The Rising Moon by Nilsa Rodriguez Read Free Book Online

I waited for her to speak, but instead she turned to Ryan and whispered something into his ear. I lowered my head and concentrated on my boots.
    "Do you believe in reincarnation?" she asked.
    I drew back, rattled. “Isn’t that when a soul of a dead person comes back in another body?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ What does that have to do with my dream?”
    "You see, our dreams are images that are played back to us when our souls reach the spirit world in our sleep. Our dreams reveal things that happened to us in our past lives and things that are about to happen in our present life. In your dream, you were happy. The day was bright and suddenly it got dark and scary. The massive wind led you to a cliff, it didn’t knock you off. You chose to fall. The vulture was warning you because you will once again face the same thing you once ran from in a former life.”
I was amazed at how she knew every detail of my dream, just by touching my hand. "What was I running from?" I asked, but Ani just shook her head. “What do you mean you don’t know? I thought you could help me?”
    “ I’m sorry Lia, but that’s all I know,” she got up and walked to the next room.
    I turned to Ryan. “I thought you said your aunt could help me? Instead of finding answers, I’m left with more questions. I’m beginning to think this was a waste of time.”
    Ani walked back into the room carrying something wrapped in an ivory knitted throw as I made my way to the door. I recognized the knit design---it was Veena’s. She unwrapped the throw and handed me a small wooden box. It was old, Victorian maybe. The box itself was simple, except for the engraved initials Z.R. on it. Attached to the copper lock was a decorative key.
    “ I may not have the answers you’re seeking, but this might help,” said Ani. “Veena came to see me the night she died. She asked me to hold this box in case something were to happen to her. She said I was the only person she trusted to keep it safe. She also asked me to give it to you when the time came and you needed answers regarding your past.”
    Tears began to fill my eyes as I held on to the box.
    “ Lia, sweetie, there’s something else I need to tell you.” Ani said. I could tell it was something serious because of the tone of her voice. Suddenly my breathing became shallow. I had to sit back down. My foot shook uncontrollably, with an edgy mind of its own.
    Ani leaned closer. I could see my reflection inside the liquid amber of her eyes. Every wrinkle and white root that framed her serious face was magnified in our closeness, "I made a promise to Veena that I would tell you everything I know when the time was right."
    “ Okay.” I said as my heart accelerated.
    “ Veena was your mom’s sister.”
    "What?" I gasped nearly knocking the box out of my hands. My heart pounded loudly as I fought to keep breathing. "Why didn’t she tell me?" I cried, “I’ve lived with her for five years and she never told me anything.” Tears streamed down my face. My stomach turned from the disbelief that she could keep such a secret from me. Surely, Ani was wrong. “Why should I believe you?”
    "For years she carried the guilt of your parent’s death on her shoulders and she was afraid you wouldn’t forgive her.”
    “ What are you talking about? What guilt?” I asked, breathlessly.
    "It all began when your mother met your father. You see, your grandfather was a very old fashioned man. He wanted his daughters to marry men from their own kind. Your mother, Salina, disobeyed him by marrying a man he had not chosen for her. So your grandfather disowned her and never had contact with her ever again. He also forbade Veena from seeing her sister.
    But she missed her sister so much that at the first chance she had, she too ran away and never saw her father again. For years, she searched for your mother until she finally discovered that your parents were living in your father’s hometown of Arcadia, Louisiana.
    One night, while