Double Fated (Book One) by C.K. Mullinax
Chapter Fifty One
“I don’t use the ‘M’ word…you all know that. Each of you also has the idea that I refuse to acknowledge they exist. Well, that’s not exactly accurate…I’ve just never bothered to correct your assumptions. They exist to me…but, not with any of you.
“I adore those puzzled expressions on your adorable faces. You know I’m gonna explain, so listen.
“My husband Pritchard had this repetitive A.M. wake-up ritual. Don’t get the wrong idea. We didn’t sleep in the same bed together until we were officially married – too much by way of temptation. One day, I’ll tell all of you about the scrawny mouse of a spiritual shaman who performed our bounded sealing. I’m a little pressed for time, so remind me if you wanna hear about him. He’s a real character.
“Okay…where was I…oh yeah, in the bedroom with Pritchard. He and I did sleep in the same room from the time we met until his absence. It seemed more sensible to us because it’s not like we were gonna live without each other, ever again.
“I always woke up before Pritch. But, I would keep my eyes closed. That way I could listen to him putter around. It was all mundane stuff. Still, I loved listening to him stretch and yawn, the whacky song he would sorta sing while he brushed his teeth…I even loved hearing that annoying squeaky hinge on the cabinet he had to open when we were at home. That’s where his cologne was hiding out if that’s where we landed for the night. He’d always dab on a little cologne for me…home, hotel, hostel or haunted cardboard box…he’d put it on. He smelled intoxicating before he would wake me.
“Just like the first eighteen minutes of his day never deviated, neither did minute nineteen…the whole nineteenth minute of every day belongs to my soulmate, Pritchard. He would say…” g-mom said and looked at grandma to speak the word for her.
“Morning…”
“It wouldn’t matter where the sun was or wasn’t. It didn’t matter if we slept or stayed up until dawn talking, laughing or what-have-you. The time it occurred didn’t matter…minute nineteen would come to pass. Even if we happened to be wide awake, I would still lie down and close my eyes. Pritchard would work through his “solo eighteen” and then, come back to find me. And he said…” she stopped and waited for grandma to repeat it.
“Morning…”
“‘…dear love of my heart and soul. Are you really gonna frustrate yourself, again today trying to count them? Or, are you finally ready to admit that there’s too many to keep up with?’
“He was talking about my fruitless, daily attempts to count the ways he would prove he loves me. Those counts restarted every twenty four hours and always began with the “M” word. I never admitted defeat and I never will either. But, even though I didn’t admit it, I never managed to pull it off. And, I know that will never happen. I had to count everything he said and did and gave me…big and small…subtle and grand…overt and covert…you get it, right?
“It was never a fair game and he knew it. But, my stubborn streak and useless counts continue, unabated. He would always get the jump on me. Waking up, Pritch would thank the Creator that he found his ‘perfect, one and only’ in the ocean of people. He whispered it, but he never failed to express his gratitude. So, before his feet even touched the floor I was already off and counting. I made an attempt every day to keep up, more determined than the day before to arrive at an accurate figure. But, even when we had to be apart, I still couldn’t keep that running total.
“Actually, he proves his love even more when he’s not physically with me than when he has me sitting in his lap. After all, I now have to count not only what he does but what my Bunny Baby does, what all my kids do and things my sister does, too…everything goes into his “love total” because Pritch gave all of you to me. It’s too overwhelming to keep up with it, but I still dig my heels in and try anyway.
“I mean it when I say, that soulmate of mine proves his love…every second of every minute of every hour of every day…whether we’re together or separated, like we are now…it doesn’t matter…body or spirit, he goes where I go because I can’t live without the other half of me. He’s the best part of who I am…you wouldn’t want me without him.
“So, there you have it in a nutshell. My ‘M’s…” will belong to Pritchard Stewart for all eternity. I’ll never share the nineteenth minute with anyone other than him. I don’t care what I’m up to my eyeballs in doing…don’t bother me during minute nineteen. That one I had a few minutes ago was the fifth, nineteenth minute of today. Every time I hear someone say the “M…word” which is often by the way, the cycle repeats. I get to restart my count after I spend minute nineteen with Pritchard.
“And, here most people think I’m addled when I mentally check out from time-to-time. Now, my family knows where I’m at and what I’m doing on those mini mind excursions. I’ve never missed a one…
“Okay Edie, I’ve shared – can I be dismissed yet?” g-mom questioned.
“I’ll need another ten-ish or so, if you’ve got that much to spare…”
“I’ve got twenty three hours and fifty seven minutes left to give ya’ because you said the “M” word, twice. But, I’m sure the Polecat hopes you won’t be needing all of it. Basically, I left him locked to his office post. He’s gotta wait for me to return with the liberation key. I can’t imagine anything worse than being locked to a boring office post. Can you?” g-mom asked, ironically.
And, we felt the Creator move through the room and exit. Evidently, He feels comfortable leaving us, children to our own devices…satisfied that we had all heard what He had to say and are finally willing to apply the important life lesson.