a four pound chard of Brazilian amethyst she saw Stella finally came in.
“I wasn’t sure you were coming.” Judith joked.
“Of course I’d come; I promised didn’t I?”
“Not really, but it still is good to see you” Judith chuckled. They both sat together at the far end of the circle so that Isabel would be directly in front of them. The nice thing about coming in early meant they could get the best seats.
Isabel had an easy way of teaching. When she spoke you felt you were mesmerized by her words. Rumor had it that tonight’s meditation was going to be a bit more interesting than the previous ones.
“Seeking your Spiritual Guide”, is the name of the meditation we will do tonight” Isabel announced sitting tall in her arm chair.
“This guide will help you thru difficult times and offer you guidance. You may find that it someone in your past, or an ancestor of some sort. Do not judge, or question the fact that they are here. If they are to be your guide, they will make it known to you.”
Everyone in the circle closed their eyes as Isabel started the music.
“Take in a long deep breath… Close your eyes… unfold your arms and legs… and sit so your spine, neck and head are in a straight line” she continued.
“As you continue to take these cleansing breaths clear your mind of all the daily chatter. Just clear them away….. That’s it….” She began her “relaxing the muscles” ritual. When that part was done, she lowered her voice again, and turned on some gentle music. See yourself standing in the middle of a large clearing.” Isabel continued. “To the left of you are a couple of Oak trees and colorful wild flowers. You see a path leading into the denser part of the trees. To the right, there is a small house built of rocks, smoke streaming from its chimney. You turn and casually walk towards the small house. You will need to prepare for your journey. As you get closer to the house you see wild flowers growing along the path and a large Oak tree that was just beginning to cast some shade over the house.
You walk up to the front door and knock. As you do, the door pushes open and you walk in. You smell the aroma of freshly baked bread and notice that the table in front of the rustic fireplace is set for only one person. Above the fireplace there is a wooden plank which reads; “Welcome, Make yourself at home and enjoy your meal”
Inside the fireplace there is a large caldron hanging just above the flames. You find a cloth to protect your hand, and you lift the heavy lid. Within the caldron, there is a divider which separates it nto three sections. It’s all your favorite foods. A ceramic pitcher on the table is filled with your favorite drink as well. How can this be? You wonder. You pour yourself a drink and serve yourself. You are amazed at how delicious the food and warm bread are.
When you are done eating, you decide to lie down and rest. There is a small bed over by the wall which looks very inviting and you walk over to it. You notice that the sun has gone down and wonder if you should light any candles. You sit on the bed and you notice the dining table is cleared. Surprisingly , one by one, the candles seem to light themselves.
You lie down on the bed; close your eyes and rest a while. A few moments later you hear a knock at the door and you get up to answer it.
“Greetings Friend” The visitor bows her head as she greets you. “I am your spiritual guide and I have come to show you the way through the forest.
“Now?” you ask.
“Yes, my friend, now” she responds, smiling. She reaches out to take your hand and leads you outside beneath a full moon. Together you walk across the field and into the forest. You look back at the house, and you realize it is no longer there.
“There are many things here you will not understand” she continues. ‘It is all part of your journey and part of your training.” She turns to you and says. “If you need me you have but to look inside your heart and my presence will be known to you. “
A small white Owl flies towards her and gently sits upon her outstretched hand.
“Do not fear any of the animals you meet here. There is nothing here to harm you.”
The Owl flies off and lands on a smaller Oak just about 20 feet ahead of you. You and your guide follow the Owl’s lead and as you begin to approach her, she again flies to another spot and waits for you. This pattern continues a few more times and you find yourself at the entrance of a cave glowing from the campfire within.
You enter the cave and see other people seated in a circle around the fire. Someone is softly drumming a slow steady beat which is almost hypnotic in its tone. . “
Judith, deep in meditation saw many of them dressed in clothes made of hides, just like your guide. You notice that the only one with a staff is your guide. She wears an Amulet of Red Jasper around her neck and has larger Jasper on the top of her staff, which seems to come alive in the firelight.
She raises her staff and strikes the end firmly on a flat rock on the ground making a resounding noise. The drumming stops. She turns, looks at you and says:
“These are your ancestors.” She tells you. “They are here to listen to all your concerns and answer any of your questions on any subject. I will leave you here. Take as long as you need and when you’re ready, step out of the cave. I will be there to lead you back. As she turns and leaves the cave, the soft drumming begins.”
Isabel paused.
Judith had noticed when she first came into the cave how much the members of the cave circle resembled her family. Now she understood why. She felt at ease here, safe, protected. She envisioned herself explaining to the group how grueling this last year had been for her. She spoke of her mothers death, her sibling’s constant protests, the end of her marriage, finding a new place to live. She talked about her struggle for a promotion at work; all this while selling real estate on her days off for extra money just to buy a house. She told them how most people around her in the outside world had no idea of how much stress she was under. After she was done speaking the ancestors one by one responded to her.
Each ancestor spoke to her of what she needed to know and what to not be bothered with. She was told by one that her mother’s house would give her an offering and to just be patient.
Another told her that she did well to leave her husband; he had not evolved as much as she had and soon would meet someone who she will recognize as her soul mate.
She felt herself bathed in the light of the campfire and warmed by the love that came from each person. She knew she was no longer alone in her struggles.
She was then told that she could return anytime she wanted thru her meditations or dreams. The Owl would always be there to greet her and lead her to the camp, regardless of where she was.
Judith thanked the ancestors and left the cave. Her guide walked out from the lush trees of the forest, to meet her and guide her back.
Isabel’s voice once more was heard softly saying:
“Before your guide leaves you, she will tell you her name. You will remember this name and know that you will receive signs of her presence around you.”
Isabel once more paused, but for only a minute. Judith looked at her guide, and was told:
“My name is Jonquil; I am high priestess and shaman of our tribe. I bid you farewell until we meet again.”
She was beautiful, Judith thought. Her Hazel Eyes would change like the ocean waves from a brisk deep blue to a vibrant shimmering green. Jonquil seemed to slowly fade away in front of her as the sound of Isabel’s voice once more led her back from the meditation.
“When you are ready, slowly see yourself back in our classroom and open your eyes”
Judith was amazed at what had appeared to take so long, was only 20 minutes. One by one the others opened their eyes. Even Stella seemed to enjoy this class.
Judith whispered over to Stella, “I can just see your spiritual guide, “she joked, “She’s probably Xena, the warrior princess.” Both girls laughed. “No” Stella responded, “Actually my guide was some dude named Reed. He’s kind of cute too!”
“Before you all leave…” Isabel Announced, “There will be no class this coming Tuesday. I am going to central Florida to visit my grandchildren this weekend and I will be leaving tomorrow.

Chapter Five – Decisions, Decisions
Judith called her attorney from work to make an appointment. She knew she needed to see him before the reading of the will and speak to him concerning her mother’s house and the difficulties she had been having with her siblings. She also knew that according to Florida law, her mother had lived in the house with a “life estate” This meant as long as she was alive she had the right to live in the house, but not to lease, sell, or mortgage it. This was because her step-father’s will had mysteriously disappeared. She also knew that the house would go only to her half brother and half sister, and no part of those proceeds would go to her. .
Her brother was on drugs, looking for his next fix and her sister was married with five children and living in Omaha. It was Judith alone who spent every minute of her spare time taking care of her mom.
Although Florida law provided her mom with a place to live, the upkeep for the 5 acre compound was more than either of them could handle. Judith tried, but the house needed constant care and unless she lived there fulltime, (which she swore she would never do again.) it would still be difficult to maintain properly with her two jobs.
The appointment was for Tuesday evening at 5:30. “Thank Goodness, I don’t have class that night” she thought, perhaps she could talk the old family attorney into dinner.
When she arrived, the secretary had already left so she let herself into the Franklin Pierce law office. “Hey there’ Uncle Frank” She said with a grin.
“I’m old enough to be your father, and don’t go calling me Uncle Frank!” he teased back.
After they went through the normal niceties he sat behind his desk. The rich cherry wood furniture was oversized and antique. The desk spanned in front of him, to his left and around to the back of his desk forming a U shape.
“Now, about the house“ He began.
Judith sat down in one of his cushioned leather chairs as he continued.
“As you know with your mother’s life estate it is pretty much cut and dry, your half siblings split it. However there maybe something for you tucked away that your mother never told you about. I can’t disclose it now, but rest assured it will well make up for lack of inheritance when it comes to the house. Your mother made me swear that your half brother and half sister were NOT to know about this. “
“So, when will you let me know?” Judith inquired.
“In time, my dear, in time” he drawled. “Once the house is taken care of and your siblings’ have retracted their fangs then you and I will get together and discuss some other things which your mother wanted me to disclose.
Judith was mystified. “It sounds like good news, but I certainly wish I knew what it was”
“Not to worry” he reassured her,” just be patient and get through this part. I know how difficult it has been for you. I just wanted to give you some hope to endure this with. “
Picking up another file, he looked up at her and said “Are you ready to sign your final divorce papers?”

********

When Friday came along the usual party group was ready to toast the weekend. The night crew was already logged in and hard at work. As Judith left the office, Stella joined her. When they got to the parking lot Judith turned to Stella and asked:
“How about you skip Chico’s tonight and join me to sit and meditate on the beach?”
“It’s Party time, girrrl!” Stella hollered. Stella swung her hips and shoulders as the she walked away. “Next time, Baby, next time! I promise. “
With the “I promise” tacked onto the end of her sentence Judith knew that Stella would do the beach meditation with her but at another time. When Stella was in a partying mood that was the only thing on her mind”. They were so different, yet got along so well.
Judith smiled and waved good bye. “Have fun” she chirped.
Stella waved back “I always do!”
Rather than go straight home, Judith decided to go to her mom’s house and see it for the last time before it was to be sold. She also wondered if there was anything left there that she could rescue.
When she got to the house she saw that the yard was overgrown. The house actually looked creepy and beautiful at the same time. The Bougainville had grown over the house cascading it with deep purple. The Gardenia bush was loaded with it fragrant blossoms; Judith loved that smell and deeply breathed in the scent before entering the house. Once inside, she looked around slowly, walking into each room and inspecting the mess it had been left in. There was no real furniture left, just a chair, a couple of brooms and a mop. She wondered what it looked like when her siblings helped themselves to what ever struck their fancy.
“First come, first serve”, Judith thought, “How did I know that was going to happen?”
The house had been built in 1947 by a retired sea captain who had mysterious disappeared in the early 40’s. Ever since she was a child she imagined she could find a hidden door, tunnel, anything. She always felt like it was there, she just couldn’t find it.
When she got to her parents room, she found the ornate dresser still in the nook between their room and the main bathroom. It was a large space and accommodated this piece of furniture quite well. She looked in the drawers and found a few of her mom’s things still in them.
“I should give all these to Goodwill” she thought. Perhaps she could bring this piece of furniture home. It would be the only thing she got out of it. The only thing the attorney was concerned with was the final disposition of the house and his fee, even if he was a longtime friend of the family.
Judith called the neighbor on her cell. He had helped her out many a time when she could not get through to her mother. Perhaps she could get him to help her move it and follow her home in his truck. Between him and his teenage son she knew they were perfect for her mission.
Once the truck was loaded Judith walked into the house one again as the men sat down on the truck tail gate to cool off. Going back into her parents’ bedroom she looked into the empty nook and noticed that the top part was hollow. She had always thought the small linen closet behind bathroom door backed up to it. Instead she found that if she walked into the nook, she could actually stand up.
“How cool is this?” She asked quietly. As she turned around slowly, she put her hand against the wall which supposedly housed the linen closet on the other side. It surprised her when she felt it move. She pushed again and part of the nook disappeared. . A walkway with cement stairs, lead her down below the house.
“I didn’t know we had a basement” she muttered quietly. “And why put it here?” “And WHO has a basement in Florida?”
There seemed to be a soft glow from the bottom of the stairs. Judith was curious and began to slowly descend the stairs even though there was no guard rail to steady her. “I don’t think this was a good idea” She remarked “I can just see myself falling down these stairs and no one ever finding me again.” She took a deep breath of the musty air let it out slowly as she had done in meditation. She would not let her fear get the best of her. She was also grateful that the stairs were wide enough for two people to walk comfortably.
“What could be down here?” she asked herself. She knew the neighbor would be waiting for her outside and she either had to hurry up or come back another time. It was getting late so she decided to come back later this evening with Stella.
“At least if we get trapped down there we’ll have each other to talk to” she reasoned.
Judith immediately showered when she got home. She had felt all sticky like there were tiny spider webs all over her from the entrance to the stairs.
“I wonder who else knows about that.” She asked Cali. “If I didn’t know about it I doubt anyone else did. I’m the only one silly enough to go into the closet and stand up.”
Judith picked up the house phone to order Chinese takeout. Despite being ½ Italian, she loved Chinese food and always ordered out.
She turned on some music, picked up her book and plopped down on her comfy chair. Cali, of course, ended up right on her lap and within minutes, both were soon curled up and fast asleep.
It was 3AM when the telephone startled Judith awake.
“Hello?” She groggily answered.
“This is Miami Lakes Hospital, and you were on the “in case of emergency” card of a Stella Watson. We have her here at the hospital emergency room in critical condition from an automobile accident.
“Oh my GOD, Stella! She gasped, “I will be right there, 20 minutes, bye” she hung up the phone and rushed out the door.
Judith had passed the remains of the accident on her way to the hospital. Stella’s Firebird looked like a busted accordion, and the pickup truck that she hit didn’t look much better. She knew this would be Stella’s second DUI, however, her primary concern was “could Stella survive the crash?”
When she got to the hospital, Stella was being rolled into the elevator for surgery. Although Stella was pretty well sedated; Judith rushed to get to her just in time.
“Stella, I’m here, it’s Judith. Can you hear me?”
Stella’s eyes opened briefly; a faint smile appeared on her bloody face. Judith squeezed her hand and stepped back. The elevator door closed and she was brought into the surgical unit. Judith walked around to the waiting room and waited.
The orange plastic chairs were not the least bit comfortable. The stark white walls surrounding her reeked of antiseptic cleaner. There was a coffee machine in the corner. Judith walked over to machine, sighed and deposited her change.
It was six hours before a worn out Doctor came into the waiting room.
“She came through the operation fairly well;” He began. “However we are still concerned about the concussion she received.”
“How bad was she?” Judith quickly asked.
“We’ve set her broken leg, and shoulder blade, but her pelvis will take 8 to 10 weeks to heal. We can only tape her broken ribs to help them heal and we also repaired her collapsed lung. “
The doctor scratched his bald head. “There was damage to her kidneys and spleen, which was also repaired, however we will need to keep an eye on her.” As he shook his head, he continued looking Judith in the eyes.
“Your friend is very lucky to be alive”
“Thank you, Doctor” Judith began to cry tears of relief. “Thank you! Thank you!”
“She’ll be in ICU until she stabilizes. We need to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t go into a coma. Her body has gone through a tremendous amount of trauma.”
“Thank you, Doctor”
He continued. “You can visit her tomorrow, later in the day, not that she’ll be too awake to speak to your or anything, but you can try!”
Again Judith said “Thank you.” She was so grateful that Stella had survived the horrible crash. She also found out that Stella was lucky not to have veered off the bridge she crashed on.
She decided to take the Doctor’s advice and go home for a shower, a nap and return to the hospital the next day. Judith was the only family Stella had. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was in college and she had no other siblings.
It had been a very long night for both of them.
******
When Judith returned to the hospital, Stella was out of recovery and in ICU. The bouquet of long steamed, velvet, scarlet roses Judith sent to the hospital had to stay at the nurses’ station.
Wearing a face mask Judith was able to go into Stella’s room for 5 minutes every hour. It’s a good thing she brought a book she reasoned because she might have to spend a lot of time waiting. She also figured that perhaps she could read to Stella even if she was under sedation. For now, Judith needed to wait until they took some more blood and then she could go in.
The waiting room was adjacent to the nurses’ station so Judith could see Stella quite easily as she looked up from her book. Doctors and Nurses kept going in and out of the room. They continually checked her vitals every 30 minutes and would add different fluids into her IV. They also had her on a catheter which hinted at blood in her urine.
“You can go in now” one of the nurses told her. Judith smiled and left her book in the waiting room. She quietly walked into Stella’s room.
“Stella? Can you hear me Stella? Judith stood at the head of the bed.
“I just wanted you to know that it’s me, your best bud; Judith. I’m here and I will be here as often as you need me, I’m here!”
Tears streamed down Judith’s cheeks. They had been friends since the beginning of Elementary school and even went on to the same College. Judith was there for Stella during the death of her parents, and Stella had been there for her on numerous occasions. It was more like a sisterhood than just a friendship.
Stella continued to remain in critical condition. The doctors were hopeful that she would heal, however the concussion still could cause a serious problem. They were afraid they might have to do surgery to alleviate the pressure on her brain. In the meanwhile, they kept her as immobile as possible and on a steady morphine drip.
Judith spent the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday in ICU by Stella’s side. By Monday the doctors were concerned that Stella still had not awakened. Her vitals were good and the sedation was wearing off but she continued to be in a deep, deep sleep.

Chapter Six – Risky Journey

It had been more than a week and Stella continued to remain in a coma. Her condition had been raised to serious because the pressure on her brain was increasing. Risky brain surgery was becoming a viable option, which she may or may not survive.
Judith had been to the hospital every day, sometimes twice a day, for the last two weeks. She also spent as much of the weekend she could reading aloud or just talking to Stella. She knew she needed to be at work, but instead took a short term leave to be there for her dear friend.
Judith was exhausted when she returned home that evening. No matter what she tried to busy herself with she still could not take her mind off Stella.
“This might be one of those times to meditate” she thought turning on some soft jazz. “I wish there were something more I could do” Cali curled up on her lap.” I may as well just leave you there” she said running her hand along Cali patch quilt back.
“I could pray” Judith whispered to Cali, “but that’s just not enough! “I need to feel like I have an active part in her recovery. Stella would expect it of me.”
Cali just purred.
As she sat she let her mind drift to the forest Isabel had introduced her to. She needed to ask the ancestors how to help Stella and focused on meditating towards them. Judith had continued to work on the meditation techniques and was quite comfortable with many of them.
She began to center herself and focused on her ancestors. It wasn’t’ too long when she visualized the cave and the elders circling the fire. As she spoke to them she reiterated her feeling of helplessness and was desperate to find a way to change that.
“It seems like time has come to intervene. Prayers are not the only thing you can do, my child” one of them reassured her. “You can become one with your dear friend and add your strength to hers in order to facilitate her recovery.”
Judith wasn’t quite sure what they meant.
“You must also be very careful.” the ancestor continued, “You cannot stay merged for too long or you will cause much harm to yourself. You, my child are the only one who can do this because the two of you have very strong soul-ties. You have been sisters many lifetimes before.”
Another ancestor spoke. “You must also light a candle for her in a sacred place and make sure it remains lit until this crucial period is over; a black one; to remove all negativity which may surround her and those around her. If she is to get past this point in her recovery, she can not receive any negativity. You must also light a pink candle to represent the healing light that you will surround her with in your meditations. This you must do every day without fail. “
A third one spoke also. “These things you will do and they will be enough. The rest is up to her and her desire to stay on this earthly plane. Should she want to leave us, her free will grants her that as well. Right now she is “in-between both worlds, lost and unable to find her way. You must guide her back. Reassure her, alleviate her fears. Surround her in love, and tell her how important she is in your life.
“I’m not sure I can do all those things” Judith questioned. “I am so worried. I can’t think or do anything else. She’s the only real family I have left.”
Quietly Jonquil moved out of the shadows and into the glow of the fire.
“You can, my child. You can and you will.” She said firmly. “We have asked nothing more of you than that which is within your power. The rest will be up to her and the Powers of the Universe.”
“I’ll do my best” Judith replied, “I will do all I can!”
Jonquil handed Judith a small piece of Red Jasper. If you should feel afraid, or somehow get lost within her pain you must focus on this stone and it will guide you back to yourself.
As Judith took the stone, the ancestors and Jonquil faded away and she was back in her living room with Cali sound asleep on her lap.
*******
Judith had to call Isabel and tell her what she learned in meditation. Isabel advised her that if she waited until tomorrow she would call all the members of the healing group. They would all work together to strengthen Judith as she became one with Stella. Isabel would assist Judith, one on one to monitor how she was doing.
“What you are attempting to do is a very powerful healing technique and should not be taken lightly.” Isabel warned. “It’s always best to have someone on the outside that could intervene if needed.”
Once she put the phone down, Judith looked through her candle supply finding one black one and one pink one. She placed them on her Kitchen Island and lit them both. Between them she placed a picture of Stella; smiling and strong.
“Please get better, Stella” She pleaded, “Please wake up”
The next morning Judith grabbed some power bars on the way out the door. Hopefully these would be enough to tide her over while she was at the hospital. She had called to find out about Stella’s condition before leaving the apartment. There was still no change.
Judith called the hospital more than ten times during the day. Thank goodness it was busy at work as it helped keep her mind off Stella; at least part of the time. The office sent Stella a large basket of flowers in Harvest colors. Judith wondered how long it would be until she saw the flowers.
On Tuesday Judith stopped by the hospital before class to check on Stella. She was told that Stella’s coma was deeper than they first thought. She was encouraged to speak or read to her as often as possible. The doctors were doing all they could do without endangering her life.
*******
Isabel led the healing circle. There were many people there that Judith didn’t recognize but it made no difference to her. Judith had brought a picture of Stella for the group to concentrate on. Isabel had already made them aware of whom they would be sending the healing energy. Pink and white candles surrounded the picture and the overhead lights were turned off. Except for the candlelight, there was no other illumination.
“Before we begin” Isabel spoke softly; “Those of you who have not done this before must get in touch with their spiritual guides before you start working on Stella. This is important both for you and the person we are working on.
Judith remembered Jonquil, the stunning woman with the Red Jasper Staff.
Judith knew she had to ask her for help. “Please help me become one with Stella” she pleaded. “I need to give her more strength and stamina to get through this. I’m so afraid she might never wake up”
Silent tears were streaming down Judith’s cheeks as she concentrated. The rest of the group began their chanting and drumming to help in the healing process as she worked with Jonquil.
“I don’t know what to do, Jonquil.” Judith admitted.
Jonquil approached Judith saying “You DO know what to do. You have done it for centuries. You are from a long line of wise women on your mother’s side. All you need to do is remember. Why do you think you always seemed to have a healing touch with animals and others? Your ancestors go back over 2000 years originating in Italy. From your true father’s side, you have your elders from the Cherokee Nation as part of your inheritance. You are and always have been a strong and wise woman.”
Judith thought back on various things her mother had done which at the time seemed strange, but now were falling into place. Her Mom had a deck of Italian Tarot cards she would often read and quickly pick up when Judith walked into her room. “I’m just playing cards” she would say. There were always candles burning to the saints and all sorts of superstitions and traditions which her mother adhered to which were passed on to Judith.
“Visualize your spirit self” Jonquil began. “Stay on focus and soak in the healing energies emanating from this group. Hold it within you. See yourself bathed in a pink light which surrounds you as you see yourself walk towards Stella.”
Judith could do this part, she felt strong and confident and at ease.
“Integrate your spirit self with hers” Jonquil continued. “But do so slowly. The pain from her body will be overwhelming to you at first.”
Judith saw herself merging with her friend. Sharp pangs of searing pain attacked her body. Judith clutched the red jasper and drew her strength from it. She felt as though she were being buried under a truck load of dessert sand and could not break free.
“Concentrate, Judith, Concentrate on the healing energy” Jonquil warned. “You must not focus on the pain, Focus on the healing light; focus on the healing energy. Meld your strength and your love with hers; Stay focused”
Judith worked hard keeping her focus on the healing energies and not the pain that reeled in every part of her body. Pain of varying degrees continued to bombard her and a feeling of darkening heaviness encompassed her.
“No, focus on the energy” She reminded herself. “I can do this. Pink light, healing light, all over me and Stella” She told herself.
Judith felt like she was playing a tug-o-war with the pain and the healing process. She was afraid she was getting sucked into it.
“Jonquil, Please help me” she begged “I need you!”
“Stay focused, Jonquil replied, you can do this. Stay focused.”
Judith could feel herself being sucked up in a whirlpool of excruciating pain and knew she was loosing her footing. It became more and more difficult for her to stay focused and on task.
Jonquil spoke softly: “Take my hand”
Judith saw herself reach up and take Jonquil’s hand. The whirlpool engulfing her took on a different light. From black and dark grays it became deep blues and purples which seemed to dissipate the forceful attacks on her body. She saw it become a bright, white light which surrounded both her and Stella. Once more Judith was able to connect to the healing energies from the group. This healing light seemed to be growing stronger. Judith could feel her strength being added to Stella’s, her confidence growing. The painful invader Judith had undergone began to diminish.
At 11:15 that evening the head nurse called Judith at home. Stella had opened her eyes and complained of being “as hungry as a bear!” Judith immediately called Isabel passing on the good news.
Her heart leapt up with joy. “I can’t believe it” she cried
“Believe it!” Jonquil’s voice answered softly in her mind.
“Believe it!” responded Isabel


Chapter Seven – All is Well
Judith stopped by the hospital on her way into work. Stella was sitting up drinking some coffee.
“Where’s mine? “ Judith joked. ”it’s so good to see you finally awake.” Judith hugged her as carefully as she could; being careful not to squeeze too tightly.
“I agree” Stella replied,” and by the way; I had the weirdest dream about you and this weird group of people while I was under.”
“Is that so?” Judith questioned, “Go on”
“It was as though you and they were right there with me, I could feel you and there was this white light, I thought I was dead”
Judith chuckled. Stella continued. “Then it was as if you and I became one person and I began to feel like wonder woman or something. I didn’t have any pain and a voice within me told me that I could get through this. “
Stella looked deep into Judith’s eyes and held her hand. “Before that I felt like I was sinking into a deep well or something. I could hear Isabel telling me to relax; breathe and accept what was happening. I knew I would be perfectly safe.”
“Well, whatever it was, I am grateful for it” Judith smiled. “Now, about you moving in with me, I think now would be a good time. I can take care of all the moving while you are recuperating here in the hospital. I have the large second bedroom which is not being used except for meditation, so I know all your stuff will fit.”
“Sounds like you have everything figured out”
“I certainly do!”

Chapter Eight – From Rags to Riches
Judith’s divorce had become final and she no longer had to contend with her ex-husband. The pain in her heart however, had not gone away.
Her brother and sister were still squabbling over the house and except for the hidden passage Judith wished it had just as well burnt it down. She had never gone back to investigate the closet during the last 10 weeks because she still wanted Stella to go with her. Judith had told her about it earlier in the hospital and they had all sorts of fun speculating on what could be down there; considering everything from a Portal of some kind; to possibly a bomb shelter which was so popular during the 50’s
Judith kept Stella well stocked when it came to reading materials. There were always three or four books in her room at one time. Although Stella’s tastes ran to more of the “romance novel” line, she actually enjoyed the various self-help books Judith had inundated her with. She had found Leo Buscalia to be quite funny and absolutely fell in love with Og Mandino. Steven Bach was another writer she adored and was especially surprised to find out it was Steven Spielberg’s “nom de plum.”
During the six weeks in the hospital, Stella gained strength and her organs became stronger. Her bones and lungs were healing nicely without any further complications. The pressure on her brain had miraculously diminished. By the time she left the hospital she no longer had the desire to smoke; let alone drink. She had asked Judith to go to AA meetings with her, since she had agreed to go to the meditation classes. It seemed a fair enough deal, not that they were alcoholics but she knew how obsessive-compulsive both of them could be so the meetings certainly couldn’t hurt.
Stella was all moved into Judith’s apartment. Once recuperated, driving to and from work would be a lot more enjoyable for both of them.
“It’s nice to know that I have more than a cat waiting at home for me.” Judith knew in her heart this would work. Besides, they could both use the companionship as well as sharing expenses. It also meant that Judith could actually save enough to buy the oceanfront house she had been dreaming about. Judith pictured Stella lying on the beach, soaking in the tanning sub tropical rays. Judith knew Stella was becoming more and more like her old self before college parties and raves had enticed her.
Not only had Stella’s body been healing, but she told Judith that she felt as if her spirit had also been healed. She was no longer afraid of the future, even if she still didn’t know what was in store for her, she would take it one day at a time, and let the future take care of itself.
**********
Walking into Stella’s room the following morning Judith chirped “I have a surprise for you”
“And that would be…….?
“The Doctor says you can go home today.” Judith’s face seemed to glow as she said those words.
“Halleluiah! Stella shouted. She flung the blankets off her getting out of bed to hug her.
“Maybe you should be hugging the Doctor not me” Judith quipped.
“I just don’t feel that desperate anymore” Stella said looking serious. “Don’t get me wrong, he IS adorable, but I just don’t feel the need to hit on every male I meet anymore. I feel like life is more than what I thought it was and I really want to participate in it.”
“Well let’s get dressed and start right on it” Judith smiled.
Stella had settled into Judith’s condo quite comfortably. She spent a good deal of time on the sofa watching TV or reading. Cali found someone else to scratch her furry back.
“What’s going on with your mom’s house?” Stella questioned “And how old is that place, it looks ancient.”
“Well, it’s still not sold, which for me is a good thing. Judith confessed. “It was built 100 years ago by an old Sea Captain” continued Judith. “I always hoped I could find some hidden passage way in it and now, believe it or not, I did.”
“Oh, my God! So when are we going exploring” Stella prodded.
They decided to go into the house that evening and see where the passageway led. Each was dressed in long sleeve sweatshirts with a hood to protect their head from spider webs; making sure their pants were tacked into their socks as well. Neither one wanted anything crawling up their legs. Armed with super deluxe flashlights and their cell phones they approached the house like a couple of cat burglars on a job. The only difference was that Judith still had a key. Leading the way through the house she walked over to the nook and stepped into it. It was very tight when Stella also stepped in.
Judith pushed against the back wall and again it gave way.
“Oh, my goodness” Stella gasped. “I really didn’t believe you”
Very carefully both girls continued down the stairs. Judith was more confident than she had been last time. This was partly because Stella was there and partly because of her “subconscious escapade” with Stella when she was in the coma. “Nothing could be as scary as that” she thought. She still did not tell Stella what she had done, preferring, at least at this point, to keep it to herself. Stella was not always a great believer in things “Metaphysical”
“When is this thing going to end?” Stella complained.
“Your guess is as good as mine” Judith quipped back.
They both stopped to catch their breath and drank some water. They could see a glow emanating from below but neither one was sure what it was.
Finally they reached the bottom step. To their surprise, they saw a large room filled with golden vases and plates, jewelry filled with rubies and emeralds and other items which looked like salvage from sunken ships. Smack in the middle of the room was a wooden chest filled with what looked like pieces of gold.
“Am I really seeing this?” asked Stella.
“If you’re not, I’m having the same dream!”
They stepped further into the room.
AHHHHHH screamed Stella, It’s a BODY!
Sure enough the body of the old sea captain had been perfectly preserved for fifty years.
“We have to call someone” Judith remarked “I still can’t believe this!”
After the authorities had arrived it was determined that the old man most likely died of a heart attack. An autopsy would reveal the cause for sure. Even the coroner was surprised to see how well the body had been preserved.
Judith called the family attorney and asked him about the ownership of the items found down below. He advised her that since her siblings already signed papers stating they were satisfied with their share of the estate; whatever was left in the house was hers for the taking and to claim it as hers.
After the coroners’ office left with the body, the photographers soon left with their pictures of the hidden room and all its treasure. Judith and Stella, still numb from their find, sat outside on the front porch of the house.
“Who would have ever thought, that buried under our house for all those years was all that stuff.
“Not me, that’s for sure” responded Stella, “Certainly not me!”
All the items had been inventoried and boxed up. Judith had agreed to allow the Maritime Museum a chance to go over the items and help her with determining its value. They asked if they could create a display the items at their museum. Judith was considering that but needed to talk to the attorney some more.
There was one particular artifact which caught Judith’s eye. It was a two foot golden dragon with emeralds for eyes. Judith wanted to bring it home with her but didn’t want to feel like the scavengers her siblings were. Judith always loved dragons as a child, and even now; especially now. It seemed like a good omen to her after all she had been through. She arranged to have it sent to her apartment once the museum’s appraisal had been completed.
“I think this calls for a celebration” proclaimed Stella.
“So do I, but what about your meetings” Judith asked.
“No one said we couldn’t celebrate with ice cream!”
“You’re right! I know a great place!”
The following morning Judith went to her attorney’s office to discuss final decisions concerning the house and her mother’s estate. It seemed that her fantastic find could net her somewhere in the neighborhood of sixty million dollars. Judith sat down quickly when she heard this because she was positive she was going to faint.
“Are you sure the rest of my family can’t touch these things? She questioned.
“I’m absolutely sure!” The attorney advised. “I have the signed papers right here in front of me.”
“And you say my mother knew about this?”
“She knew about something in that house though she never disclosed what it was.” He revealed. “It could be that she knew what would happen with the house and kept that information to herself.”
Judith slowly began shaking her head.
“Also, I still have something more to give you, wait here”
He left to room for several minutes and came back in with a long leather box. It looked as if it could easily hold an extended cue stick, except that it was much wider. He placed it very carefully upon his desk with the latch facing Judith.
“Go ahead, open it” he coaxed her.
Judith looked at him and then looked at the box. She unclasped the latch and carefully opened the top. The scent of Jasmine seeped out of its casket. Inside the velvet trimmed box was the very same Red Jasper staff, amulet and bracelet that she had seem on Jonquil, her Spirit Guide.
“How can this be?” Judith asked mesmerized by its beauty as well as its existence. “I don’t understand.”
He told her of her mother’s Stregga, as well as Celtic roots. This was the ceremonial staff passed down from generation to generation, on her mother’s side of the family and now it belonged to her.
“It’s worth a considerable amount” Frank added, “not that you need any more money; but it may be something you might want to hold on to.
“It’s absolutely gorgeous!” Judith commented still in awe and still not believing her eyes. “I’m going to have to move into a more secure place than where I’m at now”
Oh. Don’t let me forget this.” He walked over to the file cabinet and took out a box which looked to be about nine by twelve inches. Inside was a large book, a Grimoire, entitled “La Stregga.”
As he handed it to her, he said. “Your mother was very clear about these items going to you and only you. You have treated your mother very well over the years and this is your heritage as much as it was hers.”
After Judith signed the papers, releasing the items, one of his assistants walked her out to her car. Judith just sat there trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. “Stella’s NEVER gonna believe this!” she exclaimed.
********
The following Monday Judith went to the Maritime Museum to pick up her check. They had settled at 63.5 million dollars, less the taxes of course, which Left Judith with only 27million dollars.
Once the check was in her hand and finally deposited Judith looked through the listings of business opportunities at the Real Estate Office.
As Judith flipped through the pages of the Business Listings, she came across a metaphysical book and gift shop which had just come up for sale. Upon closer examination, she discovered it was the very same store that Isabel worked in. She called the phone number on the listing and as expected, Isabel answered.
“Isabel, it’s you” Judith asked.
“Who else would it be? She laughed, “And who might you be?”
“Isabel, It’s me, Judith” she replied. “I’m at the real estate office and I just came across your business listing. I didn’t know you were selling the business”
“Neither do a lot of people. To be honest I’m not as young as I used to be and I just don’t want the hassle any more. Plus with prices going up all over the place, you know how it is.
“I sure do” Judith sympathized. “What if you took in a partner?”
“I’m not so sure,” Isabel pondered the question for a while. “It would have to depend on who it was”
“How about me?” Judith asked.
“Are you serious?”
“Sure I am,” she replied “I can have the papers drawn up this afternoon and bring them for you to sign tonight.”
“I’m still not sure I want to be a partner though, I was hoping to have some free time to travel and all….”
“Think about” Judith said. “I’ll write up two contracts; one will purchase the store from you outright and the other will be for a partnership. What do you say?”
“I guess I say, Bring them on over” Isabel giggled,”Oh, my word!”
Judith went by to pick up Stella on her way to the Gift Shop. Stella was more conservatively dressed than she had been in the past.
“By the way,” Judith interrupted “I put in my resignation today.”
“You can’t just call in and say ‘I quit’ ” Stella exclaimed.
“Well, I sure did, now it’s your turn!”
“MY TURN?” she stammered “And just how am I going to support myself after I do that?”
“You’ll be partners with me in the gift shop. This way Isabel can take time off when she needs to and you and I will be able travel whenever we want to.”
“Is there anything else I’m supposed to know about?”
“Oh yeah, I come from a long line of Italian witches!”
“Now that’s another thing I didn’t expect” Stella remarked, still shaking her head. She started to laugh. “Well, I always did want my very own witches’ gift shop”
“Not just yours,” Stella reminded her, “Me and Isabel too if she chooses to stay. Can you see the three of us standing over a boiling caldron like the one in Macbeth?”
Stella was still laughing about the Witches gift shop by the time they got Isabel’s. In fact, they had been laughing so hard, Judith got the hiccups.
“I can just ‘hic’ see me trying to act ‘hic’ professional” she attempted to slow her breathing enough in order to stop the hiccups.
Stella let out a blood curdling scream.
Judith jumped back “Stella “What wrong, Stella,”
“Nothing,” Stella grinned “Now you don’t have the hiccups any more”
“I am going to KILL you!” Judith yelled.
Isabel came running out of the store. “What Happened?”
“Oh, nothing Isabel, Stella here decided to cure my hiccups by giving me a heart attack”
“Well, I see she almost succeeded!” She laughed
As they discussed the shop, Isabel decided she just wanted out. She loved the shop and wanted to continue to work there, but only part-time and doing classes, mostly. Both Judith and Stella agreed and once the papers were signed, the store was theirs.
“We have a lot to learn” Judith said softly to Stella, “and not just about running a business”
Judith told Isabel about the lawyer visit and the family heirloom she had received. She also told about the Grimoire.
“It’s nothing more than your family’s book of shadows” Isabel told them. “Traditionally it is either destroyed upon the death of its owner, or passed down to the next generation. Between what’s in there and what I can teach you, you ladies will learn more than any other witches around here. I sense an especially strong blood line.” She added.
******
There was a small apartment above the main store. Isabel was going to move out of it once the gift shop was sold. She had already selected a 55 and older community she wanted to move into.
After looking around the apartment, Stella decided she would like to live there, after all she was the ‘working partner’ and she wouldn’t have drive to work.
Isabel agreed to stay on full time for thirty days to help with the transition. There was a lot of moving to be done during that time and both women needed to learn as much as they could about the business. Isabel would work from 6p to 11p to run the classes. Eventually she wanted to work her way out of that also, but not this year.
There were two other classrooms and a small alcove for tarot readings. What Judith had not realized was that there was much more to the gift shop than she had ever imagined. There was a large library of ancient books collected from all areas of the world. These covered many areas of religion and the occult. The library alone was worth twice the cost of the building and much more.
Isabel graciously included all her books in the library as long as she had open access to them at all times. There was a back door to the library so she would just keep that key.
Stella later called into work and told them that she would not be returning to the Airline following the end of her medical leave.
Judith hired movers to relocate both Isabel and Stella. This way neither one of them would be stressed out and it could go as smoothly as possible. It was nice to be rich, she thought.

Chapter Nine – Fun, Fun, Fun
Winter was a great time to go into business and the weather in Florida made it wonderful to be in business all year long. Judith thought a Renaissance Street Fair would be a good idea and she was busy contacting vendors for both the fair and the shop. Isabel had so many great contacts and by allowing her to stay on with them, the vendors were happy to do what ever they could for her.
Judith hired a full time tarot reader who kept the nook pretty busy. That and the fact that customers could get a two for one reading, one for them and one for their friend, if they came in together. More people, more sales, was her reasoning. Isabel agreed, especially since she didn’t have to do all the readings.
“This shop has become a lot more fun with you two here” Isabel remarked.
“Why, thank you Isabel,” Judith curtsied.
“And double thank you” added Stella. What’s on for tomorrow?”
“Well, I have to prepare for a meditation class. What about you two” Isabel asked.
“I may just go to the movies” Stella volunteered. Looking at Judith she added “Want to come with me?”
“Yeah, I do; I think that’s a great idea!”
“Have fun girls” Isabel chimed, “Although you really should be studying!”
Both of them hurried out of the shop pretending not to here Isabel’s last comment.
******
The movie was about a young boy going to wizard school. It was filled with magic, ghosts, spells, and witches brooms to boot. After the movie was over they decided to stop off at Starbucks for a cappuccino to talk and just relax.
Stella looked at Judith quizzically. “As great as the movie was, how can they expect us to believe all that magic stuff?”
“Boy. Aren’t you quite the Muggle?” Judith teased.
“No, really” Stella continued. “Do you actually believe that magic really exists?”
“I don’t know what to tell you” Judith replied. “I’m still trying to get a grip on a lot of things without having to worry about magic. I feel that some of it is very real, but I don’t know how it’s done; that’s why we have Isabel teaching us. The movie of course, is make-believe, but there defiantly is the concept of magic in the real world”
“The mind is a very powerful thing” Stella said taking another sip of her cappuccino.
“That’s true” said Judith, “It’s been proven that people have accomplished amazing feats because they believed in themselves or from the rush of adrenalin in an emergency situation. If you went to a third world country and brought a battery powered TV they would think it was magic. “

Stella jumped in. “That’s because they don’t know any better, they’re ignorant. And the magic you see in nightclubs, that’s just slight of hand, “She continued. “So what exactly IS real magic?”
“I’m having a hard time with this too, Judith confessed. “If it weren’t for what happened when you were in your accident, I would never have even considered magic as something real. That’s why I am so eager to learn more about it.”
“And as we’ve learned,” Judith continued “In order for the spells to work you have to combine ritual with strong emotion for them to work. It makes me scared to death to even think about it. What if it backfires, or I get sucked in? ” she questioned.
“What are you talking about?” Stella asked “What happened?”
Judith told her about her meditation and how she almost got sucked into the well of pain and sorrow that Stella was going through. She told her about the vision of Jonquil and how she was helped out of it just by the touch of her hand. How very real everything was, and how everything felt. How the ancestors had told her what she would need to do in order to intervene on her behalf; and finally, the confirmation of it all by the dream Stella had before she woke up.
Stella’s eyes were welled with tears. “Oh my God, it was you! It wasn’t a dream after all.”
“No, it wasn’t” Judith reassured her. “So now do you believe in a little bit of magic?”
*******

Chapter Ten – Honoring the Witch Within
Stella and Judith’s education in all things Stregga took on a new meaning to both of them. Isabel could see the difference in the way they studied, how often they studied and what they were accomplishing on a day by day basis.
Isabel taught them that Stregga, Pagans, Druids, and Wicca were among the first religions on Earth; that the word ‘witch’ really meant wise woman. She also told them of the horrors of the ‘burning times.’ She demonstrated honoring the elements, much like the Native Americans do in their way of life. “They made this a daily ritual and Mother Earth was to be honored and revered. They believed that everything around them was a living thing and an aspect of the Mother.“
She also taught them that many pagan sites now housed cathedrals; that many gods and goddesses were canonized and transformed into saints; that the incense which was burnt during high mass was no different than the incense burnt during Pagan and Wicca rituals.
By spending many hours in the library and talking to Isabel, both she and Stella gained much more knowledge about the craft than they even knew existed. The memorization alone was a tremendous amount of work.
They discovered that Isabel was a high priestess and at one time had a very large coven which met at the gift shop. Like many groups, they had one, by one left the group to begin covens of their own or practice solitary. A coven was a sisterhood, or family of sorts, and like in most families, there comes a time when each person must go their separate way.
The three of them, Isabel, Stella and Judith, became a small coven of three which suited them just fine.
Since Isabel loved to garden, she put in a small area next to her condo. She planted several herbs which she brought in fresh to the store on many mornings. Stella began giving tarot readings finding she had a rather good talent for it. She wasn’t as good as Judith but that was because Judith came by it naturally. All she had to do was learn all the symbolism involved. Psychometry was another talent she discovered. By touching objects she could tell something about its owner or past owners. It was like a flash of memory to her and took a little while to get used to.
Stella loved working with the candles. She could dress a candle in no time; for a spell, a ritual or general purposes like prosperity or romance. Those were the two top sellers.
The three women agreed that a street fair was the perfect event for a Grand Opening. “This is going to take a lot more work.” Isabel warned.
********

Two weeks later it was time for the Grand Opening Bash and some last minute preparations still had to be made. Delicate Invitations and a full page newspaper ad had the shop and booths bustling by 8AM.
Judith stepped outside the shop to see how things were progressing. The aroma of the green peppers and fried onions filled the air mingling with the sugary smell of pink cotton candy. A juggler riding a unicycle rode up and down the street was showing off his talents and booths were set up on both sides of the street filled with colorful homemade crafts and artwork.
One booth had a line of children anticipating the magic of face paint that would transform them into a fairy, ninja or superhero. There were musicians of all sorts including trumpets, guitars, harps and flutes bringing a renaissance feel to the party. Clowns with brightly colored faces and costumes delighted the children of all ages and the mimes drew a crowd of their own while struggling to get out of an invisible glass box. Judith knew she had ‘done well.” This had become a wonderful opportunity to have fun and provided an unparalleled opportunity for people-watching, a favorite pastime of many.
A steady stream of interested customers entered the shop throughout the day. Sales were higher than they had ever been in the history of the store. Isabel was so excited, she was almost giddy. She had several people sign up for her classes and ran into many of her old friends from years before, even some members of her old coven.
The local newspaper and several news stations had come out to take pictures and interview some of the fair goers.
“More publicity!” Judith remarked, “This turned out far better than I had ever expected!”
By evening the local restaurants were packed both inside and out on the sidewalks with patrons enjoying the food. The music from the street made for an excellent backdrop. Isabel agreed. The street fair was a roaring success and even they had time to have some fun.
“It’s almost like being in New Orleans” Stella exclaimed.
At eleven thirty the street was beginning to look deserted. Vendors were packing up their gear and heading home. This had been a great triumph for the neighborhood business and would definitely give Judith and Stella some brownie points in the community.
The three exhausted proprietors closed up shop. They went across the street and sat down, relaxing and ordering a cup of tea.
“Stella, It looks like those prosperity candles you dressed were a big seller” Isabel commented.
“Yes, I know” Stella replied. “It looks like I have my work cut out for me. I have twenty three orders to work on.
“Well, I’m ready to go home and go to bed” Judith announced. “We’ve all had a very long day.”
All I have to do is go upstairs” Stella teased.

******