Falling Awake

divorce two years ago.
    Tamsyn turned the full force of her high-energy smile on Ellis. Isabel sensed her intense curiosity.
    “Hello,” Tamsyn said warmly. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
    “Farrell, Tamsyn, this is Ellis Cutler,” Isabel murmured. “Ellis, this is Tamsyn Strickland, an instructor here at Kyler, Inc.,and my brother-in-law, Farrell Kyler, the founder of the Kyler Method.”
    Everyone shook hands and said the polite words.
    “Are you attending this week’s seminar series, Ellis?” Farrell asked.
    His eyes tightened a bit at the corners as he studied Ellis. Only someone who knew him well would have detected the faint signs of wariness, Isabel thought. Farrell was not sure what to make of Ellis. He was being cautious.
    “No, I’m here to see Isabel,” Ellis said.
    “Really?” Tamsyn’s curiosity level had clearly gone up another notch. “Are you a friend of hers?”
    “New client,” Isabel said quickly. “I’m starting up a private consulting business.”
    Farrell winced. “The psychic dream thing?”
    “Not exactly,” Isabel said evenly.
    But, as usual, the correction went unnoticed.
    Tamsyn rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “I’m amazed. I would never have guessed that you would be the type of man who would go in for the woo-woo thing, Ellis.”
    “I am not a psychic,” Isabel said forcefully. No one paid any attention.
    “Some people are fascinated with orchids and others have a thing for golf,” Ellis said. “Personally, I’ve always been interested in dreams.”
    “So, dreams are a hobby for you?” Tamsyn asked.

    Ellis smiled slightly. Light glinted ominously off the lenses of his dark glasses. “You could say that.”
    Farrell studied him. “I assume Isabel has told you that she’s going to be teaching a course in dreams for us here at Kyler?”
    “She mentioned it, yes,” Ellis said.
    “I have to admit, I was somewhat reluctant at first. I’m concerned that a course on dreams might send the wrong message. We’re not about the New Age thing here at Kyler. But Tamsyn and my wife have convinced me that it will be a popular class.”
    “We certainly won’t be taking a psychic or mystical approach to the course,” Tamsyn assured everyone. “We’ve made that clear to Isabel. Farrell and I want the class taught according to the same guidelines that apply to all the other Kyler Method seminars. The idea is to teach students to use dreams to inspire the creative process. Right, Isabel?”
    “Right,” Isabel murmured.
    “Isabel will teach the class using proven creativity-enhancing techniques such as free association and journaling,” Tamsyn continued.
    “Good to know there won’t be any of the woo-woo stuff,” Ellis said politely.
    Tamsyn glanced at her watch. “Farrell, we’ve got that appointment with Dan and Gary in five minutes. We’d better be on our way.”
    “Yes.” Farrell put out his hand again. “See you around, Cutler.”
    “Oh, yeah.” Ellis gripped his hand and shook briefly. “As longas Isabel is here in Roxanna Beach, you will definitely be seeing me around.”
    Farrell’s jaw tightened in what might have been disapproval but he merely nodded once and turned to walk away.
    “Goodbye, Ellis.” Tamsyn gave him another high-voltage smile. “You might want to think about signing up for Isabel’s dream class.”
    “I’ll consider it,” he said.
    Isabel watched the pair walk away along the carpeted hall. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to them for this job but I sure hope I get my dream consulting business up and running real quick. I’m not sure I’m cut out for a long-term career as a Kyler Method instructor.”
    “What was your first clue?”
    “I don’t think I look good in this blazer.”

11
    i sabel changed her clothes three times before settling on a classic little black dinner dress. According to her fashionable mother, one could never go wrong with a little black dress. Jennifer Wright had made mistakes when it came to the men in her life, but never when it came to the clothes. Unfortunately, Isabel thought, unlike Leila, she had not gotten her parent’s fashion genes.
    She studied her image with a critical eye. With its deep cowl neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves, the dress appeared to achieve a nice balance between casual and elegant. The asymmetrical skirt added a touch of fashion flair.
    “What do you think, Sphinx?”
    Sphinx, ensconced in the center of the bed, opened his eyes at the