Karma and Reincarnation

                                                Karma and Reincarnation

 
                                                            happyhugo

 Copyright 08/09/18

27,023 words

Romance

Readers score  7.51

Grady and Susan, in this lifetime are the same entities as Gerald and Sandra in a lifetime 200 years previously. In the previous lifetime, the karma for the two was out of balance and sadness abounds. If you believe in karma and that entities can pre-plot their own lifetime, these two didn’t plan very well, for mistakes were made— or maybe it came from outside forces. Karma and Reincarnation, a subject that does have its followers, believe in it or not.

Chapter One

I walked out onto the office floor and looked over the six women working there. One stood out. Susan was dressed down…way down. She had on ugly glasses, no makeup, and had her hair up and pinned into a bun.  Her clothes were dark, loose, and almost too large for her. I knew she was shunned by the other five women, but didn’t know why.

I might have had a clue when I arrived three months ago to take over the position. I had told the six working women the first day I wanted to get to know them and would be interviewing them on the morrow. Five fixed themselves up just a little beyond normal attire to meet with me. I had a seating card of the cubicles and the first names of the women in each one.

I called a lady, named Callie in first. She appeared to be the oldest and I found out she was forty-two.  She also had worked for the firm the longest. I marked “nice lady” beside her name.

I went around the room leaving Susan, I thought of as the ugly one, to be last one of the day. Two of the women had tried flirting with me, but I wasn’t taken with either one. I didn’t intend to make a move on any of these women, for I had been charged with harassment at my former place of employment. The charge was false, by the way, and I was eventually exonerated.

I finally reached Susan. “Come in and sit, please. Have you worked here long?”

“Not as long as the other women. Two years next month I guess.” Susan kept her head down and didn’t look me in the eyes. 

“Before I start asking many questions, I have a note from your former boss that was left for me to read.  It says that you are the best employee of all of the women working in this office. This is high praise. He also says to ignore you for being anti-social because he has tried to change your outlook but has failed.”

“That’s the way I am and it is useless for you to try either.”

“Okay, I won’t. You could enlighten me just a little of why, though.”

“I don’t really think I have to answer, but I will. I’m a single mom with a four year old child. I had trouble where I worked before moving into town four years ago. I live with my grandmother. When my child was old enough for her to watch, I searched and found this job. I just want to make sure my son has what he needs.”

“The father?”

“He is not in the picture at all. He does pay court ordered support for my son, though. May I go back to work now?”

“Yes, of course.” Well, I didn’t get much out of that exchange. Susan Jackson hadn’t changed her attitude and in the following few months we only exchanged some work related words.  Raises were to be given out when I had been here six months. This was to happen on a Tuesday and pay would be in this week’s envelope.

Today was when I could give each employee a pay raise. It was based seventy-five percent on the work they performed. There was also a length of service amount. I left Susan for last person again to go over her yearly review. The five women before Susan received a quarter increase and I settled on giving each another quarter since it marked another year being with the corporation.

“Susan, come in please” She came in like she had six months before and sat in the chair before the desk. “Susan, are you happy here? You never interact with the other girls very much and I know no more about you than I did six months ago.”

“I’m a very private person. Can we finish this please? Just give me my fifty cent raise. I’d like to finish my work before the shift ends.”

“Yes, I can see you are a private person. I suppose there is no need to go over your review as I have marked all categories excellent just as last year’s review was marked by my predecessor. However, I am going to raise your pay a little more than what the other girls received. You’ll find an extra dollar in your paycheck this week.”

“I suppose I will have to do something for the extra fifty cents. No thank you, I’ll pass.”

I stared at the woman. “Susan, I think you have me wrong. The extra is what you have already earned.”  I stopped until she looked up at me. And then I went on, “I suspect from your actions some man must have wronged you.  Let me tell you a little story of why I wouldn’t even suggest flirting with you. 

“I just came from a concern where I was charged with sexual harassment. I was not guilty and I found the charge was very difficult to disprove. The company at first believed the woman and the management wouldn’t back me up and I was discharged. I ended up having to hire my own attorney and present my own case before a judge. I drew a woman judge to hear my case and I figured I was toast.

“The lawyer I hired was fresh out of law school and looked like a college kid. He told me to relax and he would find out the truth. He started hanging out where the women lunched and listened to the woman and her friends talk and joke about the case. They talked about it almost every day. 

“The day before I was to be tried by the judge, my attorney was sitting with the women and they were going over what the woman was going to say before the judge the next day. Brazenly, my lawyer asked if he could tape what they were saying. He intended studying for the law. ‘Sure go ahead.’ the woman said, ‘You must have classes tomorrow while we are in court.’ The woman was some surprised when I was called before the judge and the so-called-kid sat with me as my attorney.

“The woman was asked to tell her story first, which she did, plausibly and eloquently. When my turn came, I stated that I had a witness on tape telling the true story. The company lawyer, who was defending the woman, argued that it was against the law to tape someone without their knowledge. This didn’t fly when it was plainly heard my attorney on tape asking if he could tape their conversation. The ladies at the beginning of the trial, and before hearing the taped conversation thought this a big joke.

“I recovered my lawyer’s fee and received the pay I had lost. I was even asked to come back to work for the company. I declined and came to work here. Susan, I have a great respect for women and especially for female judges. You can return to your desk now and enjoy your raise.  I’m sure you can find an extra toy for your son.”

Susan rose and headed for the door. Her hand was on the knob when she turned and said, “Mr. Collins, thank you for the raise and thank you for telling me what happened to you.”  She smiled at me and went out. I felt good. The smile wasn’t very big, but it was a smile.

———————————

Saturday, early evening at the mall, “Grady Collins, I haven’t seen you forever.”

I was in the mall when a voice I recognized spoke to me. Mrs. Winthrop had come up behind me. She stood there with a little boy holding her hand. We questioned each other about our lives. I had mowed Mrs. Winthrop’s lawn when I was a teenager.  I liked the older woman and I missed her when she went out of my life. She had moved across town about the time I graduated high school and I hadn’t seen her since. I was fond of her and she always tipped me extra for doing her chores.

“Grady, where are you living?”

“I bought Mom and Dad’s old place when they moved away. I’m living alone. And you, where do you live?”

“The same place across town when I moved from my old neighborhood. There are no kids there to do chores for an old lady.  I have to hire a service which costs me a bundle.”

“I could come over sometimes and mow your lawn. I’d do it for cookies.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that, but I will bake cookies.” The little boy was staring up at me. “This little man loves my baking just like you used to. His name is Jake. He is my great-grand son. My grand daughter lives with me. You probably won’t meet her because she works two jobs.”

“I’m free, how about tomorrow morning? Give me your address and I’ll get there about 9:00.”

“I am baking in morning. It will be like old times.”

I looked at the little boy. “Hi, what do you like to play with?”

“Crucks. (trucks) I have this many.  Mommy said I could have one more someday.” Jake held up two fingers and then switched to one finger.

“Hey, I just went by a toy store. Let’s go find you a truck and then Mommy won’t have to buy one.”

Mrs. Winthrop said I shouldn’t, but I said it was too late. “I’ve offered already. It would be like giving it and then taking it away.”

“I suppose, but not necessary.”

“Remember, I’m thinking cookies here.” Jake found the toy truck he had always wanted and as soon as that was purchased, we went to a soda fountain for coffee and Jake an orange soda.

On the way home, I thought about Mrs. Winthrop.  It was too bad she had to care for her great-grand son at her age.  Jake had to be in her total care for several hours a day if her granddaughter worked two jobs. Oh well, I was free a lot. I had never taken time recently to nourish a relationship with any woman. I dated some, but even that had stopped since I was charged with sexual harassment. I suppose I had made out pretty well financially when the court ordered the company to pay me my back pay.

I had been fired out of hand immediately on the filling of the suit without a hearing.  I had also filed for punitive damages and the judge had agreed that I had been treated unfairly. So … I had some money that I had turned into stock because I had the habit of looking to the future. I paid little attention to the account, but last year my broker informed me that my stocks had done well this year.

I had the free time and Mrs. Winthrop had been one who had hired me in my youth and had paid me liberally.  I welcomed the chance to give her a little help. Jake opened the door for me when I arrived and wanted me to play ‘crucks’ with him. “I have two new ‘crucks’ now. Mommy got more money at work and brought one home last night. I love my Mommy.”

Mrs. Winthrop was taking cookies out of the oven and served me coffee with two of the best tasting oatmeal cookies that led me back to my youth. “Grady, you will have to check over the lawn tractor.  The battery may be dead and I don’t know how the oil level is. There is gas in a can in front of it. The garage is cluttered because no one has had the time to straighten it out since Frank passed. If all this is too much bother, I’ll have the lawn service company mow it.”

I was relaxed and we continued to talk.  Jake never went far from where I was sitting.  When I finished my coffee, I said, “Jake, put your shoes on and we’ll see about getting the lawnmower out.”

“Oh dear Grady, Jake is a bother, but he would like to be with you.”

“No problem, he’ll have fun and I’ll have some company.”

Jake’s hand came into mine when we went around to the back of the garage where the machine was. The battery was dead, just as I was told. I removed it and plugged it into a battery charger that I had brought with me. I then changed the oil in the mower and observed that two of the tires were low. I told Jake, “We’ll pump up the tires when we get the tractor started.  I have a small compressor that I plug into the cigarette lighter in my truck. This all takes time, but I shouldn’t have to do it again this year.”

“Mr. Grady, are you coming again to mow the lawn?”

“Yes, all summer I think.”

“Good, I heard Grama tell Mom that she had solved one problem and would save some money this year.” I went to work organizing the garage while waiting for the battery to charge. Finally, the battery was charged enough. I opened the side door and started the mower.  Jake was jumping up and down and laughing. I drove it around to my truck and we pumped up the tires.

“Jake, do you want to sit on the seat while I go talk to your granny?”

“Can I?”

“You can, but don’t touch anything except the steering wheel.  You can pretend you are mowing the lawn.”  I went inside to speak to Mrs. Winthrop.

“You know Mrs. Winthrop, there is a lawn cart that can be hitched to the mower. It is safe enough to hook it up behind the tractor and Jake can ride in that while I mow the lawn.”

“Grady, that boy is having the best time.  Sure, go ahead. Jake will tell his mother he mowed the lawn. She’ll approve, I know.”

I thought about Jake on the way home. His looks and the way he talked seemed familiar to me. I was puzzled.  He treated me just as if I was his father, but I knew from Mrs. Winthrop that his real father wasn’t a presence in his life. Oh well, I enjoyed the day immensely. I had done Mrs. Winthrop a good deed and planned on continuing. Having the young boy having a good time was a bonus.

————————————

I was early to work Monday morning. I went by Susan’s cubicle on the way in.  “Mr. Collins we need to talk.” She practically snapped at me.

“Come into my office, then, I have a few minutes before the rest of you arrive.”

Susan was right on my heels and slammed the office door behind her. She didn’t sit down and didn’t wait for me to set my briefcase down before she began berating me. She let me know she was unhappy.  “Mr. Collins, I thought you were different. You come to my home, suck up to my son by giving him toys and play with him. I tell you it won’t work. We are never going to be closer to each other than where we are standing right here talking.”

I stared at the irate woman. “Miss Jackson, I have no idea what you are talking about.  Yesterday I was at an old friend’s house mowing her lawn. I have known her for fifteen years. I was young and living next door so I did her chores. From what you are saying, I take it Mrs. Winthrop is your grandmother. If she is your grandmother, I wasn’t aware.

“As far as Jake is concerned, he is an active little person, but he doesn’t have much chance to be outside and do different things. For the record, the only thing Mrs. Winthrop told me about her granddaughter was that she worked two jobs. If she had told me her granddaughter’s name was Jackson, then I would have made the connection.”

Susan stared at me and stated, “I thought you were stalking me.”

“No, I don’t do stalking. I thought I shared some things in my past with you where I definitely wouldn’t do something like stalking. Why are you so certain I would?”

“I don’t know, I guess when you told me you were charged with harassment and found not guilty I felt the verdict was wrong.  I’m sorry.”

“Forgiven. You aren’t the only person who assumes that. There is one other thing I’d like to clarify; I promised Jake that I would be back to mow your grandmother’s lawn again next Saturday. It helps your grandmother out financially and Jake is looking forward to seeing me again.”

“Yes, I guess it is okay.  I won’t be there, anyway.”

“What is your second job and if you don’t mind me asking, why do have to work outside of this one?”

“I clean offices in a building downtown evenings and weekends. I’m trying to get my college costs paid off as quickly as possible. I know Gram isn’t going to live forever and at present she is able to care for Jake. Daycare costs are so prohibitive.”

“They are, but then you are cheating your son and your grandmother of your presence.”

“I know and I hate it.  I should have everything organized by next year when Jake goes to kindergarten. Gram will be relieved of the burden of caring for Jake so much. I can drop working nights and weekends so I can spend time with both.”

“I guess you have it worked out. How about your parents?  Won’t they help out?”

“No, their daughter came home pregnant without a husband and they couldn’t deal with it. We were never close, anyway. Gram is the only one I could turn to. She is so wonderful.”

“I agree.”

“Mr. Collins, I’m sorry I thought you were something other than what you are. I think you will be a good role model for my son.  Thank you,” Susann hesitated and then, “I must get to work.”

This time when Susan went out, she had a bigger smile on her face. This made me feel uplifted. The thoughts of Susan stayed with me on my trip home that evening.

————————————

Suddenly it came to me about my life earlier. As a seventeen-year-old I had an inquiring mind. I became interested in reincarnation and intrigued by the subject. I read several books written about a man named Edgar Cayce. I lived and believed everything I read at first. I mean, I was really into this subject and I even went so far as to have a life reading by a seer who was a member of the institute in Virginia Beach that was led by Cayce’s son who was continuing his father’s work.

I had grown out of that phase of my life, mostly because I took up an interest in girls and women.  Now, ten years later, I was suddenly reminded of the beliefs I had held about the subject. Reaching home, I went up attic and searched for a wooden chest I had packed away. I was hoping to find the readings and notes from that time of my life. I didn’t know whether my mom had saved it, but I suspected she might have.

I did find the chest and it was heavy with the books about reincarnation. For awhile I had totally believed. I brought the whole box down and opened it. I laughed because Mom had inserted a bunch of playboy magazines on top of the other books. I knew I had never put them there. I did find a smaller cigar box that had my correspondence with the clairvoyant. Before I opened the box, I didn’t remember much when I had been so into this subject.  I remembered now I had four readings in the space of one year.

I lay down on the couch and went through what I had sent in for questions that I wanted answered.  The first letter I sent in was mostly inane.  I remembered at the time I didn’t believe and some of the questions were decidedly foolish. However, all the questions were answered with me being chided for taking up the seer’s time with some queries not germane.

The second letter I sent had more substantive questions. It was noted I had been through several incarnations, and on the whole I had done nothing to be regretful for. Just stating I hadn’t yet done anything much to advance my soul in life’s progression to the present time either. I was working toward not having to reincarnate to earth and that was the goal to strive for.  I remembered thinking this was all Greek to me.

It did say that I had another soul often in my sphere of a few incarnations that usually appeared as a female and at some point that soul had done something that prevented the entity from appearing in an incarnation in more recent times on earth. That soul had to work while on earth to satisfy her karma to shine bright again. This soul would appear in the form of a woman and except for being contentious at first, would bind together with mine and travel forward through this time and afterward together.

I’m sure, knowing the age I was at the time, I didn’t understand the meanings, and it would take some thought to get the true meaning even now. I asked myself, if that soul did appear, would the entity with the soul be one whom I would recognize? I knew that souls were supposedly hardly ever remembered from one incantation to the next going forward. From what I had read, this was decided after laying out a plot to follow by the entity them selves before returning to earth in human form.

I opened the third exchange of questions and the replies from the seer who answered my queries. The answer was right there before me:

Mr. Graden Collins: you will know this soul eventually and the truth will startle you. When you become aware of this entity, use caution not to drive this person from you. Her mind will be somewhat fragile when you do become aware.

A third entity will appear at the same time and should help bind the three of you together into one unit in this particular incarnation. End

This was written more than ten years ago. I thought back to then.  I believe at the time I was becoming a disbeliever and although had read this exchange, I found it too complicated to follow and was ready to dismiss this whole subject. In other words, I had lost interest. Guilt now washed over me, for I had felt taken advantage of and had written only one more time. I didn’t even enclose the fee.

I grabbed the fourth and last correspondence. My words were there:

“Madam Secretary, I will not be corresponding again with anymore questions. I feel this is all bunk and I have been the victim of a fraud. I want to say, ‘prove this is on the level,’ but I know that it is not possible. Thank you and goodbye.”

I did feel guilt for a few days, but convinced myself that subject really was a fraud and foisted on the public as a money-making scheme. I was disappointed too. Yes, and reading this again ten years later, I felt exactly the same way.

I started to fold the letter and realized that there was another page folded together with the snarky letter I had sent. I assumed that it had been sent back as a middle finger in the air. The sheet was short and the paper was of lighter weight. I examined it before reading it.  It looked like the ink wasn’t wholly dry and this is what made it stick to the back of the front page and the two were folded together and hadn’t separated when I last read the letter.

I read it now:

     Mr. Collins:  The Clairvoyant, Edward Woolsley feels that he did not make your life reading clear enough in answers to the questions you have put forth in your previous queries. When you submitted your previous three missives asking for answers you were always in your bedroom for the seer to connect to your soul. The seer did take a chance and did find you at the same time and in the same place as always for a reading.

     We believe the question you would have asked is how you would know these two entities who seemed to travel with you through a lifetime of incantations?  One clue that the Clairvoyant, Edward Woolsley did not include in his earlier answers, is that the woman will be dressed much like she did while working in an unheated woolen factory in New England 200 years ago. The third entity that is of necessity close to you will appear as a child and have the name beginning with J.  When you do meet, a feeling of familiarity will be present.

     If at any time in the future you need follow up, you may request life readings to question about any of the two entities whom you are associated with. This institute does credible work, not only in life readings, but in the healing of health issues.
     Respectfully, Secretary, Edith Cosgood. End
    
                                    ——————————
     
Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep that night, Near midnight I got up and reread the correspondence. Well, I wasn’t going to abruptly throw this at Susan whom I felt was the entity described in the letter. All the clues seemed to point to her and Jake as the two souls I had been associated with through several life times before. I set my mind to advance slowly with Susan as I had been cautioned to do. It might be best to be a mentor to Jake, especially as I had the opening through Mrs. Winthrop being my friend.

My mind now turned directly to Susan. She didn’t seem at all attractive with her hair pulled together and tied into a bun and wearing the large ugly glasses. Were women back in the early 1800’s attractive? Probably not dressed for work in a factory setting and I had a clue that these were work clothes. Damn, I wish she would wear normal clothes like her co-workers. I might get some idea of what her figure is … was.

I grinned as I lay in bed thinking; I damned sure wouldn’t suggest it to her. I would be ripe for another sexual harassment suit if I did. I had been through that recently and certainly didn’t care for another charge brought against me.

I felt like hell and almost stayed home in the morning. My help noticed, “Oh, Grady looks tired this morning. I’ll bet it was a woman. Come on, Grady, tell us it is so.”

“Nope, Dorcas, no woman.  I lay awake half the night figuring how I was going to get more work out of everyone. Vacations are coming up, and our work load is likely to increase. We may even have to work Saturdays.” Everyone groaned. Susan looked concerned. I’d have to tell her I was joking.

The next morning Susan was in early. “Are we going to have to work Saturdays? I need my weekends at my other job.”

“No, of course not.  I was putting Dorcas off. She is always flirting with me, Has Jake mentioned about me coming over to mow the lawn Saturday?”

“Yes he has. He keeps asking if it was Saturday yet. He is looking forward to you being there.  It would break his heart if you didn’t.”

“Would you mind if I took your grandmother out to lunch and then do something in the afternoon with the two?”

“You could take just Jake if you want to. Gram might like a day to relax away from Jake.”

“I’ll think of something then.”

Saturday did come along finally.  Jake was outside waiting for me.  “Gram said to come in and have coffee. Can I ride in the wagon like last time?”

“You certainly can. I thought maybe we might go to the park this afternoon and watch a ball game.  Do you like soft ball?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen any ball games.” 

“Well, they also have lacrosse, but I don’t know much about that.  Maybe we’ll stick to soft ball.” 

“Okay.”

It didn’t take all morning to mow the lawn.  I had brought a weed whacker to do around the edges and bushes. Jake wasn’t too happy about that because he couldn’t be involved. Finally, at 11:30 we both washed up.  Mrs. Winthrop decided not to go to lunch with us. “I want to get all comfy and read a book. I might even take a nap. This will be like a mini vacation for me.”

“Jake, what’s say we go to the park and eat at the hotdog stand?  We can decide what to do after that.”

“Okay.”

We walked over to the softball field after eating our lunch.  Jake didn’t seem interested while the players were getting ready for a game. “Hey, how about going to a petting zoo.  There is one on the other side of the city.”

‘What’s a petting zoo?”

“It is where there are all kinds of animals. Some of them you can hold in your arms and pet. They have goats and sheep, ducks and chickens, kittens and dogs. They have cages where you can see some different bigger animals. They might even have ponies to ride.”

“Let’s go there.”  We did and Jake was thrilled. We stayed until 3:30 when I could see Jake was about worn out and had enough new experiences for the day.

When I arrived back at his house, we found his great-grandmother sound asleep on the couch and a book on the floor that had fallen from her hands. “Jake, why don’t you lay down too?  I’ll stay until Gram wakes up. I’ll sit right here in the recliner.”

“Okay.” Jake dragged a comforter down from upstairs to lie on the floor right beside Mrs. Winthrop sleeping on the couch.  I guess I was tired too, for when I came awake, Susan was standing in the doorway looking at us.

“Well, this is a sight. Let me take a shower and then I’ll get some supper. We’ll have spaghetti and meatballs. The sauce is all made and the meatballs only need heating. You must stay for supper, please.” Susan escaped before I could say a word to her.

Mrs. Winthrop woke up and found me in the kitchen. “Grady, I heard Susan invite you for supper. There is a sink and a towel through that door if you want to freshen up.”

“Mrs. Winthrop, may I call you by your given name?  I’m an adult now?”  I was smiling. “I address Susan by her name and I hope she will call me Grady. I can understand why she calls me Mr. Collins at the office, although the other workers don’t bother.”

“Of course, call me Grace or Gracie if you prefer.  You must have tired Jake out.  He is still sleeping.  Where did you go?”

“I took him to a petting zoo.  He had a lot of fun.  He was taken with the bunnies, mostly. They are used to being handled and one big gray one snuggled into his arms.”

“I never thought of taking him there. One more new thing for him to experience.  Better than being here with this old lady.”

“He loves you, he told me so. He wishes you were with us.”

“Maybe some time we can all go.  Susan should be down soon.  Would you set the table please, while I make us a green salad?”

Susan came into the kitchen pushing Jake ahead of her. He was still half asleep, but woke up quickly when he saw me still here.  He began telling his mother about his afternoon. “Mom, did you ever hold a bunny rabbit? They are so soft and cute.  Their nose twitches. Grady says they use this to smell for danger. The one I had let me hold it as long as I wanted to. I saw all kinds of animals. I was going to ride a pony, but it was getting late and the pony was tired because other kids were on it all day.

“Grady said he will take me again. Can you get off work and go with us? Gram wants to go too.”

“We’ll see, but I don’t know when.”

“I hope so because it is so much fun.”

I finally was able to see what Susan looked like without her being hidden in what I considered her disguise. She had removed her heavy glasses and her hair hung loose in front. Her hair was a soft brown color and down almost to her waist. It covered her flowered blouse. Her breasts were not too prominent, but big enough even through the hair so I knew she was a woman.  She had on jeans and her form was fine. I looked again at her face. The hair framed her face and she was definitely attractive.

Not only that, she smiled at everything Jake was telling her and occasionally she broke into the nicest tinkling laughter. When she addressed me as I was leaving, I asked, “Susan, please call me Grady here in your home. At work, you can revert to Mr. Collins if you are more comfortable in front of your coworkers.”

“I’d like that.  Grady, I want to thank you so much for taking Jake out. Just another year and my life will be more manageable. I can give Jake more time as a mother should.”

“It is my pleasure to take him places. It was fortunate that my father earned enough for my mother to be with me all the time when I was small.”

“I can see now why you are happy with Jake.  You must have wonderful parents.”

“I do, but they are on the other side of the country, I don’t see them that often. Good night and thank you for the wonderful dinner. Someday, maybe I can cook a dinner for all of you. I do play in the kitchen sometimes.”

“Yes maybe, but I don’t know when it will be. I’ll see you back in the old grind, Monday.” Susan paused, “I don’t mean that in a bad way.  Since you took over as supervisor, things are smoother in the office and I enjoy working there more than before. Good night, Grady.”

“Night Susan.”

I thought about Susan. She was quite personable in her home setting. I thought about Jake, too. What a great kid. I had to guess he didn’t get out hardly at all before I became acquainted with him.

Thinking of Jake like this, why don’t I write to the clairvoyant I had ten years ago and see how close his soul was to mine in that particular lifetime. It had to be more than 200 years ago. The nickname Jake was close to the clue of (J) that I was given.  I’d ask about Susan at the same time. Why? I wondered why I was thinking this. Well, I had already convinced myself that we were close although the clues were ten years old.

I found the web site. For many years, Cayce was the foremost seer until his death in 1945. Some of his life readings have always been doubted as dreams. I then looked for Cayce on Wikipedia to read the story of his life again and to see if this site had anything to say about the clairvoyant. Cayce was a real person and very religious. His health readings are still being examined and able to be assessed for quality one way or another. I didn’t feel skeptical in the least now about the life readings and hadn’t had a physical problem to indicate I would need to ask for one of that type.

Much of his readings settled on the Mythical Island of Atlantis according to Wikipedia. Different people had searched and published their ideas where the Island was located. This location has always been thought to be in the Atlantic Ocean. More recently, ruins have been found in some Pacific Islands that might suggest that Plato, who first mentioned Atlantis in his writings, was about a city that had sunk beneath the sea and why it couldn’t be found.

So far, people kept exploring for something that may or may not be. It would be nice to be able to state, “My soul, in an earthen body once lived in the city of Atlantis.”

I sent a letter off to the address that was on the letter I received ten years ago. It probably would be returned or end up in a dead letter file at the USPS. Oh well!

I put it from my mind. I saw Susan every work day and I took Jake for an outing on Saturdays to some place I thought he might be interested in.  I didn’t trade on the fact that I was friendly with Jake while at work, and kept my distance from Susan, unless it was work related. Susan was still dressing in what I called her ugly clothes. Maybe I was attributing more to her attractiveness than what she was.  But I knew she could be fair to look upon even if the others were unaware.

I only stayed late enough at Grace Winthrop’s home to see her once again in the next three Saturdays. The next Monday, Susan wasn’t at her cubicle. There was a note from the front desk that Susan would not be present until Friday of this week. She had to attend a funeral at a distance from her home.

Chapter Two

My first thought was that something had happened to Grace Winthrop until I reread the note. At noon, I called Grace. “Hi Grace, I had a note that someone had passed and Susan had to attend a funeral. It gave me a start.”

“You thought it might be me, didn’t you?  Would you come for supper tonight and I’ll explain who it was and why she had to attend.”

“I’ll be there. Don’t bother getting anything, I’ll pick up a bucket of chicken. I know Jake likes KFC.”

“That would be nice.”

I changed the subject, “Say, I was up attic a while back and ran onto some books you might be interested in. Have you ever been interested in Karma or Reincarnation?”

“I used to read about those subjects all the time. Oh please, may I borrow the books? I’d like to read them again. I’ve never had a life reading.  Maybe now I will have the courage ask for one.”

“I’ll bring them along. Maybe we can compare thoughts on the subject.”  I went home and picked up the chest that held all the books and information and cigar box with the correspondence I had had with the clairvoyant.  Then I went to KFC and purchased chicken and the sides.  It was nearly six in the evening when I arrived at Gracie’s

It was beginning to rain a bit and Jake was there to hold the door open for me.  My hands were full with the chest and the bucket. “Wow, chicken. Can I have a drumstick? I hope it is crispy.” 

“You sure can. I’m hungry too and I have a soda for you.”

“Grady, I made you coffee. I don’t know if you drink it in the evening, but I took a chance.”

“I do and that will keep me awake long enough so we can talk.” Nothing was said about Susan or the chest that Gram put in the living room.

Jake was happy to see me and asked me if I could stay long enough to watch some television with him. This was a night when he watched two special shows. I said I would.  By the end of the second one, he was nearly asleep and leaning against me. “Grady would you put me to bed, I have to shower and get into my pajamas.  Mommy isn’t coming home tonight and she always does that with me,”

“Sure I will.” The shower had to be the quickest one on record and the toweling off was a hit or miss.  The pajamas were cotton and fluffy and Jake squirmed around in them to finish drying. 

“Are you going to stay all night?”

“No, but I am going to sit with Gram and talk awhile.”

“Okay.  Someday I’d like you to stay all night even if Mom is here.  Then I can see you in the morning and have breakfast with you.”

“Maybe, but I don’t see how.”

“Okay, I guess. Goodnight, Grady. I like you a lot.”

“I like you a lot too.  Goodnight.”

I came down stairs and Grace had coffee by the stuffed chair on a small table. “Sit there. You’re probably wondering about Susan?’’

“Not really my business, but you’re offering and I’ll hear you out. Who’s funeral did Susan go to?”

“It is Jake’s biological father.  He was the donor, anyway.  His name was Cary. Susan unknowingly made a poor choice in someone to love. He was a man a few years older than she.  I met him a few times and he was very charming and I thought Susan lucky to have him in her life. She was so happy and became pregnant with Jake.  When she announced it to him, he was upset.  The next day late, in the afternoon he said they had to straighten some things out and took her to his attorney’s office.

“They sat in the lawyer’s office and shortly after the introductions he said he needed the bathroom.  He left the room and never returned to face her. The lawyer told her the man was married with a wife and two children.

The man had the attorney tell her that he loved her a lot, but couldn’t leave his wife for her. He said he would pay her expenses when her child was born and thereafter support the child until it was eighteen years old. Susan was very upset and stood, telling the attorney it wasn’t good enough. Asked why, she told him what if Cary died before the child was eighteen she wouldn’t have anyway to raise the child because she would have to work to support it herself.

“Susan engaged herself a lawyer and the two attorneys hammered out a deal where she got a little less support for the child when born, plus a life insurance policy owned by her and paid by the man who got her pregnant. That happened a little over five years ago. It wasn’t too costly for the man, all things considered the way things have turned out.” Gracie grinned at me and then tacked on, “And the bastard is now dead.”

I didn’t say anything because it wasn’t my place to say anything. Grace went on again, “Susan really did love the person and it took her awhile to get over him, but she has finally. She certainly has struggled being a single parent.”

I asked, “What about her mother, didn’t she give Susan some help?”

“No, Shirley told Susan she made her bed and now she had to lie in it. I’m terribly disappointed in my daughter. Shirley jumps from one man to another and Susan’s father was gone when Susan was only a little older than Jake is now. I think there must be a curse on this family. I at least didn’t lose Frank with his leaving that way.  He only died a couple years ago.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Yes, Frank and I did have a good life together. That’s why I wanted you to bring those books you said you had.  Maybe I can make some sense out of why my husband and I got along so well and my daughter and granddaughter are so messed up. You said you sent a letter for someone to give you a life reading. How did that work?”

I explained and told her how I composed the questions I wanted answered. “You will get an answer back asking you to be at a certain place at a certain time.”

“Where do I have to go” I don’t like to drive far?”

“No, you don’t have to leave your house. Ideally, you can be sitting in the living room. You can be reading a book or I suppose watching television. He will find you and tap into your past life down though time and extract answers to the questions you have put to him. If you ask a question about your future, the future is somewhat uncertain for this reason. An entity always has free choice and your life may go off course that you yourself have plotted.”

“What do you mean when you say an entity plots their own course?”

“That’s where Karma comes in.  Say your soul has done someone wrong. Karma gives you a way to get rid of the bad karma by plotting good karma for your self and following through on it. This brings your soul back into balance. I don’t know as a person would plan to do bad things, but remember it happens when someone else’s soul is working for or against you to better their Karma. You can go with the flow or resist.”

“Oh dear, I’ll never understand any of this.”

“That’s why I brought you several books by different authors to read. One is “There is a River” and another one is “Many Mansions.” I don’t think they are in print, but they might be. Cayce was well known at the time. Always there will be a small bit of doubt if this is true. So read and come to your own conclusion.  I have said a lot about this it and it may be something you might come to believe as I have.”

“That cigar box contains questions and answers I asked for ten years ago which didn’t mean much at the time and I thought it was bunk.  However, the meanings are clearer in my mind now because the clues I received then indicate that I know the identities of two people whom I recognize in this time on earth.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t ask about you so I have no clue whether our present situation wasn’t at some time in the past very close.  You could have been my mother, sister, brother, lover or even a child of mine. You might not even be in the same incarnation with me. Remember also, souls can change gender, mostly for the reason to satisfy the karma you or I have plotted.”

“I do have a lot of reading ahead of me.”

“Grace, on second thought, I think I had better take the box of letters with me tonight. The reading I just had performed three weeks ago should be back in a few days.  Rather than throw you off, I think I had better not leave the ten year old ones for you to read now.  I promise I’ll share the contents with you not too long from now after you have refreshed your knowledge by reading the books.”

Gracie laughed, “You are correct, I would have opened the box as soon as you left. Go along home and get some sleep. Susan will be back to work on Friday. I suspect Susan was an entity who was in one of your previous lifetimes.”

“She well may have been. Goodnight, Grace.” I paused and then asked.  “Grace, may I call you Gram like Susan and Jake do?”

————————————————

I had a good night’s sleep.  Tuesday I arrived early and drank my coffee while going through my email. There was an email that I was to be in a meeting at nine with the operation’s manager.  This didn’t bother me as this was an occurrence several times a month. When I entered the manager’s office, one of the corporation’s vice presidents was sitting in a chair off to one side.

The manager spoke, “Grady, have a seat. I called you in this morning because we are making some changes. In essence, you have worked your self out of the job you are in.  Your office is the smoothest running one in the corporation. Tom and I have looked at your resume and we think we could improve our design operation with a better leader by moving you into the engineering department.  You have the background and we believe the intelligence. Is this something you would be interested in taking on? We feel your talent is wasted where you are.”

I never hesitated, and said “Yes, I’d like that.” This was a plum that I wanted to pick. There were double the number of workers in this office. Jim continued and then busted my bubble.

“Understand you won’t be doing any design as such. Your job will be keeping track of all the design jobs and follow them through to completion. Things are a mess right now. Parts of files on some of the jobs are getting lost and there is need for more efficiency. Where the major screw ups are, we haven’t pinned down as of yet. When that department was set up, the president figured each engineer would be responsible for his own work from start to finish.  It has got off track somewhere. We want you in there to get things organized.”

“And how much power do I have to correct what I find wrong?”

“Well, any sabotage you find would call for your firing the person. On efficiency, you can move people around. If you find an engineer who isn’t producing or pulling his or her weight you would take it up with Tom or me.”

“That would be agreeable.  What about the office I’m in now?  Who takes over from me?”

“I think we will promote from within. ’Course we might run into some favoritism problems. Women do hang together. Who would you suggest?”

“Callie Waters is the oldest and been here the longest, but I’m not too sure of how she would be as boss. She is pretty tight with four of the others.”

“What about the Jackson woman.  She dresses kind of funny and she is not very attractive. You did give her the highest rating on her yearly review.”

“I’d have to talk to her before offering her the job. How long would I have to train the person taking over from me?”

“Probably a month, less if possible. When can we find out who you decide on?”

“I’d like to offer Susan the job. She is out to a funeral somewhere this week and back on Friday.  She certainly could fill the job as far as knowledge of the work. I might have to work on her skills some in handling her coworkers. We’ll probably have some training to do of her replacement, but I’m sure that won’t be a problem for her”

“Talk to her and let us know what you decide by next Monday.” 

Tom spoke up, “Jim, let’s go down to Human Resources and go over Grady’s upgraded benefit package now. This raises you to a level two. Not bad for being here such a short time.”

There was the standard do’s and don’ts in the HR guide lines I was given. The nice part was that I was going up a pay grade, with yearly increases promised. I asked if who ever filled my job would immediately go on salary and I was told yes. “Who ever takes your place, we hope won’t abuse the privilege.” It was up to me to choose.  I was almost sure if I chose Susan, she wouldn’t abuse the privilege. I was uncertain about Callie.

That evening the mailbox offered up letters from the clairvoyant. Now I would have answers to my questions. I didn’t even get supper. I took a shower, got comfortable on the couch and slit the envelope.

A note fell out,
Mr. Graden Collins:
     Ten years ago you had some life readings. One of those letters had some explicit clues in it. The intent was for you to be aware of entities in the back of your mind if the clues given ten years ago aligned in the same timeline. They have arrived and the entities are in your sphere at present. You covered all and more this time with your questions. That was the last time before all entities entered together the same plane since that time.”

The entities you inquired about are:

Graden (Grady) Collins:
     Your name now, and then early before in a previous lifetime, Gerald.
    
Mrs. Grace Winthrop:
     Your wife in that timeline, named, Karen, married to Gerald with a daughter, Jessie.

Susan Jackson:
     A factory worker named, Sandra whom Gerald engaged to take care of your daughter, Jessie in same previous lifetime. Jessie dying at age ten.

Jake Jackson:
     Son of Susan Jackson now, former daughter (Note gender change) Jessie, of Gerald and Karen in previous lifetime.

Encapsulated report of that time: 
     Gerald, when his wife, Karen died, was devastated. This left him with Jessie to care for. Jessie was seven at the time. Gerald searched among the young workers under his control in the spinning room of the woolen factory where he was a supervisor. Sandra, nineteen, was the choice he made to care for Jessie.
    
     Three years later the daughter, Jessie also passed. After the household settled down from the funeral of Jessie,  Sandra, twenty two now, and having cared for Jessie … and yes, him too for three years. Gerald lived with heavy grief after the death of his wife, and too soon again, his daughter, Jessie. Sandra loved the child she had the care of and was grief stricken when Jessie was gathered home.

     Gerald searched his mind for something to cling to. He was aged forty-seven when his wife passed and now was fifty at the time of Jessie’s death. It was a sad household and Gerald, thinking to keep Sandra with him, approached her with a marriage proposal.

Her answer,
     “Gerald, I have grieved for you and with you. I am young and want to find some happiness. I don’t believe I can find it with you. You are a good person, but too much older than I.  I’ll be packing tonight and I’ll be leaving in the morning.”

     “Sandra, I wish you would stay. Is it more money you wish for than I am paying you?  I can live with you in the house and not ask for your favors, in any way.  I’m now fifty and most men don’t live beyond their mid sixties. I seek only companionship, not intimacies. I also promise my estate will go to you when I pass on.”

     “No, Gerald, I never knew your wife, Karen, but I loved Jessie as my own. If Jessie was still with us, I might consider becoming your wife. However, I must get away from this house and all of the sadness it seems to harbor. Please let me go.”

     “If you wish my dear, and know I am going to miss you. I hope you find happiness and never come to regret your decision to leave. I’ll put a purse on the table in the morning.  I can’t bear to see you walk out the door, so this is goodbye and good luck.”

“Thank you Gerald.  Goodnight.” End

———————————

There was one more sheet of paper from Secretary, Edith Cosgood 
     This explains that all parties together at that time were either dead or passed on to another place. That is except for Gerald. He, sad, lonely, and without family, sold his house, quit work, and traveled west. Reaching the Ohio River, Gerald decides to go down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. The War of 1812 was over and traffic on the river had increased.

     Any able bodied man could find work on the houseboats traveling south. These were rafts constructed of raw lumber with a small shelter made of boards and canvas. They were very unwieldy and difficult to manage. These would be disassembled on arrival down river and the lumber sold. Gerald arranged to help on the boat to pay for his passage.  On the raft there were two brothers, wife of the younger brother, a boy child the same age as his daughter Jessie, she, who had died just weeks before. It was a fateful decision, but he wasn’t aware.

     Just before reaching the Mighty Mississippi, the raft got too close to the western bank and hit a snag. It broke the ties that held the planks together, dumping the two brothers, the wife and the child into the water. Gerald ran forward and balancing on a plank, reached the boy and swung him onto a floating plank, telling him to hold on. Looking about he spotted the woman in the water with floating planks all about her.

     He jumped across the planks and finally reached her.  He pulled her onto his plank.  She looked for her son and made her way toward the boy the same way he had come to her. The planks now were fast separating and farther apart. Looking for more survivors, he spotted the husband clinging to another plank. He started for the man, but tired, he lost his balance and tumbled into the river. When he surfaced, he was facing downriver, not seeing a plank almost on him. It clipped him in the head.

Graden Collins:
     This may have ended this time period of your life on earth. Needless to say, you as Gerald, saved most of this family and balanced your karma. Although you have had one other reincarnation on earth since that time, your karma is still in balance. Now you are with the entities who were all plotted to come together and align again with you in this sphere. End

Edith Cosgood, Secretary to the Clairvoyant, Edward Woolsley

—————————

I lay there on the couch, comfortable in my living room. Sadness washed over me unbidden and the tears came. What a sad time I had in this previous lifetime. There were gaps in the related happenings, especially at the end. But the telling could be easily pieced together.

The question was what had Susan or rather Sandra, done to unbalance her Karma between the time in the previous lifetime and in this lifetime as Susan Jackson? I had been cautioned ten years ago that I was to make someone aware that we had traveled together on earth in the past. Was it a charge for me to bring Susan’s karma more into balance or was it to prevent her from regressing in some way and taking on more bad karma. I might even go off balance myself.

The little direct contact with Susan hadn’t given me much to work with. I had become attracted to her and I wanted to further our association. Thinking to the meeting with management the first part of this week, I would have at least one month to work with Susan on this.

Scared a little when I remembered the list of dos and don’ts relating to how a supervisor was to relate to their workers.  I was well versed in this having gone through a harassment suit not long ago. I brought the guide lines home in my brief case. Some companies allowed some interaction between employees and it was usually pretty well defined. I got out the sheet, reading the details.

This company was definite in this.  No supervisor was ever to overtly or secretly flirt or pressure for sexual favors with any of the employees under his supervision. Well, I wouldn’t do any of that if Susan took the supervisor’s slot in the corporation. I wouldn’t pressure a woman for favors in any given situation either. It just wasn’t me.

I laughed when I thought back to my time when I was Gerald and Sandra lived in my home caring for my child when Susan was Sandra.  But, and this was a big but, I was hoping to stay in contact with Susan. Love had escaped me so far and that was something for a man of twenty eight to wonder at. I wasn’t gay or celibate. Any interaction that had developed with a lady-friend was always consensual and welcomed by both parties.

I read the sheet again. There was a small footnote number in the dos and don’ts.  I turned to the back of the sheet and found the applicable number:
(2) Waivers may be granted after appealing to the board. These will be taken to the Chairman and voted on by a quorum of the board.

Again I chuckled … always hoops to jump through. I called Gram Winthrop that evening. Jake answered the phone and told me about his day. He wanted to talk and wondered why I didn’t come to see him. I decided at that minute, “Jake, go ask Grammy if I can come over. If she says okay, I will.”

Jake immediately came back, saying, “Grammy would like to see you. If you haven’t had supper, she has enough for you.” I stopped long enough to pick up ice cream. Gram and Jake had eaten, but there was enough hash made from Sunday’s leftover pot roast, potatoes, onions and carrots for me to eat. Jake thought he could eat a little more and sat with at the table with me. I did watch one television show with him.  When he wanted me to watch another one, I said I wanted to talk with Grammy and received an okay.

“Gram, I told you I had sent in queries about different people I thought I was connected with in a previous lifetime. I received the answers today. I asked if you and I ever lived in the same lifetime. We have and that is why you and I are fond of each other. However, I believe the lifetime is more about Jake and Susan.”

“Tell me.”

“Okay, I will but there is sadness for you and me. We apparently didn’t have too long together.”

“You’re trying to tell me that one of us died, aren’t you? I’m not surprised. I know it was me. I try to enjoy the moment with you and I’m always sad to see you leave to go home. It has always been that way, even back ten years ago I had the same feelings when you finished the chores I gave you. I guess it will be the same in this lifetime.  I’m old and we won’t have much time together.”

“Gram, that may be, but know I love you and our time together is something I cherish. I suspect we were also together in a different lifetime than this one when we were all together.  We could have been together in several even, and possibly we were together a long, long time. I don’t believe love went away when I feel about you the way I do.

“I believe that, wholly.”

“Well if you do, will you write to the same Clairvoyant for a life reading?”

Gram looked at me and then asked, “Is it that important to you?”

“It is, very important.”

“Why?”

“Because both Susan and Jake are with us in a previous life time. You died before Susan came into my life, but the soul that is Jake was related to you.  I can’t really ask the Clairvoyant to tell me your story and I can’t ask the Clairvoyant about Susan’s life. I’m trying to figure out how to get Susan to ask for a life reading to put the three of us together in that previous lifetime.”

“You want me to work toward that end, don’t you?”

“I do. That is why I brought the books about reincarnation to you.”

Gram looked at me with eyes twinkling. “Just how close were you and I in this mystical previous life time? Don’t answer that; I’m going to imagine I was your wife.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because of the way I feel about you when I know you are coming to mow my lawn. I felt about Frank that way when I knew he was coming home. I was always anxious for a hug.”

I stood and Gram came into my arms. We hugged and held each other.  “Karen, you are just as sweet now as you were so many years ago.”

I kissed Grace on the cheek and she held me one more minute. We parted and stood looking at each other. “My name was Karen back then wasn’t it?” I nodded and then she asked, “Grady, what was your name? I may want to call you by it sometime.”

“Karen, it was Gerald. I do think we should not keep this up. I don’t want to make Sandra jealous.”

Gracie noticed the different name. “Sandra is another name from the distant past isn’t it?”

“Yes it was.”

————————

I needed to talk to Susan about her replacing me as supervisor. I was a little fearful she wouldn’t want to move up.  She certainly knew the work, but I had no idea how she would be handling the workers she would be supervising.

I assumed she would be home Thursday sometime if she planned to work on Friday. I didn’t want to call and intrude and decided that I would call her Friday morning to come in a few minutes early. This turned out to be unnecessary because Gracie called and asked me for supper. She didn’t mention whether Susan had arrived home yet.

I got out of my vehicle and Jake came running to me. “Mom’s home. She wanted to explain about somebody who just died. She’s going to tell you all about it.” Jake grabbed my hand and we walked into the house.

“Hi Grady, welcome. I ordered dinner and thought I would like to share with you. We can talk later. Talk to Gram and Jake while I put it on the table.”

Jake had a hold of my hand all this time and was tugging me toward Gram in the living room.  “We’re having pizza coming and Greek salad. Mom said she splurged, whatever that means. Do you like pizza?”

“I do, what kinds?”

“Cheese with extra cheese is what I like best. There is also one with three meats. You can have that if you don’t like cheese.”

“I like both.”

Gram came toward me and put her arms out. I, without thought, hugged her and whispered in her ear, “Hi, Karen.” Gram began laughing.

“Hi, Gerald.” 

Susan had followed me in to say something and looked puzzled. “Hey, what is going on here?”

Gram never hesitated, “Grady and I have talked a lot this week. We decided we liked each other so much that we may have been man and wife in a previous lifetime. I have been reading books about reincarnation and just this morning I sent a letter to a clairvoyant Grady contacted several years ago for a life reading. I expect I will be hearing from him in a week or so setting up a sitting for me.  I’m pretty excited about it.”

“Gram, that’s a bunch of bunk and you know it.”

“Maybe, but I’m curious and it can’t do any harm.  I have money I didn’t have to spend on having the lawn mowed. You should read these books. Grady and I find them interesting. Grady, at one time thought they were bunk too, but over time has become convinced that there is an element of truth in reincarnation.  That’s if you weed out the charlatans and use a true clairvoyant.”

“I guess it is okay to dabble in this if you want to.  So you think Grady was your husband?”

“I do.” The pizza delivery was at the door. “Let’s eat before the pizza gets cold.”

I sat opposite Susan. She didn’t seem upset that the person who had donated the sperm that became Jake had passed.  She smiled a lot and chided Jake for gobbling his pizza. Jake ate three pieces and went into the living room.  

Chapter Three

“Gram, stay, and I’ll tell you about everything along with Grady.  Overnight my situation has changed a lot. My financial situation has improved considerable. In fact, it is much better than that of Cary‘s wife and family. I guess he thought he would live forever.  He died and left his two kids and wife without the same cushion I have.  There are savings, but it isn’t enough to last them for long.

“By rights, it should have been me who was out in the cold. I’m glad I had a lawyer to go after support for my coming child when I found I was pregnant. I compelled him to buy insurance in case he died. In fact, there is a double indemnity clause that has been triggered. The payout is considerable. Truth; Cary, who I thought so much of was a terrible person.  He was a philanderer and except for me didn’t live up to his responsibilities. I feel terrible about the position his wife and two little girls are in. It makes me just want to share some of it.”

I looked at Susan. “You don’t really mean that do you?”

“No, I don’t suppose I do. I have struggled for four years. And I have imposed on Gram for more than two.”

“Talk it over with someone if you are undecided. So, Jake apparently has two half sisters. It is a shame they don’t have as much coming to them as he does. Talk to your lawyer about it and he will meet with the administrator.”

“You are urging me to give it up aren’t you?”

“No, but you should have a clear mind when all is said and done. Now I have some business of my own with you and I was glad to be invited this evening. It concerns your position at work.  I’m leaving the department and moving to a different one in Engineering.”

“Oh, no, I can’t lose my job at this time.”

You misunderstand, you are not losing your job.  I’ve been asked to propose someone from within to take my place.  I have offered your name and the reason why you should move into management. You have until Monday to accept.”

“Will I have to accept a pay cut?”

“No. it should be quite an increase. First though, do you think you can handle the work?”

“I know I can handle the work, but I’ve never managed people before to any great extent. Will someone train me at all?”

“Yes, I will have up to a month to train you. There are some things I’ll suggest to you to change about yourself. This won’t be company policy, necessarily but my suggestions for you to fit in better.”

“Such as?”

“Clothes and hairdo for a couple. Most women supervisors wear a skirt, pale blouse, and a suit coat.  I think you should shorten your hair and have it styled. So many women wear their hair long and spend too much time keeping it out of their face. I know you have yours in a bun, which is good, but it is out of style. I’m advising you as a friend only.

“Grady, thank you, I haven’t liked wearing the clothes I do, but that is because I go from work directly to my other job. I won’t be keeping that job now anyway.”

“Good, then I can inform management that you will take the job starting Monday?”

“Yes, certainly. Am I to come to work tomorrow in a more ordinary style?”

“Yes, I won’t mention your change of status until Monday. You’ll spend some time Monday morning with management being interviewed and then, I’ll inform the rest of your workers.”  I didn’t know what to say next. I was so pleased that Susan would be my replacement.  “Well, I guess I’ll be going along. Tell Jake goodnight for me and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight Grady, and thank you so much for putting my name up. I’ll try to prove I’m capable.”

I could always count on Susan being early to work in the morning when she wanted a word with me.  She was. “How are you going to do this?  I mean how are you going to introduce me to the other girls about my promotion?”

“Maybe not today.  I’m going to see if the manager wants to wait until Monday. I notice you have dressed differently like I suggested. Be assured if I say you look very nice, I’m not coming onto you.”

“Oh, you have warned me enough about sexual harassment so I’ll take your comment just as you mean it. Honestly, I feel almost naked with my hair only pulled back and in tighter clothes than how I formerly dressed. I found a different pair of glasses too. Well I’m going out to my cubicle and begin work. Oh, Jake wants to know if you are mowing the lawn tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’ll be over. I want to hug my former wife, Karen.  I last hugged her more than 200 years ago.” I grinned when I said this letting Susan know I was half kidding.

“Bunk!”

“Maybe, maybe not, ask Gram.”

“That’s crazy.”

“I know, but Gram has been my friend since I was just able to push a lawn mower. We have always had affection for each other. I always think warm thoughts about her.”

“After 200 years? Blah! Was I in this life reading you had done when you were seventeen?”

“I’ll never tell. Why don’t you read up on it and ask if you were?  Gram just asked for a sitting and maybe she will find out about the people closest to her. In fact, you might find out whether your soul is in balance if you do the same. That would be a good question for you to ask. If your Karma needs work, there might be a clue in how to fix it.”

There was silence and then Susan asked, “You are serious about this, aren’t you?”

“More than half-way. I don’t think the doubt about karma and reincarnation totally ever leaves a person." I had been watching for the other girls,  "Enough, here come the rest of the crew. If they see us talking they’ll think you are flirting with me.”

Susan drew attention because she was dressed more like the rest of the workers. I was sitting in the office with the door open. When Callie asked why the wardrobe change Susan said she had good news after the funeral she had to go to this week.  “I might be coming into a little bit of money so I gave up my second job and won’t have to go directly there without time to change into different work clothes.”

Dorcas asked, “What did you do?”

“I worked cleaning the offices in a dirty factory.  I had to go through the factory several times a shift to the dumpster. Men are such animals. I dressed down to stop being hooted at.”

Dorcas put into words her thoughts on the subject. “I can sympathize. Sometimes a girl would like a little bit of attention, though. It has never happened in this office, Damn it!”  Everyone laughed and began working.

My phone dinged a 9:00. "Hey Grady, is Jackson in today?”

“Yeah, what’s up.?”

“Grab her and come to my office.  I want to get this settled today rather than wait for Monday. Have you spoken to her yet?”

“Yes, I filled her in and she does want to move up.”

“That is good, see you in a few.”

I walked out and stood between the rest of the help and Susan, speaking quietly, “Susan, Jim Oberon just called. He wants to talk to you now about taking over from me. Bring a pad and pencil in case you want to take notes.

“Oh God Grady, I wasn’t expecting this today. I was waiting to get used to the idea this week end.”

“Jim’s good and will understand you being nervous. Surprises can come along anytime when you are the boss. Sometimes they are good and sometimes not. You just have to roll with them.”

“Grady, I know that. Jake’s father was my boss and I was his PA so I did have some responsibility.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“How could you, we’ve only talked out side the office a few times.” Susan gathered her pad. “Grady, turn your back, I want to fix my lipstick.” I laughed. Boy, would the rumors be rampant when we left the office.

 Tom and Jim motioned us to sit when we entered. Both were surprised at the change in how Susan looked. She was suitable in the way she was dressed for someone who was an office manager.

“Miss Jackson, I asked Grady to find a replacement for the department that he is in charge of. You are his choice. Is this something you could handle?”

“I do. I’m familiar with the working of such an office as this one. I was an assistant at my former employment.  It is all in the résumé when I applied for employment here. You should have a record of it.”

“I’m sure we do. Do you think you can manage the other women in the office?  You must know all of them quite well?”

“I think so and I wouldn’t anticipate any trouble.  I never joined them that much because I wore clothes that set me apart.”

“And why was that?”

“Because I had a supplemental job in a factory and I didn’t have time to change before my shift began. The working conditions weren’t where a person wanted to wear good clothes. I had to wash my clothes every day. I’ll be wearing much like I have on today.”

“That would be more than acceptable. Let’s see, you will be on salary once a month.  That’s a long time between paydays so you will be drawing approximately half in the middle of the month. Will that be too difficult for you to handle?”

“No. Just to clarify, I gave up my other job before I learned that Mr. Collins has suggested me for this one.”

“That’s good because being on salary we might ask you to go to a seminar or some classes that we hold to keep our managers abreast of any changes coming up. Also, we sometimes hold dinners to celebrate the goals we have made and met. Those you can bring a spouse or a friend to if you are engaged. This will all be spelled out in a folder we will give you when we go down to Human Recourses.

“One thing we frown on is fraternization among the help. If you do, we expect it to be kept low key. That means the two of unequal positions wouldn’t as a couple be welcomed at the dinners. Of course, if the lovers turned up married there is nothing we could do about it unless they were manager and the other was his or her employee. If from different departments, ask for a waiver.”

Jim paused and then said, “I hate having to say all this, but we have to stay clear of harassment charges and these are company rules so it is better to address this before anything happens.”

“Sir, I don’t expect I’ll ever bring that kind of trouble to any company I work in.”

“That’s good. Are there any questions you want to ask, I’ll let Grady fill you in on anything that is directly related to the work in your office.  He’ll be with you for a few weeks. If you are a fast learner, he’ll tell us.  He is taking on another department as soon as he has you trained and anxious to get started there.”

“I don’t think it will be very long before he can.”

“Good, we’ll go downstairs and talk to HR now. We’ll cover your salary then.  Grady, you can go back to your office. When we bring Miss Jackson back, you can announce what is happening.”

“Great, don’t be long. I want rumors kept to a minimum.”

Grady was correct, for Dorcas followed him into his office. “Where did Susan go? What’s going on, anyway. First she comes in all dressed up and then you and Oberon take her off somewhere.”

“Susan is down with Human Resources.  I wasn’t invited and I understand she will be back by lunch time. Ask her, but be nice, though. She isn’t used to all this attention. Maybe it would be better to ask Jim Oberon instead of Susan.”  I waved Dorcas out and sat down to do some of my daily work.

It was an hour later that the office door opened and Susan came in followed by Jim. Susan looked a little uncertain and hesitated before coming through the open door to my office.

Jim spoke to me, “Grady, you can make the announcement about the changes we are making.”

I came out and put my hand on Susan’s shoulder. “Ladies, may I have your attention? If you would gather around, I’ll explain.” There was a rush. “First, I’ll be leaving you to go to another department.  Susan will be taking my place here in this office. Jim has looked over her qualifications and approved my choice of whom to replace me as your supervisor. I have found her intelligent and also she  worked in management at a different concern.

“I will be training her for the next few weeks.  That is for getting to know the department heads she will be interacting with and familiar with all the systems we use in the performance of her duties. I think you will find Susan a fair and pleasant supervisor.”

Dorcas, still the loud one said, “Sit with us at lunch and tell us how you got this promotion and a little about yourself. You are almost a total stranger to us.”

Susan, said, “I will today, but not often for I usually eat alone. I would though, be happy to feel free to sit with you on occasion.”

Jim smiled and finished up with, “I guess that’s all for me here. Welcome aboard, Susan.”  He turned and went out.

I spoke, “It is almost lunch time so why don’t you go out now. Susan, I’ll see you when you finish lunch and we will begin your training.”

“Thanks, Grady.”

——————————

Susan was with me most of the afternoon. “Grady, I have about an hour’s work on the job I was working on.  May I go finish that up before quitting time?”

“You don’t have to you know, you can give it to someone else.”

“I know, but I wouldn’t feel right about it.”  Susan did finish and when it was time to leave, she told me it was done as she put it in the out pile. The other girls were there and they walked out with her. I think Susan was doing everything right to get along with her former coworkers.

During the week as the work came in to my desk, I had Susan give the work to the others in the cubicles. I noticed that she first looked at every job before assigning it to a particular girl. I asked, why?

“Because over the time I have worked with each one of them and I know their strengths and weaknesses. It would be foolish to give a complicated job to one who would struggle to get it done right and on time.”

“Everyone is paid about the same.”

“I know, but before next pay raise time I’m going to ask for a little more leeway. You got me extra pay last time. When you told me it was because I earned it and not for the reason I suspected, I thought it a good system.”

“Yes, I think I’ll mention this conversation to Jim. I did have to ask special for you. I was some chagrined when you thought I was coming on to you.”

“I thought wrong about you, didn’t I? Remember, I was a fool and ended up with a baby for not reading the signs the way I should have. Can you blame me?”

“No, but in a way it has worked out to my benefit. I’ve met Jake and he is a great kid. I look forward to seeing him Saturdays.”

“Thanks, you are a great surrogate father to him. Grady, about this Saturday when you come, will you entertain a couple of little girls at the same time? They are six and eight. I’m having a meeting with the insurance agent, my lawyer, Jake’s half sister’s mother, who is Cary’s widow, and her lawyer. Gram will give you a hand while I’m busy.”

“Sure, I can do that.”  I paused and then asked, “Are you having trouble with the settlement?”

“No, not really.  I called my lawyer and told him of how the wife and family were left with no insurance to cover his death. I called my lawyer and discussed it with him because the double indemnity clause kicked in. I would share half giving the two little girls something to remember their father by. I’m still getting the face value of the policy and won’t miss it if it goes to them before I have it in my hand.”

“Is it a lot?”

“It is a lot and that is why I could quit my second job.  When you offered me the supervisor’s job, it solidified my mind on what to do.”

“Susan, I’m glad to know you. That is a wonderful, generous thing you are doing for someone in need.”

“Thank you.”

I was well pleased with Susan.  She worked well as a leader of the other women.  She stepped back away from being overly friendly.  Of course, she never had been anyway.  I guess Dorcas and Callie realized that they never had tried to be friends before. Now that Susan was going to be their supervisor and she didn’t hold this fact against them, they would give her a chance. Susan was totally professional in her manner. By the end of the week, I thought one more week and she would be able to handle the office as well as I had been doing.

Then it hit me … I was going to miss Susan when I went over to the other side of the building to take up my new duties as supervisor in that department. For the moment, I couldn’t think of any way it would be necessary for our two departments to interact. Oh well, I could always see her on Saturdays at Gram’s with Jake.

Saturday came and Jake was waiting for me as always. “Grady, Mom says I’m going to have some friends to play with later. I can’t wait. There is supposed to be a whole lot of people here and Mom says we can’t come in the house to bother them. Can you play with us?”

“I can do that.  Maybe I should get right on mowing the lawn before they get here.”

“But I wanted them to know how much fun it is riding in the wagon behind you.”

“Well, let’s go in and ask your mother if that is okay.  We’ll have to ask their mother too when she gets here. I could use a coffee while we are waiting for them.”

It was exactly ten when two cars pulled up and parked in the street. Two men got out of one. I assumed it was the insurance agent driving that one. A woman was driving the other with her lawyer in the front and two girls somewhat older than Jake got out of the back.  Susan went out and met the woman. Then she introduced Jake.  You could almost tell the three kids were related with all having the same coloring. The woman wanted to hug Jake, but he wasn’t having any of it.  Susan did get to hug the two girls.

Jake, not shy now, was asking the girls if they wanted to mow the lawn. Susan explained.  The youngest girl wanted to, but the older one didn’t think so. Gram came out and said she didn’t have to. They would walk around to the garage and I would get the tractor out. Gram said there were lawn chairs for them to sit and watch us.

 Both girls had on dungarees and tee shirts. Jake was the one to tell his sister that she had to hold on and not try to stand up. “Grady, goes slow around the corners and really fast when he is going straight.”

I got the lawn chairs out for Gram.  None of the others had gone inside and stood watching us get set up to mow.  They had disappeared by the time I had made one circle.

I hadn’t gone many times around when Gram signaled me to stop and let the other girl ride too.  Jake was now planted between the girls.  Gram had thought to bring her camera and took some snaps of the kids.  I was putting the tractor away when Susan came out and asked if I would sign as witness to some signatures.  Gram was needed too.

I was now introduced to Wendy Franklin, the girl’s mother, the two attorneys and the insurance person. Wendy and Susan made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids and then we proceeded into the dining room and attested to the signatures of Wendy and Susan. Soon everything was completed and the two attorneys left with the insurance agent.

Gram said she had made goulash. Wendy was acting giddy. “Susan, you are one in a million. My husband left me and the kids with almost nothing and here you turn over half of Jake’s insurance pay out to me. I will swear you have lighted your way into heaven.”

Susan laughed, “That isn’t what Grady would say I did. He gave Gram some books to read about reincarnation and stuff. He would tell you that I needed to do this because I had bad karma and if I wanted to balance my soul the thought of how to do it would come to me.  You know if that isn’t why, I still am glad I did it. Your daughters are so sweet and I’m unbelievably happy about today.”

“Susan, I’m glad we got together last week. I think we were both done wrong by Cary. I didn’t know about you until you explained why you were at my husband’s funeral.”

“Wendy, I was the one who did you wrong by taking your husband from you.”

“No, don’t feel that way. Yes, you may think you did me wrong. I didn’t know about you but there were other women as well. So it wasn’t just you and me. I was so stupid to try to hang onto him for the children’s sake.”

“Understandably, maybe, but I was the stupid one falling for him. I should have had a clue he was a married man.”

I broke in, “Ladies, this is all behind you now. You both are single mothers. I think it wonderful that you are supporting each other.  Take your life from today and make the most of it. I have never been around kids very much, but I find I enjoy being with them.  I hope you two will continue to get together so I can see more of them.”

The three kids were curled up close on the living room couch asleep. Wendy said, “I hate to bother them. Mrs. Winthrop, would you take a picture of the half siblings on their first day together?”

“I will. I don’t have any glossy paper for my printer. I’ll print the pictures out and give you a copy the next time I see you.” When the girls were loaded up, Wendy hugged everyone including me for giving her two a great time.

As they drove away, Susan said, “I’d like a hug too.  Kids seem to naturally like you. Thank you.”

“Thank you Sandra, it was a fun day for me.” I paused realizing I had called Susan, Sandra. No one else noticed. I would have to watch myself around Susan.  Sometimes calling her Sandra was so natural. I’d talk to Gram when I got a chance.  Her life reading should be back soon. Would there be a Sandra in the reading like there was in my previous timeline some 200 years ago?

Three weeks was all that was needed to get Susan up to speed taking over my department. My last day here in the office, the girls got me a cake and brought in a coffee pot.  Callie came to me first and told me she had seen department heads come and go and several workers had done the same. “Grady, you are heads and shoulders above anyone else. I am truly going to miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you too, Callie. I’ll be stopping by occasionally. My new department is going to be a big challenge for me, but it is the one I applied for when I was looking for a position. I’ll see you at the parties and there is a company fair coming up in a few weeks.”

Dorcas, the forward one, took my cake and coffee from my hand. I looked up from my chair.  I couldn’t figure why. Next thing I knew she was sitting on my lap. “I have always wanted to sit on your lap and kiss you.”

I went with it, “Well stop squirming around and you’ve got your wish.” I kissed her and even gave her a little tongue.

She jumped up and fluttered her fingers, declaring “Hot! Hot!” This brought on laughter from everyone. I did hug them all when it was over.  Finally it was just Susan.

“Well, Grady, I guess the office is all mine.  I think I can handle everything and only because you are such a good teacher.”

“You’re going to be great. There is going to be an ad in the paper for your cubicle replacement. When they bring different people around, try to hold out for someone with a little experience. That will make training her easier.”

“Last word of advice?”

“I guess it is.”

“Grady, don’t take this wrong, but I envy the girls getting a hug.”

“We can fix that.” And we did.

————————————

Gram’s reading came back and she handed it to me to read. Gram had asked about people she thought might be in her life in previous lifetimes.  My name of course, Jake’s name, Susan’s name, her husband Frank’s name, and a couple of close friends. She had added the name Sandra, also, finishing off with her own name either Grace or Karen.

Grace Winthrop:
     On this plane, Karen in another life time, married to Gerald previously,
same lifetime: Close friend to Graden Collins in this lifetime.

Jacob Jackson:
     Gender change from Jessie … Jessie daughter to Karen and Gerald in a previous lifetime.

Susan Jackson:
     Name of Sandra, in previous lifetime not known to Karen. Sandra, care giver’s name. She caregiver of Jessie employed by Gerald. Granddaughter to Grace Winthrop and mother to Jacob in this lifetime. Refused marriage proposal from Gerald in previous lifetime.

Graden Collins:
     Known as Gerald in previous lifetime. Husband to Karen until her early demise. He, father of daughter Jessie, whom also passed early in that lifetime.

Close association to Sandra, caregiver of Jessie. Sandra refused marriage proposal of Gerald’s soon after Jessie’s demise.

Frank Winthrop:
     Loving husband of Grace Winthrop. No other association in any of Grace Winthrop’s previous lifetimes. They may meet again in future lifetimes. End

———————————

“It is all coming together isn’t it? Some from my life reading as Gerald and some from yours as Karen.  Now if we can get Susan to get a life reading, and if she will share with us, we should have the full picture of what happened when we were all together 200 years ago and have reincarnated again in this lifetime.”

“Grady, maybe it is time we brought Susan into this and demanded she get a reading. I’m so curious to find out what happened to her as Sandra.  After all I’m her grandmother now. She had to have done something terrible to collect some bad karma.  Didn’t you say she had to plan a way to improve her karma?”

“No, I can’t demand anything. I was cautioned in the reading ten years ago that Sandra, or as Susan, was quite fragile and would lose ground, if and when she discovered what happened during her time on earth 200 years in the past.  I think we should only gently nudge her toward getting a reading.  I feel I am right. She has to find out on her own. She will come to it someday and then we can put our three readings together.

“About her karma, she may find out what she did to unbalance her karma. I think what she did for Wendy Richards will go a long way to bring Susan’s karma back into balance.”

“I hope so.”

I still mowed Gram’s lawn every week.  I saw Susan quite often. She handled her new job quite well.  Some Saturdays she did ask me how I would handle a problem if it were mine. We talked the problem through and I left the decision to her. Only once did she see me hug Gram. Susan made note of it.  I laughed at her. “Hey, she was my darling wife in a previous lifetime.”

“That’s just fantasy because you like her so much.”

Gram gave Susan her thoughts. “Susan, I believe I was.  I told you about the life readings. In mine, I was his wife, and in Grady’s reading he was my husband. Unfortunately, we didn’t have many years together because I didn’t live that long.”

“Gram, was I there at that time with you?”

“My reading says not. I didn’t know you in my lifetime with Gerald.”

“There you go passing out names I don’t recognize. I wish you would stop it. It’s just a crazy fantasy.”

“Most people would believe so and there is no way to prove otherwise. Anyway Susan, it is kind of fun and there must be some reason for a 75 old lady to feel such warm feelings for a 28 year old man.”

“Well, write that faker and ask him for the name of the town. We can look up your name and Grady’s name and see if you were married. There must be a record.”

“We have discussed it, but it is impossible. There is little given about towns, landmarks, and all names are just first names.”

I took this up, “Susan, there was only one clue given and that was of Gerald working in a woolen mill and Sandra was one of his workers. Can you imagine how many woolen mills there were in that time period?  We both have the feeling the place must have been in the eastern US and had to have been near a river for water power to run the machinery.”

“I suppose I am this Sandra you keep mentioning.”

“Yes, you were.”

“I suppose you came on to me, we fell in love, and lived happily ever after.  What a bunch of bull.”

“Nothing like that happened. In fact, the only real happiness, I as Gerald had, was before Karen passed on. Gerald had a lot of sadness around this time. He made a life changing choice to forget what life had dealt him, especially with the death in his family and the turn down of his proposal of marriage to Sandra.  It came to pass that the choices, while made in grief didn’t turn out well either.”

Susan became agitated. “Oh, I hate both you and Gram. You tell me a story, but only half of it. When and how am I going to get the rest of it?”

“Gram will help you. The best way is to ask for a reading. Gram can coach you through it and what she thinks you should ask about. If still you don’t find the answers, you can repeat the process with more questions.  I went four times when I first became interested. This was when I was seventeen.

“Truth is, I ended up thinking like you do right now and that it was all bunk. Now though, ten years later I asked and received what I believe is a factual account of those entities I was close to so many years ago.  You can just bypass believing it all bunk and get to the truth. Gram and I were close and you came into what happened after she left me. If you do ask questions, I would like to know, for it hasn’t been given to me about why and what you did when you removed yourself from my person.

“Possibly, there may be information that is relevant in your lifetime today. I have no facts about your previous life time, but I believe it has shaped your life in many ways. Gram and I will sit down with you and we can piece everything together after your reading; that is if you will share.”

“You have me confused and mystified.”

“I know and still some things will remain hidden. Karma does enter into each person’s life in the choices they make. Like why did Karen die and leave me when we were so happy?  That hasn’t been revealed.  And it isn’t necessary that I know. Some way she made a choice or one was made for her and I could have been collateral damage in she satisfying her karma. About my karma and my death? I believe it was my reward for trying to do a good deed although I wasn’t entirely successful.” 

“You know how you died?”

“Almost positively. It was revealed somewhat in kind of a cliff hanger ending.  I either died or my death was hidden from me for some reason.

Chapter Four

I didn’t see Susan all the next week and I had to call Jake and tell him that I was working Saturday and would come mow the lawn on Sunday. “I’ll come early and take everyone out to dinner so I can visit with your mom.”

“Okay. Will you take my two sisters too?”

“Of course. Are they going to be there?”

“Yes, and their mom too.”

“Great.”

I was welcomed with coffee and homemade rolls. Jake wanted me to rush out and mow the lawn and Suzy and Cindy did too because they had so much fun before. Susan and Wendy could have been sisters. Although their coloring was slightly different. They even sounded the same when speaking. I thought to myself “Nah, this too much.” Soon I had the lawn tractor out and with the three kids in the trailing cart. I glanced behind me often. About half way finished, I saw Jake trying to stand up.

“Jake , what were my rules when in the cart?”

“We were to stay sitting.”

“And were you sitting just now?”  Jake didn’t want to answer. “Jake?”

“I was standing because you weren’t going very fast.”

“I know, but what if I had to stop quick?  You would have tumbled off the front and if I hadn’t stopped quick enough the cart would have run right over you. Would you have got hurt?  Probably, and then you would have had to go in the house. The girls and I would have finished the lawn and you wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I think you deserve some punishment, don’t you?”

“Are you going to spank me?” The youngest sister, Cindy, started to cry.

“No, I’m not. But I want you to get out of the wagon and stand there and watch us have fun for two times around the lawn.”

“Do I have to?”

Cindy said, “That’s not so bad, Jake. My dad would have whaled the hell out of me if I had done something wrong liked that. He was awful mean sometimes. I’ll get out and stay with you. Suzy can have the cart all to her self.” All three were out while I did the two laps.  They were giggling when they piled back into the wagon.

Susan and Gram, along with Wendy’s help, had tuna fish sandwiches when we came in.  Jake was whispering to Cindy and Suzy.  Finally Suzy asked her mother, “Mom, Jake says he has been to petting farm where they have animals that you can hold and pet.  Can we go see them?”

“Oh, we have been here nearly all day. Susan has to work tomorrow and I have to as well. We can go some other time.”

“Mom, please?”

I spoke up, “We have time for a couple hours today and can go again someday in the morning for awhile longer. I’m up for it.”

Susan looked at me, “Are you sure? You haven’t had any time for yourself and you had to work yesterday.”

“I’m good. Is anyone else going? Okay, everyone load up if you are. How about you Karen?”

“Not this time, Gerry.”

Wendy turned to Gram, “I thought your name was Grace?”

Susan answered, “Don’t listen to them. They totally believe in reincarnation. Grady had some life readings and found out he was married to a woman named, Karen back around 1820. Gram has had a reading just a few weeks ago and found out she had a husband named Gerald.  They even have me half convinced because Grady tells me I was there in the same time.”

Susan, continued, “I’m out to prove them either right or wrong. I have an appointment next Wednesday at 9:00.  I have to be in my office so the clairvoyant can find my body or soul or something. It’s crazy, but I have found these two are so sure I am beginning to believe, myself.”  Just then, the kids started making noises to get going.

When we arrived at the petting farm, Jake took over leading the girls around to the different pens. He saved the rabbits for last and picked up the large gray one. Soon all had rabbits in their arms.

When we returned to the house, I said I couldn’t stay for supper and went across town and home.  I now got my lawn tractor out and mowed my own lawn.  It was nearly 7:00 when I was putting my tractor away when Jake came running through the shed door. Susan had never been here before “Wendy and the girls left so we brought you supper.”

It was KFC meals. I was extra hungry and Susan shared some of hers with me. Jake ate some and then fell asleep on the couch. 

My home was larger than Gram’s house. It was a typical center hall home with the stairs leading up to the second floor from the entry hall. Living alone I only used the kitchen, living room, and the downstairs bedroom. There were three bedrooms and a full bath upstairs. Downstairs there was also a large dining room and another small room and a full bath. I didn’t need a home of this size, but I was familiar with it.

The people my parents purchased the property from had trucked in stone and made raised beds for both vegetables and flowers. The back yard was nice with lichens growing on the stones. My parents then, and now, I hired a landscaper to come every spring and get everything ready by renewing the weed control and mulch around the perennials and flowering bushes which they pruned. Just another habit I never would change.

I had one of the smallest riding mowers and two times around the beds with the mower, finished my weekly chores. My vegetables consisted of two different tomato plants, a couple of green peppers, two cucumber plants and with a few rows of greens and carrots. 

Gram asked if she could walk around outside so we toured my flowers. Susan stated what a lovely home I had. “I don’t use the three rooms upstairs and it has been weeks since I have been up there.  They are nice too.”

“May I go up?”

“Sure. Gram, were you ever upstairs when you lived next door?”

“No, but I would like to see it.”

Coming back down, Susan observed, “What a nice place you have.  Now all you need is a wife and three kids.”

“I have that on my to-do list. I plan to marry before I’m thirty and have my first child the year after.”

“And who is the woman, Grady?  You had better get on it.”

Gram said, “Yes Grady, who? You haven’t been out on a date since you have been mowing my lawn this season.”

“I have faith I will find someone during the winter. Gram, if you were forty year’s younger I’d propose to you. After all we were married once.”

Susan, stamped her foot, “I knew it, you two can’t get away from that foolishness.”

“Susan, it may be foolishness or fantasy. But you’ll know when you get your questions answered in a couple of weeks.  That is if you are in your office Wednesday morning.”

“I suppose if I didn’t have so much baggage with being a single mother with a child I should look for a husband. I’m not going to because now I’m so wrapped up in my work. I love my job.  Really Grady, I thank you over and over for that.”

“My pleasure. That move fitted right into my plans. I wanted the position I have just been given and I’m happy.”

Susan said she would wake Jake up so they could leave.  Gram, said, “You know Grady, you proposed to a woman in a former lifetime. You could propose to the same entity in this one.”

“I could Gram, and I may. But it would crush me to be turned down again like Gerald was back then.”

“Well Gerald, promise me you will consider it. I’m speaking as Grace. I didn’t get a chance to know Sandra when I was Karen, but if she was anything like my granddaughter Susan, I heartily recommend it.”

“You do love me, don’t you?” We didn’t have a chance to say more as we heard Susan coming with Jake.

I received just a smile as Susan came out handing me a sleeping Jake.

———————————

The first week I was in my new office I mostly observed.  It seemed to be a mad house. We had four engineers working on different projects.  The rest (10) were support staff in one form or another. There was four of the support staff who were preferred over some of the others. I watched closely and often the four would stick together so sometimes one engineer would have the best help on his project. I needed a good copier operator. That left one person of the fourteen to place. I came up with a slot for one other person to do the filing.

I spent one Sunday sitting in the office with all the names in front of me I listed each person’s faults and weaknesses In other words I separated the engineers into four teams. Each engineer would get one of the preferred support men and one of the weaker ones. The person whom I chose to be in charge of the copier was a given. He had a gimpy leg and before this in using the copier, he would drag a chair to sit on while feeding and sorting the job into the folders for each engineer.

I had asked him about this during the week and he said he liked doing this and stated, “I’m the best … ask anyone.” Usually at this point, the file then would go to someone to be cataloged and stored just like you would handle a book in a library.

I talked to Jim Oberon and he laughed, “Good luck with that. Men, I think are sometimes worse in their likes and dislikes than a bunch of women. Try it anyway.” Monday morning of the second week, Jim came in and sat in the back of the room I came out of my office and sat on a desk and told all to gather around.

“Okay, people, you all know I came here for a purpose.  That purpose was to get this department organized. I studied things last week and I have decided to make some changes on how we work.  We have four engineers so each will have two more team members on their team. I’m picking four of the members to be lead person under the engineer. Then I’m picking four persons to be understudies for the lead members.  Pete is going to be in charge of copying and Brad is going to build a library of sorts to keep track of each project.

“Any, questions?”

“What if we can’t work with the people you chose for us?”

“Well it is going to work this way. You get to work one month and then we’ll switch personnel around.  You probably have noticed that we have one lady engineer and two women who are on support staff.  For the time being, I’m not assigning those to work together.  That’s to save some poor man from being ganged up on. More questions?”

“What if someone doesn’t pull their weight?”

“Then, that’s my problem and you can come to me.  Remember, though I have to have facts to back it up to discipline someone. Remember also, you will only be working with that team member for one month. You’ll just have to suck it up for that long.  I’m not going to have musical chairs every day. You know everyone has their likes and dislikes, and I do too. Let’s say we aren’t going to have any childish squabbling. 

“We have more important things that may trip us up.  Brad needs to set up the catalog system and everyone has to get familiar with it.  We’ll begin this way.  Each project has a number and there will be a place for each team to put in a number when it comes to the engineer. The date will go before the number, and the date after the number when goes to the copier to copy and then the final date before being cataloged.

“This sounds complicated, but it won’t be after two or three projects are completed.”

One of the engineers groused, “We could be handling more projects if everyone did their job.”

“True and this isn’t any particular persons fault.  A big potion is the way the system was set up and that’s why I’m here to change things.  Each engineer is responsible for himself and his two support persons. You have a month to prove yourselves before I will be shifting staff around again. I’m not exactly fond of competition in the work place because that implies good and bad. I think you are all good if you will work together.

“You come up here and I have the people listed for each team. Sort it out and see if you guys can’t make it work.”

One of the women stated, “I’m not a guy.”

“I know but you ladies are in the minority. When I’m talking to everyone here it would be foolish if I said, “Okay, girls let’s get to work. You women are overall are as good, or better than the men. Besides, everyone comes to work in jeans. Suffer with me on this if you would.”  I stopped talking, thinking I was digging myself into a hole.  “Okay, forget guys and girls. From now on I’ll just say team or teams in referring to you when I’m addressing you as a group.”

The teams sorted out who each person would be on their team. I didn’t hear any objections. I pulled Brad aside and talked with him about setting up his cataloging duties.  “Start fresh as of today.  When you are busy, work on cataloging the finished projects into a sub set in case we have to pull it for some reason.  It will get easier as times go on.”

“No problem. It is a good thing I have a library background.”

“I know, that is why I chose you for the job.” There were a few questions but were handled easily. 

Jim finally came from the back of the room and closed the office door behind him. “Grady, this just might work. I’m impressed that there was so little argument in the teams.  More and more I think all the people in this department really were disgusted with the snafus that were being made.  You are correct, it wasn’t the people, it was the system.”

“Oh, I have no doubt but what some will develop.”

“I’m sure you will handle it. The Jackson woman is doing fine too. I’m glad you chose her. Do you know anything about her personal life?”

“I do. I’ve been friends with her grandmother since I was a kid. It was weeks before I knew the two were related.  I hardly ever saw her because of her second job and I wasn’t over there at night and she worked weekends. She has a little boy who was kept in the house all day with a 75 year-old woman. I’ve made friends of him.”

“And Susan? Have you made friends with her now that she isn’t working so much?”

“She likes it that I am paying attention to the boy. Susan is friendly with a woman with two girls a little older than the boy so I’ve had to include them if I take the boy somewhere.  If I didn’t love the old lady, I probably wouldn’t be so friendly.”

“Take either one of the women out.  You’d have a ready-made family and get a little.”

“I can’t do that.  Remember, Susan and I work for the same corporation and there is a clause that says I can’t.”

“God, don’t let that bother you. I picked my wife from the receptionist desk. Just make sure the two of you are friendly if you split up. We don’t need a harassment suit. Other than that it is your life.”

“Well, we’ll see. I don’t see it happening, but as the say, never is a long time.”

“Fine.”

Things went along quite well. The oldest woman who was somewhere near forty wasn’t happy. She came into my office, “Grady, I think I’m going to give my notice if you can’t find other work for me. I’m pretty ineffectual where I am right at the moment in the team you put me with.  It isn’t the other two I work with either, but they are so good, I’m not needed.”

“Sealy, we’re going to change in another couple of weeks.”

“I know, but these teams are working so well it would be a shame to break them up when you feel you should go with your program. A couple have said they don’t want to change, either.”

I took a pad of paper off my desk and handed her a pencil.  “Chore for you that needs doing.  Go out and do a survey of what the workers want. Do you know how?”

“Sure, four teams, four assistants and four of us who are assistant to the assistant. I know everyone’s name.”  While she was out doing that, I called HR and had them fax me their file on Sealy.

I was halfway through reading her file when she came back.  One thing she had in her file was that she had operated a 3D printer.  We had several of these in the corporation, but none in this department.

“So Sealy, what pops out to you about the survey?”

“First, let me tell you that I’m pretty much dead weight on my team.  This is only because you accidentally paired up the best engineer and the best assistant. Whether this was by design or happenstance, I wouldn’t know. About the other teams, they all seem to be happy and satisfied with each other just as they are. That leaves me in an odd position so I guess you won’t need me any longer. There doesn’t seem to be a place for me.”

“Well, you are honest anyway. I understand you are familiar with 3D printers. I can think of a few uses for one if I had an operator. One of our teams design a lot of small tools. Do you know how to make hard copies of them on a printer?”

“Sure, and I’m familiar with a CAD app as well.”

“Good, I’m going to get one in here and see what you can do with it.  Maybe we can make something the sales force can use. What will you need to get started?  Better yet, make a full list to use for demonstration purposes. I won’t go into this too heavily at first, but I don’t want to lose you from my work force.”

“I’d like that. I’ve heard you were a good boss and take care of your people,” Pause, “And you are. Thank you.” The rest of my first month went well. I found Sealy fully competent with the printer. I sent around a memo to the different departments, asking for ideas for the printer.  I had a spare person who could handle making hard copies of objects within a certain size.  There was enough for her to keep more than busy.  She was happy and I was too.

————————————

Three weeks after Susan sat for her life reading, she showed up early on a Thursday morning, coming across to my office. “Grady, I have a letter back from the clairvoyant. It came yesterday. You said we could get together and see where I was 200 years ago in relation to you and Gram’s life back then. I guess I was a helper to care for your daughter Jessie, until she died.  Then I went off on my own.  That’s all I’m going to tell you this morning.  Can you come over tonight? There are some surprises for me in the reading.”

“There usually are. Sure, I’ll be over. Oh, I was wondering if the girls in your department miss me?”

“You know they do. That goes for me too. I’ve almost invited you to come visit at home sometime during the week. Jake is all the time asking when you are coming.”

“I come over every Saturday.”

“I know, but it isn’t enough.”

“Oh, okay, I’ll be over tonight. Do you want me to bring anything?”

“No, just yourself, unless you want to get something for Jake. He loves you, you know?”

“No more than I love him.” I stopped at a toy store and picked up a couple of toys. One was a bulldozer and the other was a loader with a bucket that you could pick up dirt with.

Jake was waiting at the door when I arrived.  I handed the bag to Jake.  “Don’t open it yet. Let’s go around back where there is some dirt.”  Jake followed me to an empty flower bed that had been spaded up the Saturday before. “Now you can open the bag.”  Jake dumped the unwrapped toys out on the ground.

“This Saturday I’ll take you to a construction site and you can see some real construction workers operate these machines.  For now, you put the blade on the dozer down and push dirt into a pile.  Then with the loader, you push the bucket into the pile and get it full of dirt and drive it somewhere and dump it. This is also used to load trucks with dirt and drive the truck somewhere.  We’ll look for a truck Saturday and you can use the loader after we come back from the construction site.”

“Oh, boy. Can I use them now?”

“Just until supper is ready. When Gram or your Mom calls, you have to go right in.  I’ll come out with you for a little bit before you go to bed,”

“Okay, I’ll come in, I promise.”  Jake got right into the dirt and started working his toys. Susan drove in just as I came around to the front of the house.

“Hi. Grady. Where is Jake?  I’m surprised he isn’t with you.”

“He’s out back playing in the dirt. I brought him some toys.”

“Big  toys? I meant little toys like the trucks he loves.”

“Well they aren’t that big, but big enough to play in the dirt.”

“He’ll never come in for supper, now.”

“We’ll see.” Susan put her hand out to thank me. I took her hand and pulled her gently toward me. She was close enough to hug … so I did. For the minute, she let me, then hugged me, resisted, and then returned the hug.

She pulled away, looking up at me.  “Why did you do that?  I don’t mind, but I need to know why.”

“Susan, I did that because I didn’t do what I should have done to Sandra 200 years ago. The reason I’m here tonight is to fill in that time of who we were back then aren’t we? I don’t know yet whether that time in our previous lives will transfer to the life we are living now in this time, but I would like to explore that we might.”

“Okay, we’ll talk about it after we share our mutual readings. From what I have in my reading, you should have hugged me back then.  It might have saved me a lot of grief. Let’s go in and get supper ready.  Have you spoken to Gram yet?”

“No, but she watched me and Jake while we were out back.”  The two women got supper ready. Susan shouted out the back door, “Jake supper is ready. It’s your favorite. Mac and cheese with a hamburger.”

“Coming, Mom. After supper you’ll have to came out and see my new toys. They are so neat.”

He came in and told his mother I was going to take him some place so he could see the real things.  “Grady is going to take me to a scrucktion site to see them work.  He promised me a cruck I can load dirt in.”

“Okay Jake, slow down, wash up, you are all dirty.”

“I know Mom, ain’t it great!” I hadn’t said anything about how long he could play outside after supper. When we got there, Jake kept begging for more time.

Exasperated, Susan exclaimed, “Jake, You came right in when I called you for supper.  It is past your bedtime. How come you won’t do as I say now?”

“’Cause, Grady promised me he would come out with me after supper, ’sides he is going to get me another toy to go with these.”

Susan, looked at me. I laughed, “Okay, Jake, it is bedtime for you. I’ll be up after your shower and say goodnight.”

“Okay, Grady.  I want my toys in the house.”

“No, not a good idea. Gram works hard to keep the house clean and they have dirt on them.  Better put them in the garage.”

“Okay.”  Finally, Jake was in bed and immediately asleep.

“Grady, how do you know what to do with a child. You’ve never been married and I never heard that you lived with a woman with kids. You are an only child yourself. Share with me.”

I grinned at Susan.  “It is simple. I worked for a couple of months in a fast food place. I’d see women with young kids and how they handled them.  I got a good idea from mothers dealing with kids with good and bad behavior. When I got to college, I took a course in child management and how to baby-sit correctly.  It was only for one semester while I was waiting for another course to open up. I’ve also found what I learned there often works with adults.”

Susan thought for a minute. “I guess I understand.  I would get so worked up and so mad at you when you first took over as my boss. I’d come into your office to confront you and when I left, you would have calmed me down and I actually liked you. You’re telling me I’m just a big kid, aren’t you?”

“Maybe, but a very pretty nice kid—beautiful too.  I want to hear what you found in your life reading.”

“You may be disappointed, because there isn’t much about you in it.”

“I know how that goes. Like Gram as my wife back then. I know I loved her dearly, but overall it ended too quickly. I am surprised to find her again this time around.

——————————

We sat down at the dining table, each of us with the life readings. I’d guess I had the most extensive writings because I had written several times, years ago, and only once recently.

“Susan, Gram knows most of what I have so I’ll begin. First, my entity, named Gerald was aged forty-seven. I made my living as a Foreman or supervisor, working in a woolen mill. I was married to a woman entity named Karen, she being several years younger than I.  Karen had a daughter, Jessie, who was seven when Karen died.

“I was very sad and knew I couldn’t cope alone with a young child.  I engaged one of my workers to come and care for Jessie.  This was Sandra, aged nineteen, who came to love her young charge. I apparently was devastated over the death of Jessie, at ten years.

“I had lavished much love on Jessie, but paid little attention to Sandra while living in the same household. When Jessie died, I as Gerald was crushed and looked to Sandra for solace. I proposed marriage. Maybe I was too abrupt or didn’t understand that Sandra had feelings of motherhood for Jessie that went beyond just being a caregiver. I was turned down and Sandra immediately went out of my life.

Broken hearted over the early death of Karen that I had never got over, the death of my young daughter, the refusal of my proposal of my marriage to Sandra, I sold my home. I traveled west at age fifty to begin a new life.” 

I paused now. “Gram and Susan, there is more about me in the last reading about my life, but I don’t see it as germane to the time when we were closely associated and the present.”

Susan said, “So, you were Gerald. Gram was Karen, I was Sandra, and Jake was Jessie all in that time, correct?”

“That’s about it.

Susan asked, “Do you know what happened after you moved away?”

“Some of it.  Let’s not get into that until I hear about your life reading.”

“Okay, mine is pretty simple.  My reading did confirm there was an entity named Karen, now named Grace, who was Gerald’s wife and they had a child named Jessie. Karen died in her mid-thirties when Jessie was seven.  In the present lifetime, the reading has confirmed that Karen or Grace has met Gerald again when he was fifteen and his name now being Grady. Moving away from close association, Grace and Grady have reconnected again as very close friends.

“Going on, Karen, or now as Grace, has a granddaughter, named Susan. This is the first time Karen as Grace and Sandra as Susan have been in the same lifetime at the same time. Is that clear?  I ask because I get so confused trying to separate the two lifetimes, then and now.”

I spoke. “Easy enough for me.”

“It is for me too.”

“Gram, thank you.”

Gram went on to recap, “Grady, I guess that is about all my reading contained about my life back then. I was married to you, I loved our daughter Jessie and I died early. I never met the person, Sandra, but I have now as Susan my granddaughter. I love her very much, maybe for the reason she took care of you and our daughter back in that previous lifetime.  Jake, who is the same entity as Jessie, I love with all my heart.

“I did question my role as Karen and why I had to die. I found out it was because of someone else’s karma and had nothing to do with any other person who are here with me in this lifetime.”

“Gram, what do you mean?”

“Karma, as you know is what goes around comes around. I did a person wrong before I came to be Gerald’s wife in a different lifetime with a different entity.  I was working off the bad karma.  It was a success, I was informed in this reading. The pain I caused you and Jessie by my demise was felt more by me than it did to you and her.

“The clairvoyant said I went through a period of agony, which has erased the bad Karma from the karmic accounts. Susan, Grady, and Jake’s love that I feel from you all in this lifetime is a reward in a sense for the agony I had to endure to balance my Karma.

“Wonderful, Gram.”  I got up and hugged Gram. Susan did the same.

“I guess it is your turn Susan, to share your life reading.”

“Okay Grady, the reading isn’t anything like what I expected. I listed Gram first.  I was informed that I wasn’t as close to Gram as your entity as Karen. Gram was paired up with Gerald in a karmic way that I wasn’t involved in when I was Sandra.  However, I was paired in this lifetime with you as Grace in recognition that your life was now in karmic balance. I guess we all found that out from what Gram said a short time ago.

“I listed Grady’s name and found out that we both made a wrong move by not connecting more solidly back in a previous life time, this which was indicated, but not acted upon by either of us. I asked questions about Jake. It seems as though my love for that entity as Jake and as Jessie is the same in both lifetimes.”

I asked, “Susan is there anyone or any more you wish to share with us?”

She asked a question in return before she answered my question. “Grady you intimated one time that the clairvoyant said how you passed on. Can you tell us?”

“I suppose, but it has nothing to do with the people here or now in either lifetime. Yes, I guess I will.  Remember that I was very sad back then. Karen had only been dead three years and I still missed her.  Jessie died at age seven, and I was reaching out to anyone I could cling to. I thought Sandra felt the same way.  I didn’t know for sure that she cared for me, but she had seen me through both of the troubling times that had landed on me.

“I knew she was as heartbroken as I over Jessie’s death. I must not have prepared Sandra for the proposal I was about to make. I just up and asked her to marry me.  I’ve thought about what had gone wrong since and what I should have done. I should have asked her for a hug and held her, maybe talking about Jessie, telling Sandra how I felt and asking how she felt. I was too abrupt I know now.

“Hurt and discouraged, I immediately sold my home, wanting to get away from it all.  I traveled west to the Ohio River and was engaged, in return for my passage, to help maneuver a house raft down the river to the Mississippi and then on down to the delta. I had no plan really; I was of fifty years and drifting.  Anyway, the raft broke up when it hit a snag in the Ohio River.  It was said that I saved the wife, a child, and her husband before being clipped in the head by one of the floating timbers.

“That is when the telling by the clairvoyant ended in a cliff hanging moment.  When I first read this, I assumed I died, but I’m not so sure now. I think I will ask for one more reading, if indeed I did die from the accident. I’m almost positive that I have never been in the same time frame with any of you again until now. I’m excusing the clairvoyant for not telling me more for that reason. I mean I was there and he must have tuned in to know about me.

“Now Susan, I asked you a question about that time.  Was there anyone at that time that is in our, or should I say, in this time frame?”

Susan asked for time before answering me.  She sat at the dining table with her eyes closed for five minutes. “Grady, I do know more from the reading about what happened to me back then.  I asked about a Wendy Franklin in that early time. Wendy’s name was Wilma. She was my sister and we didn’t get along at all.

“When I took the job to care for Jessie, I had a boyfriend whom I was madly in love with, But Gerald asked me to care for Jessie. I wanted to leave the woolen mill because it was terribly hard and boring work. 

“Wilma soon inserted herself into my boyfriend’s life and became pregnant. I faced him and he said he was going to marry Wilma because he was responsible. He also said he still loved me. I put them both behind me and cared for Jessie the best I knew how.  And then Jesse died. What was I thinking when I turned Gerald down? Gerald was a good man. I should have married him and had my own child to replace Jessie, but I didn’t.”  There were tears in Susan’s eyes.

“Susan, you were unsettled.”

“I know I was. I immediately went after my former boyfriend and it didn’t take much to persuade him to leave Wilma and take up with me. Grady, he wasn’t happy. None of us were. Guilt is a terrible thing to deal with.  Damn it Grady, I’m feeling that guilt right now.

“What about Wilma? Did the clairvoyant go into her life at all?”

“Not much. The letter stated we never reconciled and ended up in a small village staying in the town’s poor farm living out our life there. Both of us were in our forties and died at a fairly early age when a sickness swept through the poor house.”

Gram burst out with, “That has to be Karma. Think about you in this lifetime. Wendy was cheated on by you and then she accepted you as friend at her husband’s funeral. You in turn have shared half of the insurance settlement when you didn’t have to. I’d say Sandra and Wilma are alright with each other now. And the husband Cary what happened to him in that early lifetime.”

“I don’t know, Gram. I think he was a dirty dog in both lifetimes, although it doesn’t say any thing about Cary. It could be that they weren’t the same entity”

“May be, but both of your bank accounts are now pretty hefty. At your demand Cary do something about Jake, which he did, might just have balanced some of his bad karma. I just hope now that you have found your sister again you will continue in the same vane.”

“I wonder if we can get Wendy to have a life reading.”

“Susan, do you think we should? You are happy now with you taking in Wendy as your surrogate sister. It might be necessary sometime in the future, but for now, I’d leave like it is. You have met her only a few times.”

“Grady, you are always right in the way you look and approach things concerning me.  I’m going to take your advice and not urge Wendy to have a reading.

“Now, what about Sandra and Gerald?”

“You mean Susan and Grady don’t you?  Susan, I propose we go out on a date. It isn’t unheard of two bosses who work together dating in our corporation.”

“I accept. Discreet and low key, though.”

“Susan, my thoughts exactly.”

——————————

Life was good for Susan and me.  We usually dated after work so we could have the weekends to include Jake.  The word ‘father’ wasn’t in Jake’s vocabulary, and I was never called Dad by him at first. I was though his dad, and he looked up to me and very seldom went against my wishes. Susan was thrilled that we got along so well together. The two of us got along really well, too. Still in boss mode, I didn’t push Susan into anything. I’m referring to sex here.

Jake entered pre-school and reveled in having so many friends.  He was also inviting Cindy and Suzy Franklin to come play with him and Wendy obliged. A first was when the kids decided they wanted to sleep overnight in my house. This was a night when Susan’s department had a company seminar. Wendy offered to come with the kids until Susan was able to join us. Susan showed signs of a little jealousy, but didn’t voice it.

I couldn’t say that Wendy couldn’t come with her daughters, for I knew she wouldn’t let the two girls come without her. Susan’s words, as she left for her meeting was to both of us, “Now you two behave yourselves.”

Wendy, came back with, “Susan, I wouldn’t steal your man.”

“Wendy, why do you say Grady is my man?” 

“Oh, come on Susan, it is so obvious he is your man.  Love shines from him every time he looks or mentions your name. You act the same about Grady. You are husband and wife in all except the papers that say you are. You are having sex aren’t you?  No, don’t answer that, it is none of my business.”

Susan just laughed and went out to her vehicle. I was with her. Wow, an opening for me! “Well, I think we might talk about this sex stuff very soon as long as it is so obvious that we are intimate.”

“Grady, where is this you keep saying, ‘I’m never going to come on to someone I work with and I’ve been through one sexual harassment suit and I don’t want another?’ Tell me.”

“Susan, look at me. I’ll put Wendy upstairs with the kids and I’ll be in the downstairs bedroom when you get back.  Maybe we should make some plans.”

“I agree it is time Grady. Let’s keep the planning very short and get on to the doing. See you later and I’ll probably be too tired to go upstairs when I get to your house. Find a bed for me, will you?”

When Wendy and I reached my house, I had things for the kids to occupy themselves so I could talk to Wendy. I was going to tell her tonight that Susan and I were a couple anyway.

Wendy laughed, “Did I make you and Susan uncomfortable? I couldn’t see that you two had moved any closer together since I’ve known both of you.”

“You did both of us a favor.  We’re going to discuss it in more depth tonight. I’m putting you in a bedroom upstairs with the kids.”

“That should work fine. Grady, you’re probably wondering about me.  My husband has only been dead a couple of months. He actually has been dead a lot longer to both me and the kids. Although we had the same address, he wasn’t living with us. Do I miss him?  No, not much, and I think the kids miss him even less.

“Maybe you can understand now how I can call Susan my friend when I should hate her for taking my husband. I felt that way even before she shared the insurance money with me and my family.  She is just such a wonderful person. A true sister couldn’t be treating me any better.” 

“Wendy, Susan feels the same way about you.”

Epilogue

Over time, Susan and I married after a year of knowing each other. Jake was ecstatic. He had never called anyone ‘Dad’ before.  Wendy and Susan carried on as great friends so Wendy’s two girls were involved with us most of the time. Wendy came to us when eight months had passed after the death of her husband.

“Guys, I have met a man and I plan on dating him. Grady, he seems much like you. You are the standard I now measure men by, so I believe he qualifies. We’ll see.”

I guess he passed muster because after five months of going together, he proposed and after another five months, they did marry.  He became mine and Susan’s close friend as well.  Gram had developed her own set of friends and decided to move into a facility that contained those in her age group. Wendy and her new husband bought Gram’s house to be closer to us.  It was only fifteen minutes by car to get together.

Susan I joked around about Karma and reincarnation, but never shared that many facts with Wendy. We were happy with the way things were. I think Susan and I were tighter together than most couples.  Why wouldn’t we be? We had missed having a happy life together once and so pleased to be able to have a do-over. I was ready to let this recede into the background.

Susan apparently wasn’t, for she spoke the night of our third anniversary.  “Grady will you grant me one wish for our anniversary?”

“Anything, Sandra.”

This cracked her up, “Gerald, how did you know I was going to ask something about our early lifetime together?”

“Susan, we are so close and attuned to each other, it is almost automatic, that is how I know. What is your wish?  I’ll grant it if I can.”

“Okay, fine, back when we were searching or researching our past, you indicated that you might not have died. Would you have another life reading and find out if you did indeed die or go on to live out a normal lifetime?”

“I will.  Is that the only question you would like asked of the clairvoyant?”

“Yes, it is.  I’m so happy otherwise. Is there anything you would like changed in our lives?”

“Maybe one thing. Jake is eight and I said I wanted to be married and a child by the time I was thirty.  I have passed that age, but some of it still holds.”

“I anticipated that you would want a child of your own, not an entity of our other lifetime. I have provided.  I am two months pregnant so the doctor says. I don’t even want to know if we have known the entity before. This will make it ours together.”

———————————

I did write  and reached Edith Cosgood, the secretary.  She said that my Clairvoyant had retired, but his son had developed the same abilities, and would be pleased to have me send in questions.  I sat the same as usual, relaxed in my living room.  Apparently, the young Woosley didn’t have a very big client list, for my answer was back in just one week.

The Answer:
     We find the entity Grady or as Gerald in the previous early lifetime, he inquires about. To continue from the last report Gerald did not die. His saving of a husband and wife and their child immediately added much good karma to his account. One man died in the accident but that person’s karma had nothing to do with Gerald.
     A large row boat coming downstream and powered by the oars of six men were upon the accident in minutes. A long pole, with a hook on it was deployed and Gerald was grabbed and hauled into the boat. The man, wife, and child were also brought aboard. Their goods in the shelter still intact on three planked timbers was also salvaged. Gerald’s portmanteau, which held his savings of considerable value, was the last item retrieved.
     Gerald, with a large bump on his head, recovered within two days and took his turn at the oars, thus making a very speedy journey down river to New Orleans. Gerald said good bye to the other accident victims and the men who saved his life. He engaged a room in a small hotel and sat in the park trying to decide what to do with the rest of his life. Within a week, a carriage accident in the roadway next to the small park brought about another life changing direction just needing to be acting upon.
     Two speeding carriages locked wheels and crashed together. A woman was tumbled from on carriage into the dirt.  She lay there while her companion lay dying in the midst of the carnage. The second carriage was in no better a position.
     Gerald rushed to give assistance, raising the shaken lady. Blood was oozing steadily from a nasty gash in her left cheek.
    
     ——————————————

She looked to her savior, “Please Mister, grab my case and take me out of here? I cannot be found.” Only one moment of hesitation found the woman being carried from the site of the accident. He set her on her feet and they advanced to Gerald’s close-by quarters, her heavy case dangling from one hand.

“Please Mister, may I stay here to recuperate? Also, may I trust you to hide me until I make a plan of what to do about my situation?”

“Of course, I am at your service. What seems to be your problem?”

“Again, tell me that I can trust you? What I may propose to you may find you in a brig if I am found out.
       
“I said I was at your service and I will continue to remain until you tell me otherwise.”

“I believe you. It is this that is my problem, I am actually a nigra. A very light-colored one and somewhat famous. I have had enough of my lifestyle and wish to return to my origin of a slave working in a farmer’s field.  I would be so happy.”

“How can this be?  I see you as a beautiful refined lady.”

“That is what I am made up to be so my owner can show me off at the quadroon ball. I am his slave and have sunken to being used as a common whore because my beauty is beginning to fade. Truth; I want to be only a field hand again.  I was escaping his detention when the fortuitous accident occurred and you picked me up. Please while he is away, which I know will be many hours before his return, would you enter my quarters and retrieve some of my belongings. I’ll give you my address and a key with a note to show that you aren’t a thief.”

“You are asking a great deal.”

“I know. Please, I’ll do anything in the world you would wish of me if you get my other case and get me out of the city.  I know where I can go.  I know I am trading one master for another, but somehow I feel you are a good man.”
    
“I don’t hold with owning another human being, but I feel I should attempt to free you from bondage.  Give me directions and I’ll see what I can do.” As Gerald was going out the door, the woman asked if she could change into some of his clothes. “Go ahead. By the way do you have a name?”
    
“Yes, of course. It is Cora. My name here is different and I won’t tell you so you can lie and say honestly you don’t know any such person.”  Gerald turned and went out.  He went to the corner and rented a nag. He wanted a saddle with large pockets which was readily available. He handed over a silver coin for an hour’s rent.”
    
Reaching the address of Cora’s late apartment, he made his way through a garden to a double door.  Inserting the key, he entered and saw the case he was after right where Cora said it was. Taking two minutes, he disrupted the room as if it had been burglarized. He did pick up some combs and lady’s unction’s. 

He then went through her lingerie drawer, taking the plainest ones he found.  She hadn’t told him to do this, but Karen, his dead wife would have wanted these things with her.  Yes, and maybe Sandra would have as well. Why did he think of either woman, here and now?  The loneness came on him as he rode away to where Cora was waiting on him.
    
Cora rushed to the door when she heard him arrive. “No trouble?”
    
“None, help me bring in what I collected.  I have to return the nag in another few minutes. I see you have found a bandage for your wound. Oh my god, Cora, what did you do to your beautiful hair?”
    
“I tried to cut the beauty out of it. Maybe you can do a better job when you return.”
    
“I will. I did help with my wife’s hair to remove some stray strands. Cut like this, people will think you are trying to disguise your looks.”
    
“I am. Gerald, were you married?”
    
“Yes, but my wife died.” 
    
Gerald went out to a vender and purchased fish, crackers and some sharp cheese. The evening was spent on how to get to where Cora said it was safe for her to live. They planned on going as man and wife, as farmers from upriver in town to do a bit of business and shopping. In the morning, Gerald went looking for a suitable conveyance for a farmer to drive. He settled on a mule and a small wagon that had no springs.  Before he returned to Cora, he bought cushions.
    
He also bought feed for the mule and seed for a farm that Cora told Gerald she would arrange for him to own where they could live together. Gerald warned, “I’ve come this far with you, I might just as well take it up. I warn you, I have never farmed. We may just be throwing our money away.”
    
“Don’t worry, I have an extended family. We won’t be living near them because it might not be safe for me, but you can say you are hiring Nigras to do your work for us when they come to visit.  The farm will support that lifestyle and I have helped support my family for years with my body.”
    
It took four days going up along the river. The mule had hard work because occasionally there was mud to travel through. Cora told Gerald about her life:

 “Gerald, I was a beautiful child. My fair-skinned beauty showed through even out in the field working. I was plucked from there when I was ten. Always I was owned by someone and trained to serve the men who have owned me.  I have been sold several times and again just recently.  My new owner was sending me with his man to install me in a house with others who’s beauty is beginning to fade because of their age. 

“If I’m caught they may hang you for harboring me. Gerald, I will make your life as pleasant as you can wish. I don’t believe there is any danger.  You will be a northerner living in the south. You might not have many friends, but the Nigras of my family will almost revere you.  They know that my last owner was intending for me. A low class house was where I was headed when the accident happened.”

“They can’t know that about what happened to you yet and or that it was I who rescued you.”

“In less than twenty four hours they will know for there are few secrets in our culture. That is why I said you had access to owning a farm. It is small, only three acres and will be paid for as soon as we reach it.  That case I asked you to pick up when you lifted me off the ground was full of jewels. I passed them to a dealer to sell during the first night we were together while you were sleeping.  The money went upriver and the farm is being made ready for our arrival.”
    
“Do you miss the jewels?”
    
“No, and they won’t be missed. I said they were my jewels, but I know they were mine only as long as I continued to wear them and show my body to such others like the man who just purchased me. Gerald, I was plucked from the cotton field because I was a colored white, but I will always be a breed. I’m going back to my own kind and I have their respect for using what monies I gained in my helping out where it was once my home. Soon I would have been relegated to a crib in a row of cribs. Enough about me, Gerald, tell me about your life.”

“I can, but it hasn’t been happy the last three and a half years. My wife Karen died that long ago and left me with a daughter, Jessie. She only lived until she was ten, dying a few months ago. The young woman I hired was as sad about Jessie dying and as sad as I was—am or whatever. 
    
“I reached out to her with a proposal of marriage which she turned down.  I wish I had told her that I cared for her, but I didn’t say anything but what I would miss her.  Sandra went away, not knowing my feelings. Feelings about her that I wasn’t really aware of until she wasn’t there any longer. I pray that you neither die nor leave me for a long time.”
    
“Gerald, I promise I won’t leave you and I hope as much as you that I will live forever. I will never make the same mistake that she did.”

Gerald hesitated buying the land Cora had arranged for.  “Cora, I don’t feel safe so close to your old plantation and your family. Not for myself, but for you. I know your cheek has a horrible scar and your beautiful locks are gone, but your voice hasn’t changed. I think we should go further north and find a village.  I noticed when I was in your quarters you had a spinning wheel. I took a minute and examined the thread. You are very good with the wheel.”

“Yes, I was hours alone and wasn’t allowed out alone often. My activity was in the afternoon and evenings. Boredom was heavy. Do you have something in mind besides farming?”

“I do. Let’s find a village miles away from here and I will build a loom.  I’m sure there will be profit from the thread you spin and the cloth I weave.  It will be enough to live on.
    
Graden Collins:
There is no point to delve further into your life with Cora. She was never found out as an escaped slave. Cora and Gerald found their home in the northern reaches of Arkansas. The two of you were very happy and you lived into your eighties. Cora followed you to the grave less than a year after your death.  I believe your life has been covered in all aspects that a clairvoyant can read.  End

 Respectfully yours, Edith Cosgood, Secretary

Aftermath
Susan and I came to the conclusion that we both now had balanced our lives and Sandra and Gerald were in the past.  We never entertained contacting a clairvoyant again. Jake became a Collins when adopted, and with one girl child of our own together, we didn’t try for another.  I worked up to taking Jim’s place as operation’s manager.  The position wasn’t too tasking and I was happy enough to not strive for a more senior position.

Gram lived to be 84. Although living in a senior facility she always took birthdays and holidays with us.  Wendy’s two girls deemed her as a grandmother as much as Jake did so she not only had adult company visiting, but those of the younger set as well.

The Karma and Reincarnation books are packed away up attic.  We did put in the chest an outline of what Susan and I found out about our early life time. Also a bit of our life here and now, that Jake  was too young to know about. These are there for Jake to discover in the future. There are resurgent periods when the subjects pertaining to Karma and Reincarnation re-emerge in the public’s interest. Jake might find our life in early times interesting.

Susan and I wonder if in years into the future, our two entities would come together again in another setting and we will search back for information about our early life times through psychic readings. Who knows? They might come together and be as happy then, as we are in this lifetime.

The End
   



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