VII
951 Words
VII"HAMI, WAKE UP - WAKE up." Chaz was shaking me. Or I was shaking and he was trying to get it to stop.
I sat up from my place on the floorboards of the van and grabbed onto him with both arms, like I didn't want to let go.
He turned and sat beside me and held on as well.
"What was that all about? The whole truck was shaking. And we could feel it out there."
"You two OK?" Jean was in the doorway, looking in at us.
"Now we are," I told him. "Just a very bad dream." I stroked Hami's hair to help her calm down. She softened and leaned against me.
"Thanks." She looked up into my eyes. "I'm glad you are here, both of you - but especially you, Chaz."
Jean quietly left to inspect the outside of the truck and check things out.
"You know you're always welcome, Hami. Whatever you need, just ask."
She gave me a tight squeeze at that.
With her head on my shoulder, she was much calmer now. I could smell the fragrance of her hair and the soap she used. Not that I could tell you now exactly what scent it was. I was still concerned with her dream. Something powerful enough to shake a truck was nothing to take lightly.
"Chaz, I think there is something more we need to ask Jean." She started to get up, but waited for me, since only one of us could get up with enough grace out of that twisted position we were in. My legs were crossed on top of hers, so I had to move first.
Then I helped her up and we held each other as we squeezed down the narrow steps and out the front side door of the van.
Jean was there, waiting for us. Somehow, he had three iced coffees in his large hands. He'd turned on the awning bug light and set up the folding table and three chairs, like he knew we'd have questions. I moved my chair next to Hami's and also got my bedroll to put around her.
After I sat down and opened up my own drink, she snuggled back next to me, putting my arm around her shoulders again.
Jean was understanding, but wanted to know more. Still, he waited until Hami wanted to talk. We both did.
"It was one of those chases, some monster I couldn't see. And then I tripped and fell, but a long, long ways. Then I was caught by something - like a huge invisible spider's web. And no matter how I tried, I couldn't get out."
Jean quietly asked, "What were you feeling right then?"
"Fear. Pure fear."
"And what are you feeling right now?"
She looked at him with big eyes, and then looked into mine. "Love. Unconditional love."
"So that's what you have to remember at all times, in all situations. Let go of the Fear, the anger, all those negative emotions, and just find the love you always carry with you."
Hami frowned as she looked at him again. "But it was all so real."
"Regardless. That is the one lesson you have to keep with you. Lack of that is the only thing that can stop anything in its tracks. But love is also the universal solvent. Nothing can stand in its path." Jean looked away, into the darkness of the pre-dawn. "That is the one lesson that all the Lazurai had to learn and learned to pass on to everyone they meet. It's where anyyone draws their real power from."
He sipped his ice coffee. "Here's an example. Remember I told you that if you get angry, people could get sick and die? Well how come those gang-bangers, the ones that moved away got better? And do you remember after we walked away from that one heaving behind his car? What happened as we got away from him?"
Hami frowned. "I remember looking back. He stood up after that. Seemed fine."
"He was fine. If I wanted him hurt, he would have been. Seriously hurt. But that would do nothing, he would learn nothing. And that kid has a lot of lessons still to learn. He's got a lot of understandings to master. No matter how he gets treated, he has to decide what he's going to learn from every situation he gets himself into. Just as you two do. Just as all of us always have and always will."
Hami nodded and hugged me again.
Jean got up at that point. "Well, no real damage done to the truck or anything else around here." He picked up his own bedroll and pad. "It looks like we still have a couple of hours before dawn. I'll leave you two to talk it over." Then he turned and went around to the other side of the van.
We both just sat there and held each other. I pulled my bedroll across both our shoulders and in front of us to keep warm.
"Chaz, thanks. Again."
"Anytime, you know that."
"I do now, for certain." She looked out into the sky beyond the awning and the yellow bug-light. "Do you think someone knew more than we did - I mean about us?"
"Like we were going to get together sometime, or maybe that they wanted to see if they left us alone together..."
"Something like that, Chaz."
I just kissed the top of her head. "I don't know if we'll ever know for sure. Like it matters at all now."
And we held each other until it started lightening up in the eastern sky.
An overcast day after sleep interrupted by nightmares. Didn't seem like the best beginning to a day.
Other than watching a new sunrise in the arms of one you love, anyway.
- Writer
