Veronica's Dreaming

Veronica’s Dreaming

Pauline Howard

Copyright 2013 Pauline Howard

Published by Pauline Howard at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Contents

Chapter 1 – Mericoil

Chapter 2 – The battle of the Shadow Beasts

Chapter 3 – William

Chapter 4 – Beauty is not always seen

Chapter 5 – Who’s the boss

Chapter 6 – Aren’t I sexy?

Chapter 7 – The Blue Box

Chapter 8 – Trouble with a capitol T

Chapter 9 – The Age of Knowledge

Chapter 10 – Becoming a butterfly

Chapter 11 – Falling in love

Chapter 12 – Chatty Chattyvores

Chapter 13 – Love hurts

Chapter 14 – The bitch is back

Chapter 15 – The fall of the mighty

Chapter 16 – Vulnerability

Chapter 17 – A friend in need...

Chapter 18 – Going back in time

Chapter 19 – What we do for love

Chapter 20 – The choices we make

Chapter 21 – I can’t live without you

Chapter 22 – The heart wants what the heart wants

Chapter 23 – Losing love

Chapter 24 – Going home

Chapter 25 – In the name of love

About the Author

Chapter 1 – Mericoil

Flashes of yellow, hues of purple, she slides through a tunnel, a kaleidoscope of colours. The temperature switches from hot, cold then warm. She feels as if her being has been transformed into a ball of energy, about to collide with something. The travelling speed is so fast, she’s certain when she lands it will be with a mighty thud. Thank God for cellulite, she thinks. She wakes up and finds herself in bed.

She was used to these wild dreams. She’d been having them for as far back as she could remember. It was useless to try and remember what they were about as her dream recall lasted only as long as it took to draw a breath.

As she got out of bed she jokingly toyed with the idea it was all a penance for been addicted to the Love Boat series in her teens. I loved that show, I can still hear the tune in my head. The love boat an adventure exciting and new…. She walked towards the bathroom humming.

Once showered, she searched for a comb to tidy her hair. She had inherited her mother’s unruly auburn curls. It was a comfort to her, her looks and features were that of her parents. Long lean but strong legs were gifts from her father, as were her almost aqua eyes. She was tall but not as slender as they were. On her dresser, she kept a photo of the three of them, taken just before her 21st birthday. It captured a treasured memory, one of many that she would often reflect on.

She pulled on her suit, and ensured everything was in place. Kissed her pets’ goodbye and left for the office. She drove to Birch Beach train station and parked the car. Thank God the lights turn off when the engine stops, she thought. With her previous car, too many times her day ended with the discovery of a flat battery. It felt luxurious to lock the car just by pushing a button. It was magic.

After buying a ticket to the city, she found herself a good seat, which allowed her an easy view of all who entered the carriage. She loved to watch people. She found them fascinating. To pass the time, she’d try and guess each passenger’s career and the type of lives they led. With a vivid imagination, even the dowdiest dressed frump could be moonlighting as a lady of the night, happy to appear extremely ordinary by day.

The train stopped and Veronica looked out the window. To her surprise, she was already at Flinders Street station, which was in the city of Melbourne, Australia.

She walked briskly to her office, feeling enthusiastic and energised about work. She felt life was full of possibilities and was excited as to what they would be. It was at this moment when a small peculiar man brushed past and bumped her shoulder, causing her to momentarily lose her balance.

Her eyes fell upon this sneering man who stood far too close for her comfort. His face was pale and a jigsaw of battle scars. He wasn’t that tall, perhaps five foot four inches and ghastly thin. His style of clothing wasn’t something she had come across before. Dark bottle green knickerbockers rested on his knees. Yellow and purple striped socks fitted snugly into brown ankle boots. A blue shoulder cape swung freely above his hips. The man turned around to face her, and as he did, he snickered,

‘Lights are low, this place and time; the golden bird will be mine.’

She couldn’t believe what she’d heard. The sneering small man chanted his verse again and again, building himself into a frenzy, moving closer and closer towards her. Froth gathered in the corners of his mouth and the chant became louder.

At first, she was frightened and wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. But then a strange thing happened which was totally out of character for her - the fear started to develop into annoyance and with each chant it grew until it overflowed like milk boiling over.

Determined not to be intimidated she glared back into his dark, sunken eyes.

‘Excuse me! Are you aiming to be the world’s first human fire extinguisher.....if you are, you would have to be the ugliest one I’ve ever seen! Now back off buddy, I’ve got somewhere to go!’

He didn’t move. She stepped forward to push her way pass him and he continued to chant. She couldn’t stand it anymore and again, out of character, her anger rose.

‘Blah, blah blah, there are places for people like you and it’s not the street, it is an ASYLUM, you RHYMING MORON! Do the world a favour and suck in that spit and go see a shrink ... you look like you have rabies!’ Veronica turned and strutted off.

Just what the world needs, a rhyming psycho, she thought. She walked with great determination to her office. She wished she had somebody to call to tell them what had happened, but really there was only Sally and lately she and Sally had drifted apart.

She arrived at the office, thinking of the day ahead. It was full of meetings and a few appointments with new clients. The company she worked for had struggled to survive, but with the recent legislative changes, everyone was busy. Even though she had a busy day ahead, she couldn’t help but think back to the horrid man who had bumped into her earlier. She felt she had seen him before but couldn’t think where. Surely, she’d remember someone so bizarre.

Veronica worked for The Green Waste Provider. Companies used them for advice on creating environmentally friendly work places. With the introduction of a governmental rebate the Green Waste Provider’s popularity had surged. She met with new clients and then assigned a consultant. Consultants were assigned to businesses based on the industry and the size of the company.

The Green Waste Provider’s foyer and offices were a testament to Veronica’s values. Fawn couches covered in a cloth made from hemp, sat in front of a golden-brown coffee table constructed from a resin manufactured from recycled office phones. Aboriginal art adorned the walls. The reception desk, which stood four feet high was modular in shape and decorated with a mural depicting a beach scene of the Twelve Apostles, before Mother Nature reclaimed what she had formed. She felt proud when she entered her workplace.

She was seven when she first saw the Twelve Apostles. Limestone stacks which once were caves stood up to forty-five meters high. Her mother and father huddled close, protecting her from the strong Southern Ocean wind. It was dark and nobody one else was around. The sun rose and changed the dark foreboding rock structures to majestic golden yellow.

When she saw the receptionist desk she felt it was a sign.

All of the meeting rooms had tables and chairs made from a resin derived from recycled computer parts. The table in meeting room one, was the most striking piece of furniture. The artist who had designed it had embedded lenses from many pairs of glasses into its table top. The result was a sea of semi-circular shapes, giving the impression that large rain drops had just fallen. She had met the artist who had designed the table in her second year of employment. He told her he wanted people to perceive the furniture was crying for Mother Nature.

It was in this room that she had first been interviewed for her position. To her the table embodied the many tears she had cried. She thought if I get this job I will generate my emotions into passion for my work. She got the position and taught herself to recycle her emotions into something tangible, caring for the environment.

‘Hi Veronica,’ greeted Cassandra, the young girl on the reception, whose smile and cuteness covered any lack of intellect. ‘Your first appointment is waiting. I know he’s early but he was so nice and I just thought you wouldn’t mind seeing him.’

Veronica knew this meant that her first appointment would be good looking and charming, otherwise Cassandra would have insisted that he wait until his appointed time.

‘Okay Cassandra, but just give me five minutes to get settled, I will see him in meeting room one. Can you arrange coffee for both of us?’

‘Yeah, sure.’

Veronica walked into the meeting room, expecting to be greeted by a good-looking man, impeccably dressed, and accompanied by a voice that would charm any Ice Maiden. After five years of working at the Green Waste Provider, she had come to know Cassandra’s taste in men. She had to admit, Cassandra’s taste was exceptional. It wouldn’t be a bad start to the day, dealing with a gorgeous charming male, she thought, and smiled as she opened the door to enter the meeting room.

‘Hi, I’m Veronica.’ She said extending her hand.

‘Hi, I’m Bill Ding. He generously enveloped her hand with his, holding it for an unnecessary length of time. Actually, I prefer William but I get a kick out of introducing myself as Bill Ding.’

She twisted her hand free. How presumptuous! She thought. Though he is gorgeous and surprise, surprise, not in a suit. Cassandra’s taste is slanting towards the alternative, nice to see.

‘Please to meet you, William. As you’re quite early and your appointment is a replacement of a late cancellation yesterday, I apologise, as I haven’t had a chance to read the brief on your company. If you wouldn’t mind running through the details with me now, we could get started.’

A smile crept on his face. ‘You don’t get it, do you? ... the Bill Ding introduction.’

She had no idea of what he was talking about, but from the look on his face it had to be some sort of a joke.

‘Sure, I got it but I’m sorry, I just don’t think it’s that funny. Everyone’s different you know.’

He decided to let it go and proceeded to fill her in on his family’s business.

‘My family’s company manufactures toilet paper. The name of the company is Nice ‘n’ Soft. It’s not a glamorous industry but some of our users are glamorous,’ he said with a smirk.

Could you be any more banal? she thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Instead mirrored his smile, after all he was the client.

‘We have twenty-five offices throughout Australia and our manufacturing plant is in Dandenong. My family has owned the company for twenty-five years. It was started by my father and I am the expected heir to the empire. Last year I was appointed to the board and with my background being in Environmental Science, I have been pushing to implement green policies in all of our offices. I need advice on manufacturing and office setup. I love the amethyst ring you’re wearing. Was it a gift from a special someone...your boyfriend, fiancé or even husband? Nowadays some married women don’t even wear their rings.’

Veronica, who was half listening to William and half remembering the horrid man in the street, was abruptly brought back to reality. Concentration vexed her at times.

‘What, are you asking me...have I a husband or a significant other?’

‘Yes.’

‘I don’t want to appear rude but how does that have anything to do with you?’

‘Nothing really, but it would be nice to know. I have a policy of not dating married women.’

‘The ring was my mother’s, and I love it as much as I hate men who assume everyone wants to date them. Now, getting back to why you’re here. I’ll arrange a meeting with our consultants next week. I’ll email you a list of what they will require, before our next meeting.’

Veronica rose from her chair. ‘I would say this concludes our meeting and I would like to thank you for choosing Green Waste Providers. If there are any other questions pertaining to this meeting, please don’t hesitate to call me.’

William rose from his chair following Veronica to the door she’d opened for him.

As he passed through the doorway he turned and faced her. ‘That ring is as beautiful as you; your mother obviously has extremely good taste in jewellery and wonderful genes.’

It was then she noticed his severe limp.

He extended his hand. ‘It has been a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to next week’s meeting. Since you didn’t get the Bill Ding intro, I’ll explain, although once you explain a joke it really does lose its impact. It’s Bill Ding as in Building…as in…we are standing in one…get it now?’

She wondered how come she hadn’t noticed his limp earlier and then remembered he was already sitting when she had entered the room. To eradicate the guilt of rebuking a handicapped person, she wished William a really nice day and a really nice week in her most sincere and caring voice.

He winked at her.

He had misinterpreted her overzealous goodbye for her being interested in him. She felt foolish for being over-zealous and even more foolish for feeling uncomfortable with his disability and totally stupid for missing the Bill Ding intro.

One of the policies of The Green Waste Provider was no involvement with clients. At times the policy did seem slightly hypocritical, considering her manager Mike had slept with almost every woman in the office, probably every woman in Melbourne. What they saw in him dumbfounded her. To sleep with someone like Mike, she thought, would be like drinking from a coffee cup that has never been washed and everyone in the office had used. Mike didn’t even try to hide his ways. Not that he was sleazy, he was just very good at been flirtatious and for some reason women loved it.

Veronica arrived back at the reception, just in time to view Cassandra waving William goodbye.

‘So what do you think of William?’ asked Cassandra.

‘I feel that our company will be able to offer all the support that he requires so he can achieve all that he outlined in the meeting.’

‘Don’t you think he is adorable - those beautiful blue eyes - so dreamy looking, and such a gentleman,’ drooled Cassandra.

‘Gentlemen don’t come early expecting people to fit around their schedule,’ retorted Veronica and with that, walked back to her office.

Once seated, she perused the list of clients for the day. She was secure in thinking none would be on time and if anything, most would be late. The next client would be due in ten minutes, giving her time to quickly ring her friend Margaret and confirm lunch for that day.

Margaret was in a meeting when she rang. Her morning was fully booked, so Veronica just left a message for Margaret to ring back to confirm lunch, which would be at 1.45pm at Segafredos. Segafredos was one of Veronica’s favourite cafés to meet friends in. It was in Hardware Lane, just off Bourke Street. There was a lovely waitress who didn’t have her belly pierced, refrained from exposing her midriff when serving, wore tops that fitted and didn’t overdo the service in hope of a good tip. She was down to earth and genuinely pleasant in her manner.

Veronica hadn’t seen Margaret for five years. The other night she had rung Margaret in hope of getting some information on a client she knew Margaret had worked for. She hesitated before she picked up the phone, but then for some reason once the receiver was in her hand, she quickly dialled the number. It was as if an inner force was guiding her. As much as she felt weird in calling she also felt okay about it. This must be what people refer to as living in the moment, she thought.

It was 1.30pm and Veronica had just finished her last interview for the morning. Margaret had rung back and confirmed lunch was still on. She had fifteen minutes to get to the restaurant. If she hurried she would make it just in time. Rushing through the city streets she again bumped into the same horrid man from that morning. This time she was ready for any insidious rhyme that may come from his sneering lips.

The man stopped right in front of her and again spoke the same words.

‘Lights are low, this place and time; the golden bird will be mine.’

Veronica sensed the man was pure evil. Anger surged. Like a volcano erupting, words bubbled, spilling from her mouth.

‘Night awakens the golden light, the Dragon-Slayer has you in sight, when lights are low this place and time, and you will meet what is mine!’

The man stared back at her and laughed, ‘The Dragon-Slayer will soon die if he isn’t already dead. Your golden light has weakened and its power is waning, Fairleaf- Maiden, your kind will rule no more.’ With that he laughed and walked off.

‘In your dreams kitty litter breath, the Dragon-Slayer’s got you covered...you moron!’ she yelled after him.

Standing at the corner of Little Collins and Elizabeth Street, amidst the hustle of lunch time eaters, Veronica stood, shaking uncontrollably.

‘Okay, get a grip on yourself girl. You are not having a breakdown, you are not crazy! Okay, you are speaking to yourself out loud in public; oh My God I am truly losing it! Maybe I’m just dreaming all of this. I will just block it all out, forget that it ever happened and have a great lunch with Margaret. I am going to walk to the restaurant and have a really good time. I am walking and everything is going to be fine. I am walking and everything is going to be fine. I am also going to stop talking out loud to myself. Don’t stare at me,’ she snapped at a passer-by.

Margaret was waiting when Veronica arrived and greeted her with that same smile she remembered so well. Five years had passed, yet Margaret hadn’t changed. Her beautiful long dark curly hair still bounced around her shoulders, framing her exotic facial features. Margaret was a striking looking woman. It is amazing how some people are ageless, thought Veronica.

‘Hello Margaret it is so good to see you again.’

‘You too Dear. You have let your hair grow, it looks divine.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Veronica, are you okay? You seem a little shaken - have you had bad news?’

Margaret always had a calming effect on her which normally would’ve led to Veronica divulging all. However, today this wasn’t going to happen. This lunch would be a catch up time for old friends, not a personal therapy session. Anyhow, she couldn’t really burden her friend with a problem that she herself didn’t quite understand. The years that had passed between them made no difference to their conversation. They spoke with the intimacy as true friends do, reliving and sharing parts of their lives that the other had no knowledge of.

When Veronica was leaving, Margaret gave her a present. She was taken aback by the kind and unexpected gesture.

‘I am just giving to you what you will need.’ Margaret said. ‘Only open this tonight when you are alone; solitude is sometimes needed to appreciate one’s destiny and remember I’m only a call away.’

That night Veronica lay in bed with the unopened gift that Margaret had given her. Pondering on what could be inside, she slowly opened it. The layers of purplish paper gave way to a small wooden blue box. She found that the box didn’t have a lid, nor did it appear to open in any obvious way. She shook the box to see if there was anything inside it. It sounded as if while shaking the box she had broken her gift. Whatever was inside had shattered. How could she ever explain to Margaret that she had broken the gift without even taking it out of the box? Well, she would have removed it from the box, had she been able to find out how to open it. She pulled open the drawer of her bedside table and placed the small box inside. Then she turned off the light and slowly fell into a deep slumber.

A warm amber glow awoke her from her sleep. She fumbled to switch her bedside light on, then realised the glow was coming from the bedside table. It was coming from the drawer that she had placed the small blue wooden box in. Overwhelmed by fear, she quickly jumped out of bed and turned on the main light. Petrified she clutched the door frame.

Everything appeared to be normal. No amber glow to be seen anywhere. Nervously she walked towards her bedside table and with a shaking hand gradually pulled the drawer open. The small wooden blue box lay innocently in the position where she had placed it. Nothing had changed.

The night appeared far too quiet. The silence made her feel edgy. She walked into the lounge room and turned on the TV. Flicking through the stations, she eventually found an old movie, Wife versus Secretary with Clarke Gable, Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow. Huddle up on the couch with Meagan, her affectionate golden cocker spaniel, and Sophie, her cuddly black cat, she watched the movie and eventually drifted back to sleep.

The sun streamed through the window, waking Veronica. My God what’s the time! she thought. Jumping off the couch and bounding towards the bedroom she noticed it was 8.30am. She had slept in. There would be no morning walk for Meagan or any breakfast for herself. If she quickly showered, fed the animals and didn’t wash her hair, she still may make the 9.10am train and be in time for her 10 o’clock meeting.

Running up the ramp of the station, she just made it to the train. Thankfully it had been delayed by five minutes, otherwise she would have missed it and been late. Breathless she slumped into a seat. Staring at the passing scenery, she thought back to what had happened the night before. The blue box had glowed or something in it had glowed. She was definite that she hadn’t been hallucinating. She had seen the amber glow and also felt its warmth. Then there was the creep that she had bumped into in the city, twice, the day before. Was the sanctuary of her life slowly cracking?

Maybe the horrid man and the amber glow were both figments of her imagination. Perhaps this is what happens when you spend too much time alone, don’t go on dates and don’t have sex - you bump into weirdoes in the city discover the ability to recite mumbo jumbo and then imagine warm glowing amber lights, in the middle of the night. Maybe it was time to start dating again. Could it be that endorphins released during sex really were needed for cerebral health? She started counting the number of months since she had last been on a date and to her horror, the months quickly became almost two years. No wonder she was losing it.

There was this cute guy that her girlfriend Sally was trying to set her up with. Veronica had met him a few times and yes he was nice, but she just didn’t want to start another relationship. One thing she knew she was good at was attracting losers. As much as she hated the word ‘loser’, it was the only word that described the men she attracted. The guy Sally knew may appear to be nice, but if he was attracted to her, he was or had the makings of one. The decision was easy - she’d find a hobby.

Veronica walked quickly to her office and in her haste, stumbled, snapping off the heel from her left shoe. ‘Shit, shit, shit, shit,’ she cursed as she hopped down Flinders Lane. Then, much to her horror, she spotted William from Nice ‘n’ Soft, leaving a café. Fortunately, she had spotted him before he had a chance to see her. She hopped into the nearest lane to escape his field of vision. Before William walked past, she ducked into a doorway in case he happened to glance her way.

She turned around and found herself face to face, with the weirdo from the day before. She screamed and spun around, trying quickly to get away. While in her motion of panic, she collided with William.

Lying on the pavement, William held his leg and winced in agony. It was then Veronica noticed the cast under his wide-legged pants and she grimaced. Not knowing what else to do, she rummaged through her bag in search of her mobile phone so she could call an ambulance. It was not her phone she retrieved, but the blue box that she had left in her bedside table, the night before. The box was vibrating and the rattle inside started to sound musical, just like the Love Boat tune.

The last thing that she remembered before losing consciousness was her and William been surrounded by lots of little fairy lights, or were they little fairies carrying lanterns. Her eyes felt heavy and she drifted off into unconsciousness.

Veronica opened her eyes, sat up in bed and then looked around her. Next to her was William, who was also lying in a bed. He had so many tubes sticking out of him he looked like the back of her entertainment unit. She moaned upon remembering what had happened and slouched back into the covers. How was she going to explain to her manager what she had done? Increasing a client’s disability was not part of her job description. God, what if he sues! Just when Green Waste Providers had started making a profit.

William stirred. She pondered what if I jump out of bed and suffocate him with his pillow, then sneak out of the hospital; nobody would know a thing. Murder charges versus responsibility for receivership of the Green Waste Provider, was a tough choice. The thought of been pushed up against the wall by a bunch of large women, in overalls, with shaved heads, swayed her decision, to stay and face the consequences. Enigma is right, she thought, the eyes of truth are always watching…...or in my case, the eyes of fear.

A nurse entered the room.

‘Good morning, how is everyone feeling today? Mmmm, looks like someone has had a nasty accident,’ she said glancing at William’s plastered leg, held up by a pulley. ‘Lucky you didn’t break your neck with the alcohol reading you had. I suppose you’re both wondering why you’re in a room together. We’re short on beds and I guess the admissions clerk assumed you were together. Don’t worry we will soon get you into your own rooms. We had a lot of discharges this morning.’

Veronica’s ears pricked - alcohol reading - the guy was plastered, no wonder he went down so quickly. Perhaps my future isn’t all doom and gloom. How can he sue us when he was obviously drunk as a skunk?

William didn’t stir. The pain killers they administered had him drifting in and out of consciousness.

The nurse informed Veronica that the doctor had been waiting for them to wake up. Now that she was awake she’d let the doctor know and she and the doctor would both be back shortly.

Veronica pulled back the covers and got out of her bed. She walked over to William to have a closer look at him. ‘Gosh he is good looking, Cassandra was right. And what beautiful skin ... and look, cute little dimples each side of his face; he even smiles in his sleep, how adorable,’ whispered Veronica to herself.

William’s eyes opened. ‘So how long have you been admiring me, just today or was it love at first sight?’

She felt her face redden, she opened her mouth to speak, but luckily the doctor walked in.

‘Hi, I’m Dr Dominican Smith; you can call me Dr Smith,’ he said as he walked over to William. Veronica quickly retreated back to her own bed.

‘Hello Doc, said William, you just ruined a very special moment between me and my colleague.’

Veronica sunk, pulling the covers up around her.

The doctor ignored what William said and informed him his leg needed x-raying. He checked his vital signs and requested the nurse to make the booking for the x-ray as soon as possible and remove all the intravenous lines as they were no longer required.

With a stern face, he turned to William. ‘Sir, your medical report states that you sustained an injury from a rock climbing accident. As you are obviously a risk taker, I would advise you to take a much more conservative approach to your life and perhaps stay off the alcohol, until the break has healed. If you choose not to take my advice, please understand, if you have another fall, you may do irreparable damage. When a drunken person falls, they don’t have normal reflexes and therefore can cause substantial injury. Considering your leg was already injured, you may already have excessive damage, but we won’t know this until after the x-ray.’ With that he turned and walked over to Veronica.

The doctor was exceptionally nice to Veronica.