Shadows of the Dance
by
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By the time they reached the outskirts of London, Pip was busting for some kind of sign from him that things would be OK. He did not give it. They opted to go to a regional cinema complex to ‘relax’ in the warmth of a theatre to fill in a little of the afternoon. Her flight from Heathrow was not until 8pm, although at the rate they were going Pip decided that perhaps an earlier exit might be in order.
After the movie she said so, “Os, I know you have lots to prepare for your rehab programme tomorrow, so why don’t you drop me at the airport earlier. I’m happy to fill in time there and that will leave you free to go and get organised.”
She would have liked him to dispute her suggestion in favour of spending more time with her but true to form he agreed. ‘Fair enough,’ she thought; she did suggest it and he knew how independent she was, plus he was probably struggling too.
They agreed to stop for a last coffee at a large hotel complex near the airport. It got worse. The lounge bar had a big screen television, which distracted Osi into watching a football match. His leg was frantically jiggling up and down under the small table informing Pip that he was not comfortable. His voice seemed louder than usual as he asked her if she were ‘people watching’. She felt like replying, ‘Well I don’t have much option because you are glued to the screen!’ but she knew that was not only a bitchy comment, it was also a little unfair – she could feel his nerves too. So she just nodded.
He seemed to realise her discontent and asked her, “Are you offended that I am watching the match?”
“Not at all,” she lied.
“It’s just that this is my home team and I don’t get to see them much,” he softened his approach in reply.
“Mmmmm,” she conceded, “I don’t know much about football.”
She had to admit that if this were any of her brothers, or indeed any bloke she knew, they would probably be acting in the same way as Osi right now. It was just that she felt the pressure of their last moments and things were not happening like the romantic fairytale they deserved! Added to that she felt that somehow she had failed him this weekend and she desperately wanted to make it right for him, and for her too.
Back in the car, Osi briefly turned to her and asked, “You happy!” it seemed more of a statement than a question and he did not wait for her automatic, “Yes,” in reply, as he switched on the engine and headed for Heathrow.
As they circled the car-park at Terminal One, Pip realised what she needed to do. The sensation had been growing inside her for the last ten minutes or so and she felt her heart pumping away, as if she had run a great race. This was always the sign she got when she had to do something important. Still, Pip suggested he could just let her out and she would be OK. To give him credit, at least he chose to park the car and come in to see her off.
Before they left the car, Pip reached inside her jersey neckline and pulled her amulet from around her neck. He seemed to sense the seriousness of the moment and waited for her to speak. She held the greenstone pendant in her outstretched hand and told him, “This is pounamu, or greenstone,” her forefinger softly traced the figure of eight outline of the warm stone, “the design symbolises the meeting of the spiritual and the physical.”
Pip placed the necklet in his hand and closed his fingers over the warm stone. “I think you need this more than me now,” her voice shook with emotion, another sign that this gift was directed and her action necessary.
He planted a brotherly kiss against her cheek; “Thank you, you are very kind,” was his almost too polite reply.
In her nervous state Pip wanted to let her exploding thoughts escape, ‘This is not about kindness! This is important – I have been directed to give this to you!’ She also knew that was not the right response.
As they walked toward the terminal, she was aware of their body language as they remained about a metre apart. No contact. He seemed a bit disgruntled by her reserved attitude; Pip was aware of it too, but she felt helpless to change it. Part of her was holding her hands up in mock boxing pose saying, ‘Come on Osi reject me! I dare ya!’ Another part was standing like a little girl looking up at him with big tearful eyes, begging him to hold her. ‘Please hold my hand,’ her inner child was yelling to no avail.
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About the Book
Pip is a New Zealand woman who is working as a Pain Management Counsellor in a hospital in the Scottish Borders. She has come to the UK in search of her destiny. When Pip meets Osi, a staunch British Army Officer, they are both overwhelmed by their physical and spiritual connection. The timing is not good for their relationship as Osi is deployed to Iraq. When he goes, their bond takes Pip into an intense emotional and spiritual adventure. As she no longer has physical contact with Osi, she maintains her connection with him via a journal, where she lives pain and health care by day and pain and war with Osi by night. She becomes reliant on the media for any information regarding his mission. Her visions and dreams of war become so entangled with her daily life that she is not sure where the boundaries of reality lie. When Osi returns, his experiences in Iraq confirm to Pip that her dreams and visions are a spiritual gift. His return is short lived. Throughout her journal Pip uses songs and poetry to entwine her dreams with stories of her life in the Borders, travel, visits with her old friend Milton and Jacquie who has cancer. Through it all Pip is supported by these close friendships and her sister in New Zealand, with whom she relies on regular contact. As their paths continue to cross in her dreams and in reality, she is inspired to write a book about the richness and pain he has brought to her life. This heart warming story explores relationships across age and culture, set against the backdrop of Army and Healthcare institutions. It identifies with anyone who may have been touched by the God of War.
About the Author
Lynne is a New Zealander who resides in the UK. She is a Health Professional who has established a long career in the world of Pain. She has been writing for many years; however this book is her first novel. It began as a series of songs that came to her in the year prior to her move to the UK. She felt these words belonged to a greater story which became clear after she arrived. The war in Iraq was just beginning, and in the following months her interest in these world events combined with her experiences in the world of pain, brought the story to being. She is a self confessed dreamer who believes we all have abilities, often beyond our recognition, and continues to write in the hope that others too may be inspired by her dreams and the words that follow.