Dancing with Shadows

Ten

      "Very good! I will email you all the information you will need. We cannot wait to see your smiling face again. Get your beauty sleep, and we will be waiting for your arrival!"

      Jasmine said her goodbyes, but didn't go back to bed. She hopped out and went to the bathroom. She had a lot to do to get ready. Friday was only two days away, and usually she took a week to prepare.

      Derick was torn. He knew how important this trip was, but didn't want her to leave. Could he go a whole four months without her? The last time she went overseas, he went with her. The last time she went, they were planning their wedding. Would she be able to tell everyone what happened? No, he would convince her that it would be better to cancel and just stay home this year.

    Jasmine had one towel wrapped around her body, and another around her head as she bustled around the room. The phone on the table rang, but she didn't have time to stop and talk. "I have so much to do, Derick. I slept most of the day away, and don't have time to stop. Just let me get my things together. I can't let them down. All of those children are counting on me." She had her suitcase open on her bed, and it was nearly full already. Jasmine stopped moving, and stood next to the bed. Her hands gripped the edges of the suitcase. She stared at the contents as she spoke to her husband's ghost. "This is good. I need to get away from everything, and I think that you need to have some space, too. This isn't natural, what you're doing here. I love that you are here, but you shouldn't be. You need to move on just as much as I do. You can't be here for the rest of eternity. And I can't hold onto you, no matter how much I want to." Her voice became shaky, and she took a deep breath. "I love you, Derick, but I need to move on. I need to let you go."

      She straightened her back and squared her shoulders. "I have to go to the store,c she said, and got dressed.

      She was at the bottom of the staircase and looked around her. Last night when she came home the whole thing was a wreck, but in the light of day, Jasmine couldn't find any evidence of what happened the night before. She shook her head in confusion, but didn't dwell. She opened the closet door to get her purse and found a hand written note peeking out of her purse.

Jasmine,

I'm sorry for the mess. I've sent a cleaning service to take care of it. Please call me. We need to talk.

Mom

      Jasmine shoved the note back into her purse. This was such a typical thing for the woman to do. Cause chaos and the apologize as if it would just excuse her behavior. Well, Jasmine had other things to think about that had nothing to do with nurturing her mothers ego.

....

       Friday came sooner than she wanted, and she was mentally going through her check list as she sat in the back seat of the uber on her way to the airport.

      Her phone rang. Mom was plastered on the screen. She debated whether she wanted to deal with her or not. She figured at least she would only have ten minutes before she got to the airport, so she answered.

      "Yes, mother," was how she greeted her.

      "Jasmine, I was waiting for you to call me."

      "Well, I've been busy, mother. What do you need?"

      "I just wanted to talk to you about your behavior," she said with accusatory tone.

     Jasmine could feel her anger prick, but took a calming breath. "My behavior?"

      "Yes, Jazz. You are behaving so abnormally, and I think you need help. I've set up an appointment with a professional. You need to be at her office in two hours."

      "Well, that's going to be kind of hard, mom. I'm on my way to Africa. I have students that are depending on me, and I don't think that your professional is willing to come and meet me."

      There was an annoyed huff in her ear. "Well, Jasmine, it would have been nice if you would just tell someone what you are doing, so we can plan accordingly. Can you stop being so selfish for one moment?"

     "Consider this your notice, mother. I won't be in town, I won't be answering any calls, I won't be going anywhere you've planned for me. I have not been kidnapped, so try to refrain from calling the cops for the next few months." Although they were still a few blocks away, she lied. "I'm at the airport, goodbye, mother." She didn't wait for her mother to respond before ending the call and leaning her head back against the seat.