Page 14 of Along Came Summer

Laughing, I place my hands at her waist and poke up a brow. “Mira, you weigh nothing. I’ve got pillows that are heavier than you, babe.”

“Shut up.” Mira scoots to the edge, and I carefully grip her waist, lift her off the edge, and set her down on the stone.

“It’s been almost a decade, and you're still hating on my eyelashes. That's adorable.” I tease, and when she turns her eyes to look up at me, the sunlight filtering through the leaves illuminates the waterfall with an otherworldly glow and catches her eyes. They glisten like pools of molten gold, casting an enchanting spell that momentarily transfixes.

“It’s… unjust that you were blessed with such pretty eyelashes, and I have to go through the gruelling process of having mine treated and permed every other month to look like they do,” Mira grumbles adorably. I fight to hold back my amusement over her absurd afflictions. Fuckmylashes. It's unbelievable to me that she's unaware of how captivating her eyes truly are.

“Look, I’ve told you many times, there's a reason you weren’t blessed with lustrous lashes like mine, princess. It’s because you could never pull it off as well as I can,” I say, fluttering my eyelashes at her, and Mira laughs.

“You have a point there. But will you at least please let me put mascara on your lashes?Please,Levi.”

Not this again.

“Fuck no.”

Mira pouts, pushing out her bottom lip and broadening her eyes like an adorable puppy, “Just one eye?”

Before I can stop myself, my eyes drop to her lips, and I’m fighting off the urge to lean in and nibble on it. Instead, I lean in closer until my nose almost touches hers and say, “Not even one bloody lash, Mira. Now, stop dallying and sit your tiny arse down so we can get started.”

Mira sighs and turns her back to me before she sits cross-legged on the stone. “You’re wasting your time. I don’t have the discipline nor the concentration for meditation.”

“What did I tell you about negativity?”

Mira looks ahead, her shoulders squaring. “You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind,” she responds.

I smile and take a seat beside her. “Exactly. Negativity breeds negativity. Now, remember why we are here, why you’re doing this. The goal of meditation is not to control your thoughts. It’s to stop them from controlling you. It’s all about awareness and gaining a healthy perspective. That moment is about you. It won’t happen overnight, but slowly, you will learn to quiet your mind and listen to your soul.” I say, shifting so we are sitting with our backs pressed together.

Mira turns her head to look back at me, a dubious look in her eyes and her shapely brows rising. “Listen to my soul?”

I nod, “Yes, when you learn to quiet the mind, you become more conscious of your other senses. You become more aware of your body. By meditating, you’re dissolving those invisible walls encasing all the pain and stress inside your mind. Now, close your eyes and breathe naturally.” Mira nods, turns to face the water stretched out before us, and closes her eyes. “Good, now, take a moment to focus on your breath, how it moves in and out of your body…” I instruct her tranquilly.

I can feel Mira breathing softly, noting the gentle movements of her shoulders against my back.

“Levi?”

“Hm?”

“This isn’t working,” Mira utters quietly, and I smile.

“Trust the process, princess. Lay your head back on my shoulder and try to relax. Breathe with me, Mira. Your mind will wander, and that’s okay. Just bring it back and refocus on your breathing.” A moment later, Mira’s head slowly rests against my shoulder, and I get a whiff of her shampoo, causing my stomach to knot. “Listen to the tranquil rush of the waterfall. The soothing lyrical sounds of the birds and crickets chirping. The gentle rustling of the leaves as they sway in the wind.”

Mira syncs her breathing with mine, and I rest my head back against her shoulder, and we sit there in stillness for a moment. With every breath, I can feel her body becoming more relaxed and at ease until she eventually sinks against me.

Teaching meditation can be a time-consuming and patient process. However, Mira’s flying back to London in thirteen days, which means I’ll need to help her master the skill as quickly as possible. Even if she learns the basics, it will help her control her anxiety at the very least.

“Princess?”

“Hm?” Mira hums softly.

“Did you fall asleep?”

“Mm, no,” she answers with a sigh. “But I think I may have just discovered my happy place. You know, despite the gushing of the water making me want to pee, I’m really finding listening to the soothing sounds of nature incredibly relaxing.” She voices placidly. “It seems that the principles of Zen might have some merit after all.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” I smile broadly, licking my lips. “Your body holds a treasure trove of insights about you just waiting to be uncovered. You just need to know where to look.” I explain, opening my eyes to look up at the clear sky above me. “Life is a precious gift, yet we often spend it consumed by worry and stress over things we can’t change. This is why I focus on what I can control and take time to appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds me. I may still be surrounded by chaos and tough realities, but I have learned to remain mentally and emotionally centred in the midst of it.”

“Hm, I like that. I wish there were a pill I could take that would wipe away all those bad memories from my mind.” Mira voices with a sigh. “I wouldn’t even think twice if it would mean I could go back to being myself again. To not be afraid of my own shadow.”

“Mira, you need to give yourself time. It’s all still so fresh in your mind. What you experienced would have been challenging for anyone to overcome, so don't be too hard on yourself. Remember that you are still standing, fighting to regain control of your life when most would have given up, and that's a huge accomplishment.” I assert comfortingly and feel her nod against my shoulder.

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