Falling Awake

Martin Belvedere, had been a lonely journey of exploration, self-discovery and low-wage jobs.
    “I saw you with him out on the terrace in front of the café,” Leila explained. “He didn’t seem to be your usual type.”
    That gave her pause. “You really think I have a usual type?”
    “Brian Phillips, Jason Strong and Larry Higgins, for starters.”
    “Huh. I see what you mean.”
    The three were among the handful of men she had dated in recent years. All followed the familiar pattern: a roller-coasterride that started out with a lot of enthusiastic conversations about their dreams, followed by steep plunges into boredom.
    “Well, if it makes you feel any better,” she continued, “Ellis Cutler is not a hot date. If I’m lucky, however, he may turn out to be a client.”
    “You mean he’s thinking about signing up for your new seminar here at Kyler?”
    “No.” She spread her fingers on the cushions and dug her nails slightly into the soft leather, bracing herself. “I did some dream analysis work for him while I was at the center. He’s thinking of contracting with me for some more of the same.”
    Leila grimaced. Isabel pretended not to notice. She was used to that look on the faces of her relatives whenever the subject of her career path arose.
    “You’re serious about trying to establish yourself as a freelance dream consultant?” Leila asked.
    Her tone implied that she had moved beyond her initial reaction of acute disapproval and was now resigned to the inevitable.
    That was progress of a sort, Isabel thought, applying the positive thinking techniques she was studying in the Kyler Method manual.
    “Yes,” she said, going for upbeat and optimistic, “but it could take time to build up a client list. That’s why I’m very grateful to you and Farrell for giving me a chance to work as an instructor here for a while.”
    “You’re family,” Leila said flatly. “Can’t have you out begging on the streets.”

    “I don’t know that I would have ended up on the streets,” Isabel said, trying not to let her irritation show. Leila meant well, after all. “If push had come to shove, I could have gone back to my old job.”
    “Answering phones for that psychic hotline operation? Don’t be ridiculous. Mom and Dad were horrified when they found out what you were doing there.”
    “It was a living.”
    “It was an embarrassment.” Leila sighed. “By the way, have you told Mom and Dad that you got fired?”
    “No.” Isabel slouched deeper into the sleek leather sofa. “I learned a long time ago that it’s best if I don’t give them too much information until I’ve settled into a new job. It just upsets them.”
    “I suppose there’s no need to e-mail them the bad news.”
    “Look on the bright side. They’ll be giddy with relief when they find out I’m going to work for you and Farrell for a while.”
    “Yes, but they’re not going to be so thrilled when they find out you’re planning to set yourself up as some sort of psychic dream consultant.”
    “We’ve been through this a million times, Leila. I’ve told you over and over again that I do not consider myself to be psychic.”
    “You’ve worked for at least two so-called professional psychics, to my knowledge.”
    “You know, some folks would say that giving seminars designed to teach people how to tap into the creative potential of their dreams is not a whole lot different from doing psychic dream consulting.”

    “That’s ridiculous,” Leila said instantly, outraged. “The Kyler Method is a proven technique that can be applied to any aspect of one’s daily life. There’s no reason it won’t work with dreams.”
    “If you really feel that way,” Isabel said quietly, “would you mind telling me why Farrell doesn’t want me here?”
    Leila froze. “Of course he wants you here. Why do you say he doesn’t?”
    “Call it a wild hunch but every time I run into him in the hall he seems to be looking for a way to avoid me. I get the impression that it wasn’t his idea to offer me this job.”
    Leila’s mouth tightened. “It will work out.”
    “Damn. I knew it. I was afraid of this.”
    “Afraid of what?”
    “You convinced him that he had to give me a job because I’m family, didn’t you?”
    “For the past year, Tamsyn and I have been encouraging Farrell to add new courses to the syllabus. Kyler, Inc., must stay competitive. Classes in dreams are trendy. They’ll pull a new market.”
    Her