Along Came A Prince (28 page)

“Is there anything
special you’re interested in finding out?” she asked.

“I’m mainly
interested in mastering meditation.”

A slight smile
crept across the woman’s face. “How long have you been on this journey?”

“I’ve been having
nightmares recently, and someone once told me meditation would help me discover
what’s going on inside me. It made sense to me.”

“May I see your
palm, please?” she asked, her tone more of a request than a question.

He extended his
hand to her.

She took it and
placed it between her two hands and closed her eyes for a few moments.

He waited,
wondering what he was doing here at all. This whole thing was probably nothing
more than a modern day sideshow. A hoax.

“You’re going to
get slapped hard,” she said abruptly.

“I don’t
understand.”

She quickly turned
his hand over, as if she’d seen something she hadn’t meant to share with him. “Everything
will be fine,” she said, patting his hand.

“No,” Clay said. “You
can’t drop a statement like that on me and then say, it’ll be okay. Who’s going
to slap me? A woman? A man? And why?”

The woman shook
her head. “No person will slap you. The slap’s part of your destiny and the
fate of the other person involved.” She held his hand again between hers and
closed her eyes. “You’ve been preoccupied with death recently, haven’t you?”

“You know that?”
Clay said, amazed at her disclosure.

“Death is part of
living. In order to live, we must die.”

“Am I going to
die?”
Had his premonition been true?

“You already
have...” she declared. “Many times.”

“Reincarnation,
right?”

“Do you believe in
it?”

“I’m exploring the
theory. I neither believe nor disbelieve. About this hard slap. Is it coming
from death’s hand?”

“It’s better you
not know,” she said.

“Then why did you
tell me?”

“The image was so
sharp and brilliant, I didn’t realize I had spoken aloud until it was too late.
Most people do not care to be told this kind of news. It is not in their best
interest.”

“What else can you
tell me then?”

“I feel love – strong,
everlasting love – flowing out of the energy in your hand. You must love
someone very much.”

“I do.”

“And she’s
hesitant to reciprocate, true?”

This woman was
too…psychic,
he decided. “What else can you tell me?”

“Royalty,” she
said simply.

“Royalty what?”

“There’s some
trouble involved –”

“Let me guess. I
shouldn’t know about that either. Right?”

“Some things are
better left unknown until fate decides the time is right to reveal them. I try
not to interfere with changing the course of what destiny demands.”

Wow! She sounds
just like Stacia with her “time is right” belief.
“If you don’t want to
tell me what’s in my future, then what’s the sense of you being psychic or me
having a reading done?” Clay asked, annoyed with the woman’s evading answers.

“Many people believe
a psychic is someone who performs parlor games. That is correct because there
are some who do promote parlor games. But a true psychic does not do this. A
true psychic is honest. We must not use the powers we are given in a bad way. We
are grateful and appreciate the gift we have been given and know we must use it
to help people. Therefore, I will tell you what I see in most instances, but
how much I reveal is up to my discretion. Is that same thing not true in the
case of royalty?”

“Excuse me?” Clay
said, his mouth dropping open.

“Yes, I know,” the
woman said quietly. “Now, do you have any other questions?”

“How do I learn to
meditate?”

“Practice,” she
said. “There are many meditation groups in Sedona. Join one here or at home,
and when you learn the basics, expand on it. There are also excellent CDs to
guide you on the subject. Remember, you’re discovering yourself. And who knows
you better than you, especially if you let your higher self coach you?”

“You make it sound
simple.”

“It’s because it’s
all out there waiting for you to discover and use in this lifetime.”

Clay stood up and
headed for the exit. “Thanks, you’ve been a big help.” He laid the woman’s fee,
plus a generous tip, on the counter, opened the front door, then turned and
shook hands with her.

“You’re
welcome...Prince,” the psychic said as she closed the door behind him.

When the
afternoon’s shooting break came, Stacia walked over to “Farrell’s Corner,”
which the crew had dubbed the spot where he sat on his stool each day.

“Will you please
tell me all about Mark Bennett?” Stacia asked.

“Mark?” he
repeated.

“I know he was
incredibly handsome with his blonde hair and blue eyes, but I’m talking about
the man himself.”

“I’d say,
sensitive
is the word that describes him best.”

“Because...”

“He was sensitive
to everyone’s needs, but above anything else, he was sensitive to Audra’s needs
and desires.”

“And she felt the
same way about him, didn’t she?” Stacia seemed to sense this instinctively.

“I’ve never seen
two people more in love than they were.” 

“Were you in love
with Audra too, as the gossip suggested?”

Farrell shook his
head. “Mark and Audra were my friends. It would have been pointless for me to
be in love with Audra, because she could only see and love Mark. I settled for
loving both of them...as friends.”

“I’m glad to hear
that. The trouble with gossip, especially in Hollywood, is it’s so rarely true,
but a person forms opinions anyway based on it.”

“You’re right,
Stacia.”

“What else can you
tell me about Mark?”

“Why the sudden
interest in him?”

Even though she
and Farrell had become what she’d term as “good friends,” she couldn’t tell him
about the dream she’d shared with Mark after their elopement, just as there
were things she felt sure he didn’t feel comfortable discussing with her. “I’ve
been acting with his Dean Fulton image quite awhile now,” she said. “And with
all the talk about Mark’s journal, I was curious what the real Mark Bennett was
like.”

“Mark had a big
heart. He gave freely of his time to any cause that asked him to. I never heard
him raise his voice or use vulgar language. He was respectful to everyone, and
was a very good actor on top of everything else. When he had Audra, he had it
all, and he knew it.”

“And when she
died?”

“He lost it all,
and he knew that also.” Farrell looked away.

All of a sudden,
Stacia thought he seemed to be very tired. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about
me. I just get worn out and sleepy sometimes sitting here all day. But I do
want to tell you, Stacia, how much it’s meant to me to have you as a friend. I
haven’t been this fortunate since Audra and Mark. You represent everything I
hope your generation can become.”

“I think that’s
the best compliment you could give me.” She kissed his cheek. “I have to go
back to work now. I’ll see you later, okay?”

The rest of the
afternoon and into the evening, whenever Mark’s face was on the screen, Stacia
pushed Clay out of her mind. She dwelled solely on Mark and played the scene
directly to him.

By the time the
day’s work was finished, Stacia could see everything in Mark that Farrell had
described...and more. A déjà vu´ feeling of loving Mark courted her mind, and
she thought perhaps, like Audra, she had fallen in love with him too.

♥♥

When Clay refused
to answer any of her calls, Stacia finally accepted the fact he was no longer
interested in her, and also no longer in love with her. She coped the best she
could with this discouraging realization. And she found meditation helped her
immensely, and her sessions under Josie’s guidance gave positive reinforcement
to the path she was following in her life.

“Guess what?”
Josie said when she arrived for meditation at Stacia’s condo on Sunday. “We’ve
set the wedding date.”

“Fantastic. When
is it?” Stacia asked.

“Two months from
today, and I’d like you to be my maid-of-honor.”

“I’d love to.” Stacia
gave Josie a hug. “Who did Ryan pick for the best man?”

“Your cousin,
Jeb.”

“He’s coming from
Wisconsin?”

“It seems so. Ryan’s
planning on sending him a ticket.”

“I suppose you
have a special place picked out to get married at.”

“Remember when
Ryan and I drove up the coast to Oregon to Cape Foulweather?”

“You mean where you
saw the whales playing in the Pacific Ocean at sunset?”

“You’ve got a good
memory, Stace. Well, The Lookout’s on a high chunk of mountain jutting out into
the ocean, but to me, probably because of the whales, it’s one of the most
beautiful spots in the world. Certainly one of the most peaceful, and a perfect
place to start a marriage. Of course, we plan to get married at sunset.”

Stacia grinned. “Have
you invited the whales yet?”

“Now, wouldn’t
that make it perfect?” Josie exclaimed dreamily.

“Are my mom and
dad coming?”

“Ryan’s calling
them today. I wanted to tell you first.”

“So my big
brother’s getting married, and I’m gaining a sister. That’s great.”

“Yeah,” Josie said.
“We’re already kindred spirits. We might as well be related.” She sat down on
one of the pillows Stacia had placed on the floor. “What’s been going on with
you this last week? Psychically and spiritually, I mean.”

“My dreams still
keep happening, only they’re more spaced out now.” She sat down across from
Josie and lit the candle between them. “But the other day I had a new one, and
now I’m in love with Mark Bennett.”

“What?” Josie seemed
confused.

Stacia explained
her latest dream. “I was in some kind of fantasy world that day after my dream,
and then going directly to the set to be with his image again, made me believe
I’d fallen in love with Mark. The dream was very vivid and real. He seemed so
alive, and I felt comfortable with him, like we’d been together before. The
whole dream, along with his kiss and the dialogue, was like a déjà vu´
experience. What do you think that’s all about?”  

“The simple answer
is you were Audra in a past life, and you’re reliving it again. It would be a
natural thing to feel as you do, if you were Audra. Why wouldn’t you be
attracted to him in this lifetime also?”

“You’re kidding,
right? Me, Audra?” She pointed her finger at her chest. Now it was Stacia’s
turn to look confused.

“I said it was the
simplest answer, not necessarily the correct explanation.”

“So what’s the
correct explanation?”

“That, my dear sister--to-be,
is anyone’s guess, and I emphasize the word
guess
. No one can say for
positive what dreams are about. They’re significant to the person dreaming
them, or they wouldn’t occur.”

“I figured it
happened because of my working on
London Affair
. I’ve been seeing mostly
Mark’s face since we started the movie. It seems logical I would dream about
him. Then all this publicity came up about his journal, and I also knew about
the cabin he and Audra shared, together with my dream of being with him.”

“That’s a nice
little tidy explanation.”

“Then give me a
better one.”

“All right.
Explain how you knew Audra and Mark got married in Nevada? This fact in your
dream doesn’t fit into your neat, logical world. Was it real, or did you make it
up as you were dreaming?”

“I don’t know, and
I don’t even know how to find out,” Stacia said. “I could ask Farrell Fontaine.
They were good friends, but if there was a secret wedding, and they wanted to
keep it private between the two of them, I doubt if they’d tell anyone.” 

“Farrell
Fontaine?” Josie repeated. “I heard on the news on the way over here that he
died of a heart attack last night.”

“No, you must be
mistaken. It can’t be my Farrell.” Despair cringed through her body rendering
her hopeless and helpless. 

“Your Farrell?”

“I didn’t mean
that literally. He’s my friend.” Stacia felt like crying. “I just saw him on
the set the other day. He can’t be dead. No, Josie, you have to be wrong. Tell
me you’ve made a mistake.”
Please
.

“Sorry. I wish I
could say I did, but I can’t. Let’s turn on the TV, and maybe they’ll have it
on the news.” She reached for the remote and searched a few channels until
Farrell’s picture came on.

“There,” Stacia
said. “Stop there.” Shocked, she stood up and took a few steps closer to the
TV.

A voice was heard
as Farrell’s picture was shown. “Hollywood is mourning the death of eighty-three-year-old
Farrell Fontaine. He passed away in his sleep last night of a suspected heart attack.
Fontaine is best known for his role as producer on the classic movie,
London
Affair
. He was currently a film consultant on the remake of the same name.”

“Turn it
off...please...Josie,” Stacia said as she sat down on the sofa, the shock of
his death pulsating through her. She tried to restrain the instant dam of tears
that were threatening to burst from her eyes, but it didn’t work. The immediate
grief she felt for Farrell’s passing was too strong, and the tears flowed
freely down her face.

Josie clicked off
the remote. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not fair,” Stacia
cried out. “He’d just turned his life around, and now, see what happened? His
best friends in his whole life were Audra and Mark.”

“And you, it
sounds like.”

“Only recently. But
I grew to like him very much. It’s going to be strange going on the set and not
seeing him there.” She tried to blink the tears away as her phone rang. “The
machine can get it.”

“Stacia, this is
Jamie. I hate to disturb you, but the press has been calling you about Farrell
Fontaine. Can –”

Stacia picked up
her phone. “I just heard. Please tell anyone who calls I’m very saddened by the
news of Farrell’s death. He was a good friend, and I’ll miss him dearly. I’ll
talk to you later. Thanks for being on top of everything, as usual, Jamie.” 

As soon as she put
the phone down, it rang again. She automatically answered it this time.

“Hi Stace. Have
you seen TV yet this morning?”

“Yes, Hal, and I
can’t believe Farrell’s dead.”

“Neither can I. Are
you all right? I know you two had become friends.”

“I’ll be fine. Thanks
for caring, Hal.”

Stacia set the
phone down and turned to Josie. “It’s funny, but I think Farrell was trying to
say goodbye to me the last time we talked. At the end of our conversation, he
told me how much it meant to him to have me as a friend. Do you think people
know when they’re going to die?”

“I’m certain many
do. Others probably deny it, just as they deny and are afraid to face many
other things in their life. It’s like meditating. You can go within to learn so
much. Some people do. Some deny its worth and its power.”

“I think I’d like
to meditate now.”

“That’s fine,
Stacia. And when you get to your special place, send some energy to Farrell to
help him along on his new journey.”

♥♥

When Stacia
returned to work the next day, the usual atmosphere on the set had been
replaced with sadness. The first thing she did was go over to “Farrell’s
Corner.” She saw his empty stool, and tears began to trickle down her face. Someone
had put a sign on it that read, “In memory of Farrell Fontaine.” One
long-stemmed red rose lay in front of the sign. She walked over to Nathan.

“I know, Stacia. I
feel the same way. He didn’t say much from day to day, but his input when he
did offer it was right on target. I hope the studio will allow his stool to
remain there as a sort of memorial to him. I’m going to request it.”

“He’d have liked
that. It’ll feel like he’s still there watching over us, so we make sure we
keep his movie as authentic as possible.”

“We’ll do the
usual black screen at the end of the film dedicating the movie to his memory. Do
you feel up to working, Stacia? I know you and Farrell had gotten quite close. Everyone
here wants to go to the funeral, so we’ll miss a day of shooting then, but everything’s
going so smoothly we’re ahead of production anyway.”

“I’d like to film
today. I think that’s what he’d have wanted.”

“Then we will.” Nathan
turned to his crew and called out, “Places everyone. Let’s go to work.”

♥♥

Farrell’s funeral
was two days later. Stacia rode there with Hal and Linda.

The inside of the
funeral home was filled with flowers. Stacia was surprised at how many
celebrities attended. The media stationed outside was quiet and respectful.

After the brief
services at the cemetery, Hal insisted she go home with them.

“Besides wanting
to spend some quiet time with you, Stace,” Hal said when the three of them were
seated at the patio table, “there’s another reason we asked you to come here
today. I’ll get us some drinks while Linda explains.”

“I have some
business to discuss with you,” Linda said. “Farrell made out his will with me a
short time ago, and he made you the beneficiary of his estate. You are his sole
heir.”

“Why would he do
that? I don’t understand.”

“He had two
reasons. He said you were the first true friend he’s had since Audra Parker and
Mark Bennett died. Everyone else wanted something from him. The other reason he
gave was that you were the closest thing he had to a granddaughter.”

“Surely, he had
some relatives.”

“No. He had none. He
never married and said he grew up in an orphanage. That’s why Audra and Mark’s
friendship meant so much to him, and why yours did also. You three were the
only family he ever knew.”

“But I can’t
accept anything from him,” Stacia protested. “Until he quit drinking, I didn’t
even like him.”

“He knew that and
admired you for it. He said the real Farrell Fontaine was the one you got to
know and became friends with.”

Hal arrived with a
tray of drinks and a small brown box. He served the drinks and set the box down
in front of Stacia.