“I feel calm. Peaceful.”
“That’s a different feeling for you, isn’t it?”
Dawn blinked a few times, tears coming to her eyes. “Yes.”
“You have had a difficult life, my little dove. But you have a special gift that lifts you up and that must be used wisely. I want you to practice this exercise every night before you go to sleep and every morning, sitting in a comfortable chair just as you are now. The moment you open that book, you will hear my voice in your head, guiding you through the exercise. Some people might call this meditation, while others might call it simply being in the moment. You must learn to clear your mind of the buzzing nonsense of everyday life. All the stresses and problems of your day. Let it all go. So that when you have a vision, you will remain calm, and it won’t cause your body such physical distress. When you see blood, fear makes you hold your breath. You may not even realize you’re doing it.”
“I can’t thank you enough for your help.”
“No, it is I who must thank you. Ours is not an easy path. But it’s an important one. And you have much good work still to be done. You will do it all, but from this point on, you will do it with clarity of mind and strength of spirit.”
“What about your other suggestions?”
“Sleep well. Eat well. Move well. Play well. Meditate well. These are my five pillars of living that make up the five points of a star.” Minerva lifted the book from Dawn’s lap and opened it. It wasn’t a book at all but a cleverly created box. Inside was a gold star with five points. Each point had a symbol that Minerva pointed out to her. “Practice these five things, and your inner force will grow strong.”
Dawn must have looked skeptical, because Minerva wagged her finger at her. “Tut-tut. You would be surprised how many people like you had that exact same expression on their faces. Eventually, they all follow my creed. You cannot do one without the others. I have looked into your past, and I have seen that you have turned away from darkness and are capitalizing on the good foundation your grandmother already set in place. Oh, and make certain you follow up on those weekly sessions with that girl at the community center. She needs you.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“I don’t know. But you’ll be helped by helping her.”
* * *
“Are you okay, Fierro?” Mary Beth asked. “You’re too quiet.”
“Nothing gets past you, does it?”
“Nope. I’ve got three sons and a daughter at home. Nothing much gets by me.”
Luca and his new TO were driving back to the station after a grueling shift. Two muggings, one stolen car, and a street fight between two prostitutes, and that was just in the morning. He’d managed to send a quick text to Dawn, asking her to be careful with the unicorn, not to try another vision unless she was at home and in bed.
She replied that she wouldn’t and was getting some advice from someone who could help with her fainting problem. Also that she would call him later in the evening.
It felt good. Natural. Texting or talking with Dawn. She was fast becoming an important person in his life. He asked her out for that pizza they hadn’t had yet, and she’d said yes, instantly. None of those Let me check my calendar games.
Once he’d come to realize the kind of person Lisa really was, it made him see what he’d been missing. His brothers’ girlfriends and wives were all wonderful women. Their concern for each other outweighed all other priorities. He sensed Dawn was like that too.
Man, what a moron he’d been. An immature fool who could only see with his dick and not his mind and heart.
Mary Beth startled him out of his reflective mood.
“Look, I know Butts was hard on you this morning,” she began.
“Yeah, but I guess it’s all part of the rookie hazing process.”
“No, it’s not. He isn’t usually that enthusiastic with the Taser. I barely got out of the way in time.”
“Yeah, he seemed more than ready to take me down.”
“Just be careful. I’ve been doing this job for ten years, and I know what Butts is capable of. This seemed above and beyond mere ‘rookie hazing.’ Avoid him if you can.”
Luca nodded and flashed her a grin.
“Ah, my kids give me that smile when they listen but don’t plan on obeying. I’m serious. Butts is not someone you want to mess with.”
“Have you had a run-in with him?” Luca knew he could be overstepping, but she seemed to know a lot about Butts.
“He’s a slimeball who doesn’t respect boundaries. I’ve spoken to the captain about it, and she’s reprimanded him at least once already. Being a cop is tough. Even more so if you’re a woman or minority.”
