This Changes Everything Read online

  *POP* *POP*

  Ringo and Mick appear.

  Ringo waves two of his six orange appendages toward me and says, “Great! You’re ready for your next training, then?”

  “All right, good work, Clara!” Mick adds, his flat-top's lights blinking various colors rapidly while his blue cilia wave in unseen waters across his holo form. “Next is how to invite MWC visits and exclude us as you feel is proper. ‘Privacy,’ as you call it, can occur in somewhat limited forms, even for liaisons.”

  I blow my nose. “Well, good. What about friends, helpers?” What about Epifanio? I feel that familiar yearning and pain that accompany my remembering the lack of his presence in my life, the loss of our future.

  Janis offers, “There is a liaison ‘chat’ area you can Access. We can show you the methods.”

  “Also,” Diana continues, “many liaisons who wish to be partnered become so or continue to be so. This is not impossible.”

  “Much more important, though,” Led refocuses, “is increasing your capacity to continue in this role, on your own, independently. Are you willing to become more able?”

  Independently? With all of you, and all of my protective OverSeers, you mean? Maybe I’ll do a Patty Hearst and fall in love with one of my OS guards…Oy!

  I take a deep breath and check in throughout my consciousness, all the way through to and within non-dual rigpa and back through to ordinary dual awareness. Back and forth, swishing around, looking for flaws, gaps, holes.

  Just the usual heartache, deep inside. Manageable.

  “I think I’m all right. Let’s continue.”

  I feel myself being scanned, then Led responds, “Yes. Fine. We proceed.”

  “Thank you,” I tell them. “I needed that. The 'tears and fears' session, I mean.”

  “And do, again,” Diana says. “Remember: you have to be healthy inside and out, as much as possible. This is very difficult and challenging work! No one else here does what you do.”

  Janis tells me and the rest seem to agree, “We help.”

  “Good,” I say, gratefully, “I need all the help I can get!”