“This is his journey to make,” Essie said and led me into the living room again. “Just like you being here is yours. We were each destined to play a part in this situation. Just like you were meant to perform a miracle on Manny, to get you to believe.”
This woman was definitely off her rocker. If I were a betting girl, I’d say the longer I stayed, the closer we’d be to drinking midnight margaritas while dancing around a cauldron sweeping evil out the door.
“You lack training,” Essie said. “Have a seat.”
I sat on her couch, and the dog curled up at my side.
“Close your eyes and take a deep breath. In and out.”
I closed my eyes, but I was peeking beneath my lashes.
“Close them,” she barked in a no nonsense tone.
I did as I was told.
“Picture Harlon in your mind. You know him. You know his touch. You know his scent. You know his energy and his moods. You know his spirit. Feel him as though he’s as real in your mind, as if he were standing in front of you.”
Harlon had been easy enough to picture in my mind from the first interaction. His red flannel shirt stretched over his broad chest. The scruff on his face scratched at my hip where my shirt had ridden up as he’d carried me over his shoulder. The deep timbre of his voice wrapped around me like a driving glove. His touch had set me on fire, making me want things. Need things.
“Now try and envision where he might be. Is he in a car?”
I shook my head. He wasn’t in the car. He was standing outside the door of the townhouse that I’d drawn. It was as though I was next to him. A vision I’d normally have in my sleep I was having while awake.
My eyes shot open, and Essie was standing in the doorway of the kitchen eating a cookie while looking down into the teacup I’d been drinking from.
“You and Harlon are each a piece of a two-piece puzzle. When you master the art of finding and healing him, it will be a piece of cake to do it with others.”
“Listen,” I said, rising from my seat, carrying the dog. I put the puppy in the doggie playroom. “I’m only here for two more days after tonight. That’s not long enough for any of your predictions to play out. As lovely as they were, you’ve got the wrong girl.”
She watched me as if amused with my words. She nodded as if agreeing. “If you say so, dear.”
She touched her neck in the same location where one of the dog bites remained on mine. “I have a concoction that will help speed up your future healing needs. I’ll get some from my store and be sure to send it over.”
“I don’t plan to heal anyone else, but thank you for the offer.”
Just then there was a knock on the door, and Harlon entered. “I missed her. She wasn’t there.”
“You’ll find her, dear,” Essie said.
I walked to the door as Harlon asked, “Did you help her find what she’s searching for, Essie?”
“I’m not searching for anything,” I answered.
“She’ll find it when she’s ready, Harlon, and not a minute sooner. You can’t rush her.”
He gave a nod and kissed the woman’s cheek before leading me to the car. He slipped over the leather seat beside me and closed the door.
“I’m surprised Essie told you where to find me in the woods that day. She didn’t tell me anything nearly that specific other than that I’m going to be your wife.”
His lips twisted. “You caught that, did you?”
“She tried to give me a dog,” I said.
His grin slowly fell. “Which one?”
“Peanut,” I answered.
“She’s been grooming them since birth. All three were handpicked for special people. You’re telling me that she tried to give you her favorite?”
I shrugged. “She said I was destined to have the dog. She couldn’t be further from the truth. I don’t know the first thing about caring for animals.”
“She’s never been wrong,” he said.
“She is about me. About us. After tonight I leave in two days.”
