Dreams, Memories & Keys

Chapter 19 - A Story of Faith and Religion

Because Susan attended the early service at her church that Sunday, it still wasn't all that late in the day when Greg and Susan, and David and Sarah Sloane returned to the Abernathy's home. They arrived in time for Susan to make them an early lunch before turning her attention towards preparing for their company who were arriving later that day. By noon, she was doing what she could to prepare foods ahead of time, conscious of the fact Jessie's friends would be arriving in roughly an hour, and she hoped to be free to spend some time with them.

"Can I help you, Susan?" Sarah offered.

"Not just yet. I'm just preparing the roast to go into the oven ahead of time. I'll put it in the refrigerator for now. The rest we can do closer to supper time. Thank you though," Susan told her.

Sarah smiled. "I can't imagine doing a holiday meal for so many people. David tells me you are hosting more than twenty-five people tonight."

"More or less," Susan agreed. She shrugged slightly as she slid two prepared roasts back into the overly large refrigerator. Sarah could readily see she already had salads semi-prepared. "Our family get-togethers are always rather on the large side. I suppose I'm just used to it after so much time."

She closed the door and was wiping down the counter in preparation for taking off her apron when she heard Jessie at the door.

"Mama! Are you home?" Jessie called.

"In here. Did you and Bert have lunch?" Susan asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Abernathy," Bert said. "Are you sure you don't mind if I stay for supper? Mom said you might."

"No, I don't mind, given who all will be here," Susan assured him.

"Thank you. Come on, Jessie. Maybe we should prepare?" Bert suggested.

"Okay," Jessie agreed. "Mama, is it okay if we rearrange the sofas in the family room?"

"Yes," Susan agreed. "Do you think you and Bert can do it by yourselves? I need Papa to help me in the dining room."

"David and I can help," Sarah offered.

Susan smiled, gladly taking her up on the offer. A short time later, the Abernathys' dining and family rooms had been substantially rearranged. The dining room now held several tables arranged in a large 'U' and could easily seat up to thirty people. The family room furniture had all been gathered into a large circle around the family's overly large flatscreen TV, instead of being its usual arrangement in two separate areas, one near the television and the other near the fireplace. Not even the reading chairs beside the windows had been left in place in that room.

"What do you expect will be happening in here?" Rabbi Sloane asked.

"Jessie's friends are coming," Greg replied. "They typically talk about their dreams and past lives."

"Oh?" Rabbi Sloane asked in surprise.

"I believe you will find it interesting, so we included more seating than usual to allow others to listen in," Greg explained.

"And her friends won't mind sharing?" Sarah asked.

"I don't believe so," Greg told her.

"Will they Jessie?" Sarah asked.

"What do you think, Bertie?" Jessie asked her boyfriend.

"I don't think they will mind people listening," Bert replied.

"Do you have a particular life you all talk about?" Rabbi Sloane asked the boy curiously.

"Sort of. We typically start talking about the one where we all lived in the Stone Village, because that's the one we remember best and is easiest to talk about. For a lot of people though, that was their second life. Their first life was a mystery until relatively recently. Often when we are together, we talk a little bit about that, but I don't think they will with so many new people listening," Bert explained.