I can do this.
After the last few weeks, I feel changed.
A few dings and a quick rub on the crystals, and I’m awake to new possibilities.
I make my way back to Nidi’s office. ‘What are they going to get out of their time with us? We still need something to weave through all the activities like a golden thread, bringing them together.’
We sit around the table staring at one another blankly.
The minutes tick slowly by.
‘Between us we have what it takes to come up with something brilliant,’ I say, trying to sound hopeful. ‘After all, which one of us here speaks a second language fluently?’
I receive a grateful look from Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen, who then tells us she speaks fluent French and Italian too. And she is a talented photographer and a trained yoga instructor.
Who knew?
You’d think Nidi would have read her CV properly. Ava and I exchange impressed looks.
‘Meditate with me,’ I say, suggesting we close our eyes and let the answer come to us.
After half an hour of deep meditation, I open one eye to see Ava scrolling on her phone, and Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen has disappeared.
‘I know,’ Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen says, breezing back in, smelling of cigarette smoke. ‘The Law of Attraction. It is everywhere and inside everyone.’
Oh my word.
She’s right. SHE’S RIGHT!
‘Go on,’ I encourage.
Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen walks over and picks up the Life Coach Handbook, flicks to the middle section on manifesting and reads. ‘Positive thoughts produce positive energy, which produces positive outcomes for everyone.’ She slaps it shut. ‘Whether they are single, running a business or just want more from life. We can all use it.’
Ava looks a bit put out. ‘I’m sure I did a post on the Law of Attraction once.’
‘It’s okay for someone else to have ideas,’ I say. ‘We’re a team, remember?’
Ava looks sheepish. ‘Sorry. Old habits.’
While Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen shows Ava the Life Coach Handbook, the time suddenly feels right for me to heal the rift between me and my family once and for all.
I whip out my phone and text my mother.
Chapter 33
Theupsideofhavingmuch to do at work, with a sudden influx of new clients, thanks to Ava’s raunchy posts, and not one single word from Oliver, is that Ava and I have been keeping to a jogging routine and our realistic and achievable goals. Except for the green tea and the vegan slop masquerading as breakfast. A line had to be drawn somewhere.
The downside to organising this event has been catastrophically horrendous. Between the pair of them, Ava and Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen have bounced around the most ridiculous ideas for how the business networking singles launch Coach Trip is to be organised and they have not been able to agree on one single thing. I have listened to them arguing for days now about every little aspect. On and on they have rowed. They can both be spectacularly stubborn. And violent with it. My sister threw her precious notebook across the room during an argument about penmanship over writing out the badges. Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen, in a fiery vampiric explosion, retaliated by knocking over the flipchart and upending a tray of biscuits.
Ava has invited all the rugger boys and Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen has invited all the Hens. Ava then suggested we don’t invite the Hens because really, they are simply here for two weeks of heavy drinking and will think they are coming to a party for free booze, won’t be remotely interested in the free life coaching. There was a delightful bust up over that little revelation, I can tell you.
Obviously, I had to step in and administer some nursery nurse-style facilitation.
Today, in a bid to heal rifts, Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen has invited us to do yoga with her down on the beach at sunrise. It turns out Endless Cloud was also right about this too - itisa really invigorating start to the day.
‘I will go to the retreat this morning to firm up the details of the activities,’ I say, trying to sound casual as I bend myself into Cow’s Pose. I will have some explaining to do when I arrive, and I’d rather not do it in front of these two.
‘I’ll come,’ says Ava, looking at me upside down from between her ankles.