Little Cherine Book 04 - BPost015
His eyes bulged again at the number of girls that appeared. I pulled Cherine to him. “This ugly girl is Cherine, the most special of all of us. We call ourselves Cherinians in her honour because the gifts emanate from her. Without her, none of this could have happened.”
“You are his wife also?”
2241
“Oh yes. I’m also Dommi’s wife and she is mine. That was the crazy idea of Robert, you can blame him.”
I could see he liked her. “He calls you ugly, you blame him…I think you must love each other very much.”
“Patera, he has died because he thought she had stopped loving him and she went after his soul and brought him back. Five times. Yes, they love each other very much.”
“And you are not jealous daughter?”
“How can I be.” She laughed. “They both love me so much!”
“Theé mou ! (my god!), Claire will be worried why I’m here so long.”
“She is fine, she thinks you are helping me through some depression I sometimes go through when I think of Dominique.”
“You can read our minds? Telepathy!?”
“Just the emotions. Elia. I have one last nasty surprise for you.” His eyes were still a little unfocussed as he looked at me. “You thought you’d reached the end of your lives. Both you and Claire, as will all of us, have a few more hundred years to live. You will both notice yourselves becoming younger within weeks.”
“No more, please. Tell me tomorrow.”
“Does little Claire remember her mother?”
“She has seen the photos.”
“Would you like to go and prepare your wife? I’ll come out soon to talk to her.”
Even as he walked to her we heard him calling her and there was joy in his voice.
“I thought you had made a mess of it, but it turned out okay. You’re not expecting us to all sleep on this one bed?”
“If you make yourselves about three inches tall. Claire will want to play with you though.”
“The bastard is trying to tell us we have to go home while he sleeps alone with his Claire!”
“That would be nice.” I pretended to duck, laughing. “I want you to all meet my baby. Damn, I wish she was mine!”
We crept into her room and looked at her as she slept. I then went to the parents. Claire had put her hand to his forehead and was talking about getting him some camomile.
“No camomile for me, but a coffee would be lovely. Claire, has pappou Elia been telling you crazy things about me?”
“What have you done to him?”
I hugged her. “What he is trying to tell you is true. I’m not your Roberto.” We went through the whole procedure again, though she had Elia to fall back on. She met the girls and this time Dommi came out last. She screamed and took hold of her daughter.
“Cherine, can the two of us go visiting? I want to be back in time for Claire.”
“Don’t worry, the girls will keep her sleeping until we return.” We jumped to the sitting room where I’d been and then Cherine led me to her room. We quietly opened the door and went to the furthest part of the room as she slowly woke up.
“W-hat, who is it?”
“It’s me, Robert. I brought you a visitor. For god’s sake, don’t scream though.” She put on the light, already half knowing as she felt her.
2242
“How did you do it?”
“They woke me up. I was only dreaming that I was here. Sounds crazy eh?”
She put her head under the pillow and we heard her muffled voice, “I’m just dreaming.”
When she burst out laughing, jumping out of bed, we could see she was filled with joy. “It’s true, the story you told me is true! I can be free!”
“No Cherine, only with those who belong to the group. You must not let the world know. One Cherine did and it killed off over ninety per cent of the population of the whole planet.”
The two Cherines chose to spend the night together and I guessed they would not be getting much sleep. I returned to find Elia and Claire still holding Dommi.
“Tomorrow I will bring back Robert. When he has learnt of us, we will then bring back your daughter. Elia, what will you do? The world must not know your daughter has come back from the dead.”
Silly me! As if they cared right now. All they wanted was to see her again and they could not wait. I sighed, this was going to be a long night. I left my body and from the void went back to myself in the boat and watched as I grabbed Claire. Soon as Robert sank under the boat I went in and got him. I ended up grabbing a lot of water also, so while we hovered in the darkness I let my energy grow holes, like a net. Once he was held in air I enclosed him again and completed the trip to his home. I left him on the floor, still gagging and terrified, a wet mess, but with my healer in him. I returned to my body.
“Girls, will you handle it?”
“You look tired Robbie.”
“I am, also disappointed. I’d hoped for one more night with little Claire.”
“You saved her!!!” he shouted.
“So, you recognise me.”
Even as he was retching he was trying to get on his knees and pray, thanking God. I looked at this with interest. A Robert who believes!
He then shrugged off all hands and tried to go to his daughter’s room. I stopped him.
“You’ll frighten her. Get washed and changed first. You’re still shivering, get warm and have something to eat.”
“I must see her.”
“Quietly then. She thinks I am you, to see you like this is not a good idea.” He stood over her weeping. I led him out again. “She’ll come to you soon. By then you should be presentable. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
As much as they wanted their daughter ‘Now’ they understood and agreed to wait for morning.
“Don’t you have a son, Nicko?”
I saw the sorrow and then his face hardened. “He is no longer my son.”
“Not if I can help it Elia. Will you tell me tomorrow what went wrong?”
The girls were given beds to share and I was the only one to go home, the son of Tasso being able to link to me weakly. He promised to keep his concentration. Even Lynda stayed!
At least Alki and Marian were waiting for me.
“Where are the girls? What happened?”
2243
“You saw my dream? It was real. We found them and we’ve just brought their Robert back, wet and freezing.” Marian made me a nice strong coffee while I had a cigarette. I have not felt this weary for a long time and my healer was stuck on the other world. I felt the healer of Marian enter me timidly. I welcomed it and thanked her. She was pleased.
“I sense you are troubled.”
“I am. Cherine is in love - infatuated I think, but she calls it love, with a young Greek who is far too old for her.” They listened and I was not disappointed. They gave each other a knowing look and smiled.
“But the Robert is not too old for her?”
“Too old!? Have I ever been old enough for our Cherine?”
“He has a valid point Alki, he is far more immature than her. I wish I’d realised this earlier, it would have saved a lot of heartache.”
“You’re going to have a lot of fun with that one Marian?”
“For sure! Robert, it is not what is upsetting you.”
“It’s little Claire. I grew to love her. I’m going to miss her.”
“Jesus! He wants another little girl. He really is insatiable. Where or when will this end Robert?”
“I have no idea. Probably when I drown in a sea of little girls.”
“Seriously Roberto, you cannot carry on collecting more girls.”
“And when one needs me I cannot turn away. This one, little Claire, I want her because she is just a normal little girl. I’d have at least three to four years of having just a sweet daughter.”
“Be her uncle then and visit as often as you want. You managed with baby Cherine, why not with Claire.”
“It’s not the same, I have my Cherine. This is a different soul. A new joy.” I looked at my fingers, blankly staring. “Why does everything happen at the same time. A new species, then a mysterious killer who turns out to be Henry, I have a dream and end up having to save those who died and I also have to go and mend whatever fences Nicko and his father broke down. I still have Tim and his bride, for which I have to go to London - and I don’t even like her. By the way, where is Tim?”
“Over at our house, baby-sitting so that we could come over.”
“I almost feel like making myself into that eight year old again and hiding for a month.”
“Yes, you have to do that for your father. By the way, he seems happy with his pub in Cyprus.”
“Is there anybody I have to go to sleep for?”
“Not unless you are planning on having any more dreams…” he chuckled.
I dozed off sitting there and woke up to find myself lying on the sofa, a blanket over me. I heard noises in the kitchen and walked in to scrambled eggs, toast etc. She made me go and wash first, saying nobody sits at her table with a dirty face.
Tim was in awe of me again, so I just ignored it. “When are you flying to Latvia and what date is the examination in London?”
“I’m leaving tomorrow. We fly to London on Monday and the appointment is for Tuesday.”
“I won’t be needed until after the operation, but I’ll come to greet her. I suppose you are now curious to see the new world?” He nodded, so I stood up and touching his hand we jumped.
Little Claire saw me appear and screaming ‘daddy!’ ran to me. As she had been sitting with her father I looked at him as I picked her up for a hug and kiss.
2244
“I told her that she now has two daddies. She is a lucky girl, all the others only have one.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better to tell her I’m an uncle?”
“She would have been d-e-a-d if not for you. I saw what happened from your daughters, they showed me your ‘dream’. Can you explain it yet?”
“No. Probably never will be able to. This is the second time it’s happened. The first time I took over the body of that Robert. This time I did not. You both may have called me at a time of stress.”
He laughed. “Stress!?”
Softly I asked, “Can you explain about Nicko?”
Elia cut in. “No. I’ll tell him, you’d only make it look as if it was nothing. Nicko did not want his sister to marry Roberto and tried causing a scandal to stop the wedding. When they got married he refused to talk to him. When the baby was born he would not touch her and refused to be godfather.
Then Dominique had the accident and he blamed Roberto. He came here, while we were all in grief and getting ready for the funeral. He attacked Roberto and beat him up badly. I disowned him and he will never step in this house again. I settled an amount on him which he has received and the rest is for Roberto and Claire.”
“Nobody is going to inherit anything Elia - I told you how long your life will be. Where is Nicko now?”
“To annoy me he rented a house just two houses away from here.”
“Not worth jumping. Robert, would you like to come with? It could be fun.” He eyed his daughter, torn between wanting to stay with her and coming so I added, “Bring her with.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Of course! Anybody who has dreams that place him in the middle of a storm would have to be. Come on.”
I extended my senses. He was inside with a young woman, someone I did not know. I did not knock, using my gifts to open the door. We walked in, Robert very nervous and ready to grab Claire and run. I handed her over.
“Sit here with her. Whatever you hear, do not leave.”
They were on the balcony and he was already having a whisky. I looked at the bottle.
“Not drinking Chivas or black label anymore, you becoming cheap in your old age?” He leapt up and stared at me, his face darkening. I turned to the woman. “I suggest you leave now. We have something to settle between us.”
“Nicko?”
“Go woman! I’ll call you after I’ve taken care of him.”
“Do you want me to call the police?”
He thought about it, the idea of a scandal, of having ‘me’ arrested pleasing him, but he preferred the idea of hitting me. Still worried she left.
“Not your style mate, you always had good taste in women. I know you want to insult me and even attack again. After all, here I am, Robert the foreigner, in your home. You better…”
“Nicko, there is another one exactly the same as him with a child in the lounge!!”
“What!!” He rushed in to look. He stood there staring from the one to the other. Then another Robert walked in. I made certain only Nicko could see him and forced the girl to leave the house. Then a fourth Robert appeared, walking with Dominique. When I got to about nine I stopped.
2245
“Do you need any more Roberts? Oh yes, of course!!” Another one walked in wearing his school uniform. “Look at them Nicko. Roberts from all the different times. You don’t need the one you beat up do you? They all have one thing in common. They only had and have one real friend. You. Nicko the Greek. Nicko the friend and defender. And now, Nicko the poisoner.”
“Poisoner, what are you trying to…” I constricted his throat so that he could not speak.
“What are you poisoning? A friendship. A little girl, a child who should have only had love from her uncle. And worst of all, you poisoned the heart of Dominique, letting her go to her death thinking you do not love her.”
I let go the images and I walked to another room. He rushed in behind me in a fury, his fists flying. I stood there as he punched me. It finally became obvious to him that he was not hurting me.
“Why not try kicking me in the balls?” He tried that also, but I just stood smiling.
I forced him to sit on a chair and pulling another over sat opposite him.
“You never were a friend were you? At school you saw me as the poor boy you could impress, you were the superior, a Greek who was better, wealthier, more popular than an English boy. The only family I had was your family, thanks to you. When Dominique loved me you were affronted. How could she love something you thought of as a servant. Someone you had just for the purpose of kissing your arse.”
He only stared, hate still filling his eyes.
“I would have accepted all that, even the beating, if it only affected me. Unfortunately it affected everyone I love. My daughter, my wife, your parents and lastly, my friend. Where did this bitterness and hate come from Nicko?”
“You used me to move into my family like a snake!”
“Do you really think that? Come on Nicko, if it was a Greek friend, one from a very wealthy family, you would have been happy to have him use you, knowing he does not love Dominique, that it is only the money that interests him. Yet I, a poor English boy, who suddenly because of you felt warmly loved and part of a family, is a snake because I fell in love? When Dominique was sixteen you took us to the beach. I do not swim much so I sat under a tree and sketched. I heard Dominique worrying about me and she came to keep me company. I cannot explain it, I just know that I looked up into her eyes and I was suddenly madly in love. That was evil of me Nicko? You know what Dominique was like, her beauty, her soft tenderness and her loyalty. Did you really think that acting the way you did you would turn her away from me?
Do you want to know a secret? She only loved me as a friend, not as a man - until you turned against me. Nicko, you are the reason she grew to love me. You always loved irony.”
“That’s not true.”
“Really? She was already meeting someone else secretly, Kommianos, you know him. He was busy convincing her that she is a piece of rubbish, not worthy of being loved by him, but he would help make her worthy of him! Yet you would have preferred him if you had known, because he is a wealthy Greek? My devotion to your sister, the way I adored her and did everything I could to make her happy, that counted for nothing with you?”
“Why are you doing this now? It’s too late, she’s dead.”
“Little Claire is not. Your poor mother is not. Even your father, have you seen the pain in his eyes when he hears your name Nicko? Robert your friend who loves you, he is not. Soon you will see how much your sister is loved and I want you to be part of it. I’m going to bring her back from the dead.”
“You’ve gone mad!!”
“Have I? How did you see all those Roberts? How did you hit me without hurting me? I’ll ask one thing of you. Give me your hand, not in friendship, that may return, but in trust. You know me better than anyone else in this world and you must know I will not do anything to hurt you. I want to take you with me when I go to collect her, when I force death to return that pure lovely soul.”
That terrified him and he refused.
2246
“I have to leave my body here. Watch over it for me. First bring a sheet so that we can cover her body when she arrives. I don’t want her embarrassed.”
I say I don’t lie to friends, ever. Well, every rule has to be broken sometimes. I’d lied to Robert, Elia and Claire and now to Nicko. I made them think I was bringing her back in her original body. Once they have been Cherinians for a while they will be more understanding. I had not wanted Nicko to come with, but had offered so as to allay any suspicions. Carrying Tim, whose body waited at the other house was enough. Nicko put the sheet on the table.
“I told you that you let her die thinking you do not love her. Will you let her come back to life, after all her suffering, still thinking you don’t?”
“You can’t bring her back!”
“Just watch me.” I gave him my crazy grin that he used to like and closed my eyes. I knew exact location and time, I’d been to visit that part of the road. I went back and watched her brakes fail and the smash. By now I have learnt to bear such sights despite my pain, comforted by the knowledge of what I am about to do. As I raced after her soul, the protector and healer took tissue from her body.
As she entered the void I wrapped her within me and soothing her shocked soul that was still experiencing the accident, sent her motes of love until she calmed down. We then returned to Nicko’s house. I saw he had thrown the sheet over the body that lay there and was crouched in terror in a corner, watching her. The girls heard my call and all came. Cherine, Dommi and I helped to secure her soul within her new body. Soon as she stirred I returned to enter my body.
I checked, but the healer said she is fine. I went to Robert. “Take your daughter in to meet her mother. Nicko does not know about me. He thinks it was you. Let it be for now. Robert, remember Dominique thinks the accident just happened. The last two years do not exist for her.”
I jumped to the beach in Cyprus and ordered beer and mezedes. I needed the energy, but I also needed to fight the blues.
*Why Robert? You just gave her back her life.*
*I don’t know Tim. I’m afraid that by bringing her back I’ve killed all possibility of him loving Cherine, they may never have Cherinians because of my softness. It was selfish of me to bring you with, you need to get back to your body. So, now you’ve seen me lie, bring back a loved one and seen me blue. Anything else you want to see?*
*How about happy and proud that you are able to help?*
Returning to Nicko’s house I saw them about to leave. Nicko was with them so I did not make myself visible. I saw Cherine had the new Cherine with her. I saw them arrive at the parents home, Dominique holding her baby girl. I waited out all the tears and hugs. Elia did not comment when he saw Nicko. When I saw Nicko speak to him after they had settled down a bit I saw them hug each other, the father kissing the cheeks of his son. This got the mother crying again.
Throughout this, the girls teased me mercilessly as they could feel my presence. Cherine even told Cherine who looked around for me. She actually felt me!
For one moment they let go of Claire and she wondered off calling ‘daddy’. I appeared behind her and lifted her as she squealed with joy. She gave me a hug and very wet kiss and thereafter clung to me.
Cherine came to me. “Be careful Robert, she could very easily be pulled into our circle the way you are loving each other.”
Saddened I handed her over to Dominique who stared at me with huge eyes. “It was you?”
“What makes you think so?”
“It felt like my Robert, but somehow different.”
“Different? If you’ve never been to the void before how would you know?”
2247
“I just knew. Roberto, thank you. Now I’ll see my daughter grow up.”
“More than that. You will see the daughters of the daughters of the daughters of your daughter grow up. This body will last you anything up to a thousand years.”
My last call was on Cherine.
“Are you going to get into trouble for bunking school again?”
She laughed, still giddy with all she’d experienced. “That is a problem right now!?”
“I see my Cherine has helped make you cheeky.”
“I love her, she is more me than me.”
“That’s it! You get a prize for that sentence.” She giggled. “What about your boyfriend, the Greek one?”
“What about him.” Now she was defensive.
“Do you think you can link with him? Is he open minded enough to accept what you’ve seen?” To the first question she might have answered ‘I’ll try’ but the second one made her pause. Finally she admitted he is not.
“If you link with someone narrow minded or who does not accept this way of life with joy and love for you, it could become a terrible catastrophe, proving your father right. Cherine, it does not have to be Robert, but at least make certain whoever it is, is the right man.”
“Cherine told me what happened to the various worlds. That is scary Robert. Maybe I should just live a normal life.”
I nodded in agreement. “Why not. At least you will be unique, the only person to choose to live seventy to one hundred years instead of one thousand - perhaps a thousand times. The first person who chooses not to experience the golden circle of love. Sweetheart, I could go on and on, but the very worst of the lot is knowing you never reached out to at least attempt to attain your potential.”
“You use words like hammers to hurt me, no wonder your Cherine has to fight you tooth and nail.”
I laughed, seeing through her harsh words. “She only fights me because we love each other so much. How do you live in a state of permanent adoration?”
By now Nicko knew that he had been conned, but he did not show much resentment. I decided that perhaps we need to do a golden circle after all. Cherine was quite happy to do as I ask, she also was worried about Cherine and Robert. With him just getting back his big love, he is not likely to even look at Cherine.
“Invite them all to come back with us. I need to take care of other problems too.” I spoke a bit gruffly.
“Robert?”
“Yes love?”
“What happened to that sweet gentle Robert I fell in love with? Why are you so abrupt nowadays?”
“I’ll ask Lynda to try and find him. I think he got stretched too thin, has been responsible for too much. I think he no longer enjoys painting because he sits there worrying about other things. I think he panicked and hid away.”
“Then I’m going to look for him - I want him back.”
They all arrived not too long after I got home. I asked the guests to make themselves at home and to please excuse us as I have something to discuss privately with my family. We went into our bedroom, the girls all curious, but not trying to peep into my mind. They sat on the beds while I stood so that I could face all of them. I looked at their sweet expectant faces and a wave of tenderness and love flooded me, how could I have been so lucky to be loved by them!
2248
“I’m very disappointed in all of you.” They were immediately worried and upset, even if perplexed. “I have been aware of what has been happening, but could not seem to control it. None of you helped and it was left to Cherine to speak up for all of you. Those people out there” I waved towards the door, “and all the other Cherinians have been taking up a lot of my time. Everything seems to happen at the same time so that I feel I should have half a dozen copies of myself so as to cope. This has caused me to become tense, abrupt and even rude.
Our marriage, for those of us who are married, and our love for all, is not meant to be weighted as a one-sided affair with me being the boss. I have said repeatedly that if I am the leader of the Cherinians, it does not make me the leader in this home of ours. You are the leaders and the purpose of my existence is only to love and care for all of you.
How dare you let me get away with being bossy or short-tempered? Do you think that turning a blind eye to my behaviour makes me happy? Haven’t you learnt yet that only making you happy does that?”
“Don’t blame the girls Roberto, they feel how weary you are at times and it seems such a trivial thing to complain about when you are already under so much pressure.”
“I know that Dommi. What do you think will happen if they do not complain though? Just as I discipline any of you if you are rude or do something wrong, because I love you, so should you. If I did not, you would accept that it is okay to be rude and life for us would become unbearable. We give each other a lot of leeway because we are so certain of the love between us, and a breaking of our rules now and then is only natural and I’m not suggesting we be petty about keeping to our rules, but when self-discipline, in the family context, is regularly not maintained, we will no longer be the kind of family we must be as Cherinians and there is no guarantee that love can survive that. Even if love can survive, it can certainly not grow under such negative influences.”
“We know you don’t mean it Robbie.” the twins said together and the others nodded their agreement.
“I know it is not you Robbie, it is not your fault when you say something bad, it must be that Mr ‘A’ feeling depressed or angry and he makes you talk like that. My Robbie never would.” I stared at Candy, at the love that constantly shines in her, that sweet innocent blind belief in me, and I felt humbled.
“Candy love, you can’t think that way. If you think that he makes me say the bad things, then it would mean that he also makes me say I love you. You would then never know if the love you feel in my heart is mine or put there by him.”
“Most of the times you are abrupt Robbie is when others are with us, you never are when we are together, just being relaxed and loving. How can we say anything in front of others?” Claudia asked.
I pondered on that a moment and then grinned. “Do you all realise how unique we are? Not one of you tried to pretend what I said is not true. I’ve also realised something else. Within the culture of the Gillians, they are never abrupt with each other and so I have never spoken that way to Gilli. Neither have I done so to anyone not married to me.” The girls thought about it and agreed. “That makes what I do doubly disgraceful. It means that I only strike out at those who are totally committed to me and I feel confident of their love and understanding. Further proof of that is that Cherine bears the brunt of most of my ill-temper. This must not be allowed! Think up a phrase or word that you can use in front of others to put me in my place.”
“Family.”
“What? Oh. Okay Dommi, I like it. Make it a question though, ‘family?’.”
They agreed and thinking it was over began to get up. “Hold it a moment.” They stopped, waiting. “Before we go back to the others, my loves, I apologise for any hurt I’ve caused you in the past. I’m very sorry, sometimes I get so involved in how to solve the problems of others that I forget that you are the most important part of my life. Thank you for being patient and loving me so much.”
They overwhelmed me with their love and hugs, but as we all returned to the others with faces that glowed, Cherine walked ahead of me and glancing back with a cheeky look put her hand behind her back and wiggled her fingers at me. That girl sure knows how to get to me.
“While these lovely girls of mine look after you, Robert and Dominique, would you come with me, I need to have a chat.”
2249
We walked over to our local kafeneion. I changed the way people perceived us so that they did not see them as another Robert and Dominique. I waited until our orders were delivered, took a sip and lit a cigarette.
“You can both tell me to buzz off and mind my own business, I will not be offended. I do see a problem though and I owe it to you and the others of your world to speak up. Do I have your permission, even if I am trespassing on your private affairs?”
“Of course.” They more or less said in unison.
“The two of you love each other very deeply, especially after being separated the way you were.” They nodded, looking into each others eyes for a moment. “The problem is, that wonderful love is going to kill both of you, Claire and everyone else.”
That shook them up badly. Such was their belief in my powers that they believed what I said, even if they could not understand the why of it. “You need an explanation. Robert, Dominique, for how long do the two of you expect to live? Do you think you will both make it to one hundred? You are perhaps thinking, what the hell is he talking about, since he came we can now hope to live ten times as long. To an extent, theoretically that is true, but not likely to happen. The number of alternate worlds we are discovering keeps growing and it seems that we only find those that need our help.
For me to come to your world on a regular basis so that my healer can rejuvenate you would require sacrifices of me and my family, which I am not prepared to make. I also need time to be with my family, just us alone, I cannot undertake to spend my little free time in helping those who could help themselves, but don’t. Still, let’s say you could end up living five hundred years, not too bad you’ll think. Then what? You die and that is the end. Your souls get damaged by the void and you are no longer the personalities you are now. You could be born in neighbouring houses and you would not know each other. Robert and Dominique are gone forever. The same is true for Claire and everyone else.
The thought of that sickens me, but there is nothing I can do about it. If you cannot visit your void and create your own World there, that is what will happen. Even if we took you to our void and our World, you would not be able to come to us for we are in another reality. If I die on your world without my link to my Cherine, I too would face the same end.
You both know by now the future we see for all Cherinians on this world. Do you both want that badly enough for you and your loved ones to make changes in how you love each other? Especially you Dominique, the thought that you may no longer be first in his heart, could you bear that?”
“You want him to love Cherine?” Her voice was hollow with fear.
“He will never love her, Dominique, he will adore her. Once a Robert and Cherine open their hearts to each other, everything else comes off second best.”
“That is cruel Robert and unfair, it is not only up to her. I adore Dominique and it would be impossible for me to love Cherine.”
“I know.”
At that moment my Cherine walked in. She sat down and took the hand of Dominique’s in hers.
“My Robert thinks that he has to shock people so as to make them see things his way. He has not told you how it really is. He has had his say and you have listened. Tonight we have a storytelling. Listen to it with open hearts, and I think you will understand that you will not really be second best. Not if your Robert is a true Robert. Tomorrow we can talk again when you understand better. Will you do that for me?”
The first thing we did was the golden circle of love. Cherine started with the love Dommi and I have for each other, building on that until it seemed a mad swirl that would send us soaring away and then she entered her love for both of us and followed with our love for her. The whole character of our impossible love changed, becoming almost intolerable in it’s beauty and purity. Those who had never experienced our circle before must have thought it would be impossible for the love to grow any further. As Wendy and then the love of the others was brought in, we all sat there frozen within a rapture. Jade was adding to it in her way and when the golden band of love exploded, it left all of us stunned; not only the first timers had tears on their cheeks.
2250
Either the girls knew what was needed or else Cherine had told them. Their storytelling dwelt lovingly and highlighted how every time I loved a new girl they all felt more loved, as if by my loving again my capacity and ability to love all of them had grown. They showed very clearly how Dommi felt from the start to the end. They made it beautiful, almost too beautiful, even if it was only the truth. I’d felt the interest, amusement and then wonder in their Nicko as he watched what happened between my Nicko and I. As he watched thereon, he slowly let go any residue of ill will towards his own Robert. When he saw the wives of this Nicko and saw their daughters, it opened a corner of magic in his heart.
“I’m really going to blitz you tonight.” I said to our visitors. “Tim, I hope you can feel that the telling of your story has not turned anyone against you. We are now going to go to the void to dance.”
I think those of our world will never be allowed to become insensitive to the beauty of our void. Every time we bring even one new soul we see the wonder of all the Worlds and the Sparklers afresh. They now met Sol as Solomon and Ordinx appeared also. We went to the world of the Sparklers, where we talked a short while; went to a World of the Anadir and met them in their natural form. Ashiir came and I felt how she too was at first appreciated for her beauty, but then, as her presence made what they’d learnt of her from the telling real, loved for being who she is.
Adam welcomed them to our world and he gave to Cherine, Robert and Dominique copies of memories of all of us. We sat with Jo and she hugged little Claire to her as she asked them questions.
“It seems you have a serious problem Robert.”
“Not me Jo.” That was all I would say and she did not press me.
As a final joy for all of us, came the dancing. Once they had learnt and tasted our exchange kisses they shared between themselves. We had to stop the three, Robert, Dominique and Claire from melding and imploding into their own World. They obviously made a decision to try and danced with Cherine. All I saw was exchange kissing, nothing that proved to me that they were truly opening their hearts to each other. I saw that all three of them were afraid to do so. While they danced, little Claire came to me and we kissed with so many motes that she shone like a tiny star. I asked her then if she could love ‘her’ Cherine. She danced away from me and joined the others and she gave of herself to Cherine. Cherine did not hold back, feeling the love of this little girl touched her and she opened up to her entirely. If not for the other two, I think they would have melded.
“Your bodies are aching and you need someone to hold you and make love. Tim, sorry old chap, you’ll have to suffer. So will you Cherine, unless you want to jump back to your world and find your boyfriend. Robert and Dominique, I expect you to hold and help little Claire, do not be afraid of loving her.”
“I feel like a total wreck!!”
I grinned. “I bet you do. Anybody regret anything that happened tonight?”
I got a chorus of no’s. Being the bastard I am, I then added, “I do.”
The others saw the reaction of my girls, heard a number of them whisper to me ‘family?’ and a small fear grew in them.
“Sorry my loves, not this time, I’m really determined to be a shit. Elia, Claire, Nicko, even little Claire, what you saw tonight is what your life will be like also, to an extent. We will take you to the void in your world and help you create your own Kaleidoscope Worlds.
Only Cherine, Robert and Dominique will be allowed to live their normal lives and die forever someday. Those who can help themselves and will not, do not deserve my help.” I made my tone more gentle. “I need to hold my loves. We can talk some more tomorrow, goodnight.”
“No Robert, we cannot leave things as they are, not after what you said.”
“What do you expect me to do Cherine. How can I change things for the three of them?”
“Their Cherine can link to them even if she and Robert are not in love.”
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)3rd October, 2019
* posted on Steemit: 3rd October, 2019