there are a thousand ways to go home again
― Rumi
Charlotte, Amanda and Kath
It was ironic―there were two things I feared―being alone with Amanda and discovering I was Brad returned from the dead.
I don't fear either any more.
I was fleeing Amanda because she was the girl in my dreams who pursued me. Kath was the angel who consoled me.
But it was Amanda who was my soulmate and now I have to find a way to tell Kath I chose her rival over her.
As for being Brad reborn, I have no interest in metempsychosis or the transmigration of souls. I'm here now and that's all that matters.
I'll leave the rest to the mystics who ponder such things.
Amanda dropped me off back at my office so I could take some time to figure out how to break the news to Kath and not lose her as a friend.
But no matter how much I chased the tail of my own mind there didn't seem to be an easy way to tell her other than to simply say it and let the pieces fall where they may.
I waited until we were both headed home in the car before I said anything.
"I knew it," Kath sighed when I told her, "you've were attracted to her from the start."
"I fought it at first," I explained, "but as time went on it just kept getting stronger until I was finally caught in her undertow."
"Seems we both were powerless to fight that current―the one that brought me here to you and then, carried you away to her."
"I didn't want to hurt you, Kath. I knew you were the girl in my dreams, but so was she. I thought she belonged to Brad, until I realized she was meant for me."
We went quiet for a moment. Finally, I broke the silence.
"Don't hate me, Kath. I don't think I could bear that."
She reached across and caressed my cheek. "I could never hate you, Blake―you've been nothing but kind to me. But I always knew we were friends―there wasn't that same spark between you and me."
"So, where do we go from here?" I whispered.
Kath smiled. "It's funny but just the other day Charlotte suggested that if I wanted, I could move in with her. She has a spare room that's unused and we've renewed that same relationship we had back in the past."
"I guess you've always been close to Char―she was your mentor and friend."
"Believe it or not, she's more like a mother―the mother I never had. I was hoping you and I might work out but there are ten years between us and you're established in your career. Amanda's more your age and in the same life stage as you. It makes sense that you belong together."
"I wonder if that's what really drew you here," I asked , "the need for family and belonging?"
"It wouldn't surprise me―well, that and the need for friends. I think now it may be possible that Amanda and I renew our relationship. That would be heavenly―all four of us living together in peace."
I nodded, "I always believed things that belong together don't need to be tied―and that seems to be true of all of us."