Day 18

Rachael Ceronio woke up feeling better than she had since she arrived. Her aches and pains had gone. She was feeling good. She had slept well. She didn’t itch anymore either. She was sure she had lice as she was always itching. But now she hadn’t woken up scratching not even once.

She made her bed, washed her face, rinsed out her mouth and dressed in the dress handing on the door. It fitted her perfectly.

She went to the library where she had met the old man the night before.

“You are awake and you look good.” He greeted.

“Thank you. I feel good.” Rachael answered.

“Let’s eat.” He said.

Coalton had white hair like snow. It was quite a contrast compared to his coal black skin.

A small table rolled itself in and on it was bacon, eggs, toast, pork sausages fired tomatoes, onion rings and tea.

“Is there anything you don’t have?” Rachael asked.

“Is there something you want?” he asked.

“Coffee.” She pined.

Coalton laughed and a mug of coffee floated into the room and settled on the table.

“Sugar, milk?” Rachael inquired.

The tea pot moved so she could see the milk jug and sugar bowl.

“Thank you!” she sincerely said “I haven’t had coffee since I got here and the withdrawals are terrible. If my body wasn’t broken, I still would not have been able to do much. The headaches!”

“Did you think about what you want?” he asked.

“A little. I want to be happy and home. Even when I was a child, I wasn’t happy, my granddad raised me. My parents just fought all the time and then left me.”

“Go on. Tell me what happened.”

“Well, I can’t remember them not fighting. It was all the time about everything. The dinner being too cold. Or eating beans too often. Or coming home late and so on. They just refused to get along. One day when I was eight, they took me to my grandparents’ house and left me there for the holidays. That was great, ice cream and late nights and camping outside in tents and picnics and swimming all day long. Then school started and my parents still hadn’t come back for me. Grandma said it wasn’t me, that they were missing me. But when they finally come it was my father alone. He gave me a doll and told me he loves me. I was so happy then he dropped me at a strange house and left me in the driveway. Standing with my bag of clothes and my doll.”

Rachael looked at Coalton.

“Can I just give you the highlights as it really is a long story and it’s pretty much the same stuff over and over.” She stirred her coffee.

“Alright give me the highlights.” He said.

“My parents got divorced when I was eight. My mom cried all the time. My dad never visited. When I was eight my mom left me with my grandparents. When I was twelve my granny died. When I was thirteen both my parents came to my birthday party and ruined it with their fighting and throwing my birthday cake at each other. When I was fifteen, I went to a new school. I was bullied until I made friend with the principle’s nasty daughter Emma. Then Emma manipulated me and was a lousy friend. My grandfather then got private tutors for me. I was already part of his diamonds campaign. I was since I was three. But at fifteen when I got private tutors I started working as the face for his company. Got to go to all the special grown-ups’ events. I learnt to eat like a lady and talk like one and pretend, like I was a fill time actor. My grandfather then got me my first pollo horse. I have played ever since and so here I am. In a strange world with strange people talking my heart out to a stranger.”

“Do you think your parents love you?” he asked.

“No, they hang around for my money. I am their golden goose. Love requires time and attention. They couldn’t be bothered. Even at lunches they are on their phones or talking about work. My dad only talks about how I can improve the bottom-line with this or that appearance. Or how I shouldn’t do this or that as it makes the company look bad. My mom likes horses so she helps me run my ranch in Mexico. It’s the place I can go and be myself. Most of the time it’s like we are co-workers. We talk when needed. Did I mention my mother smokes? So, we have our own houses on the ranch.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Do you think they want a relationship with you?” he asked.

“No, if they did the way to start would be an apology and an explanation.”

“Have you ever asked them about it?” he asked.

“As a child before I realized, they don’t care and nothing I do will make them love me. So, I focused on the people that where there for me and became the famous Rachael Ceronio, face of the Ceronio diamonds. I have more money than I can spend.”

“Why do you sound sad?” he asked “Is money not good?”

“Money is great. But I was board. Now I just wish for my boring life.”

“May I look inside your mind?” he asked.

“How?” Rachael asked knowing that a kiss might be involved.

“Through this.” He opened a book.

Rachael was in the pictures like a movie but only parts could be seen.

She was tiny, still in a nappy with a pink top.

“Are you going to give me the secret to happiness?” Rachael asked.

“No, but I will tell you were to start your journey for happiness. First you need to confront that which haunts you. Second live a meaningful life.”

“What does that mean?” Rachael asked.

“Do both these things and you will understand.” Coalton replied.

“May I have a second cup of coffee?” Rachael asked.

“Yes, please have anything you want from my table.” He answered.

“May I change my mind about what I want?” Rachael asked sipping her second cup of coffee.

“Yes, what do you want?”

“I want to go home and I want Chris dead.”

Coalton touched her arm.

“Death is final and shouldn’t be sort out with so much surety. Be careful what you allow to grown in the garden of your heart.”

“What is that meant to mean?” Rachael asked.

“Our actions have consequences, always. Sometime we do not see the effects nor experience the pain we can cause.”

“Who have I hurt?” Rachael was defensive.

“Natrica.” He answered calmly.

“The stripper girl. She’s dead now so it doesn’t matter. Presides, I am not the one who killed her.” Rachael said.

“What do you know about Natrica?”

“That she was a poor stripper girl, who took charity.” Rachael rolled her eyes.

“What if you were born to a prostitute?” he asked.

“I would earn money and leave.” Rachael answered sure of herself.

“Earn money how?”

“Start my own business.”

“With what money?” Coalton asked.

“From teaching horse riding.”

“Where would you get the horse? Where would you keep it?”

“I would get a job.” Rachael answered.

“Doing what?”

“Babysitting.”

“How many hours of babysitting would you have to do to buy a horse and stable it?” Coalton asked.

Rachael thought about it doing the math in her head. She realized it would take too long.

“I will work as a receptionist, or maybe a motivational speaker.” She changed her answer.

“How?” he asked again.

Rachael sighed, “Are you trying to tell me to be more charitable?”

She looked at him with questioning eyes,

“Is this one of those ‘have a beautiful heart’ talks? Because that’s rubbish poor people like to believe so they can feel better about themselves.” Rachael said “And most poor people aren’t nice.”

Coalton didn’t even answer her.

“Do you want me to apologize to Natrica?” Rachael asked “Surely you know that it will mean nothing as she is dead.”

“I will tell you a story.” Coalton said.

“Are you going to tell me I must be beautiful on the inside? She asked.

He began to speak, “Even all your money cannot make you beautiful again. Your skin is ugly and almost all your body is scare tissue. Years of plastic surgery will never return you to what you were.”

“The mystic healers can heal me.” She said.

“They can. Do you know why they couldn’t heal you all at once?” he asked.

“No.” she answered.

“Because you fought them. You need to forgive yourself.”

“For what?” Rachael asked.

“Chris, and what he did to Natrica and how that affected everyone else.”

“We all make mistakes.” Rachael said defensively.

“Yes, but why are you here, looking for a crystal that might not even be there while you are so ugly?” he asked.

“Stop saying I am ugly!” Rachael snapped.

A mirror appeared and she could see how horrible she still looked. How ugly her flesh was.

“Okay I feel bad! Are you happy now?” Rachael snapped.

“Why do you feel bad?” he asked.

“Because Natrica is dead. She didn’t deserve to die. Chris does.”

“Our actions have consequences. Everything we do creates something, positive or negative. Even things we deem small. I have a story for you.” He continued

“One day a popular girl surrounded by friends was at a birthday party, this birthday girl was rich and fun. She had everything she wanted and more. This popular girl really wanted to be her friend.

Then she got a phone call. A friend of hers that didn’t have a lot of influence needed a lift. Her car had broken down again and she was stuck outside the club she had been at. The popular girl didn’t want to leave the party and miss her chance to befriend the rich girl, so she told her fiend she couldn’t help. She proceeded to enjoy the party, drank too much and went home.

In the morning, she went to her friend’s home to get her little sexy dress back that she had lent the non-influential friend. The popular girl saw her friend, she looked terrible like she was hung over, twice over.

The popular girl got her dress back and left. She never asked how her friend got home or if she was alright. She carried on with her life.

Her less influential friend pulled away from her, not wanting to visit or go out. Three months later the girl killed herself.

The popular girl was offended that the family didn’t ask her to speak at the memorial service.

Meanwhile, the family was surprised to see the popular girl at the memorial service.

You see the night the popular girl was trying to make friends at a birthday party and her friend needed a ride but she refused. The friend was attacked and raped. She couldn’t come to terms with what happened and the disregard her ‘friends’ showed her made her feel alone. She pushed them away as they were not truly her friends.” He paused,

“You are the popular girl and Anne is the less influential friend.” He finished.

“Are you saying that Anne died because I didn’t give her a lift?” Rachael asked angry.

“No, Anne was left in a bad part of town and rapped because you didn’t give her a lift. She chose to kill herself as her pain was too much. Our action affects others in ways we cannot expect. Sometimes for better sometimes for the worst.” Colton finished his story.

“Stop with the stories and riddles. If you are wanting to say people die because of me then just say it straight.” Rachael was upset.

“Do something nice for someone who cannot pay you back and forgive yourself. My gift to you is a fresh start. What will you do with it?” he asked.

“A fresh start?” Rachael asked defensively.

“Yes, today you start as a new person. How are you going to live?”

“I feel the same.” She said “How am I a new person?”

He smiled “This world has changed you. Soon you will be home and as beautiful as ever. But today you start your new life. Use it well.” He said.

“Talk straight with me.” Rachael said.

He gave her a book.

“Write in it and set yourself free. Be the person that makes you happy. Be a person you like.” He said.

Then she was outside the castle gate. It was instant, faster than the blink of an eye.

“What!?” Rachael exclaimed.

She walked into the castle. It was busy and clearly something had happened.