The Next Step.

Odette was still wondering if this was really her next step. She had taken a step back from the rat race and her family for a week, due to her burnout and exhaustion. Her mother and stepfather were holding the fort at home, looking after Odette's three sons and the house. Odette had signed over a small fortune to stay at this Wellbeing is Us centre for the next seven days. The brochure had been so promising, she was planning to focus all her chakras, ground her soul in holistic and restorative meditative zen, then refresh with vegan meals, totally cleansing her inner psyche. Plus, of course, she could change the future reality of this place by developing her struggling career as a reviewer.

Odette's more practical mother had merely rolled her eyes, reading the pamphlet online. Her stepfather had muttered, "More money than sense." Odette had felt defensive, but long ago stopped trying to justify anything she had experienced as a single working mum of three very hungry teenagers. Their names were Finn, Dash and Ryder, totally hyperactive except when she was nagging them to do the mundane ,such as taking rubbish to the bin, and not trying on all their tops in one almighty effort to get dressed and be on time for school. All such champion eye rollers, like their grandma.

So Odette arrived in her car, the old jalopy she was nurturing despite her local mechanic's despairing repair bills. Was this all there was here, her next stop? Maybe. Even the trees here looked sagging, it was so hot. The receptionist at the Wellbeing is Us was not too enthusiastic, and sent Odette to the very furthest private cabin at the top of a hot, dusty path winding its way up a steep hill. Odette had unfortunately collected a stone in her shoe, so could not wait to rest her aching foot, lie on comfy bed, and relax her soul waiting to be refreshed. This was her next step. Today was the present, this was her gift to herself.

But her cabin had a sign, "Air-conditioner not in use." Odette made the best of this, she stuck her manageable short hair under a tap, eased off the shoe, and lay on the bed to close her eyes, ready for wellness. Her schedule told her that dinner was at 6 pm, offering some acceptable, appetite pleasing healthy foods, cooked by someone else for a change. Being somewhat realistic herself, Odette had hidden her chocolate and lolly stash in her bags, to protect such energy boosters from her sons, and for comfort her in case she needed such addictive sugars. Overcoming carbs is battle that is never achieved in one week, let alone a day.

At the appointed time, Odette arose and plugged in her phone. She did her hair, and wandered down the hill to meet and greet the other wellbeing residents, all ready to begin taking these steps on their path to the inner light they really knew they could be. That is what their dinner speaker told the small gathering of middle-aged ladies, who sipped their organic celery juice, while focusing on the their of mung beans and lentils. The dish was attractive, but Odette could feel the urgent need for greasy burgers, as she limped in the hot,sultry evening back to her solo nesting cabin for the night. The next step for her was the subtle calling of chocolate and sweet delights. She did not know if such mortal pleasures were banned here, so she would take the wrappers home in her simple luggage.

Odette wet her hair again, took a cool shower, and went to bed, as lightning flickered through the windows. Such sweltering conditions often meant thunderstorms in this region of her state. Her face soon bore the telltale signs of chocolate, which did not really fill the gaps, but it was token substitute for her usual KFC. This week at the Wellbeing is Us centre was costing her over $7000, so she hoped the food would improve. The menu was slimming, but a gal of a certain age does need evergy boosts.

The storm blew up fiercely in the night, so hot,wind and rain storms were howling up the hill to her cabin. Odette awoke, sure she could hear a boy's voice calling for help. Was it part of a dream? Hesitantly, she peered through the door of her secluded cabin, using her torch to shine on a pile of clothers. It was a boy, only about the same age as her eldest son, still developing his own macho look. Even his joggers were the same brand. "Are you lost? Or on drugs?" Odette was only too aware of her isolation here, the nearest cabins were all dark. The Wellness supervisors were way down the hill, where the air-conditioning worked. Odette could not let this lad huddle in the rain, he looked quite skinny and upset.

"What's your name?" She asked him, as he towelled off, so very glad to be indoors from the rolling thunder. He looked very sheepish, and mumbled.

"My name is Chance, but the other kids call me Chancey."

"Are you lost?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I took my dad's car and went drag racing with the others. I crashed my old man's wheels, those mates drove off, and I ran off in the storm. Where is this place?"

"Are you hurt anywhere? Did anyone get injured?"

"No."

"Were you drinking at your age?"

"You sound like my mum."

"That's because I am a Mum. You must be the same age as my eldest, Finn. What is your Dad going to say?"

"Are you going to tell him?"

"That might be the next step. I would like to know where my sons were if they didn't come home by now."

"I think I am in real trouble......" Cbance muttered, looking scared.

The storm thundered and rolled around the Cosmic Wellbeing, as Odette and Cbance had a cup of soothing tea, and shared some chocolate bars. She tried her phone, but there was no network. She made Cbance rest in her bed, as she sat in the armchair. The rain descended, cooling the stuffy cabin,. Soon she could hear Chancey's steady breathing, and wondered if his parents were getting too much rest.

Odette decided she would take him home at daybreak, hoping he would make more mature decisions in future. That would be his step. What about hers? She could cancel her week here, perhaps get a refund. If she could spend all that money on a house cleaner and gardener, she would not have such burnout. The storm faded with the gloom of predawn in the hills. Odette had noted the phone number of Chance's parent, so she texted them at dawn, explaining the situation. She did have a way with words, putting a bright spin on things. Cbance woke up with the bouncy attitude of the young, and was resigned to being grounded until he ever grew up. He spoke to his parents on the phone. They were both cross and relieved that only the car was damaged, and not their son or anyone else.

Odette drove Chancey home, he lived near that area of the woodlands. The dawning was beautiful, sunlight greeting a new chance for Chance, and the next step for Odette. Her soul still lay at home, she could overcome her exhaustion by refreshing her inner light in other ways. She planned to centre her chakras where her real treasures were, hoping all would be well. This surprise turn of events inspired her to write something more enlightening than critical reviews. Her next step was super aging, and super scribbling, with more rest breaks!