Rights

Rights (January 2019, Round 3, Day 2)

Ari’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly even though the engine was off. Getting here had been enough of a battle – she wasn’t ready to leave the safety of her car without some additional preparations.

“Take a deep inhale, breathing in blues, greens, and yellows. Let your breath escape on the exahale, taking with it the reds, oranges, and purples. As you inhale, the colors of peace fill you up, cascading through your body. As you exhale, the colors of pain grab hold of each other and vacate your body.”

The dreamy voice of the recorded mediation talked Ari down and she felt her fingers start to release. 

“Your system is full. The colors of peace have taken up residence within you, leaving no room for anything else. As you come back to your day, the colors will stay with you, protecting you, guiding you, sustaining you.”

Ari opened her eyes and let herself look at the large house in front of her. Did it mean something that it’s blue siding added some warmth to the gray of the winter day and there were green bushes on either side of the front door? She smiled as she removed her ear buds and said, to the empty car, “yes, Ari, the house clearly listened to your meditation prompts, too.”

With an exaggerated deep breath Ari grabbed her briefcase from the passenger seat and launched herself out of the car. Getting out from behind the wheel was getting harder every week and she wondered, not for the first time, if she’d get to a point in this pregnancy when she just plain didn’t fit. She smoothed down her hair while she locked the car, stalling just a bit longer.

The front door opened as she stepped onto the stone walkway. Ari noted the updated uniform the maid was wearing and added that to the total amount she’d be asking for before this visit was done. If the old man had enough to continually elevate his creature comforts he could certainly push enough money into cleaning up the messes of his offspring.

“Ms. Walker, this way.”

“And a hearty good afternoon to you, Catherine.” Ari waited at the threshold. “I didn’t realize we’d need to slip into formalities.”

Catherine raised a hand and gestured for Ari to take a step back. When there was room, Catherine followed and pulled the door closed behind her without a sound.

“Miss Ari, you know I have to follow orderes or risk my job. If he gets in a state and sends me packing, what then?”

“If he sends you packing he’d whither up and die, and I’m pretty sure even he knows that.”

“Miss Ari, please.” Catherine wrung her hands and kept looking over her shoulder.

“I don’t mean to cause you – or anyone – trouble, Catherine. You’ve never greeted me so coldly and it threw me off.”

“Miss Ari, you know I love you as much today as ever.”

“Ok, then.” Ari grabbed the older woman’s hands and put them on her round belly. “Let’s get this show on the road before I run out of blues and greens.”