Chapter 13
"Okay, everyone, let's begin," said Thelma, when everyone was seated around the kitchen table. The curtains had been drawn and candles were placed around the room. Enya was singing about the Orinoco Flow at just the right volume and the patchouli oil was placed in the dolphin-shaped oil burner with a tea candle flickering brightly inside it. "Let's all take each other's hands and form the circle."
Spike solemnly reached for the hands of his uncle and cousin while Lynda took Randy's other hand and Thelma's reluctantly.
"Now, let's close our eyes, take some deep breaths and concentrate on how we are feeling right at this moment. Ready?"
"Ready!" replied Spike, Eddie and Randy.
"Lynda?"
"As I'll ever be," sighed Lynda.
"Good! Now. Let's take turns around the circle, using the format of saying what we're feeling - honestly - and then 'And most of all, I'm feeling . . .' and vocalising our overarching emotions. Okay? Who would like to start?"
"I will," volunteered Eddie.
"Thank you, Eddie," replied Thelma, smiling at her husband. "When you're ready, honey."
"Okay," Eddie took in a deep breath, exhaled and smiled. "I feel glad to see my nephew again. I feel pleased to meet Lynda for the first time. I feel proud of my son Randy. And most of all, I feel intense love for my beautiful wife."
Thelma beamed. "Thank you, my love. I will go next, if nobody minds?"
Nobody did, so she continued. "I too feel glad to see Spike again and I feel happy he has brought Lynda to meet us. I feel love for my son and for my husband. But most of all, I feel blessed that we are all together and share good health."
"For now," muttered Lynda, shooting daggers at Spike, who smiled back at her benignly.
"Randy? Would you like to go next?" Thelma asked.
"Sure, Mom," said Randy. "I'm feeling happy to see Spike again and to meet Lynda. I'm feeling glad for Spike that she's better looking than that Zoe chick," - Lynda looked smug at this point - "I'm feeling love for my Mom and Dad. And most of all, I'm feeling hungry because I ain't had anything to eat for a while."
"Thank you, Randy. We appreciate your honesty," Thelma smiled at her son. "Now, Spike?"
"Okay." Spike breathed in and exhaled like Eddie did. "First, I feel grateful to my aunt and uncle and cousin for making us welcome. I feel happy to see everyone again, and glad to be back in LA for a while. I also feel kinda hungry."
Everyone chuckled.
"But seriously, I feel disappointed Lynda doesn't trust her staff back home. I feel sorry she can't relax and enjoy a holiday. I feel . . ."
"I feel you don't understand the first thing about running a newspaper!" Lynda interjected angrily.
"I feel you've forgotten it's a magazine," countered Spike.
"I feel annoyed you feel the need to point that out when it's clearly what I meant," snapped Lynda.
"I feel it was necessary to point it out for the benefit of those who don't know," replied Spike, annoyingly.
"I feel you're an idiot!"
"I feel you're obsessive-compulsive!"
"Please! Spike and Lynda, please!" Thelma was very upset. "Let's strip this down. Let's not go into name-calling. It's so invalidating . . ."
"I feel invalidated," said Spike, helpfully.
"I feel you should shut up," replied Lynda.
"I can see we're going to need to pull out the big guns here," said Thelma, in despair. "Randy, change CDs please. Sounds Of The Forest Volume 2. Eddie, please fetch the Renewing Oil."
Both did as they were told.
"Now," said Thelma, when the sounds of the forest filled the room and Eddie had brought in a pretty blue glass bottle. "This ia a calming, anti-anxiety, anti-stress and rejuvenation perfume oil elixir and it will help you feel relaxed and renewed. It's got extracts from the magical Tulsi plant from India, superior Egyptian jasmine and lavender kashmir, all renowned for healing, balancing and bringing new life."
She unscrewed the bottle and dabbed a little on Spike and Lynda's wrists.
"Now, I think we'll just leave you two together to allow the oil to work," she said, ushering Eddie and Randy out of the room and closing the door behind them.
"Great," hissed Lynda. "Now I stink of Tulsi plant." She sniffed at her wrist and her face softened a little. "Although, actually it smells quite nice."
Spike sniffed at his own wrist. "Yeah. Not bad. Kind of girly though."
"Since when have you worried about smelling girly?" Lynda asked, not unkindly.
"Just find me a girly to smell!" replied Spike, cheerfully.
"Will this one do?" Lynda asked, holding out her wrist flirtaciously. Spike sniffed experimentally. "Mmm. Not bad. I might need to conduct a more thorough investigation though."
He leant forward and nuzzled into her neck. "Mmm. Smells good. Maybe even edible."
10 minutes had passed. Thelma and Eddie were in the family room, waiting.
"I do hope they are working things out," said Thelma anxiously. "I couldn't stand the thought of Spike and Lynda going through the years of pain that James and Katherine did. That was so heartbreaking for everyone. Especially Spike."
Eddie patted his wife's knee. "I'm sure they will be fine, honey."
"I'm sure they will be too," said Randy, appearing at the doorway, munching a cookie. "Coz they're making out like crazy in the kitchen!"
"Randy!" gasped Thelma. "What were you doing in the kitchen?"
Randy shrugged. "Told you I was hungry."
It was half an hour before Spike and Lynda emerged looking considerably more renewed and relaxed.
"Thanks for your help, Aunt. I think that oil really did the trick. Err, I hope you don't mind, but we kind of used the rest up," Spike rubbed his chin sheepishly while Lynda pretended to be very interested in the cat.
"Oh, that's no problem, dear. I have some more. I buy in bulk off the internet," Thelma said. "In fact, you can take a bottle with you. Just apply it to your body like any perfume oil and use as needed throughout each day for peace, calming and rejuvenation."
"Sounds great," said Spike and Lynda nodded before breaking out into a huge yawn.
"I guess we really should get you guys home!" said Eddie.
"Oh! My goodness, yes! You must be absolutely bushed!" said Thelma.
"Something like that," mumbled Lynda.
They allowed themselves to be bustled into the car and ferried a short distance to Santa Monica where they pulled into the drive of an impressive white stucco townhouse. They unloaded the luggage from the Volvo and Spike stood for a moment, looking at the house with a strange expression on his face.
Eddie squeezed his nephew's shoulder. "He wished he could have known you better, Spike. I know he did. He told me."
"Yeah. Would have been nice if he mentioned it to me," replied Spike.
"Ermm, did he actually - you know - pass away here?" asked Lynda uncomfortably.
"No, honey. He died at the hospital. He was walking along the beach when it happened," said Thelma.
"Oh," replied Lynda, secretly thankful.
"I've been through with white sage incense for cleansing and burned some black candles to absorb any negative energy that might have been hanging around," Thelma continued. "I think you'll be happy here. It really is a beautiful house. Lots of light."
"We've got some groceries in too," added Eddie. "Just a few essentials until you can get to the store."
"Hey, thanks guys. We really appreciate all you've done," said Spike.
"Oh honey, it's a pleasure," said Thelma, giving him a big hug. "Now, you just let us know if you need anything at all, won't you?"
"Will do," replied Spike as they drove off. He put the key in the lock and pushed the door open. "After you!"
"It's beautiful!" said Lynda, impressed. She walked into the hall and gazed up into the stairwell towards the skylight. "Is it really yours?"
"Yeah," said Spike quietly. "It's the best thing he ever gave me, and even that was by default."