MY HUSBAND’S BROTHER

SEVEN CHAKRAS

Maizah arrives at Fatima's room; she hesitantly follows Fatima as she walks inside a darker room than her bedroom.

Fatima lights her candles and places them on a small table in the middle of the room.

Fatima sits on the pillow next to the small table, and on the opposite side, there's another free pillow.

"Take a seat over there." Fatima gestures at the free pillow.

Maizah does as she is told. Her eyes can't help but wander around the room. There are purple, white, brown, black.. just a lot of different crystals.

There's also a three-headed statue in the corner of the room. "Is she going to offer me as a sacrificial lamb to that statue? Maizah asks herself as she feels her breathing quickening.

"How did she know that I was a virgin? I shouldn't have stayed a virgin; I have read about how people use virgin blood to stay young and healthy. Is that why she looks radiant? She drinks virgin blood and offers the rest to that three-headed statue."

Maizah's train of thought is interrupted by Fatima. "Would you like to do an aura cleansing?"

Um..eh. What is that? Maizah wants to ask, but she also doesn't want to sound like she's clueless and has her heart offered to underground gangs or demons.

Maizah shakes her head repeatedly, "No, thank you." She answers.

"Don't worry, it's safe. This will aid in uplifting your mood when you feel low, sharpening your focus, and maintaining an overall sense of positivity. The main idea is to eliminate negative vibrations and energies. Believe me, there are a lot of negative energies present in this house." Says Fatima, whispering the last sentence as if a monitoring spirit is listening.

Maizah, not knowing what to do, continues asking Fatima about the ritual and how she knew she needed it. Will it make her see the future or undo the past? There's even a point where she asks if Fatima is a witch, but she just laughs and shakes her head.

Maizah also asks if the ritual will help her with a divorce, which, of course, shocks Fatima to the core, but she gives the young woman a sad smile and a big NO. Even though the ritual will not help her with anything, she ends up doing it.

Fatima is lighting up a sage and using it to smudge and cleanse Maizah.

"Repeat after me." Says Fatima, glancing at Maizah.

Maizah nods her head.

Fatima starts doing her mantra, "In the name of all that is, was, and ever shall be, I declare that any low vibrational force, spirit, or energy that is not aligned with my highest good must depart from my aura, life, home, and anything related to me. I sever any negative attachments consciously or unconsciously allowed into my life and space. As you leave, I replace you with divine sparkling light, energy, peace, love, and all that is divine. I affirm this, and so it shall be it." Maizah repeats the mantra as told.

Two hours later, after smudging, bathing with essential oil, energy work, sound healing, and meditating. Maizah leaves Fatima's dark room with a new feeling she can't describe.

"Here, take this." Says Fatima, handing Maizah two unique bracelets.

"What is it?"

"It's a moonstone healing bracelet. No more bad hair days for you. Whenever you don't feel like yourself, come to me, okay."

Maizah smiles genuinely, "Okay, thank you, Auntie."

Maizah happily walks out of Fatima's room with a smile on her face as she continuously admires her new jewels. She puts one on her wrist and then keeps the other in her pocket.

She continues smiling while thinking that Fatima is not that bad, except for the monkey horned skulls, the statues, the witch incantations, the quiji board, tarot cards, rune casting, and other scary stuff she owns,, but she's not that bad.

"What were you two doing for hours in there?"

Maizah jumps a little, but she smiles at the woman before her.

"Good Evening Mrs Jackson." Maizah greets even though she's not even sure what time it is, but the closed curtains indicate that it's late, but Rebecca's freshly done makeup confuses her.

"Don't good evening me. What were you two talking about?"

Maizah's smile widens, "Seven chakras. She also has me this bracelet," she replies, showing her the bracelet on her wrist.

Rebecca rubs her temple, "Dear god, you too. Remember what to say and what not to say; remember your debt; I wouldn't hesitate to put you behind bars for fraud. Hakim was not in the right state of mind when he gave you that offer. His doctors can testify for him, but I'm not sure about you. But whatever you do and whatever you say, know that your freedom...your life depends on it. Do you understand?"She threatens, narrowing her eyes and making her voice firm, loud and clear.

Maizah gulps, tears threatening to fall from her eyes; she nods. "Yes, ma'am."

"I don't want to repeat myself to you again. Stop seeing that woman and focus on your only job." Says Rebecca.

Hearing the word job, Maizah's interest peeks up. Is Rebecca offering her a job to repay her debt? Will she be free after paying her back?

"What job, if I may ask?". Maizah asks softly, but on the inside, she's rejoicing. She's going to work that job as her life depends on i. Well, it kind of does...

"Be Amare's wife, follow him everywhere, stay by his side, wait for him by the door if he's in the bathroom, breathe in his carbon dioxide. Do you want me to continue?"

Maizah gulps, "No, ma'am." she answers.

"Good." Rebecca strides away confidently, with her head held high and shoulders squared.

"So all in one, I have to be his shadow," Maizah murmurs.

She walks away as she thinks that to cleanse negative energies, she requires more than just seven chakras and a healing bracelet. She needs a miracle, holy water, holy spirits, and probably a cross, well, definitely a cross.

"Maizah, where are you off to?" Zahrah asked, appearing from one of the maze passageways.

"I'm going to find Amare. Have you seen him?" replies Maizah.

"He came back early from work today, so he's probably finishing up in his home office. Would you like me to accompany you there?" Zahrah offers.

"No, it's okay. I know where it is," says Maizah.

"Okay, no problem. Is there anything you might want me to help you with?" Zahrah asks.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks," Maizah replies

"Okay, see you around," Zahrah says, walking in the opposite direction.

"Wait... Zahrah. I need your help with something," Maizah calls out.

"Okay, how can I be of assistance?" Zahrah asked as she followed Maizah to her suite.

Five minutes later, they enter the bedroom, and Maizah closes the door behind her.

Zahrah is a little confused about what her young employer may need assistance with. It's not like she can ask about something only married couples do in the dark, or can she?

Well, Zahrah has both knowledge and experience about that, but the only thing that confuses her is that Maizah has been married for more than a month now; how can she be asking about something like that now?

"Zahrah, don't think about stuff like that; just because you slept with your boyfriend the first day you saw him doesn't mean everyone is like you," Zahrah scolds herself mentally as she wait for Maizah to speak.

"Please remember that the questions I am asking you are confidential and should not be shared with anyone else. I beg you, Zahrah," Maizah pleads.

"I understand; I won't say a word to anyone. Even if I did, they would fire me. Mrs. Jackson would sue me and leave me dry if she could hear me whispering about anyone in this household. And I need this job," Zahrah assures.

"Oh, okay. I wanted to ask about someone who used to live in this house, but I promise you that I won't tell anyone that you told me anything about them," Maizah explains.

"I like you. So don't worry, I will tell you about the person you want to know about, as long as you don't mention my name," Zahrah responds.

"I would never in a million years," Maizah promises.

"Okay, I believe you," Zahrah replies.

"Do you know Hakim, right?" Maizah asks, and Zahrah freezes both mentally and physically. She did not see that name coming.

"Zahrah." Maizah calls out.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't think you would know him since he died before you came to live here."

"So you do know him."

"Yes, I do. I have known for almost three years."

"That's great. Do you know how he died?"

Zahrah widens her eyes. "Yes, I do."

"Did he have any illnesses?"

"Yes... How did you know about that? No one talks about that in this house; Mrs Jackson forbade anyone from talking about that." Zahrah answers, whispering.

Maizah heard that from the lion's mouth; Rebecca slipped her tongue earlier. Even though she didn't exactly say that Hakim's illness killed him, she did say something about his illness.

"So, can you tell me, how did he die from what you know?"

Zahrah hesitantly says, " We shouldn't be talking about this. Mrs. Jackson told the reporters that he died in his sleep, but...he didn't yet... He did."

Maziah has a puzzled expression on her face, "I don't understand."

Zahrah appears agitated. She keeps looking back and forth between the door and Maizah. "He..."

Click!

The sound of the door opening startles both of them as they look at who's entering with shocked faces.