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“See you later.”

After I hung up the phone, I headed back to the hotel for a conference with my friends.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

KIERA

As we strode on the sidewalk, I discovered Morena was an herbalist. She showed me various shops I should visit and shook her head at the businesses I should avoid.

As we approached Full Circle Apothecary, a couple was leaving.

“Thank you for treating me to this, honey. I love you.” The woman kissed her beaming lover on the cheek.

The Opals are Forever mission seemed impossible to me. Forrest and I were just getting to know each other on a different level. He wouldn’t say the L word first. Would he? Did it matter? Most men feared that word like it had spikes around it. They’d ignore that idea for as long as possible. Male and female brains worked differently.

This mission could last a year or two before completion. Would we still be together?I didn’t have a great record with long-term relationships. A nugget of doubt surfaced. Would my relationship with Forrest end up the same way?

Stop the negativity.

I wished there were a button on my body that I could just press to delete all these negative thoughts forever. But that would make life too easy. I think God wanted all of us to learn lessons.

But we need a break now and then, don’t we?I glanced up at the sky as though someone were listening to me—maybe even laughing.

I stood and admired the beautiful apothecary from the outside. There were apartments on the top floors. Cars filled the parking lot on the side. Lovely pots of plants decorated the front door, while a sales display occupied the space near the entrance.

I opened the door for Morena.

“Thank you,” she said.

As soon as I stepped inside, my body immediately relaxed, as though an invisible shower of serenity poured down on me. A lovely scent drew me to a basket of dry lavender on a table with organic soaps. Glancing around, I absorbed the peaceful setup. I’d expected a mystic-themed display, like the stores I’d visited decorated in dark colors and filled with a mishmash of trinkets. But everything in Full Circle Apothecary was well organized, making it easy for the customer to appreciate every item.

The ambiance in the shop was like heaven on Earth, and the soft colors tones of green, teal, and aqua welcomed me in. Along with those pretty colors were brown and gray accents, presenting this shop as the most unique apothecary I’d ever encountered.

The clothes Morena wore described her sense of style and personality. This shop cemented her as a wise woman who could tap into a person’s somatic senses. I didn’t know why, but I felt so at home here. My body calmed, and my mind opened up, and the stress in me dissolved with no effort on my part.

Morena introduced me to Cara, a sales associate and herbalist with a friendly face, who was preparing for a class.

A customer approached Morena with a question.

Morena turned to me. “Take a look around, and let me know if you need any help.”

“I sure will. Don’t worry about me. Do what you need to do.”

I walked over to a section with books and small pots of live plants. Pulling out a curvy chair, I sat down on the soft cushion and flipped through a book of herbs. Pictures of live plants and their dried samples showed their transition. When I finished reviewing the plant bible, my eyes darted to another book titledFinding Your HeARTby Nadia Han. It was a journal with prompts, activities, and mesmerizing art. I had a journal when I was younger, but stopped writing as I got older. Life got in the way.

I flipped through the book, and it stopped on a page that had my heart bursting with joy. The word “Imperfect” stared at me. Next to it was another version of the same letters that read “I’m Perfect.” One word became a powerful statement. I blinked at the profound truth of it, and how the author conveyed it with simplicity by adding a heart-shaped apostrophe. She was right. All it took was one shift in perspective to change the power and meaning of the word.

I held the book to my heart, and felt the energy of the book seep into me, unlocking my emotions. What came through were raw images of my past, present, and future. I was an imperfect woman dealing with many things. I juggled abandonment issues, the blood phobia, my mom’s medical condition, and being honest with myself about my dreams and desires.

I’d suffered from trying to be perfect, but I didn’t really know what “perfect” meant. Was I chasing after it for me, or was it a validation to belong somewhere?

I flipped to the next page, smiled, and glanced up at the ceiling. Yup, God was watching me, for sure. The word “Impossible” blazed on the page, and “I’m Possible” winked at me on the next.

The Opals are Forever mission is possible.

Anything was possible with that statement. Instead of buying one copy, I’d purchase four more, one for each of my friends. They’d love it.

Filled with optimism, I got up and browsed the herb room where a class was taking place. I snapped a picture of the schedule for reference. I wouldn’t mind taking a class to create an herbal drink at home. This could help my mom too. Maybe they had online courses that I could sign up for.