~William Goldman
Twisting my fingers together, I hummed in the appropriate places as Gavin talked about his class. I focused on my breath, keeping it slow and steady, trying to keep as calm as possible. I didn't think I would feel this nervous about a sleepover.
I jumped out of the car when we pulled into the driveway, grabbing my backpack. Gavin smiled. I could feel his happiness. I guess he mistook my nervousness for excitement. That would work.
Following Gavin up the stairs and through the front door, my mouth start to water. Anali had cooked dinner, and the rich aroma of Indian food filled the air.
"Anali, you didn't have to do all of this," I said, as my stomach rumbled in delight at all of the food laid out on the table. Anali asked me what I wanted for dinner, and I asked for a curry, a simple curry, but Anali cooked a feast! She made naan, samosas, lentil dal, two different curries, a pitcher of mango lassi, and fragrant rice.
Anali smiled and patted my shoulder. "I don't make a meal like this very often, and I enjoy cooking. It's a fun way to keep my connection to my family back in India. Anyway I don't teach on Fridays, so I had plenty of time."
"It looks wonderful, is there anything I can help with?" Gavin asked as he hung up his coat.
"No, thank you. It's all done. Go wash up, and we can eat." Anali kissed Gavin and headed back into the kitchen.
Gavin handed me the duffel bag he'd picked up from Hope House. "Why don't you put your stuff in your room; you can unpack later."
"Okay." I grabbed the bag and walked down the hallway to my mom's room. Gavin offered to make the room mine; pack things up, redecorate, and buy new sheets—anything I wanted, but I said no. I didn't see this as my room, or my house, at least not yet. I wasn't ready to make this place mine; it was too soon. I set my stuff down and went into the bathroom to wash my hands for dinner.
The soft, clean smell of ginger scented the bathroom. I couldn't believe it. I had told Anali about this bath stuff and how much I liked them. Melanie’s sister had given me a set for Christmas and I had pouted about almost being out, but I never expected Anali to actually buy bath things for me. I looked around the cheery white and pale green tiled room finding several bars of soaps in different scents, new bottles of the ginger shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Maybe, just maybe, they really do care about me and want me here? Maybe having me live with them is more than needing the Jewel of the Phoenix King and Queen? Washing my hands, I allowed my thoughts to roam for a moment, about what it might be like to live with Gavin and Anali.
I continued daydreaming as I went to the table for dinner.
"Anali, this is even better than your mom's," Gavin moaned as he took another bite of the warm garlic naan.
"Thank you, sweetheart." Anali smiled softly.
"You've been to India?" I asked between bites of the delicious spicy curry. "Is that how you met?"
"Well," began Gavin, with a mischievous grin letting me know I was in for a story. "I was looking for antiques and art throughout India. I don't always go on buying trips, but something about this one called to me."
Anali looked at her husband with fond exasperation as the drama began to unfold.
"I heard of Anali's village from a friend of mine who deals in art. I planned to go at the end of my trip after checking the better-known markets." Gavin described his trip through India with wild hand gestures and outrageous theatrics all while he continued to eat. Somehow he never spilled anything nor talked with food in his mouth.
"The moment I set foot in Anali's village I knew my destiny was about to be revealed to me. Then I saw her, the most beautiful woman in the world. My heart pounded in my chest as I walked toward her."
Anali rolled her eyes.
"When our eyes met, magic, an instant connection so intense I rushed towards her. I barely caught her in time as she fainted from the power of our meeting. I knew she was the love of my life and I fought for her hand." Gavin finished with dramatic flair, kissing Anali's hand and looking deeply into her brown eyes.
Anali laughed. "I remember it a little bit differently."
"I know dear," Gavin replied, a little sadly patting her hand. "The power of our meeting was too much for you to handle."
"In fact," Anali continued, "I remember taking care of you for a week when you first came to my village. You had a fever and vomited for days."
Gavin sniffed indignantly. "I'm sure Sapphire won't believe such silly lies, and can easily tell the truth from fantasy."
"I also remember you begging my father on your knees for permission to marry me. The fear that you would stay in our village and harass him forever finally changed his mind."
"Your family loves me," Gavin gasped, hand pressed against his chest in pretend shock. He tried to keep a straight face, but his lips twitched as his smile tried to break free. I grinned into my mango lassi as they teased each other.
Cleaning up after dinner turned into a happy TV family moment. I did my best to accept it and not analyze it.
"What time do you need to wake up in the morning? I'm hoping to leave about nine," Anali asked.
"I want to do yoga in the morning, so seven," I said.
Gavin groaned. Anali playfully smacked him on the arm. "Sapphire, I want to help you with your gifts this weekend. I know a specific type of yoga that uses deep breathing along with the poses. I'd be happy to teach it to you." Her wide almond shaped eyes were soft and hopeful.
Yoga has been a refuge for me—something that I do alone. It helps me to center myself each day. Something I shared with my mom, according to her journal. I didn't want to share that time with someone else, but I did need help controlling my powers.
"Okay. How long will we need? Should I get up earlier?"
Anali tapped a frosty pink fingernail against her lips. "If you wake up at seven, when will you be ready to practice?"
"Within fifteen minutes, as long as there is a warm-up."
"Let's see, for the first time we'll practice for thirty minutes, so that will leave you almost an hour to get ready for your day. Is that enough?" Anali asked.
"More than enough." What did she think I need to do? I didn't wear make-up or do anything special with my hair.
Anali looked thoughtful. "How long do you normally practice yoga in the mornings?"
I shrugged. "About an hour."
"Maybe we'll play it by ear and see how you're feeling. The style of yoga my village practices is called Garuda yoga. It’s designed to help descendants from the Phoenix King and Queen learn to use their gifts. It focuses on the breath and prana, or energy, during each pose."
"Are the poses very challenging?"
"Not any more than any other type of yoga. However, the goal of Garuda yoga is to get the energy of your gift flowing through your body. This way you can easily access your gifts, and they won't slip out of your control when they're not wanted. The intensity of the energy can feel overwhelming," Anali explained.
"If you're not used to the energy, it can feel like your nerves are overloaded. I decided I could easily do it, and after an hour-long session, I wound up shaking with hypersensitive nerves for three days. After that I took it slow," Gavin said with a soft grin.
"I pay attention to my breath while doing yoga, but I've never done yoga that focuses on breath," I said. Honestly, I'm not even sure what she means by yoga that focuses on the breath.
"We'll start with thirty minutes, then; I want you to enjoy it." Anali smiled encouragingly at me. "Come on, let's watch a movie."
"I get to pick," said Gavin, as he darted from the room. Soon I got sucked into an action-packed movie full of explosions and car crashes. Next time I would try to beat Gavin, so I could pick the movie.
"Do you want to watch another one?" Gavin asked, as the credits rolled across the huge flat screen TV.
"No, thanks. I need to get to bed if I want to get up on time." It was already after nine and I typically wasn't allowed to stay up this late.
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"Well, good night then. I'll be ready by seven fifteen," Anali said, settling back onto the couch next to Gavin.
"Good night," Gavin said. "I hope you sleep well."
"Good night," I replied with a soft wave.
I got ready for bed, enjoying the peace and quiet. No one banged on my door, threw clothes around the room, or asked me for anything. I kept my eyes down as I settled into bed, not wanting to see the ghosts of my mother's childhood around the room. I pushed on the pillow a bit. I was used to having a new bed, and I didn't mind so much, but I wish I had brought my own pillow. I hadn't, because Gavin insisted on being able to provide me with everything I would need. The worst part about being in a new house and a new bed was the new pillow. Each one felt different, smelled different, and the fabric that covered them was different. I hated adjusting to a new pillow, and wasn't expecting to sleep well tonight at all.
Giving in, I laid down. My mom's pillow was so soft I sank into it. The cotton pillowcase felt smooth against my check and smelled faintly of the perfume on her dresser. Taking a deep breath I relaxed, and my empathy flared. I could feel her happiness. My mom had been happy, so very happy, the last time she'd slept in this bed. She felt safe and loved. The faint shadow of my mother's last night here crept over me covering me like a blanket as I slipped into sleep.