My Soulmate

You can't look for a sign, it doesn't happen like that! The candle flame extended and cracked like a whip. It all seemed coincidental to Etta. She was not a believer in tarot cards. Her friend Emily had dragged her into this! "Just sit with me as I talk to the online card reader", she said! "Nothing more" she said! 

The surprise Emily had was she had secretly paid for Etta to have a card reading too! It was a belated birthday gift. The card reader was in on it too! Knowing she had a skeptical client she started the reading. All Etta could see on the scene was a table surface, some crystals and that damn candle supposedly flickering because of her negative energy. 

She did not like the idea of no face, just draped Woolen sleeves half covered the hands of her reader and a voice telling her of signs to come. And to add a paradox... Not to look for the signs to come. It's sort of like going on a diet and someone shoving cheesecake under your nose and you're told not to eat it! Oh hang on, She saying, "... spirit told her this!"

Emily, on the other hand, had lapped up everything. Her soulmate would arrive in approximately two-to-four weeks; the SIGN would be a rose appearing when she was adjusting and making a decision leading to him. And a daisy if she was repeating old cycles and pushing him out of her universe. Lucky to get away Etta drove home.

Two days later, Etta receives a desperate phonecall. Emily was in flood of tears as she graphically describes the new plastic table cloth at the neighbours barbeque; it was so bad she had to leave! The table cloth had a bright spring design blue background with pretty, if not happy DAISIES! "Emily you need to stop making yourself suffer, it's nonsense! You are not going to be pulling the same narcissist s into your life. Maybe you should just speak to your counsellor again. I know you have fairly good boundaries concerning partners now!" And then respectful to ease of the conversation to a quiet "nite,nite..." Then hang up.

When the air had calmed back in the Etta's space of her own living room, she thought how crazy it was to believe in signs. And then the suggestion she was given popped into her head, "... in ten days you will meet your soul mate. The sign will be a gift, maybe a delayed gift of a pinkprobably silk blouse as it is smooth and natural fibre." Etta rolled her eyes as she saw the hands dramatizing as if touching silk fabric! She thought, "Emma blabbed it was my birthday!" 

Yet the thought persisted, "... your soulmate will have beautiful red hair, like the sun. He will have a beautiful singing voice and will remain a constant in your life"

Day Seven. Etta met an old lover for coffee. They had moved on. They were good friends then, as well as now! At University they had a drunken night in first year and accidentally fallen in bed together. Naivety forced them to have a relationship, which consequently did not work! A few rational friends brought them back to reality, salvaging friendship and repairing the fun in the group. "Happy Birthday Et! I hope you like!" Mary handed a parcel of soft tissue paper tied with red string with random grouped beads strung on it. 

Ding.... Bizz...Buzz.. Distracted Etta, darting her attention to phone alerts, she could see ROSES roses RoseS followed by fireworks gif from Emily. "Sorry", she smiled as she touched the beads and returned attention to her friend , "You are so creative Mary, I just love this look!" Mary laughed," The beads were left over from a dress renewing. I thought why not put them on the gift string! Ahhhh..." She reached and smoothed over both Etta's arms and grabbed her hands, "...it looked so nice!"

Unwrapping revealed a delicate baby pink silk blouse. The was cool so it was so expensive and beautiful. Still holding the blouse she stood up and cuddled her friend, "Thank you so much" Suddenly, her joy froze as a part of her stood behind herself thinking; She could no longer feel the sensation and warmth of their embrace. "A silk blouse- a belated gift- Oh No, creepy thoughts...."

Working from home gave a little more time to browse the time away. Etta still got things done but they were spaced out a bit more: a cup of coffee here, a walk in the park there, a nap in the afternoon. She looked at her Facebook wall too. So much nonsense on there, but always proven was the theory of feel good endorphins released into the mind from scrolling. Thinking positive memes, camping pics and then Emily 33+ picture posts of roses and Andrews??? face. Caption: I found my Soulmate. Stopping, quick scan and then flick with several fingers sent the posts tumbling like a gaming machine. Touching the twirl if chaos, Etta accidentally pushed her like button to a picture of a refuge dog. She hesitated, the eyes of the dog sadness sunk into her bones, so much so, she decided after a few hours of returning to the site she might be able to offer the dog - Ari - a home, her home!

The animal refuge had a small dirt carpark. The buildings were long and like a rabbit Warren. It took sometime to find the office. Logging in on the Covid app, Etta approached the desk. The lady was tapping on the keyboard and for a moment looked at Etta to return to her screen. "I was wondering if I could see Ari" 

"No she went this morning"

"She's so cute, I'm partial to dogs. Ohhh I had my heart set on her!"

"We have other dogs who need a home too! What sort of dog were you looking for?"

"Umm, I have not really thought about just any dog for my apartment!"

"Look lady we are understaffed!" Figuring Etta replied, "I guess I would only want a small dog. One that doesn't bark too much"

The woman poked a face, "Don't you all!"

"What a rude woman", thought Etta. "Can I just have a look!"

"We have an online catalogue. Sit over there and tell me when you're done and like one." Etta hung her body in exasperation plodding to the corner to search the page.

"Don't wanna burst your bubble lady, but we have NO small dogs at the moment and especially ones who don't have a loud bark!" The woman mockingly woofed and howled loudly.

Etta thought, "You're a nut!" In denial and disappointed she was in the room with a tormenting Satan! Everytime she looked up the woman would do a dog bark or howl! Totally humiliated, she could not find the complaints/contact section the the refuges home page. Happy, sad, needy, hyperactive medium-to-large size dogs photo series went from right-to-left. Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! Out of the corner of the counter assistant s eye came the comment, "Have you looked at cats! They don't bark too loud!" Then, "Meow, meow" and her tongue vibrating as she purred.

Etta's eyeballing the worker, slow and deliberately knocked the cat search button with her pointer finger. Click! Click! As her false nail banged the screen in anger! Cats! Cats! She was not wanting a cat. Cats, scroll, scroll, scroll! Got to get outta this madhouse! And in a flick of a tail, a starred photo with a very sad gaze went into her bones.

The pick of the week:

Name: Thomas Tank.

Gender: Desexed Male.

Age: 10 years.

Details: Loving, sleeps a lot, enjoys playing with string toys. 

Been with us for 9 months, needs caring owner that does not mind a senior citizen.

Etta's heart melted. The attendee, now like pleasant Goddess, pointed to the inner door of the cat sanctuary. 10 minutes later Etta returned in an elevated mood with her dog cage full.

Thomas loved Emma's apartment. He had already scented her sofa especially the patch were the sun warmed in the that afternoon. He meowed and purred his song. Gently head butting her leg and returning to licking his paws. Etta noticed how much the sun illuminated his Red long Persian fur. Then she remembered. "Ahhh, it was Day Ten!