Chapitre 12: Woman to Woman

How would Theeya meet Magdalena without Jeff tagging along?

She was determined to talk to Magdalena privately without Jeff listening in.

Theeya spotted Dawood with his youngest girl Erna at the lounge and waved at them.

"Hello Erna, how are you today?" said Theeya who nodded at Dawood.

"Hello Miss Theeya, I am feeling great today. How about you? Look at what I drew for Papa," Erna showed her drawing of her and Dawood in front of a house and a tree. There were no other family members in her drawing.

"Wow, that is a beautiful drawing," Theeya said.

Sensing that Theeya wanted a private conversation with him Dawood asked Erna to join the other kids at the playroom and she did so obligingly.

"What a beautiful child, so sweet and well mannered too, you mentioned she is your youngest, I haven't seen her older siblings?" asked Theeya curiously.

"She is indeed my youngest child from my late wife Sheena. She had her when she was 43. She passed away within 10 days after Erna was born due to complications at birth. Our older children are all grown up and married, living away from our commune here. I never remarried, no one can replace my Sheena," Dawood said with a tinge of bitterness and sadness.

"I'm sorry, Dawood. Bringing up a little girl isn't an easy task especially with her mother dying when she's so young," said Theeya. She misjudged Dawood. She thought that this middle aged man in front of her had a young second wife who gave birth to Erna. Little did she know that he was such a loyal man to his late wife.

"It's been eight years now, don't be sorry," Dawood smiled. "You wanted to see me about something?"

"Yes, can I see Magdalena alone, I would like a private conversation with her, without Jeff," Theeya said.

"Without Jeff? He would like to have all the details of this expedition actually," Dawood rubbed his double chin.

"I know, but this is personal. I can pay for my consultation with her. I just need a ride there and back," Theeya pleaded.

"Don't worry about payment. That's my contribution to the expedition. She is already paid in advance. I shall prepare your ride now, Magdalena has blocked her entire week for us anyway," Dawood smiled and his face softened. He was not a bad guy afterall, thought Theeya.

"How about Jeff?" Theeya asked.

"I will keep him entertained till you come back." He winked.

Grateful for that, Theeya boarded her ride to Magdalena's place. She was a nervous wreck as she thought of how her dreams had evolved so fast over the last couple of days.

As she found herself sitting in front of Magdalena again, the older woman gave her a warm smile and looked at her with knowing eyes.

"Good to see you again Theeya," Magdalena's soft voice chimed.

"Thank you for seeing me again, Madam Magdalena," Theeya smiled back.

"You can call me Lena, what brings you here again," Lena's eyes were sharp and her gaze piercing.

"I have questions, Lena, I just wanted to ask them to you in private without the men," Theeya said.

"Woman to woman, girls talk. I understand that. So please ask away," Lena grinned.

"I had another dream. This time it was about me and Jeff and there was this big huge white falcon that I could ride and fly on. Now that I mention it I feel stupid," Theeya stopped herself while shaking her head.

"No, no, it's not stupid. Carry on," Magdalena encouraged Theeya.

"I don't know. It all felt so real. I was a princess who was made the Queen of my Kingdom. Then I felt I wanted to run away and literally fly away from my kingdom and I did! The falcon then brought me to his nest and I saw his mate and chicks. Then I fell off the tree and I saw Jeff. I mean it was not the Jeff we know now, that Jeff was a young man and a prince of his kingdom. He declared his feelings for me and told me he wanted to win my hand in marriage when I came of age. Is that a figment of my imagination or my fantasy or what? I feel so stupid now. I do have feelings towards Jeff," Theeya looked down, embarrassed that her feelings were out in the open.

Magdalena smiled at Theeya, her gaze kind and assuring. "So you are attracted to Jeff now. No shame on that. He is a very handsome man." Theeya turned a darker shade of crimson at that words.

"Your third eye is opening, Theeya. And by that I mean you have access between the portals of different dimensions and timelines. Since you are untrained, these powers are utilised when you are asleep, you navigate through these portals on a subconscious level. So yes, what you saw is true, the incidents are real. Those are memories from a parallel dimension and timeline. Like I said, time is not linear. You actually lived or are still living those memories. So yes that is one of the lifetimes you shared with Jeff. The feelings are valid.

"Love is love, there is no shame in that. Even though you were his mother in a previous lifetime or him your father or him being so much older than you in this lifetime, Love is Love.

"I think the answer you are looking for is already inside of your heart. Do you love him?" Magdalena's gaze pierced through Theeya's guard and penetrated her soul.

"I don't know if he loves me back or if he just treats me like his friend's little girl. I feel like a child sometimes in his presence," Theeya started sobbing.

"Magdalena, what if he doesn't love me back?" the dam broke and Theeya cried uncontrollably.

Magdalena stood up and walked over to a Theeya and gave her a big hug, holding her in her arms, comforting her.

"Hush now, it's okay Theeya. Cry it out. Let out the fear and doubts and all the worries." Theeya cried even harder.

"Woman to woman, it is okay to fight for the man you love," Magdalena look straight into Theeya's red eyes, swollen from crying.

Just then the door opened and Jeff stood there.

"Jeff... you are here. When did you arrive?" Theeya stammered.

"Long enough to hear that you have feelings for me," Jeff said calmly.

Theeya thought she would die and wished the earth would open and swallow her up.

"And what are you doing here Jeff?" Magdalena looked at him calmly.

"I wanted to see Theeya. I wanted to speak to her," he stated.

"Is it because you want all the details of my consultation with her due to your need to control everything?"

"That too... but I care about her too," he said.

Theeya could not believe her ears and stared at him blankly.

"You care for her like a kitten or do you care for her like a woman," Magdalena did not mince her words.

"I never thought I would say this in this lifetime. Being single had served me well all these years. But I do care for Theeya like a woman. If she would let me I would care for her as my woman," Jeff said firmly.

Theeya swooned and thought she would collapse from her chair. It felt so unreal. Her eyes were unblinking as they stared at Jeff in disbelief.

"I know I am old enough to be your father. But I do care for you, Theeya," he spoke to her directly.

Magdalena smiled as she looked at the two lovebirds.

"Will you accept my love and care, Theeya? I promise I will take care of you to the best of my ability," Jeff's voice was shaking a little this time full of passion and tenderness.

Theeya froze.

Jeff waited for her answer.

"Cat got your tongue?" He smiled at her.

Theeya finally smiled and screamed out "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! A million times yes!" And reach out for him and hugged him tight, putting her arms around his neck.

Magdalena beamed with joy and cleared her throat.

"Ahem, do you want to get married before you continue on your journey? That marriage certificate makes booking hotel rooms so much easier. It's only logical and practical," she suggested.

"Get married?" Theeya froze again.

"Will you marry me, Theeya? It can be arranged in the next few days before we continue on our expedition," Jeff asked.

"This is happening too fast... you just confessed and now we are getting married?" asked Theeya.

"Why not?" Jeff asked with his signature dashing smile.

A nagging feeling that this was happening too fast started deep inside of her. She could not shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

"No, no, no, this is too fast. This can't be happening. It is too good to be true, no, no, no," Theeya held both sides of her head as it began to feel like it was about to split into half and screamed at the top of her lungs.

Then everything turned dark for Theeya and she did not even know when her head hit the ground.