“Oh, I hadn’t even thought about how tired you must be after your travel. Why don’t you go ahead and nap? I’ll run out to the store to pick up more food. Now that you’re home, I should get two of everything. I was just getting portions for one, not knowing how long I was going to be here by myself. You didn’t need to rush home. I’m really sorry if I cut your vacation short. You can go back if you want…”
Aaron raised a hand. “No, sweetheart. I’m perfectly content to stay home now. I had a nice visit with your sister, but I’d like to keep an eye on you, even though you seem okay.”
“I’mreallyokay, Dad. I can’t explain it. But I seem to have recovered from a broken heart in record time.”
A broken heart…Suddenly, he realized the miscommunication or misunderstanding he’d had with Gaia. He was talking about damaged hearts. She must have taken that to include the sadness that feels like a broken heart. But still, testing this tea on his daughter without his knowledge or hers? Gaia had some explaining to do.
“Okay, honey. Going shopping for two of everything sounds like a good idea. Why don’t you do that while I take a nap?”
“Okay, Dad. Is there anything special you want?”
“No. Whatever you select will be fine.”
“I’ll see you whenever you wake up.” She kissed his cheek, grabbed her purse, and sashayed out the back door.
As soon as she had pulled out of the driveway, he stood in the middle of the kitchen and yelled, “Gaia!”
* * *
Gaia was tending a shepherd’s flock while the lazy boy was sleeping. She thought he could use the rest in a war-torn land, but with a shout like that, Aaron must be in huge trouble and had a greater need of her help.
What could have happened to Aaron? Did he change his mind about leaving Puerto Rico? There were all kinds of dangers for those unfamiliar with her tropical island. Had he fallen into quicksand? Was he being chased by a shark? Was he battling one of her caimans? Perhaps he fell off a cliff. Perhaps he was adrift at sea or lost in the mountains. Maybe he was even swallowed up by a sinkhole! That could happen, as Puerto Rico had the largest subterranean river in the world, and the caves were gradually wearing the surface thin. All this worry took place in a nanosecond.
She kicked the kid’s ankle to wake him and disappeared into the ether before he opened his eyes.
She quickly located Aaron’s energy back in Brookline, Massachusetts, and appeared in his kitchen.
“You bellowed?”
Aaron jabbed his hands on his hips. “Yes, I bellowed.” He took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, “Gaia, you may be a goddess, but I can’t believe you tried a medicinal cure that had never been analyzed or tested on my daughter. Mypregnantdaughter!”
Suddenly alarmed, she gasped. “Is she all right? Did something happen to her?”
“No. Not yet. But I won’t be allowing her to have any more of your ‘tea’ in case something shows up later.”
Mother Nature crossed her arms. “You screamed for me because nothing is wrong with your daughter?”
“Of course not. It was your audacity that made me scream. Do you know what could have happened?”
“No. What?”
“Side effects, that’s what! Have you never heard a TV commercial for any medication, ever?”
“No. I pay no attention to commercials or TV. Why? What are side effects?”
“Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, blindness, shortness of breath, cardiac arrest, liver damage, kidney damage, brain damage! There are many possible side effects, and almost all medications have them. So tell me, why? Why would you do that?”
Gaia threw her hands in the air. “She needed it. If anyone was suffering from a broken heart, it was her. I simply gave her the cure that you wanted. And it worked. She was calm and downright happy when I left. Did that not last?”
“Oh, it lasted, all right. But it’s unnatural.”
Gaia bristled but was trying so hard to change her behavior that she took three deep breaths before answering. “You’re telling me she’s fine. It worked. And somethingIinvented is unnatural? I’m Mother friggin’ Nature, for frig’s sake!”
Aaron folded his arms and stood with his feet apart. “I didn’t mean the substance was unnatural. I meant her reaction is unnatural.”
“You’d rather she be crying her eyes out, emotionally devastated, blaming herself, perhaps becoming suicidal or homicidal with all the hormonal changes on top of her already upsetting situation?”
“No! I would not, but…” Aaron pulled out a kitchen chair and slumped into it. After a long pause, he said, “I think we had a miscommunication back in Puerto Rico.”
