In the previous chapter we left Cynthia alone with Jeremy on Lighthouse Island, and Jane and Penelope visited Bridgeport, where Jane had a short encounter with Alejandro.
Many thanks to the artists for their creations and a very special ‘thank you’ to Fredbrenny for ‘Alejandro’; Simsjeanie for ‘Penelope’ and Mangio for ‘Carmen’.

*****

When Cynthia woke up, she put her housecoat on and went downstairs. She didn’t see Jeremy. Most probably he still was in his room. She had a quick breakfast and after that she called home to ask how things were going. Aunt Dawn told her not to worry because everything was all-right.

Before having a shower, she went to the garden to see if it needed to be taken care off. Depending on that, she would decide what clothes to wear. To her big surprise, Jeremy was working there but he was only in his underwear.

She didn’t like that a bit. He could be a little bit more considerate of her presence! She went towards him and showed her discomfort with his ‘outfit’. Jeremy excused himself and went inside the house to get dressed.
Cynthia saw that she could lend a helping hand with the garden and with that in mind; she decided to postpone the shower for afterwards.

She put on her working-in-the-garden- gear and went back to see Jeremy working again, being properly dressed now.
They worked together in silence. That was a good thing because it relaxed the tense situation that had grown between them.

During lunch, Jeremy admitted that he had lied to her when he told her he didn’t know anything about sim-fu. He begged pardon for it.

She said: “It’s all-right, let’s forget about it… This afternoon we could measure our skills by training a bit.”  Jeremy felt relieved and told her he’d like that very much.

It became clear that Cynthia was far more skilled than Jeremy. There was not one single round she didn’t win.

Anyway, the man improved and eventually he would measure up to her.

It became their daily routine to work in the garden during the morning hours. After lunch they would do some training. Then they had a private moment for reading or writing. Now and again they sat together looking at the ocean and enjoying the breeze.

Jeremy was very impressed to have Cynthia by his side and would have liked her even closer but she always kept her distance. He thought  ‘I really DO want this woman! Why doesn’t she give me a sign that she is interested in me as well? Why did she come here anyway?’Immediately he heard the answer through the voice of Cynthia: ‘That’s because not all women throw themselves in your arms. You are being immoral trying to attract them all and thinking that you are irresistible!’
He quickly looked around but Cynthia wasn’t there. ‘How is that possible? It was clearly her voice I heard! Am I going insane?’

Cynthia noticed that something was happening to the man but she didn’t know what. She only felt that he tried to send her sensual energy and she wasn’t immune to it. So when she started noticing that energy, she used to wander off and do something else.

*****

Risto had a new friend from school. He brought her home and at first Dawn looked puzzled. She was a teenager called Carmen, more suitable to be Raph’s girlfriend, but Dawn didn’t say anything. Carmen used to come after school during some days, but always when Raph came home, she would silently disappear. She was a little bit shy.

It was by chance that Dawn found her in the play-room. She was sitting on the floor and playing with Risto’s stuff. Dawn was touched by what she saw; she was still a child in a big girl’s body. Now she understood why she always was with younger children. She thought ‘let her enjoy this moment because this as well will come to an end… as does everything in life’.

From that moment on she invited the girl to come with them.
The children were very pleased with Auntie Dawn. She took them often to the park or the beach. She would bring some old bread and together they threw it up in the air. The seagulls would redirect their flight to catch the pieces of bread while flying and screaming out loud.  It really was a great spectacle.

When Raph noticed that Carmen wasn’t really interested in ‘big-girl’s stuff’, it was easier for him to accept her and Carmen got used to Risto’s brother as well.

Of course, they missed their mother and they were always looking forward to 8 o’clock when she would call them. First she talked with her children and afterwards with Aunt Dawn.

*****

Cynthia brought more spirituality in Jeremy’s life. Each afternoon, they would sit down for meditation. When the weather was nice they sat outside and when windy, they sat on the floor next to the stove.

As a matter of fact, Cynthia was meditating because Jeremy was only trying to do so.
Cynthia noticed that Jeremy was improving, and there was more energy flowing through his body.

That certain evening, Jeremy couldn’t keep his mind on what he was supposed to do. He looked at Cynthia and thought how much he desired her. Without being aware of it, his energy became a burning energy that hit Cynthia. When it involved her, she dropped out of her concentration immediately.

She stood up and said sharply:  “You need more discipline! Anyway…, this has been enough for today. Good-night!”

She went to her room where she sat on the bed trembling all over. It had been very difficult to ignore the desire that had involved her. She said out loud: ‘This is not fair, I get confused. I want to know what I want… not what someone else wants….!’
It didn’t take long before Raphael’s voice sounded in her was in her mind.
He said: ‘My dear Cynthia, I know this must be hard for you. Fortunately you understood right away that the desire was Jeremy’s and not your own. He’s getting stronger but still has to learn to use the energy in an appropriate way. I must tell you the truth. We, the spiritual guides, use you for him to grow. We need a woman for that. This is a difficult case… both for you and for him… I will see to it you can proceed as we have intended. Jeremy hears your voice in his head; he sees you naked in his dreams and in his arms. So it’s quite normal that he wants you and for you it’s almost impossible to resist. I’ve decided to protect you from this impact of his desire. From now on you only will notice your own feelings. He will continue bombarding you with his energy until he finds out that he just has to ask you for a date or for…. just anything he wants. He should save the energy for a major purpose. If we would let him have his way with the energy, he would turn out to be a monster. Now, my darling…, I will hold and protect you. Sleep well’.

Then she felt her energy…, Raphael’s energy… running through her body, exactly as when he was alive and that pleasant feeling cuddled her softly to a dreamless sleep.

This was not the case with Jeremy. The spiritual guides used this opportunity to teach him a lesson. The man was very confused. Sitting on his bed he wondered what he had done wrong. Then he put his pajama on and tried to sleep but didn’t succeed.

He didn’t understand what was happening to him. It was a strange feeling, running through his body. It felt like whoo-hoo but different…. Why did Cynthia run away from him? Why didn’t she want anything to do with him? Why did he hear her voice, drawing his attention on events that happened in his own past that she couldn’t know about? Why did she say to him that he needed discipline…; he hadn’t even touched her!
When he looked at her, she didn’t speak but he still heard her voice. Why could he picture her without clothes…? Why could he feel her silky skin without touching her? Why did he have the idea that she was leading him to the edge of insanity? Why…, why…, why?

He had so many questions that he couldn’t sleep. Every time he thought of Cynthia he started feeling the same energy…; over and over again until he got exhausted and wanted it to stop but it didn’t. Then he thought he heard a noise. He stood up and looked out of the window. There was nothing… but he noticed that the hot feelings were gone. He started thinking of Cynthia and the feelings started again. He obliged himself to think about the repairs the lighthouse needed and he could push the erotic feelings to the background. Very late and very exhausted he fell asleep but that night he had learned something about ‘the energy that follows the thoughts’.

*****

Some days had passed and Jane had gone out with her girl friend more than once. They had a good time together but Jane couldn’t help it; she was always looking around but there was no sign of Alejandro. ‘He surely has left and gone back to his own country’. She felt relieved but she thought of him very often. Especially since that last night when he stood behind her, giving her advice on how to enjoy the music.

Whenever she heard music, at home or elsewhere, she closed her eyes and thought about what he had told her. She felt the impact of the music running over her skin and… it felt so good! Where could that man be…?

*****

Jane and Penelope had gone out the evening before, and Jane had slept at her friend’s old train. Penelope told her that she had to attend some important matters with her lawyer and she offered to drive her home first, but Jane preferred to walk home. She didn’t take the short way.

She went for a long walk and was near the Alto Mansion when she noticed a small but modern looking house. There was a man working in the garden. Coming closer she recognized him… Alejandro…!

She stopped walking and continued looking at him, knowing that he couldn’t see her because she was behind some bushes. She felt relaxed and continued observing him.
Suddenly she noticed that there was something familiar to the way he moved. As a matter of fact, she never had looked at him very much but now in this privileged position it struck her. What was so familiar about him? Quietly she came a bit closer….

Her memories brought her back to her childhood when she and her twin brother still lived with their family in a castle in the Highlands of Simscotland. Her father, Lord Valdemar had been a very important man. He was the Master of the Highlands. Unfortunately he died during a fire in the castle.

This man, Alejandro, reminded her of her father… because he moved with the same caution…, like thinking over each step and movement. Her father had been almost blind. Could this man possibly be blind as well?
She continued observing and came to the conclusion that he really was blind. Trying not to make any noise she started to approach him.

Suddenly, Alejandro stopped with what he was doing; his back stiffened and he moved his head like sensing the air. She stood there behind him. He relaxed again and then turned around and quickly took one step forwards.

She found herself being imprisoned by his hands around her waist and he said with his seductive voice “Señorita Jane, how nice of you to visit me!”

To be continued…