LiTTLE CHERiNE Book 01 - post096

^{“Yes. She is already calling, she wants to come to us. Natalie, such a daughter no mother has ever born. She will have talents we do not even suspect exist. She will strengthen our Kaleidoscope World so that it lasts throughout eternity.”}

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424

I shivered. For the first time ever I was scared of Dommi, of that gift of hers. I was awed and touched by a superstitious dread, but not afraid of the child to come. I think of Themi as our friend, so I asked, “Dommi? What about Themi? How will he feel?”

“He will treasure her.” Suddenly she sagged, and caught her breath. “Oh Cherine, you saw right. He will love her, Rose too, and their circle will be a strong one. There is a secret pain in Themi and only Natalie can draw it out of him. He will not mind the child. He will love the child more than you can imagine.”

I asked, “He will not feel cheated? That the child should have been his?”

“How could he. She could not be what she is if she were not yours. He and Natalie, they will have many children. Do not worry about Themi, he is wiser than you think. It is up to Natalie, can she give up her daughter to us?”

“I can see her? Will she know she is my daughter?”

“You shall see her whenever you wish. She will love you as her mother, but not as part of our circle. You will even dance with her many times over the centuries.”

“Centuries!!” Poor Natalie looked faint.

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I explained the effect of my healer on her. Finally she just shook her head.

“It is too much, please Roberto, no more. Give me time to get used to…” she looked up and her face sparkled with an anger, as if I had done something bad to her, “and you dared tell me you are not special, no gifts!”

Cherine laughed and clapped her hands. “Natalie you did it. For the first time I felt an interest in him for you. Our Robert loves intelligence and a fighting spirit in his woman. He loved that spark of anger in your eyes.”

She stood up. “I’m glad I am not marrying him. A man who finds an angry woman sexy! Is there nothing normal about you Roberto? I’m going to cook and it is too cold to keep all the windows open. The cabbage will stink so go somewhere for a couple of hours. It will also give me time to think.”

She marched out. So, I thought, there is more to this girl than I had thought, not quite the mouse I had imagined. I grinned at the girls. “Did not take her long to find out I’m weird.”

Wendy solemnly told me, “She meant that as a compliment Robbie. I bet you knew that, you’re just teasing us again.”

I wanted to ask, but I was not complaining, just curious. “When are you girls going to start wanting me just for yourselves?”

“Robert, every time you love, you grow. We are richer. Why should we?”

“That was profound Cherine. I wish I could think the way you do. Maybe with time…”

Cherine almost laughed. “You Robert!? Never! Not that we mind. It makes me feel good to know you care so much about not letting another man touch me. It will cause us problems in the future as we have sons. We will face them at that time, I don’t think we will be the same as we are now. Robert, just be as you are, as we love you.”

Dommi added, “It sounds to you as if we are practising double standards, but there is something important, a difference between you and us, which you must come to understand. As Cherine told you and as you have been told before, every time you love, your heart grows deeper and stronger, so that it is impossible for us to resent our family growing…rather, we feel grateful to the girl who made it possible for your love for us to grow. If one or all of us girls were to love another man, we do not have your ability, so we would be taking some of our love for you for sharing with the other man. If it happens, our family will be shattered, for we need to be totally devoted to each other, or else we will become divided.”

As she said, I could not understand their double standards, not in the century we live and the way the media hammers the point about sexual equality all the time, but I was humbled anyway. Their hearts are so much bigger than mine. I thought we’d finished the discussion we were having, but Cherine faced me with eyes that were serious and deep with emotion.

“You said something that was wrong Robert. You keep saying it. I did not give you your gifts, I only helped you find them. The gifts you have are not all that you will have, there are still many closed doors and we do not know what you are hiding behind them. You also have another gift that is special, even though you do not think so, or believe it is so, but we all know it - actually, as Dommi explained, I should say we have been discovering it and finding it hard to believe. You love each one of us as if you love no other. Each one is the perfect love for you. There is no other person, man or woman who can feel that way. You love so many of us and yet you are true to each of us. I know you do not like it when I speak like this, like I am older, but you had to be told. It is important you know that we are not blind to what you are - even if you are.”

“How can I not like it when you say such lovely things about me. If that is how you all see me I will not argue the point. I just wish I understood it.” I tried for some levity. “Which healthy man would not treasure having his own little harem?” I then had to admit, “My loves, it is difficult for me to not feel guilty at times.”

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“Are you saying you feel guilty about loving me Robbie?”

“Oh god no!! Never, not about that my sweet Wendy!”

“I don’t understand then, in which way?”

As I floundered, searching for a suitable answer, Dommi put her arm around Wendy, giving her a cuddle. “Don’t ask Wendy. He does not really know. All artists are like that, they love to torment themselves and find guilt - it seems to goad them into creating. Just think of Vincent van Gogh. He drove himself mad with it and cut off his ear, but he created some of the most wonderful art.”

“I don’t want Robbie to cut off his ear!”

“Dommi, comparing me to someone who was insane! Do you really see me like that?”

“Go tease Cherine if you want to Robert, not me. You know what I mean and you even agree. Wendy baby, our Robert is even worse than Vincent, the artist who had a soul. Our artist does not cut off his ears, instead he tries to kill himself whenever he allows the guilt to get too strong. It is why he needs us to be stronger than him, so that we can care for him - and protect him from himself. Are you strong enough?”

Wendy stared at me, her eyes a pale blue of sadness that gradually darkened.

“For my Robbie I can be.” We all noticed the ‘my’ instead of ‘our’, but the picture of this tiny girl deciding to protect me touched everyone. What it did to my heart I have hidden to bring out at moments and treasure.

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^{For those readers who have not understood, when they speak using telepathy, what they say is enclosed within stars, and the thoughts exchanged are in italic.
e.g *Hi, I bet you are wishing you could read thoughts.*?}

I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love. Yes, most of all, always of empathy and love.