Johan and Marieke picked up Marianne and went on their way. The atmosphere was good right from the start, they were really looking forward to it! The weather cooperated, sunny, not too hot, just nice! On the way, Johan noticed that the same car was constantly following them.

"Alexander and Ellen are behind us guys, get ready!" he did cheerfully. Marieke and Marianne turned around, waving to their friends.

"How nice, going on holiday together," Marianne sighed. "You don't half know how much I've been looking forward to this and how I'm already enjoying it! A week together with people I really click with, people I love!"

Marieke was still a little twisted. "I never asked you, so now might be a good time to ask... do you find it hard to be alone?"

"No, not really. I enjoy my work and our friendship, and I love being a bit busy at home, especially now that I have rediscovered macramé. I have something of a contentment in me, just in who I am, something like that."

"Beautiful, really beautiful... I'm glad to hear that! I'm going to sit up again for a while, my belly is not so happy with that twisted position."

"Is good hey, if I want to chat, I'll just bend forward."

Marieke raised her thumb, stroking her slightly irritated belly. Another five weeks or so...

.

The five drove into the field of Bloemenhof.

"That one car, doesn't that belong to Anton and Joke?" asked Marieke.

"You will know that, you always paid attention to details," said Johan.

"Yes, that was part of my job, great that that doesn't have to happen anymore," replied Marieke.

"Do you really not miss it?" Marianne wanted to know.

"No, not by far! I love it the way it is now. And that's quite special, because all these years I thought it was my lust and my life. Ha Ellen, Alexander! Great to be here again, huh?"

Ellen hugged Marieke: "Yeah yeah, I think this is going to be our default holiday spot, it's just so good to be here!"

The front door swung open and Lisa and Margreet stormed out.

"Yeah! There you are!"

The greetings were joyful, heartfelt, full of happiness and by the excess of it with an occasional tear and a lot of laughter!

The reunion with Annerieke, Sjaak and Huib was also good, so familiar, so peculiar.

"Is Simon still at work?" asked Alexander, who had discovered a bit of how that worked in construction, at least for Simon, through his participation in The Shelter.

"No, he just got home, but is freshening up. You don't get cleaner on a construction site!" laughed Annerieke.

"Especially in summer, lucky for him it's not too hot," Alexander said.

"Just what you say, I'm happy about that too!" Annerieke told him. "Come on people, just grab your bags and we'll go straight upstairs. You already know the guesthouse well enough, a guided tour seems a bit nonsensical."

In succession, they stumbled upstairs with their bags. Huib and Sjaak helped with the luggage, thus relieving Marieke.

.

"How long do you have left?" asked Sjaak.

"About five more weeks, but as far as I'm concerned, she can come already!"

"Well, here in the guesthouse, help enough for when needed!" laughed Sjaak.

"Please, not that anyway, but yes, you never know."

"Are you looking up to it, to childbirth?" asked Sjaak.

"No, not at all anymore. At the beginning of the pregnancy, yes, I had nightmares about it! But now, no, I'm actually relaxed about it! You didn't have a midwife and maternity nurse either, did you?"

"No, we only had Margreet there, and that was very nice. She helped tremendously. That was a really special experience, in that she was able to be guided by the urges from within. And you guys, no outside help arranged either?"

"No, Johan and Marianne are doing as much court cases and correspondence as possible before the delivery starts. And after this week they are going to mention in the invitations for the upcoming court cases, that Johan and Marianne will both work until the labour starts, then they will come to assist me, both of them. So cool, Marianne is the best friend I could wish for. Ellen too, by the way, but different. I don't know why, the click with Ellen is just real and good too."

"Don't you also think, that with all the people you really connect with, you can also experience gradations, or notice that one friendship is good differently than another? It doesn't all have to be the same right?" Sjaak asked.

"You're right about that," replied Marieke. "Johan, shall we leave the bags nicely until tonight?"

"Fine, it's still lovely weather to be outside now. Do you feel like it too? Walk around the estate or something?"

Marieke nodded: "Good idea. I am tired though, as is often the case lately, but little bits of walking I like!"

"May I break into your plans for a moment? We have, basically, planned a reunion for tonight, at our house," Sjaak told me. "If tonight is too early for you guys, if you want to acclimatise or something, we can easily move it to tomorrow night. And if you guys don't fancy a grand reunion, that's fine too, we'll just throw the plan in the bin!"

"No!" exclaimed Marieke, "you're definitely not going to do that last one! Tonight? Is that a good idea for you guys too?"

Everyone nodded, eagerly, enthusiastically.

"Then I'm going to unpack my bag now. Just like that, but nice for tonight."

The others followed Marieke's example, and a moment later they stumbled down the stairs, to wander around the estate together.

.

Meanwhile, the residents of Bloemenhof had gone back to their own homes, and Annerieke to the kitchen. Annerieke did some more preparations for dinner. Anton and Joke had arrived first. As best friends, they often arrived as early as 10 o'clock. Bianca had made sure their room was ready first, so they could put all their things there in the morning. Bianca had put the small work table and chair for Joke by the window, so she could continue working on her book there. And together with Annerieke, she had enjoyed the reunion, enthusiastically recounting the time that had flown by.

Julian had sat on Joke's lap, had been generous with his babbles and smiles. Joke had been able to enjoy the little guy without pain and sorrow for their own childlessness, had focused almost exclusively on him while listening to the conversations at the table.

.

That afternoon, Joke and Anton also walked the estate. The silence and tranquillity did them good. Joke walked close beside her husband, who immediately understood her need. He put his arm around her shoulders, she her arm around his waist. He pulled her close to him for a moment, pressing a kiss to her forehead. His darling, she needed his closeness so much. No, they were not soulmates, he had long since discovered. But despite that, they were getting along very well. He had more to give her than the other way around, and she knew that too, and she found that difficult sometimes, but time and again he assured her that for him there was nothing better than giving her of what he had, and that his heart belonged to her.

Anton had sometimes marvelled at how many different degrees there were in relationships. Different friendships, all kinds, depths. Different partners. Like Annerieke had had with Erik, which to his mind was just about the purest form of soulmate connection. He had observed Annerieke with Simon, observed imperceptibly, as was his speciality. And he couldn't say other than that she had got on extremely well with Simon. As far as he could feel, they had a great relationship, full of love. And yet, he tasted, there was a minimal difference. With Simon she also had a soul connection, and yet different. With him she had it good, very good, but with Erik, as he felt, it had been just a little bit better. Despite their deep friendship, he had not dared to ask her about it. It was just a bit too private. But the impression he had was that Annerieke was incredibly happy with this new relationship.

He had compared his own relationship with Joke to this. He knew, felt they were not soulmates, but he would not trade her for any other. He couldn't bear to think that he might one day meet his real soulmate. He had given his life to Joke, he loved her and it was mutual. He had helped her in her process, to overcome her feelings of inferiority. He sensed her like no other, despite the fact that they did not have a deep soul connection. Somehow, and this felt very special, he felt their relationship as guided, as if she was given to him to be healed and helped along by him. As if the purpose of their relationship, besides just really loving and enjoying each other, was for him to bring her to fruition. 

He thought back to his little conversation with Fiona, who had arrived at the stroke of three. He had seen in her, that she was still struggling with something, but he did not know what and she had not told him. Maybe she herself didn't even know yet. She had told him that she had also stayed here last year, with Daniel, the man she had been married to for ten years. That they had discovered here, that they had not clicked at all, that they had parted 'as friends', 'as friends' in the sense of 'without a fight', and that she was happier now than she was with him. So that had been an empty relationship, a relationship with no arguments but empty. Basically a relationship without being a relationship. 'Nice think-through,' he smiled to himself. He was happy for her that she could now move on and was happier, and that she was in the process of discovering herself. She was on her way, it was good!

That's where the subject of his thoughts just came walking in. Fiona raised her hand. "How beautiful and peaceful it is here, huh," she said to Anton and Joke. "It's so nice to be back, soaking up the atmosphere. It's like I can feel it even better now. No," she smiled, "it's not just as if, it's just like that, I can feel it even better now. Lovely! Joke, I heard from Anton that you are a writer and you always bring your writing here? How do you do that then? With a laptop?"

Joke nodded: "Yes, I always work on a laptop, and back it up regularly on our hard drive at home. That's one of those big yucky ones that never gets full," she laughed. "And Bianca made a little workspace for me this morning, a simple table and chair, right next to the window. Our room is just a bit bigger than the other rooms, that workspace will fit in nicely."

"Nice for you! Here you have all the peace and quiet you need to write. Do you have that at home too?"

"Yes, during the day I'm home alone, then Anton is off to work. And if he's at home, and I want to write, he's fine with that too. But at home, I always feel an urge in myself to do something else. Housework, keeping things clean, cooking or baking something special for once, tidying up the garden. And when Anton is home, I feel like I need to sit with him. He can tell me every day that that is not necessary, but that is still an old belief from the past. My mother always had to be around, preferably sitting up and giving paws, when my father was home. That urge in me is getting less though, but it's still not gone. But when we are here, I know that Anton enjoys the contacts with the people here, that he loves not having to run his business for a while, but that he can sit somewhere quiet and muse. You like doing that, hey Anton, musing, thinking about all sorts of things."

"I like doing that very much, musing about people, about situations. I was just thinking about you just now, Fiona, that I'm happy for you that you were able to escape from an empty relationship. Even when there are no arguments, it's still disastrous when it's empty. Is it true that you then automatically start looking for filler, for something you have to do to get it right?"

Fiona chuckled: "You hit the nail on the head there! I've always felt very responsible for our 'relationship', as if it was my job to bring it to fruition. I assure you, that doesn't work! Daniel, by the way, did the same to me. Actually, we both tried terribly hard. And while saying it like this now, I get the feeling, we couldn't receive even that which the other did. It was quite cosy, but indeed empty. I notice that I can already be more myself now than a year ago, but I also feel that there is still something, but I don't know what, something getting in my way, something holding me back. I have discovered that I really enjoy being creative with clay, but I just can't get beyond the first thing that grew spontaneously, a centipede. I've already made and sold dozens of them, but there must be more, right? It just doesn't come bubbling up, I really have no idea what else I could make. So frustrating!"

Joke put a hand on Fiona's arm: "Can I tell you something from experience? If there is another wound, an emotional wound, it probably holds you back. Your soul knows what you can still create, but it's going to heal your wound first, and then things will start flowing, you'll be running out of time later!"

Anton nodded, smiling at Joke: "It's totally like that, it's really true Fiona, we've seen it in more people. It goes differently with everyone, because everyone is put together differently and is wounded in a different way, and I cannot tell you how and when there will be so much healing with you, that you will experience a breakthrough in your creativity. I can only promise you that it will happen!"

Fiona let out a cheer and did a little round dance. "Thank you, Anton, Joke, I feel it's right! And that gives me courage, I'm going for it!"

.

A little further on, the five friends walked. They too were enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the landscape, but more so their nice connection. They saw Anton and Joke standing talking to a young woman. They heard her cheers and saw her circling her axis, while Anton and Joke laughed. A jolt went through Alexander as he saw the woman come to a halt. He saw that she was looking at their group, no, looking at him. He saw that she also felt something of a shock, but recovered immediately. Ellen, walking beside him, felt something similar to a power surge, passing past her from Alex to that unknown woman. What was that? What was happening there?

The others did not notice anything, saw the trio further down there, but did not feel or experience anything. They talked on merrily, while Alexander and Ellen became silent, shutting themselves off from each other and the others in sheer confusion. Neither of them understood what had happened, what was going on. And both decided to keep a close eye on it for the next week, to find out what was happening.

.

Fiona had indeed felt it too, but thanks to the fact that she was adept at suppressing feelings and getting herself fixed, it seemed to a superficial observer that nothing had happened. Anton, however, was brilliant at observing, and had noticed immediately that something was happening. Like Ellen, he had felt something powerful, as if an electric charge had gone past him. He had seen that something was happening in Fiona, and that she recovered immediately. He contained his initial urge to look around. He heard the voices of the five friends, recognised them too, and realised that something must have happened between one of them, or a few of them, and Fiona. Had she recognised anyone? No, not just recognised, like you can recognise someone from years gone by, then that power wouldn't have been there.

Only now did he turn around, pretending that was because of the fact that he heard them. And he saw Alexander and Ellen's confusion and knew with certainty, that what he had felt before was right: those two have no soul connection. Their relationship too is empty, consists of standing up, trying your best to love each other, but somehow unable to really reach each other. Alexander and Fiona... would they... would that have been it?

He decided not to sit between them, not yet anyway, and greeted the five of them airily. Joke went over to Marieke, attracted by her tired face.

"Hey Marieke, how nice to see you all again. And you, you've grown quite a bit girlie! When are you expecting the baby?"

"Next month, about five more weeks."

"And have you been feeling fine all this time?"

"Yes, fine, I'm just very tired now. I'm sure that's from the pregnancy, but I think also from the change. I quit my job, that's too long a story for now, and I found something creative with paper, that's where I spend a lot of my days. After realising that a baby is coming, and all the changes in my body, this different way of filling the day is quite profound, in the good sense, yet I also have to get used to it. I am going through something crazy, the feeling of being so silly and pointless. Johan disagrees, but lets me muddle through because I have to go through it. Well, what you do has to be meaningful to society, that belief. And fiddling with paper, however much I like it... what use is that to society? That struggle, it costs me quite a lot of energy. And then packing bags and leaving your familiar surroundings for a week. Oh my, it sounds like a week's holiday is a drama, but I'm still so happy to be here. It's so good to be here again! Boy, another thing, so now I feel like a nag, everything is so beautiful and good, and I'm upset!"

"Yeah yeah, quite logical," Joke thought, "so much change in such a short time. They are big changes, it's not a nothing thing, Marieke. I understand that it is not easy to go through such feelings, but you will see, you will come out of it very strong. And that fiddling with paper... Anton, come on! You can feel something like that better. Marieke fiddles with paper, she says, something creative. Is that just a bit of pastime? What do you think?"

Anton looked at Marieke, with a smile that lit up his whole face. "Something like that may start off as a bit of pastime for your feelings, but your fiddling is going to touch hearts because it has your soul. Your soul is going to touch people through your fiddling! You don't see that yet, I guess, but just remember it and let me know when you start noticing it's right! Shall we agree on that?"

Marieke nodded, with tears in her eyes, "So you think, it's not pointless?"

"I not only think that, I know that for sure!" concluded Anton.

He turned around, and the others followed his lead, as Sjaak approached them.

"Dear friends, we have a new proposal about that reunion. The weather is beautiful, how about dragging the garden chairs together, adding tables, and stretching a canopy for those who want to sit in the shade? I consulted with Annerieke, we can scoop up our plates in an hour at the guesthouse, Huib and I have a plan to add sandwiches and salads, so Annerieke doesn't suddenly have to cook for the family as well. And as for me, we all just eat whatever we like, sandwiches, salads or Annerieke's food. If you guys like it, Huib and I will pick it up like this, and we'll make sure all the food and drinks can be found in the dining room of the guesthouse. Who feels like this proposal?"

A huge cheer went up, to which Sjaak shouted above, "Huib! Come on ya, we're going shopping again!" Laughing, the young men walked out of the circle, jumped into the car and headed for the shop.

Meanwhile, everyone dragged a garden chair to the field at the direction of Margreet and Lisa. Bianca also joined them, brought Julian in a buggy with a parasol, parked it with the others and said she was going to get more chairs from the guesthouse. Fiona, who wanted to get away from the group for a while to give her pounding heart some more time to calm down, walked with her: "I'll help you lug. Do you have any idea how many more chairs we need?"

"No idea, we'll just drag on until everyone has a place. I saw that Margreet was already walking to Annerieke's house. I suspect she is going to pick up garden chairs there too. We have a lot of chairs especially on the guesthouse veranda. The same as all those other chairs there," Bianca nodded her head towards where the others were busy. "I don't know how strong you are, but I find them quite heavy, so I won't take more than two at a time."

They folded a couple of chairs. Fiona felt, "Great right, maximum two at a time, we'd better walk back and forth a few times. That little guy in that buggy, is that your son?"

Bianca beamed: "Yes, that's Julian, the most delightful little fellow you can imagine. Just look how much fun he is having there with Anton. Anton used to be my employer, he immediately clicked with Julian."

As they walked back and forth, they told each other some general things about their lives, about their jobs and relationships gone wrong.

"Wait a minute," Bianca said, stopping halfway along the route. "Suddenly I know, you are Fiona who also joined the gallery's website! Those centipedes, they're yours! Those funny things sell like hotcakes, don't they?"

Fiona chuckled: "Yes, fortunately there are enough customers for that, because I still have no inspiration for anything else. Pretty irritating, but Anton just said, it will come, that I have to go through something first. And that's how I feel, as if there's a hill in the road that I can't get over yet, nor can I see over it. We'll see, it will be fine!"

"I definitely believe that!" said Bianca, as they walked again quietly towards the group with a few chairs.

Suddenly, a girl ran past, cheerfully shouting "Hi Bianca!"

"Ha Rosalie!"

Bianca burst out laughing when Rosalie abruptly stopped and turned around.

"Sorry," she said to Fiona, "I'm Rosalie, I'm Gloria's friend."

"How nice, I'm Fiona, I'm coming to stay at the guesthouse for a week."

"Cosy!" replied Rosalie and already wanted to turn around again. Again abruptly, she turned back to Fiona: "Just open your heart, it's fine!"

Then she turned and ran on.

Bewildered, Fiona looked from the running girl to Bianca. "What is she talking about?"

Bianca shook her head thoughtfully as they stayed where they were standing.

"Fiona, I don't know what she was referring to, but it feels like there's something you want to keep out of your heart, something or maybe someone, and Rosalie sensed that, at least got that impression about it, that you may open your heart to that something or someone, because it's good."

Fiona nodded, instantly reminded of the unknown man, but couldn't imagine it being about him. Then it just couldn't be, he was with another woman. She shrugged, "I don't know what it's about either, I'll try to find out, at least remember her words. Wait a minute, I'll write it in a note in my mobile"

She grabbed her mobile, typed and put it away again.

"Come on, those chairs still have to go to the circle. Look at them, they really made a circle of them. And Rosalie, how sweet, she's sitting on the grass with that little girl. Is that Gloria?"

Bianca nodded: "Yes, that's Gloria, the little dreamer of the family. Look how she goes through the grass with her little hands. Just feeling, feeling and feeling again, watching how the blades move. Such things I've seen her do more than once."

"It looks so beautiful, so special, she seems to feel and see something about that grass that we don't pay attention to," Fiona said, "I used to, I used to be like that. And in a way that is coming back," she suddenly told me more cheerfully. "Not with grass, but with clay. I so enjoy feeling that clay, how it feels in my hands, moving along..."

Bianca smiled, recognising the deep feeling of real life.

To chapter 65. Reunion

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