Chapter 15.
Dahlia slowly exhaled as she looked around the room,
Mentally checking off all the items she knew she had packed in suitcases and boxes.
There was nothing left in here to show that she had occupied the space,
Except for the peacefulness that she could still feel in her heart.
She felt like she had lived ten lifetimes in the less than two years she had been here,
And today,
She was saying goodbye.
Adjusting the strap of her carry-on bag on her shoulder,
She turned in the doorway and immediately met Laura's eyes from across the room,
Already filling up with tears.
Dahlia could feel a matching emotion of sadness moving through her body.
She walked the few steps across the room and put her bag down on the floor,
Reaching out her arms as Laura stood up.
Come here,
You,
She said,
With another big exhale.
As they hugged,
The tears started to flow.
You know this is not goodbye,
Dahlia said.
I know,
But it feels like it,
Laura replied.
It's not going to be the same,
And I'm going to miss you so much,
More than I even think I understand right now.
We have done everything together since we moved here,
And now you're going to be so far away.
Australia feels like worlds apart.
Dahlia smiled and said no,
It's only six hours by air,
So we have no excuse to not be visiting each other.
Plus,
You know I'm going to miss eating your homemade breakfast here at the counter,
So I will be back,
Often.
They both smiled and leaned in for another long hug.
Okay,
Dahlia said,
My Uber is waiting,
And I need to head out.
A quiet moment opened up between them.
Thank you,
Dahlia said,
You have been my rock.
You have held steady as I worked through so many fears.
You have encouraged me,
Listened to me,
Pushed me,
And loved me in a way that I have never experienced before.
You are forever in my heart,
Laura,
And I know you know that.
So,
We just say goodbye for now,
Okay?
Laura nodded,
Knowing there was nothing more to be said.
They had been up late almost every night for the past week,
Trying to squeeze in more of the stories,
Advice,
Wisdom,
And laughter that had built their friendship.
I will be tracking you on my phone,
Laura said,
But you can still send me photos as you go.
I can't wait to see Australia through your eyes.
Dahlia swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded.
I love you.
I love you too.
And with a quick squeeze of their hands,
Dahlia leaned down to pick up her carry-on.
Her suitcase was already in the car,
And her boxes had shipped out the week before.
So she simply climbed in with her carry-on,
Closed the door,
And turned to smile and wave through the window at Laura,
Knowing this would be one of the snapshots she would always carry in her heart.
Laura,
With a silly grin trying to cover up her tears,
Framed in the entrance to the little villa they had called home together what magic had happened in that 700-square-foot space.
Smiling and waving as the driver started to move the car out towards the main road,
Dahlia finally leaned her head back against the seat,
Closed her eyes,
And let the emotions and tears flow.
Am I ready,
She thought.
Really,
Truly,
Can I do this?
This was a leap of faith that her heart was jumping up and down with excitement about,
Even while her head was spinning with doubt and fear.
Are you sure,
Her mind asked.
You barely know this man.
And yet,
I know him,
Her heart replied.
I know him.
She could feel the truth echoing through her soul.
Picturing Enro's face as she had been seeing him on FaceTime for the past six weeks,
Hearing his voice speaking in her ears,
Almost as if he was sitting next to her in the car,
She repeated the mantra they had agreed to begin practicing together.
I am here with divine purpose.
We are here to catalyze change.
Side by side,
We change the world.
With each word,
She could feel her nervous system calming,
Her muscles unwinding,
The thoughts of doubt quieting.
Repeating the mantra again,
Silently,
Dahlia slowly exhaled.
This was how she spent the 20 minutes it took to reach the airport.
Easily finding her way from the car to the gate,
Checking her suitcase along the way,
Dahlia sat down to wait with the other passengers in plenty of time.
AirPods in and fully charged,
She turned on the playlist that she and Enro had been creating together,
Feeling the energy moving through her body and aligning her energetically with Enro,
She sent him a quick snap to let him know her status.
His immediate response,
Showing all of his joy in that beautiful smile she had already fallen in love with,
Dahlia could feel her heart jump just as it did every time she saw him after a short break.
On my way,
See you in eight hours,
She typed.
I am waiting for you,
He replied.
Looking out the window,
Dahlia allowed her mind to wander through the images she had been receiving ever since Enro walked into the restaurant two months ago.
Mostly happening early in the morning as she was in between sleep and waking,
The images were clear,
Vivid,
Full color.
They felt as real as what she saw when she did open her eyes in the morning and the clarity did not fade as she moved through her day.
They were almost like technicolor Polaroids,
But of the future.
It made no sense logically and yet Dahlia knew they were guideposts from her future self,
Her higher self,
The all-present soul that had chosen this human experience she was living.
The images thrilled her because Enro was in every one of them and yet there was so much she did not understand that she was seeing.
Meditation,
Yoga,
Breathwork,
None of her regular practices offered any further clarity when she asked for more information about what she was seeing.
Wait,
All will be revealed in time was the same consistent response.
And then another image would arrive that she didn't fully understand.
It was like a giant puzzle that she was creating but with no comprehensive picture like you would find on the outside of the box to guide where the puzzle pieces needed to be placed.
Just lots of puzzle pieces,
Images,
Sensations.
Being with Enro physically by his side was the only consistent next step that had felt aligned.
Oh,
Here she was,
About to leave Bali and fly to Brisbane to begin the next phase of her adventure side by side with Enro.
Hearing an airline agent's voice announce boarding for her flight,
Dahlia exhaled slowly one more time allowing all fear,
All resistance,
All doubt to flow with the outbreath leaving her body.
Consciously planting her feet firmly on the floor,
Dahlia inhaled and stood up in one smooth movement claiming the power and confidence of the wise woman she knew herself to be.
Stepping across the threshold into a future that had never looked more exciting and radiant.
Picking up her bag and smiling,
Dahlia made her way over to board the flight to Brisbane.
