The other side of Karma Cleaners was an oasis of calm. A huge atrium featured a fountain with a massive porcelain statue of a woman holding a watering can that poured crystalline water into a shimmering glass-bottomed pool. Dawn was in awe, considering from the outside, Karma Dry Cleaners was tucked between a foot clinic and an H&R Block. That’s some big-ass magic, Dawn mused as she strolled past the busy food court area where people were tucking into their lunches from a dizzying variety of food kiosks that included fresh sushi, vegan soups, exotic salads, and even a gourmet cupcake cart. Lynda had told her the flavors changed every month. This month’s special was a chocolate cupcake with mocha hazelnut buttercream icing and a dollop of Nutella inside. Mmm. As far as Dawn was concerned, you couldn’t have enough Nutella in your life.
Dawn stepped onto the elevator and rode up to the third floor where the Karma caseworkers’ offices were located. She greeted the bubbly brunette receptionist with a smile.
“Lynda said to go right in,” Amanda, according to her name tag, said with a smile.
Dawn thanked her and walked down the short hallway to Lynda’s office. Opening the door, she noticed Lynda was on a video conference call, but Lynda waved her to her seat.
“Oh, it’s absolutely heaven. Wait till you taste it, Karma.”
Dawn’s eyes widened. Lynda was actually talking to Karma?
“Dawn Forest just walked in. Do you want to meet her?”
“Absolutely,” said a woman’s voice from the monitor.
Lynda gestured for Dawn to come around the desk. “Karma, this is my new superstar recruit,” Lynda enthused. “She’s doing such an amazing job in such a short time.”
Dawn didn’t realize she had done anything yet.
“Good to meet you, Dawn.” Karma smiled. She was surprisingly normal-looking. She had auburn hair, pulled back as if she wore it in a bun or chignon.
“It’s wonderful to meet you, er, Ms. Karma.”
Karma laughed and it made Dawn think of tinkling bells.
“You can call me Karma. Although I do like the sound of Ms. Karma. Maybe I should use that at the annual convention. What do you think, Lynda?”
“Love love love it.”
“There are conventions?” Dawn asked.
“Oh, of course,” Karma replied. “We have them in different places every year. This year, we’ll be at Machu Picchu. I let it slip to Oprah over breakfast this morning, accidentally on purpose.”
“Oprah?”
“Karma and Oprah are very good friends,” Lynda said. “You know whose idea it was to give out cars?” Lynda pointed to the screen.
“Stop,” Karma said, waving her hand. “We were just chatting, and I said wouldn’t it be cool if you gave everyone in your audience a car? I made sure the recipients deserved one, and Oprah made it happen.”
“Will Oprah be attending the event?” Dawn asked.
“Oprah has attended in the past, but her schedule is pretty full. This year, our keynote speaker will be Melinda Gates.”
Dawn’s eyes widened. “As in Bill Gates’s wife?”
“Well, we prefer to say Bill is Melinda Gates’s husband,” Lynda quipped.
“It sounds amazing. Do all the caseworkers attend?”
“We hope so,” Karma replied. “We have caseworkers all over the world working with people who are just as determined as you are to change their karma.”
“We’re so proud of you, Dawn,” Lynda gushed.
Humbled, Dawn thanked them for their faith in her.
“Oh, trust me, this is all you,” Karma said. “You’re doing excellent work with your psychic abilities. Once you learn to control them, there is no telling the kind of positive impact you can have on the world.”
“Thank you again,” Dawn said. “I’ll keep working as hard as I can.”
