inhibiting belief that everything has to
cost
something.’
‘Er . . .?’ Ivy looked at the price tags on the clothes hanging near her. ‘We are in a store –’
‘Ah, but money cannot buy you time, can it? Or peace, or love?’ Blue Skye shook her head, her tone weary. ‘Trust me, young one: the sooner we
all
realise that, the
happier we will be.’
This is getting us nowhere!
Olivia’s breath whistled out through her gritted teeth in a noise that was half-growl and half-sigh. A
grigh
!
At the sound, Blue Skye swung around to face Olivia. With her blindfolded eyes, the movement looked strangely eerie, especially when she sniffed loudly, as if following a scent. ‘I can
sense – oh yes – I have seekers in my shop today. Seekers who need my help!’
‘Well . . .’ Olivia blinked, slightly taken aback. ‘I guess you could say that.’
‘Of course. My inner vision grows strong.’ Smiling serenely, Blue Skye placed both be-ringed hands on her chest. ‘I will provide all the help that I possibly can. Come!’
She swept around and headed purposefully for the counter, neatly side-stepping all the clothes-racks in her path.
Olivia watched with reluctant awe as Blue Skye cut a clear path through the cluttered shop, bypassing clothing racks, jewellery displays and glass cabinets, despite her blindfold.
Maybe she
is developing inner vision after all!
Ivy didn’t stop to watch. Instead, she hurried after Blue Skye, frowning intently. ‘Do you know all your regular customers?’
‘Ohhh . . .’ Blue Skye shrugged, sending her gauzy layers shifting all around her like an ocean in a storm. ‘Can any person truly
know
another person, in their heart
of hearts?’
Olivia could feel another grigh building up inside her. She had to slam her mouth shut to keep it in . . .
For once, Ivy seemed to be keeping her cool. ‘I take your point,’ she said calmly, ‘but we’re looking for someone – someone who may need our help – and
we’re running out of ideas for how to find them.’
Otherwise, we certainly wouldn’t have come here!
Olivia added silently. But she kept her mouth shut as she watched Blue Skye’s face smooth out in pleasure.
‘You have come to the right place, seekers,’ the shop owner announced. She set the palms of her hands together and cocked her hooded and blindfolded head to one side, waiting with
unnerving poise. ‘Tell me.’
‘OK.’ Ivy leaned across the counter. ‘We have reason to believe that Maxie might shop here.’
‘Maxie?’ Blue Skye’s lips curved into a smile. ‘Are you talking about Maxie Richards, by any chance?’
‘Yes!’ Olivia couldn’t help the squeak of delight that escaped her lips.
Ivy leaned towards Blue Skye. ‘Can you give us an idea of who it is we’re looking for? All we know so far is that Maxie has shoulder-length brown hair.’
‘I have no idea what Maxie
looks
like,’ Blue Skye answered.
‘What?’ Olivia’s mouth dropped open.
Ivy shook her head. ‘You just said you know Maxie Richards. So how can you
not
know what Maxie looks like?’
‘Perfectly easily,’ Blue Skye said. ‘You see, Maxie has only started shopping here in the last couple of weeks or so, and in that time . . .’ She let out a low, purring
hum of satisfaction and pointed to her blindfold. ‘I have not laid eyes on a single person. And, I have to say, if all you care about is frivolous, shallow physical detail, I don’t know
how much help I can be.’
Olivia clapped her hands to her head.
You can say that again!
She had always believed in compassion and tolerance – but, while it was great that Blue Skye was trying to mellow out
and believe in the goodness underneath other people’s surfaces, Olivia wondered how sensible such an approach was when it led to her getting robbed . . .
and
being no help at all in
the twins’ Pashmina Panic?
Sighing, Ivy stepped back from the counter. ‘Thanks anyway,’ she said to Blue Skye. ‘We appreciate the
cost
something.’
‘Er . . .?’ Ivy looked at the price tags on the clothes hanging near her. ‘We are in a store –’
‘Ah, but money cannot buy you time, can it? Or peace, or love?’ Blue Skye shook her head, her tone weary. ‘Trust me, young one: the sooner we
all
realise that, the
happier we will be.’
This is getting us nowhere!
Olivia’s breath whistled out through her gritted teeth in a noise that was half-growl and half-sigh. A
grigh
!
At the sound, Blue Skye swung around to face Olivia. With her blindfolded eyes, the movement looked strangely eerie, especially when she sniffed loudly, as if following a scent. ‘I can
sense – oh yes – I have seekers in my shop today. Seekers who need my help!’
‘Well . . .’ Olivia blinked, slightly taken aback. ‘I guess you could say that.’
‘Of course. My inner vision grows strong.’ Smiling serenely, Blue Skye placed both be-ringed hands on her chest. ‘I will provide all the help that I possibly can. Come!’
She swept around and headed purposefully for the counter, neatly side-stepping all the clothes-racks in her path.
Olivia watched with reluctant awe as Blue Skye cut a clear path through the cluttered shop, bypassing clothing racks, jewellery displays and glass cabinets, despite her blindfold.
Maybe she
is developing inner vision after all!
Ivy didn’t stop to watch. Instead, she hurried after Blue Skye, frowning intently. ‘Do you know all your regular customers?’
‘Ohhh . . .’ Blue Skye shrugged, sending her gauzy layers shifting all around her like an ocean in a storm. ‘Can any person truly
know
another person, in their heart
of hearts?’
Olivia could feel another grigh building up inside her. She had to slam her mouth shut to keep it in . . .
For once, Ivy seemed to be keeping her cool. ‘I take your point,’ she said calmly, ‘but we’re looking for someone – someone who may need our help – and
we’re running out of ideas for how to find them.’
Otherwise, we certainly wouldn’t have come here!
Olivia added silently. But she kept her mouth shut as she watched Blue Skye’s face smooth out in pleasure.
‘You have come to the right place, seekers,’ the shop owner announced. She set the palms of her hands together and cocked her hooded and blindfolded head to one side, waiting with
unnerving poise. ‘Tell me.’
‘OK.’ Ivy leaned across the counter. ‘We have reason to believe that Maxie might shop here.’
‘Maxie?’ Blue Skye’s lips curved into a smile. ‘Are you talking about Maxie Richards, by any chance?’
‘Yes!’ Olivia couldn’t help the squeak of delight that escaped her lips.
Ivy leaned towards Blue Skye. ‘Can you give us an idea of who it is we’re looking for? All we know so far is that Maxie has shoulder-length brown hair.’
‘I have no idea what Maxie
looks
like,’ Blue Skye answered.
‘What?’ Olivia’s mouth dropped open.
Ivy shook her head. ‘You just said you know Maxie Richards. So how can you
not
know what Maxie looks like?’
‘Perfectly easily,’ Blue Skye said. ‘You see, Maxie has only started shopping here in the last couple of weeks or so, and in that time . . .’ She let out a low, purring
hum of satisfaction and pointed to her blindfold. ‘I have not laid eyes on a single person. And, I have to say, if all you care about is frivolous, shallow physical detail, I don’t know
how much help I can be.’
Olivia clapped her hands to her head.
You can say that again!
She had always believed in compassion and tolerance – but, while it was great that Blue Skye was trying to mellow out
and believe in the goodness underneath other people’s surfaces, Olivia wondered how sensible such an approach was when it led to her getting robbed . . .
and
being no help at all in
the twins’ Pashmina Panic?
Sighing, Ivy stepped back from the counter. ‘Thanks anyway,’ she said to Blue Skye. ‘We appreciate the
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