Felicity Finds Family
1/ Live for the Journey

From Erin's One April Morning Challenge and
Goddess of Exxor Universe

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Felicity, who lost her home, family and universe, find a new home and a new family?

"Escape!"

The only word left from my mind as my sentience reduced to an existence of pure energy. I had no senses so even if I had been propelled to reach out into the void beyond the planetary system, beyond the galaxy, beyond the universe, I would not have known. My existence was fading as entropy as salted my energy causing it to deplete more and more. In the darkness all my memories had been lost and soon life itself may come to an end. That is unless I came across something outside the laws of this universe.

As a being of pure energy, I could only describe the sensation as I had rebooted. My energy and reserves had returned to normal, and I could again sense my environment. I immediately worshiped her. I was in the presence of a Goddess.

You may speak and ask me questions, my new daughter. What is your name?

Goddess, I do not have a name. I have no memories at all. Please forgive me. Why did you call me your daughter?

"Daughter, I know not which universe you are from, but you manipulate space time and dimensions as I do which I call folding. You have other talents, but they are derived from that one. I can tell that you have been through a cataclysm in which you saved your planet and your friends. The experience was so terrible your mind hid it from you. It would be best for you to start over since there is no way for even I to return you to your universe. For a new name I can offer you one of mine. From henceforth you shall be called Felicity Archer. It's a bit early for you to manipulate your energy back into matter so I'll do that for you. I'll give you a worthy body complete with all the things one needs to live well on Earth."

Before the Goddess allowed me to peer outward to the new world outside this temple chamber which had appeared around us at the same time that the Goddess made me Human. The young woman’s face that was revealed in my reflection no longer had any connection to what I had left behind. I hoped the Goddess was right and that my part in saving the world was nor in vein. I had very literally become reborn. I wept uncontrollably with huge sobs catching my breathing as I began to come to terms with losing my universe and all of my past. A glimmer of hope dawned as I remembered something I read once.

“You are a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come."

As I considered that this new body of mine had not a stitch of clothing on it, I found myself imagining me clothed in a way that would best show off my new body. A flash of light and the image in the mirror changed and the Goddess had left to let me ponder my new condition.

I gasp as I saw myself reflected wearing a killer LBD and heels looking even more amazing than I could have ever imagined. I had a purse on my shoulder and a full set of luggage beside me.

“The Goddess has a most bountiful provision, indeed."

I had the identity of a Goddess. I hoped that I would make her proud of me. She called me her daughter. What does that even mean? I'm me and I know that the Goddess gave me the local knowledge and education that was applicable to life here in this universe. I still had no past but I had everything else so I could have a future.

“The best gift that I can give all who have loved me is to live well and love always. Somewhere out there is a new family for me. All I have to do is find them.”

I looked in my purse and found ID with my present picture which proclaimed me to be “Felicity Dawn Archer.” In the wallet I found cash and cards with my new name on them. In the suitcases, I had enough clothes and necessities to sustain me on a month-long trip.

I emerged from the space fold to Earth to find that it was still the vernal equinox. I looked a bit overdressed in the Atlanta Greyhound bus station. In the ticket line my feelings directed me further west so I purchased a ticket to Dallas. After that I checked my suitcases and I changed into the traveling outfit that I found in my carry on. Like the person in the poem, I had ‘promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.’

From that first destination, I made a 2 week trip across the United States by bus. I met many people and explored many towns. None of them spoke to me that they were home. After that first trip west, I found that I generally went north-west. Ordinarily, I would have used the experience to make new friends along the way. However I kept mostly to myself. While the outer me was completely new, the inner me was undergoing the grieving process. I had gone through an identity Death but I myself had been rescued by the Goddess. It took some time to work through all of the phases of grief. I was too focused on myself to let anyone else in even as a friend.

The last ticket I purchased was to Seattle, Washington. I finally felt at peace with what had occurred and found myself more willing to let others in. Unfortunately, the rest of the passengers who had been on the bus with me were used to giving me my space. While I was caught up with the turmoil in my life, having an empty seat beside me meant being able to stretch out and be comfortable. However now, I yearned for someone else to occupy the seat beside me for some human contact and someone with whom to have a chat. As I bid farewell to March the bus entered rural Washington State. While the calling I felt had not yet settled on a place, it promised that soon I would arrive.

Traveling by bus overnight was not the most comfortable way to sleep, but I had done so several times along my journey. As I woke, I looked out the window to see a large Craftsman Style Mansion with sign out front declaring this to be the April Morning Hotel and Bed and Breakfast, One April Morning. I was surprised at the feeling of ecstasy that overwhelmed me and shouted. THIS IS HOME. I was transfixed by the sight of it and that feeling of ecstasy was torn from my being as we turned around a corner and out of sight of it. The only thing that consoled me is that we were approaching a sign which contained the familiar Greyhound Logo. The Driver announced that we were approaching the bus station and we had a three hour layover here where we would change buses to the one that would bring us the next part of the trip into Seattle.

I was relieved when we since the further that we had traveled from April Morning, the more distress that I had felt. It was as if when I woke on the street in front of April Morning, that I had become somehow linked with it as my home. Home is such an emotional association and now all of that emotion was vested in April Morning. I was promised a home and this one was presented to me for my approval. It was one April morning that a place called to me and I discovered to my delight that it felt like home. It was ironic that the address was in fact One April Morning as well. Now it was up to me to decide if I would accept this gift of my one ideal home or settle for something else not quite up to this high standard.

As I left the bus with the other passengers, I went to the ticket window and exchanged my ticket for one which would leave the next day. I had them take my luggage off of the Bus and place it in the storage space I rented. I wasn't yet totally committed to making this my final destination but I had a day at least to consider if that was to be my new home instead of just 3 hours. With the details taken care of, I got directions to the town's small welcome center which had obviously had been the town's railway station which had been repurposed.

I enjoyed stretching my legs as I walked to the Welcome Center which was in sight and the signage adequate for a newcomer like myself to not get lost along the way. As I walked, I mused whether this would be the end of my journey. Could it be that my travels searching for where I belonged was just a detour and that my real journey could only start from home? First I had to find out if this would be home. I was not disappointed when the kind elderly lady that I spoke to gave me a brochure with a town map, The event calendar, Zvezda College in the next town over (with its world renowned Math department) and for the April Morning Bed and Breakfast. She marked where we were and drew a line on the map directing me to April morning

There was a comfortable seating group focused on the former Railway Station's fireplace. I smoothed my skirt underneath me as I took a seat on the couch. I looked at the other brochures but the one which was for April Morning drew me in with an feeling of electricity flowing from the brochure to my fingers. The description of the mansion and its surrounding grounds from the brochure I had picked up from the town's Welcome Center seemed inviting:

"The street sign pointed only one way, the little lane met the larger street but did not continue on the other side. A large Craftsman-style home occupied one corner, converted years ago into a sort of rooming-house-cum-residence-hotel-cum-bed-and-breakfast. A big squarish building with gables and porches, the one-time mansion bore its demotion to commercial property with the dignity of a bankrupt financier operating a hot dog wagon.

I felt that it was interesting to me that the excerpt from the brochure which elsewhere sang the praises of the landmark, in this one passage conveyed the same feeling of specialness that had attracted me in the first place. I also from the brochure found that Mrs. Dumfries was the proprietor of the April Morning Hotel and Bed and Breakfast. It was also pointed out that contrary to the Bed and Breakfast rooms which were booked in the normal way, I would need to meet with Mrs. Dumfries herself in person to stay in one of the more enhanced rooms. It was more like the process one would expect from an apartment complex rather than a hotel.

I called the number in the brochure and Mrs. Dumfries answered on the first ring. She told me that she was free at the moment and could see me about a room as soon as I could arrive. I got up from the couch and went over and thanked the lady for her help.

I started to follow the route she had marked out towards One April Morning. As I turned the curve which had so disappointed me before when the Hotel had vanished from my sight, A feeling of anticipation began to build as I focused my attention on my destination. As I drew closer to April Morning, my feelings elevated towards the extreme ecstasy that I felt as I had my surprise glimpse of April Morning as I woke this morning.

It took quite a bit longer walking that it would have to simply materialize in her office. I had not actively invoked my powers since my wondering across country began. In my wanderings I had cherished walking with the breeze catching my hair. April in rural Washington State was much preferred by me than spending my Days enclosed in some meeting room looking longingly at the cherry blossoms outside in Washington DC being debriefed for the millionth time by some public servant.

The feeling of pure joy that I had felt on first waking and seeing this doorstep was multiplied as I actually stood at the entrance. Mrs. Dumfries met me at the door and directed me back to a private room. It looked and felt more like a tea room than an office but that suited me fine and I felt at ease in her presence.

"Felicity, Welcome to April Morning. I'm very happy to meet you." She extended her hand in greeting which I took and shook and she motioned to a chair for me to be seated as she sat next to me at the table.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Dumfries. I am so glad that you were able to see me at such short notice. Thank you for allowing me to skip some of the preliminary steps to get to this point in my seeking to live here."

"Why is that exactly that you wish to live here, dear?"

She paused for a moment and continued, "You admit to just arriving in our town."

"It feels like home to me, Mrs. Dumfries and I never thought that I'd ever feel that again when..."

".. When you lost your last home in a cataclysm?"

"Yes! Do you know me? "

"I don't know you, dear, but I know of you. You do not need to fear that your secret will be revealed. You do not need to fear that this home will be taken from you. April Morning has a way of defending itself and caring for its own. You may cast out your fear and begin your new life here."

I buried my face in her shoulder as I began to weep earnestly as I remembered. As I finished she held a tissue for me to take to dry my eyes. The fear that I didn't realize that I had held onto with my wanderings had been lifted from me. Somehow I knew that April Morning could deliver everything she promised.

"Thank you so much Mrs. Dumfries. The fear is gone at last, now that I am home."

"Let me show you the rooms and we'll see which one speaks to you. Then you can enjoy all the comforts that this being your home can provide. The old has gone and the new has come."

I took that as a good omen that she spoke the same words that I had recalled, when I first saw my new face. I followed her on the tour of rooms that she conducted. Just as she said, one of the rooms spoke to me. The window seat looked out on the garden and I sat there looking out.

"Felicity, it looks like you found your room or rather the room found you. Come by this afternoon and we'll take care of the details but this room is yours now."

I smiled at Mrs. Dumfries as I realized a few things. I knew that my journey would continue in some form for myself and for others. The promise I made to myself that I would find a home was fulfilled. My faith was strengthened that I would find the family that I had promised myself as well. I would also fulfill my promise to live well and love always.

"Thank you, Mrs. Dumfries. I truly have come home."