Simply Being Belle (11 page)

“Why don’t you try
just ‘being’?” Lacey said.

“What?” Belle
asked, perplexed.

“Didn’t you tell
me Millicent suggested you simply ‘be.’  You know, sit and relax, thinking of
nothing, in hopes of refreshing and renewing your psyche.”

Belle sighed. 
“Who knew my psyche needed refreshing?” she murmured. 

“Oh, yours does,
definitely,” Lacey said with conviction.  “If anyone needs downtime, it’s you,
my friend.  Your psyche most definitely needs attention.”

“Why do you say
that?” Belle asked.  Was she the only one who thought she didn’t need time off?

“Come on, Belle, you
know you work too hard.”

“Lacey, I don’t,” she
insisted.

“Well, you are
definitely the Queen of Denial, my friend.  Hey, gotta go.  Lunch time is
over.  Call you later?”

“Sure.”  She
returned the phone to the hook.  So much for canning as a hobby, she decided. 
She glanced around the kitchen.  No other ideas for a hobby here, she mused.

She walked into
her living room, glancing around uncertainly.  And then she remembered.  Hadn’t
Millicent suggested she read a book?  A smile spread across her face as she
hurried to retrieve one from the bookshelf.

She found one, and
then settled onto her sofa.  She tucked a throw blanket around her, more for
ambience than warmth, since it was warm outside.   She began reading.

She read for
hours, and had to admit, found the experience pleasurable.  Of course, hadn’t
she always enjoyed reading her law books?  As she closed the massive, leather
bound edition, she smiled with contentment.  Millicent had been right.  What
better way to wile away an afternoon than with a good book?

When the phone
rang, she nearly jumped out of her skin.  She snatched up the phone beside her,
surprised to hear Millicent on the phone.  “How’s it going?” she asked.  “Are
you enjoying your time off?”

“I’m doing great!”
Belle said enthusiastically.  “I took your advice and I’ve been reading all
afternoon.”

“Oooh,” Millicent
crooned, “tell me.  Are you reading a steamy romance novel, or maybe something
scary?  Or, or, maybe a mystery, or an inspirational novel?”

“I’m reviewing my
law books,” she said cheerfully.

“Belle!” Millicent
cried, “That is
not
what I meant when I told you to read a book.  I
meant, read for pleasure!”

“But my law books
do give me pleasure.”

Millicent let out
a long suffering sigh at the end of the line.  “Belle, I’m worried about you,”
she said seriously.  “But hey, I need to talk to you about something.  Dare
came to me today and asked if I’d allow him to consult with you on the
Rodriguez case.  As much as I hate to disturb you during your much needed
vacation—
much
needed
,” she repeated for emphasis, “Dare had
mentioned he could use your expertise.  I told him I want you disturbed only
when absolutely necessary.  Are you okay with this arrangement?”

  Suddenly, she
wasn’t so sure.  As much as she wanted to be back to work, even in the consulting
capacity Millicent described, it felt to her as if her supervisor thought she
was a few bricks short of a load.  It was rather demeaning. 

“Well?” Millicent
prompted.

“Uh, sure.  He can
call anytime,” she said without enthusiasm.

“Okay, then.  You
find a hobby.  Understood?”           

Millicent didn’t
wait for a response and hung up the phone.  Belle glanced at her watch.  It was
nearing six, and while she toyed with the idea of cooking something for dinner,
she decided to wait. 

She grabbed a diet
soda and headed into her backyard.  She found her dogs sprawled out beneath the
apple tree.  The kitten was curled up between Tri’s massive paws.  “Well, here
are three beings who know how to ‘be,’” she observed as she smiled down at
them.  “Must be nice,” she mused.

Suddenly, she had
an idea.  Why not try her hand at simply being?  Just the thought made her
chuckle.  Wasn’t everybody fairly adept at being, since human beings, by their
very name and nature, couldn’t help but be?  

She jogged to her
porch and retrieved a lawn chair.  She placed it nearby the dogs.  She cast a
furtive glance around the lawn, searching for neighbors beyond the fence line,
and satisfied she was alone, sat down in the chair.  The dogs rose up to watch
her.  “Go to sleep,” she told them.  “I’m going to simply be.  Okay, here
goes.”

She closed her
eyes, pressing her lids tightly together in an attempt to block out the light. 
She also struggled to block out the sounds around her, to no avail.  Her eyes
fluttered open in frustration.  “Okay,” she said calmly to the curious dogs. “This
isn’t working.  I’m going to try again.”

This time, she sat
back in the chair, closed her eyes, and focused on simply being.  She felt as
if she was getting somewhere, but unfortunately, Tri laid his massive head in
her lap and emitted a shrill whine. 

“Tri,” she
groaned.  “I almost had it.”

He thumped his
tail in response, but Belle pushed him away.  “I’m going to try it again. 
Please don’t bother me.  Sit!”

She closed her
eyes again, this time concentrating on the noises of nature all around her.  She
found herself beginning to be transfixed by the soft sounds.  She felt herself
drifting, at least she thought she did, but acknowledged it might be wishful
thinking on her part, when suddenly, she felt a weight pressing on her knees. 
Startled, her eyes fluttered open.

“Cy!” she cried. 
The dog, who had always aspired to be a lap dog, had backed up and lifted his
bony rump onto her lap.  “That’s it!” Belle groaned in exasperation.  “To your
rooms, all of you!”

The dogs slinked
slowly to their respective dog houses, their hangdog expressions registering
not one iota with a flustered Belle, nor did the suddenly playful kitten who
batted at her feet.  She scooped her up and deposited her on the porch with the
dogs.  She needed to get this being thing over and done with. 

She closed the
screen door behind the animals and returned to the lawn chair.  She sat down
and took a deep, cleansing breath.  After easing herself into a comfortable
position, she held her hands out in front of her, palms facing outward as if
gently pushing against the air.  “Okay, one more time,” she said.

She closed her
eyes, pressed them tightly shut, and inhaled deeply, smelling the lovely scent
of flowers mingled with berries from Mr. Hennessey’s backyard.  She listened to
the sound of a bird calling to its friend, though she couldn’t identify the bird. 
She drifted, finding herself truly relaxing.  She was so relaxed, she didn’t
hear Steven and Dare round the corner of her house and quietly approach her.

As the two men
stood before her, each caught the other’s eye.  Dare shook his head slightly
and Steven shrugged, as if to say, “Who the heck knows what she’s doing now?”

When the dogs
spied the two men, they danced around excitedly, but curiously, didn’t bark. 
Dare shot them an amused glance, before turning back to study Belle’s serene
face.  She was lovely, her features relaxed in quiet repose.  Her thick lashes
fanned out over her high cheek bones.  Her full lips, slightly pursed, seemed
to beg for a kiss.  He was reminded of Sleeping Beauty and decided the fairy
tale character didn’t have anything on Belle. 

Steven pulled Dare
from his musings when he nudged him hard in the side with an elbow.  “What
should we do?”

He shrugged
again.  “Who knows?”  He noticed slight eye movement behind her lids.  “She’s
either in REM sleep or is having a seizure.”

“Should we call
911?” Steven said too loudly, and Belle’s eyelids fluttered open.

She watched the
two men in surprise, wondering when they had arrived, and why she hadn’t heard
them approach.  Perhaps she had mastered “simply being.” 

Apparently the
dogs had also mastered simply being, since they hadn’t barked as they usually
would when anyone stepped onto the property.  Doggone dogs.

“What the heck
were you just doing, Belle?” Steven demanded, raking a hand through his hair.

“I was attempting
to ‘simply be,’” she offered by way of explanation for her near comatose state
moments before.  Dare stood nearby, smiling at the quarreling twosome.

“Be
what
?”
Steven demanded.  

“Who knows?” Belle
said shrilly.  “I think it’s more about the ‘be’ than the ‘what’, actually.  I
don’t know, though.  Ask Millicent.  She’s convinced I’m overworked and
overwrought.  She says I need a hobby.  I’ve spent the day trying to get one,
but I’ll tell you, it isn’t easy.  And frankly, I’m worn out from the effort of
it all.”

“Which is why you
were trying to simply be,” Dare said agreeably.  “Makes sense to me.  A hobby
is more about the doing than the being, but you were tired from doing, so you decided
to … be.”

Belle pulled back,
her face registering her confusion.  “Huh?”

He chuckled
lightly, and she watched him as if he’d lost his mind.  Steven’s angry voice
drew her attention back to him. 

“Well, you looked
ridiculous, Belle.  Dare thought you were either in REM sleep or maybe having a
seizure.  You’re fortunate we didn’t call for an ambulance.”

She shook her head
and shrugged apologetically. 

“Essentially, she
was meditating,” Dare said reasonably.  “Some say it’s very relaxing.  I’ve
tried it, but couldn’t quite zone out enough to relax.  Did you feel relaxed,
Belle?” he asked with interest.

“Until you two
showed up,” she replied in a surly voice.

“I’d say she was
relaxed,” Steven said curtly.  “She didn’t hear us approach her.  It’s a darn
good thing we aren’t a couple of weirdoes.  You were so out of it, Belle,
someone could have snatched you up and tossed you into the back of a van and no
one would have been the wiser.  In the future, I suggest you ‘be’, or
‘meditate’, or whatever you choose to call it, within the safety of your home.”

She snorted.  “I
can take care of myself, Steven.  Besides, I’m in my own backyard.”

Belle realized
Steven often assumed the role of big brother to her, and while it could be
endearing, sometimes it grated.  Like now.

“Okay,” Dare said
peaceably, “let’s call a truce.  Apparently, Belle has had a taxing day.”

“You’re not
kidding,” she muttered.  She relayed the day’s events to them, giving the
condensed version, but managing to convey her frustration at ending the day
still minus a hobby.

Dare chuckled at
her spirited recounting of the day’s events.  He also couldn’t help but laugh
when he envisioned Tri and Cy in the show dog arena.    

“What’s so funny?”
Belle demanded.

“Did you really
think Tri and Cy could be shows dogs?” he asked, smiling at the notion.

“They’re
beautiful,” she insisted.

Dare caught
Steven’s gaze.  He shrugged, shaking his head, and wearing a bewildered
expression on his face.

Steven nodded in
response and spoke in low tones.  “Dare, it’s the same principle as when a
woman has a new baby, and the kid is homely as heck, but the mother doesn’t
have a clue…,” he explained.

“Oh!” he said with
a grin.  “Got it.”

“Hey, I don’t like
what you’re suggesting,” Belle protested.  “They’re both handsome dogs.”

“Uh, huh,” Steven
said obligingly, but decided to change the subject fast.  “And you crocheted
how many granny squares this morning?”

“I don’t know.  Probably
upwards to ten or eleven.”

“Wow!” Steven
said.  “And you haven’t crocheted since you were eleven?  I’m surprised you
remembered how.”

“I suppose it’s a
lot like riding a bike…,” she mused.  “Hey!  Riding a bike.  That’s a hobby!  Right?”

“Forget it,
Belle,” Steven said.  “Remember when you took up in-line skating several years
ago.”

She winced and
absently rubbed the wrist she’d broken during her first and last attempt at the
recreational activity. 

“Back to the granny
squares,” she said with a chagrined sigh.  “Do either of you know how to
connect them to make an afghan?   What am I going to do with all those squares?”
she moaned, glancing from Steven to Dare.

“I don’t know how
to connect them,” Steven said, turning to Dare with a shrug.  “Duct tape?”   

“I don’t know
either,” Dare admitted, laughing.  “Hey, but I don’t think your canning idea is
bad,” he commented.  “I wouldn’t mind being the recipient of canned fruits and
vegetables.”

“She’d probably
poison us!” Steven cried.

“Hey, that’s what
Lacey said,” Belle griped.  “I’m certainly capable of following directions,”
she said in her own defense.  “How hard could it be?”

“Let’s not find
out,” Steven muttered.

Suddenly, Belle
watched them curiously.  “Hey, you never told me why you’re here.  We seem to
have gone off on a tangent.”

“Oh,” Dare said, “you’re
right.  I have a question for you regarding the Rodriguez case.”

She perked up,
glad for the opportunity to discuss something meaningful.  “Yes?  What?” she
asked eagerly, searching his eyes.  She barely refrained from bouncing up and
down in anticipation of the question.  She felt like a contestant on a quiz
show.

Steven glanced at
his watch and grimaced.  “We’re late.  Dare, can you ask her later?  Lacey is
waiting at the pizza parlor, and she doesn’t appreciate it when I’m late. 
Belle, we’re heading over to Papa Renaldo’s.”

“Care to join us?”
Dare asked.

“Oh, no, that’s
okay,” she said, deflated.  “It sounds like you all already had plans.”

“Well, we’d planned
to invite you, but we were distracted by your search for serenity,” Steven said
drolly.  “Come on.  I’m sure your pursuit of hobby happiness has left you
famished.”