Naturaleza

By Etta Henry

Ever feel like you’re different? Like the world in which you live is just a facade to the one you see? For young Jodhaa, this is all too real.

At first glance, Jodhaa is a school-aged girl who’s at the top of her class with high marks. She’s involved in many extracurricular activities and has more wealth than she could accumulate in four lifetimes; still, something is missing.
At a young age, she was orphaned and left alone to fend for herself with only her two best friends, Ashton and Sarah, as guiding insights for direction. The three go to a special school for traumatized single youth in the bright state of California, where they are helped to evolve past their past and embrace their future.

Little did Jodhaa and her friends know that her future and theirs was on his way from a galaxy not too far away, bringing more questions than answers with trouble a lingering stench following close behind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664161092

Etta Henry

N/A

Book preview

Prologue

Before the time of the conqueror and the conquered, there lived a time of peace and tranquility. A time where land, love, understanding, adventure, beauty, passion, and wonder thrived in everyone and everything. It thrived not just in the people but in everything from the biggest oak tree to the smallest ant. It not only thrived but became an unspoken religion—a lifestyle.

Nowadays, beauty is falsified by magazines, television, photos, makeup, hair, nails, contacts, stereotypes, race, past generations’ false beliefs, and governments.

A while ago, I came across a treasure that only one (person from Earth) out of every one hundred millennia gets to see. Most play it off as a dream or a form of déjà vu. Why I was chosen to go on this wonderful journey is yet to be told. Even to this day, it is still a mystery. My eyes were opened to a place like no other. A place where everyone had a purpose and everything had a job. This place is where the spirits and the energy of all life are as real as the sun and the rain. This place is where peace flourished and freedom sang out.

You know that time in a person’s life when we are all caught wondering, is there something better out there for me? Isn’t there a place where peace, freedom, and love roam as free as the birds in the sky? Yes, there is. That place where we go in our dreams that looks like Bora Bora, the Bahamas, Paris in spring, and a sunset at sea all rolled into one. That place is real. That place has a name. The next time you go to the dream world or stare at that screensaver for just a little bit too long, I want you to close your eyes and whisper, Naturaleza. So said by Earthers as (nah- too-rah- leh- sah)

Now, before I submerge you in the wonders of Naturaleza, I must tell you how Jodhaa came to find this glorious place. You see, Naturaleza is not a legend or a myth. It is the place between places. Naturaleza is a place for the purest of hearts and deepest of souls to remain pure, free, and untouched.

Chapter One

I am sure, by now, you are wondering who is telling this tale.

Hi, I am Jodhaa Mae Miller so said on Earth as (Jew-da, May- Mill- er)—or I was before this experience came to unravel. So named after an extraordinary human. You see, before I was relieved from my old life, I was a mere shell of somebody and full of confusion. I lived a simple life of what I thought was practical and normal for any sixteen-year-old girl. I was one of the top ten students at my high school. I had two of the greatest friends on earth; I was quite involved in my school and played many roles. I was president of my green club and the new student welcoming committee and a member of the senior class outreach organization. I ran cross-country, and I was a Greek/Latin tutor in my spare time.

Ah, yeah, my life was normal. I guess you can say that I went through the motions pretty well. I was young to be a senior in high school, but I am told a lot of smart people are. I couldn’t wait for college. I was on the waiting list for three of the top schools in the world—well, at least, I think so anyway. I had applied to Harvard, Oxford, and Yale. I really wanted to go to Oxford, though. I wanted to start a new and fresh life somewhere. In a new country, with new faces. Maybe even come out of my shell a bit, you know? Oh yeah, for those of you who don’t know, Oxford is a top university in England. Yale and Harvard are top universities in the States.

Anyway, I am sure you are thinking, Oh, who cares about your perfect little life, right? Just so you know, I am only telling you all this because it is of relevance to my tale, I promise. At this point in my life, I was what society called a perfect beauty, but perfection in my opinion is just a word in the dictionary. Perfection is only perfect to the outsiders looking in; for those who are actually living in the so-called perfect world, it is more like chaos with walls. The reason my life sounds perfect is because it did not start so easily.

Chapter Two

Jodhaa Mae Miller was born to Drs. Philis and Arlex Miller in a hospital somewhere in South America. Those are her birth parents. Philis (her mom), was a doctor in archaeology and ancient artifacts. Arlex, her father, was a doctor in ancient languages, cultures, and civilizations. Guessing, that’s why Jodhaa can speak and read dead languages. They sound cool, huh? She has so many pictures of them all over the house.

Philis was gorgeous. She had long flowing black hair that would move every time she turned. She had light-brown, tannish skin so soft that an Egyptian cotton sheet would frown at her decadence. Philis had light-brown eyes that could put the puppy look to shame. She stood five-five with just enough curves to turn heads for miles. Arlex (her father) had real wavy black hair he never kept longer than his shoulders, a well-kept beard that lined his jaw, and just enough muscles to make women swoon for miles. Arlex had a smile that could blind the sun and a laugh that could make even the most down-in-the-dumps person share in his bliss.

Philis and Arlex were the couple everyone envied at a party or gathering. They were so famous that they were more known than Michael Jackson—eh, well, in the academic world that is. Their names were in so many history books they would have royally pissed off Christopher Columbus, if he were still alive today. Arlex was knighted by a king of a small country some time ago for saving his village from a typhoon by decrypting the language that the warning was sent in. Philis had received the Nobel Peace Prize and was an ambassador for cultures mistreated by their nations either from the past, like the Native Americans and the Gypsies(The Romaine people) in Europe, or today the blacks and browns of the states, and like the women in South Africa and the Middle East.

Arlex and Philis had a room in their house just for their awards. Now, don’t get them wrong. They had a lot of awards, but they didn’t do what they did for the awards. They did what they did because her parents were what the world would call do-gooders. Although lavished in riches, including money, they only treasured things such as smiles and laughter. Way more than some zeros in a bank. They were the people who were wealthy but didn’t come from wealth. They were that rare couple who always cherished their roots while never forgetting who they were or where they came from. Even though Arlex and Philis could afford to live like royalty, they only kept the things they accommodated from their travels, which were mostly gifts from people with overwhelming gratitude.

Take their house, for example. They didn’t buy it. It was given to her parents as a gift from the prime minister of England for resolving a threat on the queen. I wish I could tell you more about how the whole saving thing went down, but it is not something that someone like you or I can just research. It can only be read by the people in the higher-ups of the government. You know, in FBI files. Only they can discuss it. The only reason Jodhaa even knows about this is it was told to her as a bedtime story when she was a kid.

The sad part of it all was that they were murdered when she was just seven years old. Yeah, a real head-turner, huh? The crazy thing is, even though they were only in her life a brief time, Jodhaa couldn’t be prouder and more honored to say they were her parents. Sure, she had lots of pictures and articles of her parents, but she only had three years of memories with them. The rest of her memories, she was told or she had looked it up on the Internet. Yeah, I know—tragic, right?

But there is more to the mystery. Since she was only seven when all this happened, her mind has trouble recalling it sometimes. Her therapist says it is due to the trauma to her mind. When trauma happens, we as humans try to block out the event from our memories or keep replaying it until it drives us insane. Although memories, play a vital role in life and in retelling a story, there is more to insanity than tragic events and reoccurrence. Instead of listing all the infante ways there are to pill insanity and force its consumption upon another it’s just easier to sum it up that way or else this will be a different story. Due to the lack of reliable memories, I will do my best to tell what I know of the story’s events.

(Narrator takes over)

Okay, here it goes. When Jodhaa was younger, all anyone would tell her about their deaths was that a tall old man with a foreign accent and a limp murdered her parents in cold blood. So when she got old enough to get the irrational child locks off her computer, she did a little research herself. To her surprise, she found more theories and speculations on her parents and their deaths.

About nine years ago, just before Jodhaa’s seventh birthday, her parents received a letter from a 150-year-old man’s nurse to come to see him in Peru. Apparently, he was a boy on one of the final ships sent out to look for the hand of Midas. The letter said that he had urgent news to tell them about the hand. Because he was over one hundred years old, he was in no shape to travel. Philis and Arlex decided with grave hesitation to chart their way to Peru in hopes to put the last piece of a puzzle together and find the legendary mythical object. Together, Philis and Arlex had been looking for this treasure for over ten years. The only reason they had stopped looking for the mythical object was that they were expecting a child. Ehem, Jodhaa.

Upon discovering, they returned to the States shortly after Jodhaa was born. The clue they had been looking for could help them find the hand of Midas. The hand of Midas is a big deal because legend tells us that the hand itself can turn anything it touches into pure gold. Who wouldn’t want that, right? To their dismay, that little statement got Jodhaa’s parents killed. No, not killed—murdered. Philis and Arlex didn’t want the hand for themselves. They wanted the hand to solve world hunger and make strides toward world peace.

The week after receiving the important letter, her parents had fixed a big dinner, which Jodhaa found to be strange because they usually only made big dinners for special occasions, like Christmas or birthdays. Her father brought out the crystal they only eat on for special occasions, like dining with royalty from far lands. Jodhaa, being the curious little girl she was, couldn’t wait to see who the special guest would be. She wondered if it would be a prince, a soldier, a pilot, or maybe a princess.

To keep herself busy, she helped set the table, hoping to settle her anticipation. Spotting her father in the dining room, she skipped off to him and asked, How can I help, Daddy?

He replied, Hey there, sprout, you can help by—he thought while looking around the room—you can fluff the cushions, sweetheart, he finally decided.

Jodhaa fluffed the table chair cushions when she found a small long rectangular black box. The box had a big red ribbon on it with her name attached to it. Jodhaa turned and smiled, looking for her parents in excitement. To her delight, she turned to see her mom and dad standing next to each other, simultaneously nodding at her to open it. As Jodhaa removed the big red ribbon and opened the box, she screamed. Her smiling parents met Jodhaa at her level and lifted her to theirs.

Jodhaa was still in shock because of the gift she found inside the box. Her mother and father had bought her a rainbow-colored diamond necklace. It was a locket. The locket was laced in gold and engraved on the back. The engraving said, To our only gem in the world. We love you, Jodhaa. Mom and Dad. Her mom kissed Jodhaa’s cheeks while her father took the necklace from Jodhaa’s hands. He smiled at her as he locked the necklace around her tiny neck. Still smiling at Jodhaa, he said, I love you, Jodhaa.

She replied, I love you too, Daddy.

Her mother, caught up in the moment, had almost forgotten that she was cooking dinner. She passed Jodhaa to her father after kissing both of her cheeks once more and then hastened to the kitchen to finish dinner. Her father squeezed Jodhaa with joy and said, What you say, sprout? You want to finish what we started?

Yeah, Daddy, she replied.

He gently relinquished her body back to the ground so she could stand on her own. Jodhaa headed to the kitchen to get the napkins and ice for the table. She was watched her mommy as she took out the goose for dinner when the doorbell rang. Her father looked up from the table to his wife. When their eyes met, it was like sorrow overtook their eyes. Her father slowly put down the plates on the dining room table, then walked toward the door, and sighed. He met Philis in the foyer where she held her hand out, waiting for his. They both walked to answer the door together. Arlex opened the door and said in a solace tone, Ajodhya,(Ah- u-hi- a) thanks for coming. Her parents called her aunt on her mother’s side to come to dinner. That was strange since she lived in another state. Jodhaa ran to her.

Auntie, Auntie! Jodhaa shouted. What are you doing here? she asked as Jodhaa leaped into her arms. It is not Christmas, Jodhaa thought out loud, is it? Jodhaa questioned.

No, sweetie, Ajodhya replied. I have come to watch you for a week while your parents are away, she finished as she dropped her head down to Jodhaa’s level.

Away, away, away, where? Where are you going, Mommy? Jodhaa asked.

Arlex shook his head and whispered, Ajodhya, we hadn’t told her yet. He said with hostility in his voice.

Oh, I am sorry, Ajodhya whispered guiltily.

Told me, told me what? Jodhaa huffed in frustration. What is happening? Mommy, Daddy, where are you going? Jodhaa yelled as she looked up at them with tears filling her eyes.

Philis took Jodhaa from Ajodhya’s arms and walked over to her father, who was now sitting on the steps, disturbed by the situation. She grabbed his hand and then Jodhaa’s. She put all their hands together one on top of the other. Then Philis and Arlex said, We’re going to Peru, sweetie. We will be back before you know it, Jodhaa, we promise.

Nooo! Jodhaa yelled as she pushed her way out of their arms, ran up the stairs to her room, and slammed the door. Her parents both looked up at her aunt in disappointment. Ajodhya apologized to them again as she put her stuff down and then walked to the dining room to sit and wait for them to return to the table.

After that, Jodhaa’s parents shortly followed her up the step to her room (knock, knock).

Jodhaa, honey, can we come in? her mother asked.

No, Jodhaa replied.

(Knock, knock) then her father tried, Jodhaa, can we come in?

Fine. Jodhaa agreed, unable to resist her father’s calming voice.

We have to go see about some things just for a short time, sweetheart, and we will be right back, okay? he tried to reassure Jodhaa.

No, you can’t go, Jodhaa whined as she buried her head even deeper into her pillows. I don’t want you to go, she said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her parents came to her bedside and placed their hands on Jodhaa’s back and said, It’s only going to be a short time, one week, sweetheart, seven days.

The time will fly by, Philis proceeded. Oh, honey, you have school, and you have ballet, swimming, Latin, horseback riding lessons. The time will fly by, honey, Philis repeated.

Yes, yes, sweetheart, before you know it, you will be back in our arms, okay, sweetie? Arlex finished.

Jodhaa turned to look at them, removing her tear-streamed face from her pillows.

We will be back really soon, sweetheart, and we can do whatever you want to do, sweetie, okay? Philis said, awaiting Jodhaa’s answer.

Uh-huh, Jodhaa said as she turned to look at her.

Philis wiped Jodhaa’s tears away and then replied, Okay, sweetie? She leaned into Jodhaa’s face, touching her forehead to hers.

Okay, mommy. Jodhaa sniffled.

Her dad said, You hungry, sprout? Jodhaa nodded. Well then, let’s go get some grub, huh? he said as he picked Jodhaa up and walked down the stairs to the dining room.

As they got closer to the dining room, Jodhaa squeezed her father as tightly as her little hands could. Once they reached the dining room, he sat Jodhaa in her booster seat, so she looked as tall as they did at the table. They all ate dinner—Jodhaa, her parents, and her aunt. Little did they know this would be their last meal together.

After dinner, they all went into the living room to watch Arlex and Jodhaa’s favorite movie, Beauty and the Beast. Jodhaa fell asleep in her parents’ lap before it was over. Philis would look down at her occasionally to brush her hair softly behind Jodhaa’s ears while she slept. Arlex was glued to the television as if it were a Super Bowl game. The movie was roaring at its climax. The movie was at the end scene where the castle is under attack. That was his favorite part of the movie.

When the movie ended, her father carried Jodhaa up the stairs to her room as her mom and aunt turned off the movie, the VCR, and the television and folded the blankets. He placed Jodhaa in her bed and tucked her in. He kissed her on the cheek and whispered, Good night, my daughter. I love you. Sweet dreams. He stood over her for a few minutes, watching her sleep, when her mother joined him.

She’s beautiful, isn’t she? her mother whispered into her father’s ear. He nodded at her in agreement.

As he turned to his wife, he whispered to her, Of course, she is beautiful. She is the mirror image of our love. He brushed her cheek gently and looked into her eyes as he drew her near. He paused just before his lips touched hers and whispered, I love you, my beautiful wife.

She smiled. Then he pressed his lips against hers using one hand to cradle her head and the other to reel her body into his.

As they relinquished each other’s grasp, Ajodhya, standing in the doorway, teased, You don’t happen to have any brothers, do ya?

Philis smirked, and then she kneeled to Jodhaa to whisper in her ear, Good night, my darling daughter. I love you so much. Then she brushed back a sleeping Jodhaa’s hair and kissed her forehead.

Arlex offered her his hand to help her stand and said, Come, my love. Tomorrow leads an early rise. Hand in hand, Jodhaa’s parents met her aunt at the bedroom door. After one last glance, they hit Jodhaa’s bedroom light and led themselves out of her room to their beds, shutting the door of Jodhaa’s room behind them.

Morning arose; and Jodhaa woke to her mother, saying, Jodhaa, Jodhaa, my gem, come here to me please. Jodhaa could tell she was in the parlor because of the echo. Come and give Mommy and Daddy a kiss goodbye, sweetheart, she said.

Jodhaa raced down the steps, leaping from the bottom stair and into their arms. Her father picked her up from midair and extended his arms over his head. Jodhaa looked down at her father as he lifted her toward the ceiling. He smiled back at her. Jodhaa laughed as he lowered her back down toward his face. He kissed and hugged her, twisting from side to side. Then he said, I am going to miss you sprout.

Jodhaa pouted and cried. Then Philis spoke to calm her, Oh, sweetheart, now, now, remember what Mommy and Daddy said. We will be back before you know it, right? She reassured her.

Jodhaa looked at her with tears shimmering in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks and then whined a soft yes.

Philis took Jodhaa from her father’s arms and said, I love you, darling. I love you so much, Jodhaa. You know we wouldn’t leave you if it wasn’t important.

Arlex and Philis looked at each other and then said to Jodhaa, This is our last trip we promise. It is only for one week, Jodhaa. We love you. Then coming closer together, they both kissed Jodhaa’s cheeks and then her forehead. Following that, her parents turned to each other and gave Jodhaa a sandwich hug.

After that, Arlex handed Jodhaa to her aunt and shut the front door behind them. That was the last time Jodhaa would ever see her parents alive again.

Chapter Three

A month after her parents had left, the doorbell rang; and Jodhaa, who was peeking around a wall, saw a man dressed awfully funny. He had a hat on made of an animal’s body. It looked like the animal was praying. The animal was touching all four paws together as it rested on his head with its eyes staring downward. The man had a long cape-looking suit made of another animal. This one looked like it was eating him. Its paws were on both of his shoulders. The animal dead- consumption of the man’s body with its teeth and the head of the animal fixtured around his neck. He had some strange jewelry on; it was shiny like a diamond but colored like ruby and formed what looked like a monkey. When he spoke, his words sounded strange; it sounded like what now is a mixture of German pronunciation and Russian language.

The man and Ajodhya argued back and forth. Then he handed Ajodhya a note and a flower. She refused to take it. He grasped her hand from her body and placed it in her palm. Then he tipped his hat and left. Ajodhya shut the door and locked it and then turned around to read the letter. She grasped her mouth as her eyes finished the page when the tears fell from her eyes. She slid down the door until she collapsed on the floor, dropping the letter next to her.

A few moments passed; and she curled herself into a fetal position, bringing her knees to her chest and her head to her knees. Jodhaa wondered what the letter said, so she walked up to her aunt and touched her hand. When her aunt lifted her head just enough to look at Jodhaa, Jodhaa asked, Auntie, why are you crying?

Ajodhya merely blinked, dropping more tears to the floor as she just grabbed Jodhaa and held on to her as if hugging Jodhaa tighter would ease the pain of the letter and she could tell her what she wished she could. As her tears hit the floor, she sank her head farther into her chest. She didn’t even look up. She just cried even harder. Unsure of what to do, Jodhaa just sat in silence and confusion as she patted her auntie’s head. A few days after the man left, Ajodhya was in a puddle of misery.

Jodhaa asked her When are Mommy and Daddy coming home? She looked up at the ceiling in desperation.

Anxiety filled her aunt’s eyes as she replied, Come here, sweetie. She held both of her arms out for Jodhaa to come to her. She picked Jodhaa up and sat her on the couch next to her. Ajodhya turned off the television and sighed. Jodhaa, honey. She paused and looked at her little innocent plan face, Ajodhya’s eye was ripe with tear filled dancing eyes. Mommy and Daddy, they went with the angels, honey. Ajodhya’s voice cracked with sorrow.

They . . . they aren’t coming home?

She shook as she forced the words out of her mouth. It’s not because they don’t love you, and it is not because you did anything wrong. Ajodhya stopped at the sight of the sheer horror on Jodhaa’s face. She hugged Jodhaa to ease the pain.

But Jodhaa tore back from her and screamed, No, they promised! Jodhaa ran out of the living room, up the stairs, and into her bedroom as fast as her little feet could carry her. Jodhaa leaped from the floor onto her bed, landing face-first on her pillow, where she then resided for days as she filled her pillow with tears.

Every day that passed since the day she got the news, Jodhaa awoke to her aunt saying, It’s time for school, Jodhaa.

Every day she merely turned over her body from her aunt’s call to her light-purple wall and cried like the rain on a windowsill. Every day more events passed, and every day Jodhaa lay in the devastation of her loss. She wouldn’t eat or drink. She wouldn’t go out and play; and worst of all, she wouldn’t even go to the funeral day. Jodhaa felt privy to her nightmarish merry-go-round.

Two months had passed since the time Jodhaa discovered her parents’ death before she could get out of her room to go to the restroom down the hall and get more toilet tissue to replenish the supply in her private bathroom. After the third month, locked in her room without eating more than a canary’s breakfast every two weeks, her aunt called a team of doctors and a specialist to come to talk to Jodhaa.

The specialist she called was a past college buddy of Arlex. Ajodhya knocked on Jodhaa’s door and said, Jodhaa, sweetie, you have a visitor.

Jodhaa turned over, thinking it might be her friend Sarah coming back to check on her. It had been weeks since she saw her at school or even called to talk to her. Jodhaa’s limp, defeated body turned her head over to the door to see the visitor. She forced herself to open her sleep-sealed eyes to reveal her magma-burned hazel-brown eyes. It was a woman Jodhaa had never seen before. She was very tall, about five-nine, which, to a child, her height, might as well of been Jolly Green Giant. She looked tan but not like Jodhaa. She was lighter. She had light-brown hair and a kind face.

She came into her room and spoke softly, Hi, Jodhaa. My name is Dr. Ayrabilla Zellrose. I am here to try to help you feel better. However, Jodhaa re-shut her eyes and turned back to face the wall. Dr. Zellrose continued to speak anyway, I know you are going through a lot right now, Jodhaa, but I am here to help you. I will just be sitting here when you are ready to talk, okay? Dr. Zellrose grabbed a seat.

Dr. Zellrose was in the same doctoring program as Arlex before she changed her doctorate to children’s psychology. She was a specialist in the trauma of the young mind. Jodhaa later discovered that she was an author of a book called The Beating of a Broken Mind. Dr. Zellrose was in Jodhaa’s bedroom with her every day for ten hours. Every day like clockwork, she would show up at six-fifteen in the morning and sit in the dangled chair that hung from the ceiling.

At first, she didn’t talk. She mostly sat and listened to Jodhaa cry herself to sleep for hours and hours. Then one morning, she came into the room, sat down in the dangled chair, and talked to Jodhaa. She talked to Jodhaa about her kids, her life, and how she came to become a doctor of children’s trauma psychology. Every day she would just come in the room and talk and talk and talk. It was like she was the patient and Jodhaa was the doctor.

It wasn’t until she talked about how she met Arlex, Jodhaa’s father, did Jodhaa start to listen. She told Jodhaa that she was only twenty-five when she met Arlex. Dr. Zellrose described how he looked and what he was wearing. She said that Arlex was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Even though she was almost five years older than Arlex, she said she couldn’t help but hover around him. She said that he had really long thick flowy black hair he always kept in a tight ponytail. Jodhaa turned around to look at her in disbelief that her father could ever have had a ponytail. As Jodhaa looked at her, Dr. Zellrose smiled and said, Good to see your pretty face.

Then she continued. Your father was the heartthrob of the entire school. Every girl loved him, and every guy wanted to be his friend. He always would wear these holy khakis with a white button-down shirt and a pullover sweater vest. Your father was always on the go. He took twenty-two credit hours every semester, and his face was always in a book even when he was walking. She chuckled from the fond memories. "I never met a person in my life who had a thirst for learning like your father. Your father had so many books in his hands every time I saw him I didn’t know how he could see where he was going. Your father was a walking library and a talking encyclopedia. He had books on languages new and old, cultures far and near, geography past and present, myths of mystery and mystique, astronomy, mythology, and just about every subject that had to do with mysterious cultures or unfinished studies of places. Your father was the most sought-after person I have ever met. Schools pulled out their best silver for your father. He was the crème de la crème. He could have anyone and anything he wanted, and yet he was still just as humble as the first day I met him with the skyscraper of books in his hands. I thought that he would never get his nose out of those books of his.

Oh, and his library card, you should have seen it. She smiled at the mere thought of it. That poor card was so worn out that the library replaced it and laminated it for him. Yes, your father seemed to have lived in the hall of books until the day that the library got a new librarian. I will never forget that day, sweetheart. She sighed. Your father and I were in the hall of books ready to check out. He let me check out first since I only had five books compared to his twenty-five. I checked out my books with no problem. The new librarian asked for my library card. She scanned it and then scanned my books, but your father—

Jodhaa sat up as her story got more scintillating. He set his books down on the checkout counter and reached for his card to give the librarian. As your father looked up to give his card to the librarian, he froze. It was as if he was hit by Cupid’s overdrive bow. When the librarian and your father locked eyes, it seemed as if they were communicating with each other. I muttered to your father, ‘Arlex, you’re staring at her.’ He responded, ‘Huh? Oh yeah, pardon me.’ I knew then your father was never going to be with me after that day. From that day on, he never took stacks of books out the hall of books anymore. He would stay there for what felt like days. He and the librarian would laugh and laugh as they tore through mountains of books together. After seeing them together, it was like they were made to be with each other. She was gorgeous, stunning, intelligent, humble, adventurous, witty, and, most of all, one of the most lovingly generous people I have ever met. Dr. Zellrose smiled with sadness as she left the hanging ceiling chair to walk toward Jodhaa.

She kneeled in front of the bed and grabbed Jodhaa’s little hands. She paused, looked up