Matt was already on his way out of the country, in his private jet. Well, the company's private jet to be exact, from Dubai. He was going to sign a million-dollar deal and in exchange, he was going to move to Dubai all-together. He would only be allowed to visit his office once every three months to make sure everything is going as planned. After all, his company was still the main source of money laundering. As for Alex, he knew she would understand, especially once she sees the surprise that will arrive at her door later in the day.
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Alex had already switched to her Mandala when her father found her. She was reading the newspaper. Yes, it was very unlike Alex to be reading the newspaper, but it was only because it wasn't her and it was her Mandala. Alex really hoped she wouldn't be forced to go back to her body, not just yet. She decided to give it a shot--to go switch with her Mandala after she had seen the new voice message from Matt. She was surprised, because she had been monitoring her phone all this time. In the voicemail, Matt had explained that he had to take an emergency trip to Mali, to the Children's Home where he had invested a year ago to build a school for the kids there. He explained that one of the kids was seriously ill and was in need of a blood transfusion and if he didn't go to take care of the problem, the kid may die by the end of the day.
Alex had also invested in that school. In fact, last year, she paid $20,000 to fund the resources, and to make sure that they also had proficient English teachers, because hey, if they didn't learn English, what was the point of all this? It was a pretty big sum, but Alex had a soft spot when it came to helping kids. So when she heard Matt's voicemail, she didn't have the will to argue. But she also knew how her parents would react to this whole situation, and to Matt suddenly not showing up. So without even thinking twice about it, she had switched to her Mandala. She really hoped they wouldn't recognize it this time. The last time she had been in her presence with her Mandala was 5 years ago. That was the last time she had seen her sister, too.
It was a particularly cold day in the dead of winter, in Glendale, MO where Alex was visiting her family for the holidays. Maddy was there with her husband at the time, Fred. Her parents, Maddy, and Fred were trying their best to fix her up with Fred's friend, Blaine. Alex was particularly drunk, because her parents had a rule against Mandalas in their household: they were not allowed. In fact, her parents had no idea that Alex had recently undergone the surgery to have the Mandala. She had only moved to LA the year before and she was living independently by herself and for herself. She wasn't planning on sharing this news with them.
"You know Blaine, Alex has recently gotten into Hollywood so she can definitely help you enter the entertainment business." Alex's mother was gushing to Blaine over the dinner table.
Blaine looked at Alex, hopefully. He really did look very hot. That was probably why her mother was all over him. On the other side of the living room, her dad was engaged in an intense conversation with Fred, about the political situation regarding Mandalas in high schools. He was completely oblivious to her wife flirting away with a man half her age.
"Mom. Can you please not give the wrong impression to Blaine? I'm not the director or anything. I just work as a video editor in a team of editors." Alex fumed.
Blaine was studying to be an actor. He had already taken all the classes at this point but he was auditioning left and right to get parts. It was rather weird that Alex's parents were so intent on fixing him up with her, since he didn't even have a "real" job. If anything, they didn't even consider her profession legitimate and now, Blaine, the wannabe actor, was suddenly good enough? Something was not right.
Alex rolled her eyes and walked away from her mom and Blaine, giving the excuse that she wanted to help out her sister in the kitchen. She went to the kitchen, only to be faced with her sister crying.
Alex walked up to her and put her arms around her, concerned. "Hey...what's wrong? You okay sis? Maddy...do you want me to call Fred?" Maddy was too proud to accept any sympathy, ever. She pushed Alex's hand away quickly. "I'm fine. I'm just getting emotional." Alex, hurt, said slowly, "but why? What's wrong?" Maddy still didn't give in and started to stir the sauce on the stove and checked on the turkey in the oven, ignoring Alex at this point.
At that point, Alex decided not to push it anymore and went to the fridge to get another beer. Maddy, seeing the beer in her hand, snatched it away from her.
"What the?" Alex exclaimed when Maddy took the beer away and put it back in the fridge.
"What are you doing weirdo?"
Maddy, ignoring Alex, went back to checking the food.
Alex wasn't one to fight with her sister but she wasn't the same person. For god's sake, she lives on her own and is independent, she doesn't need her older sister to bitchingly "take care of her." With that, Alex went back to the fridge to take the beer. This time, it was her father, Maximus, who took away the beer bottle from her. Instead of saying anything, Alex just walked away from her father and Maddy, onto the bathroom. She tried really hard not to cry. But then, going back to her own ways, she went right on crying. She turned on the faucet to not let anyone hear her. After a few minutes, she looked at her tear-stricken eyes in the mirror, and she decided. She had purchased a Mandala, for exactly these circumstances. With that, she called out to her Mandala:
Mandala, I need you to take over for me. I know myself. I can't stop crying and it's not even going to end with these tears because I know I will just make a scene in there so you need to go back in there and pretend like all of that exchange just didn't bother me at all. Be the nice young lady, visiting her parents for the holidays, as if nothing can get through me. As for Blaine, make sure you impress him so that he can fall in love with me but just when he wants to kiss me or make a move on me, that is when you will reject him and show to your parents that he is just not good enough for us.
With that, Alex closed her eyes and this time when she opened her eyes, it was her Mandala looking back at her. Alex took a deep breath, washed her face and opened the bathroom door.
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I'm very excited with how this story is progressing! I think I'm very strong when it comes to writing about family relationships--go figure! In any case, I have another day to write a full hour before I edit my work a bit and "check" to see how many pages I actually have and share with my MasterMind group and who knows--maybe I'll actually finish this story by tomorrow!
------
Alex had already switched to her Mandala when her father found her. She was reading the newspaper. Yes, it was very unlike Alex to be reading the newspaper, but it was only because it wasn't her and it was her Mandala. Alex really hoped she wouldn't be forced to go back to her body, not just yet. She decided to give it a shot--to go switch with her Mandala after she had seen the new voice message from Matt. She was surprised, because she had been monitoring her phone all this time. In the voicemail, Matt had explained that he had to take an emergency trip to Mali, to the Children's Home where he had invested a year ago to build a school for the kids there. He explained that one of the kids was seriously ill and was in need of a blood transfusion and if he didn't go to take care of the problem, the kid may die by the end of the day.
Alex had also invested in that school. In fact, last year, she paid $20,000 to fund the resources, and to make sure that they also had proficient English teachers, because hey, if they didn't learn English, what was the point of all this? It was a pretty big sum, but Alex had a soft spot when it came to helping kids. So when she heard Matt's voicemail, she didn't have the will to argue. But she also knew how her parents would react to this whole situation, and to Matt suddenly not showing up. So without even thinking twice about it, she had switched to her Mandala. She really hoped they wouldn't recognize it this time. The last time she had been in her presence with her Mandala was 5 years ago. That was the last time she had seen her sister, too.
It was a particularly cold day in the dead of winter, in Glendale, MO where Alex was visiting her family for the holidays. Maddy was there with her husband at the time, Fred. Her parents, Maddy, and Fred were trying their best to fix her up with Fred's friend, Blaine. Alex was particularly drunk, because her parents had a rule against Mandalas in their household: they were not allowed. In fact, her parents had no idea that Alex had recently undergone the surgery to have the Mandala. She had only moved to LA the year before and she was living independently by herself and for herself. She wasn't planning on sharing this news with them.
"You know Blaine, Alex has recently gotten into Hollywood so she can definitely help you enter the entertainment business." Alex's mother was gushing to Blaine over the dinner table.
Blaine looked at Alex, hopefully. He really did look very hot. That was probably why her mother was all over him. On the other side of the living room, her dad was engaged in an intense conversation with Fred, about the political situation regarding Mandalas in high schools. He was completely oblivious to her wife flirting away with a man half her age.
"Mom. Can you please not give the wrong impression to Blaine? I'm not the director or anything. I just work as a video editor in a team of editors." Alex fumed.
Blaine was studying to be an actor. He had already taken all the classes at this point but he was auditioning left and right to get parts. It was rather weird that Alex's parents were so intent on fixing him up with her, since he didn't even have a "real" job. If anything, they didn't even consider her profession legitimate and now, Blaine, the wannabe actor, was suddenly good enough? Something was not right.
Alex rolled her eyes and walked away from her mom and Blaine, giving the excuse that she wanted to help out her sister in the kitchen. She went to the kitchen, only to be faced with her sister crying.
Alex walked up to her and put her arms around her, concerned. "Hey...what's wrong? You okay sis? Maddy...do you want me to call Fred?" Maddy was too proud to accept any sympathy, ever. She pushed Alex's hand away quickly. "I'm fine. I'm just getting emotional." Alex, hurt, said slowly, "but why? What's wrong?" Maddy still didn't give in and started to stir the sauce on the stove and checked on the turkey in the oven, ignoring Alex at this point.
At that point, Alex decided not to push it anymore and went to the fridge to get another beer. Maddy, seeing the beer in her hand, snatched it away from her.
"What the?" Alex exclaimed when Maddy took the beer away and put it back in the fridge.
"What are you doing weirdo?"
Maddy, ignoring Alex, went back to checking the food.
Alex wasn't one to fight with her sister but she wasn't the same person. For god's sake, she lives on her own and is independent, she doesn't need her older sister to bitchingly "take care of her." With that, Alex went back to the fridge to take the beer. This time, it was her father, Maximus, who took away the beer bottle from her. Instead of saying anything, Alex just walked away from her father and Maddy, onto the bathroom. She tried really hard not to cry. But then, going back to her own ways, she went right on crying. She turned on the faucet to not let anyone hear her. After a few minutes, she looked at her tear-stricken eyes in the mirror, and she decided. She had purchased a Mandala, for exactly these circumstances. With that, she called out to her Mandala:
Mandala, I need you to take over for me. I know myself. I can't stop crying and it's not even going to end with these tears because I know I will just make a scene in there so you need to go back in there and pretend like all of that exchange just didn't bother me at all. Be the nice young lady, visiting her parents for the holidays, as if nothing can get through me. As for Blaine, make sure you impress him so that he can fall in love with me but just when he wants to kiss me or make a move on me, that is when you will reject him and show to your parents that he is just not good enough for us.
With that, Alex closed her eyes and this time when she opened her eyes, it was her Mandala looking back at her. Alex took a deep breath, washed her face and opened the bathroom door.
--------
I'm very excited with how this story is progressing! I think I'm very strong when it comes to writing about family relationships--go figure! In any case, I have another day to write a full hour before I edit my work a bit and "check" to see how many pages I actually have and share with my MasterMind group and who knows--maybe I'll actually finish this story by tomorrow!
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