A Brief Moment in TIme (17 page)

“Kathryn, it’s good to see you,” Adele welcomed her friend into her office. “I have a two o’clock appointment, but if you don’t mind waiting for a bit, I’ll have Judith reschedule the rest of my patients. We can get some coffee or a bite to eat…”

“I am your two o’clock appointment,” Kathryn interrupted her friend.

“You don’t have to schedule an appointment with me, Kathryn. We can talk any time. Besides, I ought to be the one paying you for advice, not the other way around.”

“I haven’t been living what I teach,” Kathryn admitted. “I’ve gotten off track. I’m confused, and I need someone to help me sort it all out. I wouldn’t put myself in anyone else’s hands. I need your help, and I think this is the best way to go about it.”

“All right, if this is what you want.”

“It’s what I need.”

GAVIN WAS HONORED that his sister joined their parents in welcoming him home. With her kids out of school for the summer, she’d taken a month off work, and Gavin was eager to spend time with his sister and his nieces. Sandra was two years older than he was. They hadn’t exactly been close as teenagers, but as adults they had a connection.

He was glad for her expertise, which she claimed was minimal, when it came to using the computer. There was so much that Gavin didn’t know, and he was hungry to learn.

She’d done a rather extensive search on Kate’s teaching and excitedly shared what she’d found. “I’m impressed. This teaching is simple yet powerful. The rehabilitation program Ms. Harding is proposing to establish in prisons is remarkable. There’s nothing like it out there. I’ve looked at some of the results of the work she and her husband have done, and it’s really impressive. It’s literally changing not only the mental health profession but the world of medicine as well.”

Gavin was happy to hear his sister speak highly of Kate and her program. He knew her methods worked; he’d experienced it—albeit in an altered state of consciousness. Regardless of how it had come to him, he had definitely benefited from it.

He told Sandra about his dream of helping the men at Swenton, and she encouraged him. “I think that’s a great idea, Gavin. You know what it’s like in there; you know what they’re going through. You could get this message across better than anyone. And not just Swenton. I mean you could start there, but you could eventually speak to other prisons as well. It would have been nice,” she added, “if you could have met this woman and learned from her directly. It sounds like she had a real passion for this work.”

Gavin winced inwardly as he listened to his sister’s comment and longed to share what he knew. He hated being less than honest with his family, but he knew how absurd the truth sounded. “Maybe I will yet,” he replied, “…one day.”

KATHRYN FELT at ease in Adele’s care. She took on the role of patient and was willing to listen to whatever her friend and counselor had to say.

“I’d like to touch on a couple of things,” Adele began. “This might seem like an irrelevant issue, but would you object to being called Kate?”

The question left Kathryn completely taken aback. She’d not yet shared with Adele the conversation they’d had in her unconscious state, nor had she mentioned that Gavin called her Kate.

“I know you were Kate as a child,” Adele said gently. “And I know your reasons for changing your name. But I’ve always felt Kate suited you better. Kathryn feels...I don’t know...contrived somehow. Like you’re pretending to be someone you’re not.”

The words were the same as in the dream. Kathryn didn’t know how to respond.

“It’s not a big deal,” Adele apologized. “I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just...something I’ve thought of before, and it may be significant.”

“Gavin called me Kate,” Kathryn said softly as she dealt with the emotion that arose. “He could see the part of me I’ve been hiding. You’re right, you know. In fact, we’ve had this conversation before.”

“We have?”

“Well,” Kathryn laughed, “technically I had the conversation with myself. Just now...the way you said that...it was almost exactly the way I dreamed it.”

Adele’s look of confusion lingered for a moment longer. Then she shook her head and laughed with her friend. “Wow, this is really going to be interesting. Tell me, did we have any other conversations I should know about?”

“Yeah, we did, but I’m not sure they’re relevant right now. What was the other thing you wanted to discuss?”

“I was wondering what condition your inner space is in,” Adele replied. “It’s the basis of what we teach others, so I thought it would be a good place to begin.”

Kathryn knew that Adele was right in bringing it up. She hadn’t taken much time for herself, hadn’t given much thought to her own spiritual condition. It was undoubtedly the reason she was feeling so low. “It feels cluttered and disorganized right now,” she admitted. “It’s supposed to be a sanctuary, yet it feels like a place that’s been ignored and uncared for, for too long.”

“Well,” Adele declared, “we really got to the heart of that one. It’s kind of fun working together like this. I forgot how well we read each other.”

Kathryn nodded. They did make a good team. She was truly grateful for her dear friend. Relaxing in her chair, she closed her eyes, already anticipating what would come next.

Adele led her through a guided meditation, and Kathryn was delighted by how good it felt to be guided rather than the one doing the guiding. It had been a long time since she’d reversed roles with anyone.

As she listened to Adele’s voice, Kathryn soon began to feel renewed comfort in the familiar place she’d created long ago. She looked around her space with fondness and a longing to spend time there again. She felt safe once more as she connected to the part of her she’d been ignoring.

Soft, satin tears slipped down her cheeks as a warmth radiated through her. The rhythm of her breath comforted her, and she felt her vibration begin to rise. She was at home, and that felt tremendously refreshing after being away for so long.

When Adele finished speaking, Kathryn opened her eyes and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. “I needed that,” she smiled. Her time was almost up, and she wanted to keep their meeting professional. “I’ve booked two more sessions this week. I believe we’re on the right track.” She took Adele’s hand, squeezing it lovingly. “You really are very good.”

“Thanks, Kath…” Adele paused and they looked at each other, both knowing the question on her mind.

“Call me Kate.” For the first time she felt the name truly suited her. “I think I’m ready for a change.”

GAVIN WAS TRULY enjoying time with his family. He and his dad spent afternoons in the shop working on projects. They shared the same work ethic, paying close attention to detail. They were both perfectionists who took pride in their work, and Gavin found it very satisfying. There was yard work and gardening to be done as well, and he gladly helped out.

He still couldn’t express how it felt to be a free man. He was glad to have the understanding Kate had given him. He felt no resentment or bitterness when he reflected on his time in prison. It was the contrast he’d needed, and now it was behind him.

He spent hours on his computer and made interesting connections on the Internet. Talking to others who could relate to his situation was helpful; he’d already made friends with other ex-convicts. The people he met there were literally all over the world and all over the map when it came to their beliefs, their mental and emotional states. Some were bitter toward the prison establishment. Others were repentant and wanted, like Gavin, to give back in some way.

He found people interested in discussing spiritual things, and in the relative safety of a social networking site, Gavin felt comfortable sharing his paranormal experiences as well as the insight he’d gained.

He felt uncertain about going out in public, meeting new people or running into people he’d known before he went to prison. His parents encouraged him, telling him their neighbors and friends would accept him. He knew he’d have to integrate into society eventually, but he didn’t feel ready.

Chapter 17

KATE KNEW what she had to do. The thought was so persistent she had to follow it. She’d resisted, wanting to make sure she was doing it for the right reasons, but now she felt confident that she was. Without hesitation, she called the representative for the constituency Swenton Maximum Security Prison was in and gave the woman a summary of her proposal. Fortunately, she’d heard of the rehabilitation program Kate had developed and was in favor of the idea. She’d even offered to set up a meeting with the prison administration staff. It was two days away, and Kate began preparing for the trip.

“I wish I was going with you,” Adele acknowledged as she watched her friend pack the following evening.

“I do too. You don’t know how much!”

“This is just a start,” Adele assured her. “Once they see the results, they’ll want to initiate the program in all the prisons across the nation.”

“And once that happens,” Kate insisted, “I want you with me.”

“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”

Kate’s decision meant offering her program despite the lack of funding—funding that would have ensured her a paycheck, allowed her to have assistants, not to mention covered expenses associated with such an endeavor. She was offering it to Swenton as a trial for one year, if they were interested. She had money saved up; she wouldn’t suffer financially. She’d also received a sizable settlement from the accident, and given it had come to her largely because of her family’s greed, she decided this would be the perfect way to use the ill-gotten money.

After saying goodbye to Adele at the airport, Kate left for the all-important meeting. Her nervousness existed on several levels. She wanted her program to be accepted and wanted to begin the work she’d been honing for so many years, but the fact that it was Swenton left her with jitters she couldn’t seem to calm. She could see the facility clearly in her mind and wondered if it could truly be the way she’d imagined. It would be strange knowing it was where she’d met Gavin, knowing he was no longer there.

Kate arrived and found her hotel easily with the car she had rented. It was the same hotel she’d stayed in when her team first came to the city to begin the program. Everything about the hotel was familiar, yet in reality she’d never been to the hotel, or even the city before. It was rather disconcerting. She understood about the paranormal, having studied the topic and talked to people who’d experienced such things. But she’d never experienced them herself—until now. It was exciting, but it left her in unfamiliar territory.

The warden and two members of the board at Swenton, along with the government representative she’d spoken to, were present for the meeting. Kate began with the pitch she’d used many times over the years, this time modifying it to reflect that she was alone and willing to offer her program and her services voluntarily. The responses seemed favorable, but with the decision left to a vote, Kate had to wait—possibly for several days—to receive an answer.

The next day she familiarized herself with the city.
Re-familiarized
was a more accurate term, as she’d already been there in some capacity, and the experience was still fresh in her memory. She drove by the Denny’s Restaurant that Gavin had pointed out and stopped at the same Starbucks they’d been to. As she did, she questioned how her experience with Gavin could have been merely an illusion, when her knowledge of the city was so real.

Does he know, too?
she asked silently.
Somewhere, somehow, is he thinking of me, too? Was this a parallel reality we both encountered, or was it just a complex conjuring of my own imagination?

She believed in the connectedness of all beings and in the possibility of things she didn’t understand. Nevertheless, the situation made her feel somewhat unsure of herself. On top of all that, there was another phenomenon that even with her wealth of knowledge she couldn’t begin to explain. A picture frame like the one Gavin’s father had made for her was in the box of items retrieved from her car after the accident.

She hadn’t said anything to Adele, hadn’t known what to say. There was no picture, and the glass was broken, but it was evidence proving that what she’d experienced was in some way real.

Gavin’s question about reality plagued her, now more than ever. She couldn’t find an answer that satisfied her.
He could probably explain it better than I could,
she mused.
He seems to have an understanding, a deeper grasp of those types of things.

She wished she could talk to him, but she knew she had to trust the Universe to work out the details. If they ever were to meet again, it wouldn’t be by her meager efforts. She had to follow her intuition, stay connected, and find fulfillment in the moment. The grander schemes of life would take care of themselves. She truly believed that.