GURU ON THE BEACH

By

Ricardo Aardal

©2018

ONE

"The flake is finally in the driver's seat," the raspy female voice silenced the room as Nicholas and Vanessa Cora sat with the sixty year old identical twins. Except, these two ladies could not be any more opposite. The speaker attempted to inject confidence in her voice. However, the youngest of the twins, Carmel Tonini shuttered and shivered with an apprehensive look on her weathered face after making the bold statement.

The older dark haired twin and CEO of Beach Time International, Claudia Tonini sighed in disgust, drawing out the moment with a boat fog horn sounding in the background. "Sister darling, you'll never take

the wheel when I'm around." The heavily botoxed Claudia chuckled condescendingly, wearing her designer red silk power dress flown in from Paris yesterday. "But, I'll hear you out."

Vanessa and Nicholas had been invited by Carmel to join her and her CEO twin on this pleasant sunny day, March 16, 2017. This pivotal showdown between the duelling five foot two, eyes of blue twins unfolded at the palatial fourth floor headquarters of Beach Time International located on the scenic beaches of Bellingham, Washington in the beautiful green Pacific northwest of the USA.

Claudia and Carmel owned Beach Time International. They both held 50%. However, the older and brasher Claudia carried the title of Chair of the Board and CEO of the soft porn company. Whereas, the hippie like Carmel had little to do with their company until now.

The grey haired Carmel tapped Nicholas on the arm. "This gentlemen, Nicholas, is a dream coach, and his lovely wife, Vanessa, is a wellness coach."

"Know what a wellness Coach is," Claudia said as she stared down disdainfully at the three from her custom made, monster sized, executive chair. "But what the hell is a dream coach?"

A lean five foot ten Nicholas licked his lips nervously, knowing whatever definition he presented, she would scoff at. "I inspire people to attain their dream and to maximize their personal and professional potential, even owners and CEO's."

"Except, this brilliant owner and CEO needs no help,"Claudia declared in a boastful tone with her head held high.

Nicholas smiled. "Be surprised how many leaders such as yourself I've worked with over the years. Having a coach help to build and attain your dream can be a real benefit, particularly important in today's uncertain and complex environment."

"God." Carmel sighed, covering her eyes. "And Beach Time's one complex, messed up environment."

In addition, Nicholas wanted to say how he honoured those people he coached as the experts in their life and work, believing every person possessed some degree of creativity and resourcefulness. Standing on this foundation, Nicholas's responsibility revolved around:

-discovering, clarifying and aligning a person's dream and the goals required to attain that dream

-encouraging a person's self-discovery

-eliciting a persons own solutions and strategies

-holding a person responsible and accountable

However, Nicholas knew that was more than enough for now. He would have other occasions to fill in the blanks.

"We're not messed up at Beach Time," Claudia defended while enjoying a sip of her cocktail. Beach Time carried a reputation of liquor consumed, or was that guzzled, at the work place. That practice started right here at the top and filtered down.

Carmel pursed her lips, scrunching her face, before whispering under her breath, "Yes we are."

Claudia executed one of her contrived dramatic poses. "Oh so what if people are messed up around here. Got nothing to do with my business."

Nicholas cleared his nervous throat. "A recent study showed that training alone increased productivity by 22%, while training combined with weekly personal coaching increased productivity by 88%."

Claudia grabbed for a pill bottle. "Well, we don't do training. And we won't do Coaching!" Her voice grew in its intensity. "Carmel, just a damn yes or no on the money."

"I think." Carmel swallowed as the words did not flow easily. "Think its time to face the issues."

With a practiced flare, Claudia popped a pill, washing it down with a sizeable slurp of her rather large cocktail. "You're so clued out on this business."

Carmel squeezed her hands together. "I, I just think offering coaching could help."

Claudia glanced over at Nicholas. "You're blind?" She flashed a quick, yet peeved look at her twin, turning back to Nicholas with a heavy tinge of disgust while tapping her expensive, Italian, three inch heeled, leather shoe irritably under her desk.

Two years since the accident, and Nicholas cringed, still uncomfortable when asked that question in the disparaging tone. Actually, he felt uncomfortable with the question when asked in any tone. He broke into a sweat, the tension filling his body, suddenly causing his permanently damaged eyes to itch, tightening his dry throat and tightening right down to his boxers.

A jewelry laden Claudia made it clear right off the bat, she had major doubts about what a person who was blind could do. The manner in which Nicholas perspired, indicated he shared some of her doubts.

A panic stricken Nicholas gulped, attempting to prepare a response when Carmel jumped to his defence, "Yes, he is. Does that bother you Sis?"

Claudia scowled at the blind man, scratching her well manicured nails on the huge arm of her Italian, black leather chair leaving her distinctive mark.

Carmel shuffled her weathered and worn sandals nervously as she  continued , "These two talented people are only here as a favour to me, but, but if you've got real issues with Nicholas's blindness, then well, no money for you. And, and no help for Beach Time staff." Carmel let out an exhausted breath after making her stand.

Crash! Claudia hurled her glass at the wall. The shattering pieces skimmed along the tile floor. "I should have Tad escort you out."

A squawk designated from the corner of the office, "Tad, Tad, Tad." Carmel warned the two coaches about Paula the parrot, who chimed in on many a business meeting over the past year, since Tad Stanford, Claudia's newest Executive Assistant purchased the chatting bird.

"Shut up!" Claudia yelled. "Tad keeps trying to teach that foolish bird more words."

Vanessa made a steeple with her fingers. "A pretty parrot."

"But that's all. Back to business, no coaches are coming into Beach Time!" Claudia muttered under her breath, "Especially, one that..." The unspoken words hung in the air as a final tinkle of a last piece of determined glass whispered on the marble floor.

Once again, Nicholas's mind raced for the right response. Except, he felt flustered, growing to a paralyzed state. He drove a thriving coaching business before the sight stealing accident. Now, two years to the day, he attempted to leap back into the dream coaching saddle, and his doubts about his blindness were rising up in himself as well as Claudia. He swallowed the negative emotion swelling up in his throat, knowing he had to go on.

A nervous Nicholas then re-enforced Claudia's perception. He reached for a glass of water which had been set in front of him, almost knocking it over. Except, his sharp eyed wife with lightening quick reflexes rescued the teetering glass on time without a drop spilled, while firing back, "You may get led out of the dark by my husband who sees things now, us sighted people never see."

Deep down Nicholas thanked Vanessa for her loyalty and trust. However, he knew he would have to stand up for himself if he were to carry on in his former occupation.

Claudia chuckled, "Admire your loyalty Honey. You could've done porn in your day."The CEO, with mounds of makeup on, winked at Vanessa. "Never too late, could still do it for our mature lady spread."

Nicholas thought back to one hour before the explosion that put him into permanent darkness. He remembered that early morning. He kissed Vanessa before he left their home, taking an extra moment to savour her scintillating smile, savour her warming aura, and savour her enchanting beauty. Never realizing that would be the last visual image he would ever enjoy of his wonderful wife.

"Thanks, but no thanks Claudia," A fresh faced Vanessa, who wore no makeup, replied. "But, my husband is the best in the field."

"No kidding, he's great" interjected Carmel, coming to Nicholas's defence as well. "Known far and wide as the Dream Guru. So Sis, I'll spell it out one more time." Carmel straightened her backbone before she spoke, "Not giving you the money to save Beach Time unless these two coaches are allowed in."

"Ungrateful bitch!" Claudia screamed, sounding similar to her colourful bird. "If I had a willing bank." She jerked her finger toward the door. "I'd toss the three of you out on your ass."

"But, but you don't." A trembling Carmel gripped her chair tightly for courage. "So what's it gonna be?"

Claudia huffed. "What can these two possibly do for me? BT merely requires a cash injection to navigate through this tough stretch."

"Cash, cash, cash!" Paula the parrot screeched in her ear piercing tone.

"Claudia, you, you've had nothing but a tough stretch since Papa died twenty years ago."

The older twin assumed a sulking face. "Can't help it if the damn internet killed the soft porn industry." She wagged a scolding finger at her younger twin. "You just don't understand business."

Ever since the twins Father, Johnny Tonini, died in 1997, Claudia assumed control of Beach Time International. She grabbed the reins of a thriving company. Back then, Beach Time sat at its peak with over one hundred exclusive Beach Clubs around the world, a lucrative soft porn magazine ranked number five in the industry, a product merchandising division that captured the unique beach market, a fledgling internet site making traction, and finally, a beach time TV station carrying solid ratings. Johnny Tonini built an empire based out of Bellingham, Washington, and his daughter Claudia had been groomed to volt the enterprise to the next level.

Carmel, wearing her beige sack like dress, released another long breath. "Realize I know nothing about business. That's your thing, but I'm tired of being a half owner in a company that sends oodles of employees on stress leave." Although, Carmel had little to do with the business, she did however, know a surprising amount about the personal lives of many employes at Beach Time.

"Please! I'm the one with all the stress." Claudia waved a dismissive hand which supported a sparkling four carrot diamond ring, while the sound of a lady crying uncontrollably resinated from down the fourth floor executive hallway.

"From what Carmel told me, Beach Time's last employee satisfaction survey had three people out of over a thousand rating you at a 4 out of five," Nicholas stated. "With absolutely no one rating Beach Time as a five out of five, or outstanding place to work."

Carmel gained confidence from Nicholas's words as she added, "Plus, plus, plus, we have folks with serious addictions running around here with work place abuse and frustration filling the air." The anger in the usually laid back Carmel's voice grew. Her many cheap tiny bracelets jingled as her hands were moving like a whirlwind, "And the worst, Beach Time being responsible for a long list of employee suicides."

TWO

One hour later a shaking Carmel, Vanessa and Nicholas hovered round a tinny corner table at Frankie's Cafe. The 1950s style cafes located at every one of the 20 Beach Clubs remaining in the Beach Time empire. Those Beach Clubs which were now confined to only the West coast of North America, including four in Mexico, two in Hawaii, nine in California, one in Oregon, three in Washington, and one in Canada.

Frankie's Cafes were owned by Frankie Tonini, who was Johnny Tonini's younger brother. In 1967 an agreement allowed Frankie to place a Cafe in every one of his older brother's Beach Clubs, being the exclusive provider of all dining services for Beach Time International. Beach Time owned the rights to sell limited food items in their Gift Shops. But Frankie's Cafe was the main provider of food services, and that included providing food for the ever popular Sand Castle bars situated at the center of each Beach Club.

The ironclad agreement between the brothers began at this Bellingham Beach Club location. This 40 acre complex situated on the shores of Bellingham Bay in Whatcom County, housed the four story corporate head office; the majestic 30,000 square foot Beach Time mansion; the rundown two story factory & warehouse hidden in the back, and the original company Beach Club. As with all the Beach Clubs, Frankie's cafe received a prime panoramic ocean view location to serve guests.

Vanessa slid a glass of water in Nicholas's hand and laughed. "What a first impression?"

"Sis has a way about her," Carmel wiped her perspiring face with a paper napkin. "Never stood up to her before."

Vanessa unleashed one of her winning smiles. "You were magnificent!"

"Carmel blushed with embarrassment, lowering her head as she mumbled, Thank you."

The wellness coach rubbed her hands together excitedly. "The awesome news is; we got a month to get things going."

"Have a lot of work to do," Nicholas said.

Carmel touched the Dream Guru fondly on the arm. "And to do the coaching for free."

Vanessa refilled everyone's glass out of a pitcher of water on the table. "Once Claudia saw she had no choice, she jumped at the freebee."

Carmel smirked. "Sis loves the free stuff."

"This stuff should be free." The hazel eyed Vanessa held up the menu. "Have you seen this?"

"Oh my God!" The younger twin let out a long laugh, finally getting a hold of herself. "That menu hasn't changed in fifty years, ever since Papa extended the offer to Uncle Frankie. And even an old stoner like me knows it kills business."

Vanessa studied the menu intensely. "Thought there would be Italian food here."

Carmel fanned herself with her menu. "Uncle Frankie couldn't cook, he hated Italian food, but he loved burgers and fries, or fries and a triple paddy burger. As long as it was greasy."

"Yuk!" Vanessa touched the grimy silverware. "Talk about a greasy fork dive."

Nicholas's accurate and long nose informed him of the same. For he caught the smell of grease filing out of the kitchen area, the smell of aged coffee in a cup left on their table, and he could feel sugar and salt on that wobbly table left from the previous guest. "Standards do seem low here."

"Cousin Marco doesn't manage the way he should," informed Carmel, "and Uncle Frankie's getting old."

Vanessa slapped her menu on the table. "Oh man! This is bad carb heaven. Nothing healthy here."

"What do guests say?" Nicholas asked.

"Nonstop bitching," replied Carmel. "But, Uncle Frankie, who is in his eighties, is to old to manage the change. And his creepy son Marco thinks he's too good to actually manage the cafes."

Crash! A dish hit the floor in the kitchen. "Stupid tramp," sounded from a guttural male voice.

"That's not Marco," explained Carmel. "But, his head cook here at the Bellingham location is every bit the pig."

The same male voice then yelled, "Get out of here!" A weeping girl scampered out of the kitchen wearing a skimpy blue Beach Time bikini. The distraught young lady with a multitude of hair colours, dashed out the front door of the cafe.

"So sad," Carmel said. "Often, our server-models, like Donita there, and cafe waitresses flee that kitchen."

Frankie's cafe boasted red speedo wearing waiters and red bikini wearing waitresses. Whereas, Beach Time's colour was ocean blue with male and female servers working, wiggling and flexing in each of their Sand Castle bars. All Beach Time models for any pic or video were recruited directly from the Sand Castle servers, graduating them to the server-model level.

However, when their modelling shoot was done, they returned to slinging drinks at the Sand Castle bars, supporting a new title, supporting additional modelling experience and supporting a jaded attitude of how this soft porn business operated. Except, they then worked and waited patiently, until their next visit to the casting couch and potential photo op.

Vanessa brushed her long beautiful brunette hair back as she frowned. "Sounds like there's a real pig in that kitchen!"

"No kidding!" Nicholas took another drink of his water. "How often does this happen?"

"Today's a calm day," replied Carmel.

Nicholas raked his fingers through his brown hair streaked with grey which came into being after the explosion. "So, we're just glimpsing the tip of the iceberg?"

"You'll find out," the 50% owner of Beach Time said. "In this soft porn industry it gets much worse behind the scenes."

Nicholas stroked his chin. "That kind of stuff should have gone out years ago."

"Just like the food here," Carmel responded. "Stuck in time."

Vanessa tossed her menu aside. "How do the staff enjoy the food choices?"

Carmel pantomimed a fake throw up motion. "Complain like the guests. But they've no choice, and get a great employee discount on that crap."

The wellness coach cleared her throat. "If they're putting too much of this in their body, their BMI will be out of whack."

Carmel snickered. "Like mine, till you got hold of me."

On a dreary drizzling day three months ago in mid December of 2016, Vanessa and Nicholas first met Carmel. She was a broken wreck on the beach. They stumbled upon her, crying uncontrollably, laying on one of Bellingham's oceanside benches, soaked, shivering and surrounded by a pack of scrounging seagulls, smacking their beaks, demanding she relinquish her pile of wet calorie laden french fries. Nicholas and Vanessa sat down with the distraught lady. They dusted her off and within minutes she began revealing her life story.

Carmel lived the life of a burnt out hippie of the 1970s. She slummed in a rundown shack on the Lummi Native American Reservation right next to Bellingham. She fried many many brain cells over the years with her heavy drug addiction. Except, in spite of that addiction, she allowed her cash inheritance from her father, Johnny Tonini, to grow significantly over the past twenty years. Upon her father's death in 1997, Carmel entrusted its management to her business savvy daughter, Brittany Tonini, who parlayed the money to an entire new level.

Over the years Carmel slipped on and off the hard drug wagon, keeping weed as her constant habit. Although, sinking lower each time she hopped on the hard drug train, receiving scathing lectures from her twin sister Claudia. However, when she managed to stay off the heavy drugs for any length of time, Claudia ripped her sister continuously for the way her weight ballooned. Except, with all her troubles and eccentric traits, the one thing Carmel possessed was a gigantic heart, and being a major shareholder in a company like Beach Time that was wreaking havoc on its employees ate at the caring lady.

"Okay Carmel," Nicholas said. "Time to introduce us."

Carmel covered her eyes, shrinking in her chair, attempting to hide from reality. "Aw, I, I can't face," she stammered while slipping a joint from her pocket.

Vanessa snatched the pleasure stick out of her hand. "Oh yes you can."

"Gees!" Carmel pulled a pouting face. "Shouldn't have ever quit."

Occasionally over the last three months, Carmel fell back into her dependency and victim role. She let her confidence slip and slide down that self assurance hill. Words such as, shouldn't and can't would become a major part of her vocabulary for that period. Blaming others for her plight, not taking responsibility for herself and her actions. Fortunately, these lapses were becoming fewer and far between.

If a lapse occurred, the Dream Guru guided her through basic self esteem exercises. She would snap out of it rather quickly. They utilized the next few minutes to do just that. Also, reminding Carmel of what a giant step forward she took this morning toward her own dream, and that the next giant step toward that dream hovered right in front of her.

For Carmel Tonini experienced a three year volatile romantic relationship with the VP Human Resources at Beach Time. When that relationship began, the now VP sat at a much lower level. But rose rapidly, thanks to Carmel. Their turbulent relationship ended in a storm three months ago. Carmel never spoke to the corporate ladder climber since.

"But, but," Carmel protested as she hugged herself. "Lisa hurt me bad."

THREE

Twenty minutes later the three waited at the spectacular glass front entrance elevators at the Beach Time head office. Carmel shook like a dried out brittle leaf dragging her feet to make it this far. The coaches supported her with their soothing tone words. They stood in the lobby that was adorned with marble flooring, gold trim, crystal chandeliers and rare art work. It gave the impression Beach Time International was at the top of their game.

"What's going down sexy Carmel?" came from a strikingly handsome six foot seven man approaching the trio? The late twenties Jamaican boasted dark penetrating alluring eyes, clanking corn rolls, broad shoulders and a body that would make many swoon.

Carmel narrowed her eyes. "Hi Tad."

"Too bad I missed you," a thick gold chain, diamond earring and Rolex wearing, Tad Stanford said. The roguish man winked at Vanessa, intimately touching Carmel, following that up with an extended overdone hug. "Just came back from another Decker crisis."

"Oh no," Carmel gasped. "Is he?"

"All fine." Tad frowned. "Another false alarm. Decker loves to get his mommy's attention."

Decker Tonini was Claudia's only child. He had never left home since returning from art college a dozen years ago. He carried a heavy drug addiction, and a turbulent relationship with his domineering mother.

Carmel rubbed her neck. "Have to go see my nephew."

"Brooding brat's a waste of time," grumbled Tad supporting an expensive finely tailored suit. "Anyway, heard all about the first ever twin rumble." Tad held up his phone. "Queen Claudia was some steamed."

"Hopefully, Sis will get over it," Carmel said in a wobbly voice. "She tells you everything."

"Not enough to satisfy the Tad man." Adjusting his bright red silk puff and tie, The sharply dressed Jamaican admired himself in the gleaming mirrors across from the elevators. "After all, I'm her Executive Assistant." He smirked, winking knowingly. "And well."

Carmel graced tad with a pitying touch on the arm. "Until she grows tired of her play thing." She inclined her head, giving him a sympathetic look. "And she fires you, like all the rest."

Tad shook his head confidently. "Not a chance." He jutted out his chest. "Let's just say, Tad's here for the long hall." He thumped that massive chest. "Even an old queen wants a king."

Tap! Tap! Tap! A couple of minutes later Carmel let Lisa Rampart know Vanessa and Nicholas arrived with a light knock on the door of a lavish fourth floor executive office, comparable to the CEO's. Introductions were quickly and uncomfortably made. A stammering and panic stricken Carmel fled immediately after. However, both coaches knew Carmel needed to take this first step, passing with flying colours. The Carmel of three months ago would have crumbled.

Nicholas sank into a soft leather chair, feeling as if he may well be sitting across from a barracuda. He inhaled a whiff of her potent perfume. It wreaked of aggression and power. The eery silence dragged on.

He heard finger tapping on some sort of tech device originating from behind the desk. Finally, the finger dance finished as a plainly dressed Lisa snarled, "I hate this coaching project."

"Why?" Nicholas inquired.

Lisa tightened her facial muscles. "I hate anything to do with psychology or counselling."

"We're not psychologists or counsellors," responded Vanessa.

"What's the bloody difference between dream coaching and what a psychologist or counsellor does?" the HR executive asked.

Nicholas explained the importance of counselling. Often, the Dream Guru referred his clients to a psychologist when appropriate. He described how a psychologist or counsellor dealt with helping people get well. The focus of counselling revolved around healing wounds from past emotional traumas from life experiences or relationships. A counsellor engaged with the client in order to diagnose the problem to bring them to emotional and psychological wholeness.

Whereas, his dream coaching was primarily future focused, not fixated with the past. The Dream Guru focused on the future. It enabled people to take control of their lives through actionable strategies for the improvements and goals they wanted to see manifest in their lives.

A squared jaw, broad shouldered Lisa clinched her fist. "Coaching's stupid! Employees are stupid! And you two are stupid!" She folded her arms hostilely across her chest. "No use talking to me."

"Glad you have an open mind," Vanessa responded.

Bang! Bang! A thin lip, skull and bones tattoo wearing Lisa hammered the device on her desk. "Look what you did, made me break my cell. Ought to call security and toss scum like you out."

Nicholas rolled his shoulders attempting to relax, smelling the aggression. "So, you're not going to cooperate?"

"Listen blind man, I don't like you."

"Don't know me."

"My boss doesn't like you," she said in her grating tone. "So I don't like you!" Lisa let out a disapproving sigh. "And you can't see for God sakes. Beach Time is all about how we look."

Nicholas's gut churned. He gripped his white cane tightly. Here we go he thought. He needed to stop freezing when his disability was raised in a negative context. And stop having people come to his rescue. Except, once again, he froze at the starting line.

"Come on, my husband's been providing coaching for over thirty-five years. He's highly regarded, worked with thousands." Vanessa reached over and squeezed his hand. "And he's even more insightful since he lost his sight."

Lisa scoffed. "Blind people are-"

Vanessa interrupted before Lisa went on, "Give it a rest. And besides, if Beach Time was so focussed on looks, it wouldn't serve the crap it does to its staff and guests at Frankie's Cafe."

"They serve mouthwatering food," defended the middle aged Lisa.

Vanessa smoothed down her skirt as she glared across the desk. "Do you eat there?"

"Ahem! Well, ah, I would, but," Lisa stumbled as she fixed her gaze out her ocean view window, clearly wishing the conversation would end. "God, I need a smoke."

Vanessa's eyes laughed as she uncrossed her legs, her fingers doing a lively dance in her lap. The wellness coach was a ball of energy and movement. Her inside energy light burned strong, especially when a battle was simmering. "Lisa, you never eat there."

"Doesn't matter if I eat there." Lisa rose antagonistically. "What's important you clowns, is that we support Marco and his father's chain?" The HR executive fired up a cigarette and enjoyed a soothing puff.

"Are you two still dining at Pierre's down the street?" Vanessa asked as she gained a ton of info from Carmel for this very meeting.

Lisa flushed. "Well, Marco's such a sophisticated and gorgeous creature. You know, he's a wine connoisseur. Only Pierre's would do for that man."

That was not how Carmel portrayed Marco Tonini. She wore nothing but distain for her younger cousin who sauntered smugly about the Beach Time Head Office, displaying his sense of moral superiority. He stirred up trouble wherever he could, rather than improving his father's outdated cafes.

The chain smoking Lisa aimed her cigarette at Vanessa and continued, "And even though you're a beautiful lady, I'm beginning to dislike you as much as your blind husband."

Vanessa rubbed her hands on her thighs. "Does Beach Time have a smoking policy?"

Lisa cackled.

"That means they do," answered Nicholas.

"God I hate you two!" Lisa arrogantly enjoyed another puff. "My smoking in the office is none of your business." The petulant executive purposely blew smoke in Vanessa, and then Nicholas's direction.

Nicholas took in a breath, coughing at the smoke. He realized why Lisa utilized such powerful perfume, attempting to mask her office smoking. He gripped his cane even tighter, determined that as a baby step, he would take a stand on something. Except, the smoking could wait. He needed to tackle something else. "Lisa, to spite your feelings toward us, are you going to send the message formally announcing the offer of coaching to all Beach Time staff?"

The HR executive lifted her chin defiantly. "No damn way!"

"Nice try," Vanessa said. "You do understand the consequences?"

Lisa began to pace nervously. "Of course, but, against my principles."

"What principles?" Vanessa questioned in her cocky tone. She heard all about Lisa and her so called values from Carmel and had absolutely no regard for this one.

Nicholas leaned in toward Lisa. "You and Claudia can make us do this little dance forever, stonewalling us at every turn."

A sneering Lisa stop pacing, turning to Nicholas, chuckling patronizingly. "Blind man's not so stupid."

"And then this business suffers," he remarked.

The six foot Lisa dragged out the moment, letting out a long exhale. Whack! She struck her desk. "That's what I'd like to do to your head." She ground her tobacco stained teeth and grumbled, "Okay, I guess I'll send out a note." She guffawed. "I'll get around to it."

Nicholas thought, here comes the lecture on how important she is.

"You know, there are over 1,000 lazy staff in BT to deal with." Miss Rampart snorted. "Bet very few of the slugs take up the offer." Right then, a loud scream filled the fourth floor, followed by more screams, curses and a slamming of a door.

The Dream Guru pondered how there were strange going ons at this place, and that their help could very well be appreciated, if not required. However, the obstacle parade sat in the early stages. "The uptake on coaching all depends on how it is presented. And how it is encouraged."

"Are you saying I, the Executive VP of HR, might discourage people?" Lisa oozed fake outrage.

Nicholas's two years of total blindness sharpened his auditory and tactile senses, picking up nuances he never would have in the past. Except, this fake outrage was no challenge to detect. "I think," he paused as he braised himself for a backlash, "you're capable of undermining this project."

"Stupid blind man," the HR executive roared.

"Maybe even threaten anyone who steps forward," added Vanessa.

Thud! Lisa kicked her chair. "If that's your attitude, might wait even longer to send that message."

A trembling Nicholas mustered up the confidence for his next statement. He wished he had his old gumption. The explosion stole more then his eyesight. Yet he would forge on to spite a ton of uncertainty surrounding his aura. "But, but every day you wait, it costs Claudia critical time."

"What do you mean blind man?"

"Vanessa and I have thirty days to get back to Carmel whether there's a chance of improving things for some of the staff. If we say no chance." Nicholas dragged out the moment, mustering more confidence. "Then no cash."

Smack! Whack! Lisa punched the back of her chair. "This is so stupid!"

Nicholas thought this leader murdered any furniture budget Beach Time carried. He detected both anger and fear flowing from the lady. Except, the hostile anger far out weighed the fear.

"Lisa, what are you scared of?" Vanessa inquired.

Whack! She hammered her desk again. Nicholas sensed even more turmoil going on across the desk. "Nothing, nothing, okay, I'll write up the stupid message."

The Dream Guru took another baby step in his comeback to full confidence, although there was a long way to go. "Maybe not." Nicholas whipped out his talking cell phone. "Here's the note." He fired the message to Lisa. "Got your address from Carmel."

A terror stricken Lisa gulped, eyes darting about as the control freak was not 100% in charge, causing her right hand to twitch. "You mean I have no input in this?"

Time for another baby step on the Dream Guru's journey, as he stood up to a bully like this. Except, his stomach was its own roller coaster. "If you and I can start working together in a cooperative manner. Then, the next one for sure. But until you and I come to some understanding." Nicholas shook his head.

Vanessa jumped in, "Now that we have that settled. How much does Marco pay you on the side?"

FOUR

Five minutes later a tall Marco Tonini strutted into Lisa's office, sneering contemptuously. He elevated his rather petite nose, speaking in his slight Italian accent. "Who informed you of our confidential arrangement?"

Clearly, Lisa had advised Marco of the coaches coming in to Beach Time. And clearly, she texted Marco upon Vanessa slinging her accusation a few minutes ago. Managing to send that text from her apparently broken cell phone, while screaming and berating the two coaches for these past five minutes.

Vanessa smirked, levelling a defiant look. "We have our sources." When she threw out the statement connecting Marco and Lisa, she was uncertain of her facts. But she wanted to send up the trial balloon which verified her and Carmel's suspicions.

Nicholas smiled and let the anger subside in the room. "Why are you two so upset?"

"Listen carefully people," replied the fifty-four year old Marco in a his loud stentorian voice. "Our confidential arrangement is none of yours or anyone else's concern."

"Does Claudia know?" Nicholas inquired.

A silence filled the room. Marco paced like a polished panther about to strike. Ever since the man was a little lad, three things fired up Marco's hatred. The first revolved around being questioned on anything he did. "I oversee the cafes. Absolutely nothing to do with my cousin Claudia."

"For the record," Lisa said. "I assist Marco with his wine connoisseur blog."

Vanessa chuckled. "And what do you know about wine?"

"Go to hell," Lisa muttered as she blushed with her hand twitching again.

"Enough of this foolishness." Smoothly, Marco snatched Nicholas's white cane out of his hand, placing it on Lisa's desk. "Now, my friends." Marco laughed mirthlessly. "I'd strongly advise you two reprobates to kindly remove yourself from the premises."

Lisa balled up her fists. "Before we have you thrown out." She licked her lips like a wildcat ready to strike, gaining confidence with Marco's appearance. She shook one of her paws like a crazed lady. "In other words, get the hell out!"

The inscrutable Marco plucked at the cuff of his shirt. "Calm down Lisa."

"Time to speak a language these stupid coaches will understand," jeered the HR executive.

"They will quickly understand." Marco shot his killer look, making Vanessa squirm, but having no reaction on the man without sight. Marco served up his ultra sardonic tone, "Thought I had seen it all. A blind man masquerading as a coach." He blew out a disgusting breath. "A blind man is only a half a man at best."

Lisa cackled right along with the insult. "Damn right!"

Nicholas absorbed this shot squarely in the gut letting the pain swirl inside like a tornado of pins. Unfortunately, for the first three months of his darkness, he thought that very thought. He felt emasculated. He regretted all the things he could not do. He questioned himself as a husband, as a father, as a dream coach, as a person, and yes, as a man.

The list of losses ran long, from mobility to independence; from his hobbies to his work; from simple day to day pleasures he took for granted to some of life's basic life skills he struggled to accomplish. The agony from those losses felt pronounced. Also, those first three months he felt like a burden to his wife and kids. However, one step at a time, he progressed through the rehab and change process. He altered his bruised ego; shedding a foolish identity; awakening the power of his other four senses; and finally, gaining strength, confidence and new skills. Two years later he poised ready to take the next step. Except, was he ready for this?

Vanessa laughed mockingly at Marco and Lisa. "Do you two realize how ridiculous you sound?"

"Lady, you have not witnessed ridiculous yet." He made a gesture Nicholas would comprehend. He clasped the white cane, wrapping the Dream Guru on the leg firmly. "These two will depart peacefully." He wrapped Nicholas on the leg again. "And depart immediately." The egotistical man flashed a wolfish smirk. "I think our coaching friends are beginning to comprehend what they're up against."

"I'm not one for subtleties." Lisa stormed to Marco's side, pointing to the door. "Like I said, get the hell out right now!"

Never one to go down without a fight, Vanessa touched her husband on the hand, giving Nicholas reassurance, and said in a spirited tone. "You two are awfully forceful, for people who have some explaining to do."

Before Lisa could respond, Marco reached over, slapping a hand over her mouth. "Enough." He directed his dark piercing eyes at Vanessa. "Listen lady. You're not grasping your very precarious situation."

Vanessa stayed silent, sensing a new level of danger. Nicholas sucked in a breath, missing his white cane. For that symbol of his blindness seemed to give him a feeling of security. His heart hammered against his ribcage, a dryness formed in his mouth. Was he totally speechless and paralyzed without that cane? Had the self proclaimed wine connoisseur zeroed in on one of his Achilles heels?

"Listen you two so called coaches," Marco whispered. "I will only say this one more time. Please leave."

Vanessa let out a disgusted sigh, waving a dismissive hand as if she were dealing with a fool.

Marco's anger flared. "I'm all out of subtleties." Crack! He snapped the white cane in two. "And don't come back if you know what's good for you."

Nicholas and Vanessa fled the building. They walked briskly rehashing the events, suddenly finding themselves a few blocks from the Beach Time complex. The threats levelled at the two Coaches rang deadly. Definitely, Marco's look, tone and actions made his intensions clear. The couple discussed whether this assignment was worth it.

Both coaches wrestled with themselves. Something sinister flowed within Beach Time. Yet, people needed help inside the struggling company. Nicholas felt as if he jumped into the coaching saddle too quick. He wondered if he was ready, needing more time or needing a more regular coaching assignment to dip his tow back in the coaching water. After some back and forth, they agreed Nicholas would call Carmel tonight. Letting her know, they were stepping away.

"Excuse me," came from a soft voice as Vanessa and Nicholas rounded a corner where a bus stop was situated. Hunched over on a bench, sat the girl who fled the kitchen of Frankie's cafe earlier. She rose uncertainly, raising a trembling hand in greeting. The tall server-model wiped tears while she shivered, makeup running, hair disheveled. Her spirit appeared crushed, humiliation written all over her face.

"How are you Donita?" inquired Vanessa.

"Terrible!" Donita Perez held up her phone. "Heard from Billy the security guard that you guys are some kind of coaches."

Nicholas scratched his head. "News travels fast."

"Billy's neighbours with Carmel," Donita explained, looking up with a pleading gaze. "Staff need help. Lots and lots of help."

The five foot five Vanessa touched her comfortingly on the shoulder. "What was going on back there in the cafe?"

She trembled in the spring sunshine as she still wore her blue Beach Time bikini with a light coverup. Donita peered around to see if anyone was watching. She bowed her head. "Ahem, And I'm one of those needing a lot of help."

The wellness coach extended her hand to the distraught server-model. "Were you being sexually abused?"

Donita grasped Vanessa's hand as if it were a life line. She shook her head. "Nothing like that with me. But, I owe Cook."

"Owe him what?" inquired Nicholas.

Donita wobbled. Vanessa steadied her. She thought for a moment as she took a couple steps, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Owe Cook a ton of money. Gotta gambling problem." She covered her head in her hands and mumbled, "Can you please, please help me?" Then she popped her head up, "And I've got a friend at work, can't say who, who is about to do themselves in."

FIVE

Vanessa and Nicholas ate dinner at their kitchen table. They hashed over the days events. Two years ago, the couple purchased a tiny home near one of Bellingham's beautiful beaches. The couple enjoyed the endless sand, soothing salt water, fresh air, vibrancy and happy feelings that surrounded this oceanside city.

"Ready to call Carmel?" Vanessa asked. "No shame in stepping away from this one."

Nicholas sighed exhaustedly. "Why am I hesitating?"

Vanessa grasped his hand. "Are you sure you want to walk away? I think we should. But I know you."

His cell rang. "Hello!"

"Please Nicholas, help me!" Carmel's panicking voice filled the cellphone.

"What is it?"

"Walked out to my car. Somebody left a note saying."

"What did it say Carmel?"

"Next time, boom!"

A ping sounded from Vanessa's cell. She whispered in Nicholas's ear, "Got a text, Lisa and Claudia want to meet with you first thing in the morning. And only you."

The following day Nicholas switched his laser white cane along the sidewalk. His talking GPS informed him it was time to turn up the walkway to the front entrance of the Beach Time Head Office. He utilized his laser cane today when traveling alone. Whereas, when he traveled with Vanessa he merely took a wooden white cane, which he now had one less of those sturdy canes after Marco's threatening actions.

Carefully, he navigated his way. He savoured the feel of the warm spring sunshine, gaining energy from the smell of the fresh ocean air. He loved walking near the beach. People glowed happy. People glowed friendly, saying hello or good morning in a most pleasant manner.

Even the chap who said good morning earlier, with Nicholas replying accordingly. Except, when the fellow carried on talking in his plummy voice on his cell, the Dream Guru realized the cheery greeting was not for him. The slightly embarrassed Nicholas chuckled. For this happened more and more to folks who are blind with the massive numbers of pedestrians talking on their cells in public.

Nicholas smiled as he weaved his way passed the soothing sound of the flowing fountains. Yesterday, Vanessa described each of the unique marble fountains to her husband. Each of those priceless works of art posed erotically outside the Beach Time building. Each piece of art depicted a nude sculpture of a man, a woman or some combination.

He enjoyed a second smile as he thought of this morning's dressing routine. His first solo flight in two years. He paraded out of their bedroom, supporting two different coloured socks. Vanessa scurried him back, quick change, final inspection, sending him off with a kiss and a hug.

"Hey Nicholas," Billy called out. The mid thirties security guard wore a trim looking uniform, supporting a large Beach Time logo as he worked the front entrance. "I'm Billy Cardinal. My neighbour Carmel said you were coming."

The two men exchanged pleasantries, and the handsome dark featured Billy guided Nicholas the rest of the way into the building.

Billy rubbed his blurry eye as a multitude of keys jingled at his side. Constantly, he checked his cell phone as they walked. "Before you meet with Lisa and Claudia. Want to introduce you to the first ever employee hired at Beach Time."

Within a minute the clean cut Billy guided Nicholas to a tiny back office on the first floor of the headquarters building. "I'm taking you to meet my Grandfather's best friend, and the man who's looked after all the Beach Time property for all fifty years."

"Who's your grandfather?"

"Chief Jimmy of the Lummi Native band which this complex sits on."

Nicholas slowed Billy down and asked, "You mean this entire complex sits on your Nation's property?"

"You bet! People don't realize this sliver of land jutting into the city of Bellingham is ours."

"I sure didn't."

"And a one hundred year lease agreement signed back in 1967 allowed BT to build here. We're half way done."

A few more steps and Billy pushed through a creaking office door. He led Nicholas into a sparse dingy office with a small desk, antiquated computer, even more antiquated desk phone, beat up wooden office chair, dinted old file cabinet and no window.

"This is Charlie Wong," Billy said in his flat tone. "He's the best."

After a few minutes of chit chat, the hunched over elderly Charlie took charge. "Nicholas, I'm putting you in a spare office right up on the fourth floor in the executive wing."

"Except, folks won't come to see me if I'm there," protested Nicholas.

"Got another private spot on the first floor of the factory and warehouse," said Charlie as he fiddled with his taped up wire rim spectacles.

Nicholas flashed a puzzled look. "Are you sure?"

"And I'm putting a sign on both office doors; Dream Guru." Charlie snickered. "My nephew down in Portland told me all about the Dream Guru. Claims you can make the wildest of dreams come true. And if we don't get serious soon, our Merchandising Division will be out of dreams."

The Merchandising Division, which the factory and warehouse reported under, had been neglected by this executive team due to its lack of sizzle and sparkle in their warped Hollywood type mindsets. Yet, it stood as the cash cow for Beach Time for the past twenty years, affording those same executives a lavish lifestyle.

Johnny Tonini had built a viable Merchandising operation venturing into a number of beach wear and beach related products such as: swim suits, coverups, sun dresses, sun hats, sandals, flip flops, beach towels, beach mats, and beach bags, and many other items. These were manufactured and distributed at this site.

In addition, BT distributed other products out of this Bellingham location. However, they did not manufacture them here. They arrived ready to embed the Beach Time logo, and then they were ready for shipping. Such items as: surf boards, paddle boards, skim boards, sun screen, sun tanning oil, sun umbrellas, coolers, beach balls, beach chairs, beach tents, and so on.

The merchandising division was led by the most competent executive at Beach Time, Victoria Walters. She delivered the most profitable results in BT. In fact, Victoria's division delivered the only profits in BT, to spite the lack of investment and attention, Claudia and the rest of her exec team gave them all these years. Except, that neglect was catching up with Beach Time, and Charlie wore major concerns about the division's future.

"Understand the spot at the factory and warehouse," said Nicholas. "But don't need to be up on the executive wing."

A smiling faced Charlie with his crooked teeth slapped the Dream Guru on the shoulder playfully. "You bet! Get the real feel of the place, put you right in the middle of the shark tank."

SIX

Ten minutes later Nicholas relaxed in a chicly decorated area in front of the CEO's office, waiting for Claudia and Lisa to beckon him in. He accepted the invitation to meet, even though Vanessa protested him coming alone. Except, she was tied up with another client. He would have to fly solo. That's exactly how the sharks wanted it. He would have to be on his game. His first solo coaching flight since that life altering big bang with scheming sharks awaiting. Would one flash of their sharp teeth send him into a tailspin?

Claudia's giant of an Executive Assistant rose from his sprawling desk. He sauntered over to Nicholas, firmly grasping him by the shoulder, giving him a monster squeeze. "Hey mon, gotta listen up." Tad shook Nicholas hard. "Need to talk at you."

Nicholas clutched his white cane tighter then he ever had. He was never getting caught off guard again. "About what?"

"Here to talk some sense into you mon." Tad inflicted a super hard squeeze on the Dream Guru. The Jamaican chuckled in his deep base tone, letting Nicholas know where things were at. "You're gonna do exactly as me and my people say."

"Pardon me?"

Tad cuffed Nicholas on the head as he boomed out, "Show respect mon."

Smack! Nicholas's white cane flipped up and whacked Tad's hand.

"Ow!" Tad rubbed his injured mitt. "What the hell?"

Once Vanessa and Nicholas decided to go forward with the coaching last night, they were not going to be physically intimidated. However, Nicholas prayed he would not get intimidated cause of his disability. As far as the physical side, absolutely no more. Nicholas could not believe this place, threatened twice in two days. What kind of bullying playground was this? And this guy had no subtlety about him.

"I don't take well to threats after yesterday," Nicholas tapped his cane on the floor. "And you my man, just delivered a beauty."

A bad ass cologne wearing Tad grasped Nicholas by the collar, growling, "Damn right that was a threat. Better do what we want mon." Tad mashed his teeth, shaking the smaller man one more time. "Or your bagged!"

Lightening quick, an agile Nicholas grabbed Tad by the wrist, bending it back with a surprising strength. The EA bellowed like an injured bull, dropping to his knees with a thud, pain enveloping his face. His diamond earring danced across the floor. His pride shuffled right along side.

"So that this embarrassing situation never happens again. "I'm a former world champ karate guy. And since my accident, this cane." Nicholas tapped it on the floor again. "Is my weapon of choice?

Hearing Tad's howling, Lisa and Claudia stumbled out of the office. Nicholas's ears caught the faint rustling of their Taylor made fabrics and their sudden gasps. They stood spell bound in astonishment as they witnessed the unlikely event with slack jaws and wide eyed surprise.

"Please, please, let me up," begged the EA with tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

"Do we have an understanding?" Nicholas smiled as he tapped the kneeling man's foot with his cane.

"Yeah, yeah mon, please," the giant pleaded. Nicholas released him. Tears continued to run down Tad's cheeks, spilling on to the floor, as the whimpering fellow clutched his injured wrist.

"Glad we had this little chat King Tad."

Within moments Nicholas had positioned himself around a finely polished oak conference table. The two executive sharks licked their chops, preparing to sink their teeth into a tender piece of coaching meat.

The conference room connected to Claudia's office screamed opulence. When Johnny Tonini built his head office building he wanted his specific office area to made Hugh's look pathetic, mission accomplished. To carry on that battle, Claudia ensured her office area was continually upgraded to reflect Johnny's dream to beat Hugh.

The competition between Playboy and Penthouse also included some of the smaller players, and Beach Time up in the Pacific northwest was one of those. In the early and mid 70s, Playboy boasted over seven million magazine subscribers. Penthouse had around 5.5 to 6 million with Beach Time having about 2.5 million. Most battles seemed to rage between the two giants of the soft porn industry. Penthouse captured a younger age group, being more real and risky. While Playboy began to be seen as old and outdated. At the same time, niche players such as Beach Time made their move during this growth period, being seen as all about beach sizzle, beach sex, and wild beach sun and fun.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, when Playboy took a beating by the press and women's groups, Johnny further cemented his place by slipping further into his beach niche and grew. Continually, the high profile Playboy owner was nailed by the feminists. Whereas, Johnny hung back in the weeds, avoiding the storm, putting his daughter, Claudia, up front when required, seldom getting hammered by the press.

As Playboy's chaos continued to spread through the 90s, Johnny continued to lead the smart expansion of his own. He rode between Playboys sophisticated flavour, and penthouse's younger demographic, and even Hustler's raunchier space; exploiting up Beach Time's knotty beach frolic and scintillating sex theme to the fullest.

In addition, Claudia harboured a desire to show Christie Hefner that she was to be the business savvy daughter who would turn around the family's soft porn empire. Christie ignored Claudia as a legitimate competitor for all these years. The insult exasperated the Beach Time CEO to no end. When the two met in social circles down in LA, Christie's constant snubs further stoked the flames of hatred on Claudia's part.

Nicholas detected the sound of a lighter. In the next moment, he heard the sigh of a long satisfying drag from a cigarette. The odour quickly enveloped the room. "As I demonstrated before, smoking policy doesn't apply to us," pronounced Lisa in her raspy tone.

Claudia clarified, "Well it does. But it doesn't, if you know what we mean."The two ladies snickered smugly, clinking their cocktail glasses.

"Think I know what you mean," Nicholas responded while fanning the smoke and taking in the distinctive aroma of their tequila laden margaritas.

Claudia leaned in, speaking in a patronizing tone, "Too bad your wife couldn't join us. Are you able to handle things yourself?" A sly snigger originated from the two predators.

Deep down, Nicholas desired this type of test. It was time for him to rock. He swallowed hard, telling himself to forget the blindness, be the Dream Guru again, be the person he knew he could be. "What's the purpose of this meeting?"

"How uncivilized of you," Lisa chided. "Hurting poor Tad."

"Was Tad acting on his own?" Nicholas asked. "Or was he following orders?"

He sensed the disgust of the two ladies when Tad begged for mercy while on his knees. For it was Nicholas that was to be in that position if the EA would have followed orders correctly. Also, the CEO showed further frustration with Tad, as at the last minute Claudia shifted their meeting to her private conference room versus her office. Much to Tad's objection as he claimed the conference room was to be used for another meeting.

The two executives flushed, gulped, sharing looks of chagrin. Claudia grasped pills from a bottle, popping a couple.

Nicholas took the silence for its true meaning. "Why don't you come clean Claudia?"

The CEO recovered quickly. She ceased control after witnessing her plan fail, taking on a honey tone, "Look Nicholas, let's start fresh."

"Sounds good," he agreed. "If you're serious?"

"Of course my friend." The pill popper touched him on the arm as she utilized as smokey a voice as the sixty year old could drum up. "How about if we make it worth your while to cooperate?"

Another silence filled the room. Only Paula the parrot could be heard in Claudia's adjoining office, rattling about in her cage.

"What do you mean?" Nicholas gripped his chair, a wary sensation churning in his stomach.

"Know you're not asking for any payment for the first month," Claudia stated. "But we are willing to pay handsomely for, well, you know."

"The right recommendation," Lisa blurted out.

Nicholas smirked. He dragged out the moment letting the ladies keep talking, thinking how Lisa spoke whatever she thought, no filter. He admired that in some ways. However, with Lisa's bullying personality, it meant trouble for others.

Claudia touched him on the arm a little longer this time. "Know this is your first client for two years. I'm willing to line up two new paying clients for you." She enjoyed a sip of her drink. "Ah that is good. Did some research on the Dream Guru. Talked to some insiders in LA and Silicon Valley. You were one of the best."

"Then boom!" the HR executive shouted. "And the Dream Guru became useless."

Claudia popped another pill. "But we're willing to call in some favours. Secure you some contracts."

"Only way anyone would ever use a bloody blind freak," snapped Lisa as she touched a hideous scar on her left cheek.

"No, thank you." Nicholas grasped his phone, hitting a button, "Coaching will begin Monday. But we're done here." Billy had said to call him when Nicholas was finished, and he would be there in seconds to guide the Dream Guru out of the shark tank. Nicholas rose slowly. He swished his white cane, navigating his way to the door. His knees knocked. His palms perspired. His first solo flight was about to crash. He felt as if he had to escape before the nose dive struck the ground.

Lisa screamed, "You're done in this town!"

"I may be, but coaching here still goes forward." Nicholas's nervous fingers gripped his cane like never before as he spoke, "And I may not be the only one done. Are you aware Claudia that your EA is also being paid by some of the more inscrutable LA people you owe a ton of money to?"

SEVEN

"Used to love this place, not so sure anymore," said a quivering Monique Marcoux. She clenched her fists with her chewed down finger nails. "Need a smoke."

Even though the long time employee appeared anxious, she carried herself with class. Makeup and hair tastefully put together. Clothes, not to outrageous, yet very much in style, which highlighted her positive features and cheerful manner.

Monday morning of March 20 and the eager lady was the first person to meet with Nicholas. The office at the warehouse fit perfect. They situated themselves in comfortable chairs, around a practical coffee table. Plants hung from the ceiling. Window invited in sunlight and fresh air with a water cooler in the corner. Instinctively, Charlie Wong knew the most effective environment to conduct dream coaching. In addition, Charlie set Vanessa up with a room in this warehouse building for her group sessions which she also used to discuss individual wellness plans.

Ever since the message offering dream and wellness coaching to staff went out from Lisa in HR, the meeting requests flooded in. Phone and Skype sessions from employees around the twenty Beach Clubs led the pack. Meeting requests for the warehouse back rooms were second, and meeting requests for the fourth floor head office sat at zero so far.

The two webcasts series on yoga and nutrition being offered by Vanessa on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week received tons of sign ups with endless clambering for additional subject areas to be covered. Similar to opening a keg of beer at a frat house, freshman racing with empty cups, tongues hanging out, demanding their thirsts be quenched.

Nicholas enjoyed a few deep breaths. He waited two years to get back on the coaching horse. He dreamed of this day where he would work one on one with people seeking help again. Except, would he regain his Dream Guru form? One thing he knew for sure, his home grown dream Coaching methodology he built over his career stood better then ever.

He called his methodology the DREAM Model. The DREAM Model was based on the Socratic Method. Socrates promoted a system of asking questions in order for people to find themselves. That aspect held as the cornerstone of Nicholas's DREAM Model, asking thought provoking questions versus giving advice. For a person knew the most about their situation. They thought the most about their situation, and they had the most to gain or lose.

In addition to insightful questions in the DREAM Model, Nicholas embedded a number of tried and true Coaching exercises to enhance the overall experience for each and every person he worked with. Since Nicholas's blindness, he incorporated a number of revealing exercises in which the visual component was limited. This enabled people to more effectively find, hear and feel their dream. Also, access to state of the art assessment and personality tools was part of the DREAM Model, in order to allow individuals to gain further insights into themselves.

Five minutes into the session Monique confessed in her thick French accent, "Oh, I'd quit Beach Time, but."

"But what?" Nicholas asked.

A massive sigh spilled out of the forty-five year old brunette. "Doing hair and make up is all I know."

"What'd you enjoy about your job?"

"Actually, a lot, but, but."

"But what?"

Monique bit a nail while she formulated an answer. "Toughest part of the job is when Claudia and Lisa walk into my area, demanding I make them beautiful. Demanding perfection."

"What happens when they aren't satisfied?"

"Hear about it. Claudia has issues with her age." Monique groaned. "Lisa's got issues with her..."

"Her what?"

"How do I say?" She gesticulated as she fought to find the words. "Lisa's got a hardness to her. That all the Monique magic in the world, can't chase away."

"Tell me more about your job?"

"Besides the crazy demands, the crazy details." She chuckled. "And the crazy people."

Nicholas asked for more. He sensed this lady wanted to reveal much more information.

"I'm like the mother hen for so many here, kind of look out for the kids." The French lady bit her lower lip as she fidgeted. "Guess their kind of like my kids. Never had any of my own."

"How often do they come to you for help?"

"Frequently, Monsieur!" The slightly overweight lady cringed. "This porn business is tough, real tough. The parties, the drugs, the creeps. Need a smoke just thinking about it. And I just finished one with the circle."

"How long have you?"

"A founding member."

"Do you want to quit?"

"Oui, oui. But will never. Billy and I are lifers." Monique chuckled heartily. "A few others join on occasion. Even our HR executive graces our circle with her presence once in a while. And wow! Does she make it juicy?"

"What kind of juice does she spill?"

"Here's an example." In her silvery tone, the bubbly Monique went on to describe this mornings smoking session with Lisa, Billy and herself. She divulged in her hand dipping and dancing manner the details of a so called secret Lisa boasted of knowing.

"Fascinating."

"Nothing compared to what secrets have been told to me by many of the staff," the makeup lady whispered. "Especially, on what goes down while on that filthy casting couch."

One hour later a fully dressed Donita sat with Nicholas. She spilled out her life story, spilled out her regrets and spilled out her gambling addiction rationale. She finished her story by spilling out many tears.

"That's about it." She grabbed another kleenex, blowing her nose. "Hard to believe I'm a certified yoga instructor like your wonderful wife who is so much more than that. But, I got into gambling. Lost my way."

Nicholas handed her a funny looking metal bracelet with a small screen and multiple miniature buttons. "Would you be interested in wearing this?"

The GENIE bracelet represented a breakthrough technology that Nicholas laboured over during the past two years. He contracted three experts out of the University of Washington an hour down the I5 in Seattle. The three contractors were: an expert in sensory technology, an expert in artificial intelligence technology and a hot shot app developer. The GENIE team loved building this Advanced Wearable Technology product, and was super charged about this maiden voyage.

The bracelet fed all sorts of information into the GENIE app residing on a person's cell phone. The GENIE app and GENIE bracelet worked in tandem like a finely tuned machine. GENIE delivered a wide range of customized dream and wellness Coaching features. Nicholas hoped it would be all he imagined while laying those weeks in the hospital bed, designing and integrating his DREAM model, and Vanessa's Wellness model into the revolutionary GENIE concept.

Donita tugged on her earlobe as she stared at the device. "What's this?"

"Call it GENIE," replied Nicholas. "The bracelet connects to an app we'll put on your phone. It helps you monitor and motivate herself as you and I go through the DREAM process."

She accepted the bracelet tentatively. "Like a dream I have when I sleep."

"No, like the dream you have for yourself and your life."

Donita shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know if I have a dream anymore."

"We'll see." The Dream Guru found some people he worked with had difficulty beginning at the first step, talking about their life dream. For sometimes, there was an immediate problem or issue which required attention. The person needed to touch on or tackle this glaring problem first, not spending too much time on it. Then they could get on with the DREAM model. "And that is phase one in the DREAM process: Design your Dream."

Five phases made up the DREAM model:

\- D - Design Your Dream

Developing and clarifying what the person truly desired from their life.

\- R - Reality Scan

Assessing where the person was at that point, evaluating and reflecting on their current situation, and reviewing their resources and options.

\- E - Energizing Goals

Building SMART goals that invigorated and inspired the person.

\- A - Action Steppingstones

Creating a concise SMART action plan that drove the person toward their goals.

\- M - Motivation Beyond Achievement

Instilling motivation and commitment while calibrating and keeping the person on track, and celebrating successes along the way.

The five phases of the DREAM model assisted Nicholas to structure the interaction with the person in a logical and naturally flowing manner. Although the five phases were to be followed in somewhat of a progressive manner, moving back and forth among the phases would occur at times. Flexibility ranked high. However, the power and the key with the DREAM model was to eventually integrate those five liberating phases.

Donita smiled with a gleam in her eye and asked in her fruity tone, "Can my dream involve living in the Silver Reef Casino?"

Nicholas's last session of the day perched across from him. He heard her fiddling on her cell phone while she talked incredibly fast. Continually, she asked him to repeat himself as she was not totally listening.

"Want to be a model," The five foot four Pari Rai said as she worked her cellphone more frantically. "Like I got the bod and looks." She thrust out her chest. "They might want me to shed a couple of the piercings. But no way!"

The ever distracted Pari supported a wide array of jewelry protruding from her body. One honking ring stapled from one nostril to the other. A large gold peace of hardware stationed on one lip, with two more petite studs attached to other parts of her lips. Of course, a tongue ring for all to frequently see as Pari developed an unconscious tongue flicking habit. Finally, by wearing a skimpy halter top, she displayed proudly her gigantic bellybutton piercing which brought her the most attention of the bunch.

"These things are me," she said as she fiddled with her nose ring. "And like I'm gonna be a model as me."

"How about we go through a process to see if that's exactly what you want?"

"Pardon me." She giggled as she clicked away, clearly not listening.

Nicholas knew he had his work cut out with Pari. He reflected on how we speak at 125 to 250 words a minute. Pari hovered at the high water mark. As well, we think at 1,000 to 3,000 words per minute. This made it difficult for anyone to effectively speak and think simultaneously. Then add on to that Pari's phone obsession, and there what be some starts and stops on her journey the Dream Guru thought.

"Like my BFF's Dad in Seattle raved about the Dream Guru when he knew you way back when. So like I thought I'd come see the DG in person."

"I've been doing this a long time."

"But stuff has changed. And your like..."

"Blind."

"For sure." She stopped working her phone, shutting her eyes. "God! Rather be dead." Her eyes shot open, and with a new found fever she returned to her phone finger fandango.

"Do you have any issues working with a person who is blind?"

"No, no, but need a pic with the DG in the background." She snapped a selfie with her phone. "Let me get this up."

Nicholas gave her a minute to do her social media tango before getting on with things. "The first phase in the DREAM process is to Design Your Dream."

He gave Pari a brief introduction to the DREAM model, and showed her the GENIE bracelet and app. Nicholas spoke with pride as he described some of the basic features of the technology.

In particular how GENIE could be of major assistance in the areas of:

-goal setting and action planning, (facilitating a sense of accountability for the person)

-increasing motivation and engagement, (by sending the person a regular personalized message)

-reflection (GENIE provided weekly charts of the person's overall mood states)

-easy access to quality assessment and personality testing tools

GENIE possessed other basic features, such as a cool habit ingraining feature that never failed during extensive testing. But Nicholas pumped pure excitement through his veins in regard to the next version of his GENIE, where his true dream would be unfolded.

"So Pari, let's start with your dream?"

"Like not needed DG." The long raven haired girl continued to tap on her phone at a feverish pitch. "Hate what I do."

"What do you do?"

"A lowlife who sews all those Beach Time rags like olden days bathing suits, like tacky speedos, like all ugly time." Pari stopped tapping. "And God those machines we spin on are ancient like the designs." She threw her hand in the air and chuckled. "But like I don't care. Cause when I get my chance on the couch, I'm on to bigger things."

Moments after Pari left, Billy poked his head into the tucked away warehouse office. "Hey, how'd it go?"

"Excellent!" Nicholas thought that each session went rather well for his first go at dream coaching without his sight. He still needed to make additional adjustments to his process. But the Dream Guru inside him was reawakening slowly.

"Received a million texts from Carmel today, wondering how you're doing?"

"How's she doing?"

"Carmel really cares." He grasped the back of a chair. "A big, big heart. Taken in many people from our Lummi Nation over the years. Even me a few times. But..."

"But what?"

"But, sometimes I think people take advantage of her good nature." Billy scratched his nose while he deliberated whether to say more. "I'd say many in our Native band love Carmel. Not so sure they respect her."

"How about you?"

Billy's nervousness intensified as he looked at the door, ready to flee. "Ah, oh, I guess I do." He shrugged one shoulder, deciding to carry on with the chat, reluctantly eased himself into a chair. "Saved my ass a time or two."

Nicholas smelt the cigarette smoke oozing from the man. "Now Billy, I heard from a little birdie."

"Monique was talking to you." He began to rise, sat back down, teeth grinding. He wiped his brow with his sleeve. "Oh I wish," Billy uttered in his dead tone. "People would stay out of my life."

The Dream Guru detected Billy's harsh body odour as he began perspiring heavily. "Monique did mention you." Nicholas held up his hands. "She's concerned about you."

"None of her business." Billy fixed his gaze on his phone and groaned loudly as if someone kicked him in the stomach.

"What's wrong?"

"Just spied on Instagram what one of my old buddies is doing." The security guard slumped in his chair. "I'm so far behind."

"How much time do you spend on social media?"

"A lot. Not much else to do as a guard."

"There's something called, obsessive social comparison. Too much social media."

"Got that, but..."

"Some social media's okay, but having a healthy, fulfilling activity you can turn to instead of spending excessive time on it can be an effective way to help you live a more positive and productive life. Yale University found those who spend less time using social media are happier and healthier than those who utilize them more often."

"No way."

"And the best thing for you is to do something you love, a passion or dream to get your mind away from your constant comparing."

Billy studied his phone. "Just can't give it up."

"So I have to ask. What was your dream when you completed your MBA?"

EIGHT

"Ninety-two people from all 20 locations joined my nutrition introduction web cast this afternoon," an enthusiastic Vanessa declared while she sat at they're dining room table, gazing out at the view of the gyrating ocean on a blustery Wednesday evening of that first week of coaching.

Vanessa and Nicholas's two bedroom home faced the Pacific Ocean. Now that their children were grown up, this was part of their long term retirement dream. However, Nicholas only viewed the panoramic ocean view once. The day they put the offer on the house. A week later his tragedy occurred.

"You got a number of rave reviews online," he praised. "Comments were outstanding! Also, the uptake on the GENIE bracelets and app from your offer in the web session are rocking."

The GENIE app/bracelet combination boasted some cool health and wellness features such as: a calorie counter; footstep counter; heart rate monitor; personalized nutrition info and meal planner; access to high quality virtual reality yoga, meditation and exercise videos; access to personalized historical data; and access to credible health and medical tools and information.

"GENIE was a hit in the class," the wellness coach claimed.

"I think the talented lady leading the session had a lot to do with the excitement around it." Nicholas thought what a wonderful sparkle Vanessa carried into everything she tackled. Her spunk and essence was infectious.

She leaned over and kissed her husband. "Hope the one next week goes as well."

"It will!" Nicholas felt for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're amazing! Just like your sessions."

"Although, Marco Tonini joined towards the end. Delivered his usual dose of sarcasm." She set down her fork as she looked intensely at the crashing ocean waves. "Except, when one of the staff asked about the unhealthy menu at Frankie's Cafe. He claimed he had no control over that."

"Do you believe him?"

"Didn't. Although I started to a bit, when he insisted repeatedly, that we had to check with Claudia on that issue."

The next morning Nicholas spent the first few minutes familiarizing himself with the fourth floor executive office which was a hexagon designed space. It displayed tons of expensive art work. The office hosted an odd shaped desk and table with lots of sharp corners to injure a person who could not see. And that's exactly what Nicholas accomplished on his first feel about. Drilled himself right where it hurts, sending a shutter and gasp through the man. He shut the door, taking a few minutes to recover his wits and pride.

Creak! The door on the office opened slowly, letting out the faintest of sounds. That was it for quietness, for next Nicholas heard solid foot steps entering, fingers hammering on a device. A long moment passed as no one spoke, only the sound of harsh tapping and heavy breathing.

"Hi Lisa," the Dream Guru said finally. "Your perfume never lies." Nicholas thought how her chain smoking also left a distinct odour on her clothes. But, that nose wrinkling perfume of hers gave her away.

"Shit! Blind man's got a good snout. A big one too." Lisa dropped into a chair heavily, lighting up a cigarette. "Wanted to catch you off guard."

"Almost worked. What do you want?"

"Received several complaints from staff about you and your wife's sessions yesterday." Thud! She kicked the leg of the desk. "Pack it up and get out."

"Really!" Nicholas smiled to himself. He thought she had to kick something rather then strike it, as her hands were probably tied up with a smoke in one hand, and her cell phone in the other. She could tap, click, puff talk and be violent all at once. This lady could truly multi task.

"And no more of those stupid bracelets you're handing out."

"Give it to you for trying. But your crap is getting old."

Thud! She kicked his desk again. "How dare you?"

"We've been flooded with additional requests. If you'd put your ego and your phone aside for a second, you could do some good around here."

"Piss off!"

"Let me put it this way," the Dream Guru said, "Beach Time has a terrible reputation in the area of dealing with people. Do you think it'll be that easy to get another job when things end for you here?"

She halted her feverish tapping. "Be here for a long time."

"As long as you have Claudia and Marco wrapped around your finger."

The HR executive leaned back, chuckling in a confident manner. "No problem blind man."

"Could be a problem,"

"Got everything under control." She assumed that tone of invincibility, "In fact, I've got everyone under control." She then launched her creepy horse like laugh.

A little birdie named Monique had informed him of an offer being put together by an Asian group to purchase 100% of Beach Time. This info delivered straight from the smoking circle where Lisa loved to hang, puffing on a cigarette and to puff up her own importance. Arrogantly, she spilled many a secret at that cigarette circle when she held court.

"Just cause you and Marco brought the Asian group in," Nicholas warned. "Doesn't mean they will want you around if they take over."

A half an hour later on that sunny Thursday morning Scott Hendricks, a long time cameraperson at Beach Time, cleared his voice as he stood at the office door, reluctant to enter. The flip flop wearing, laid back surfer volunteered as the first to meet on the fourth floor executive wing.

"Come on in Scott," Nicholas encouraged.

Scott shuffled his feet, groomed back his newly coloured orange and blue hair, clearing his throat again. "Ahem, not sure about this dude."

"What's the problem?"

Scott jammed his hands in his front pockets, speaking slowly, "Ah dude, now that I'm here. Ah. well, Don't want to be seen in this space." He scratched his neck which was covered with two surfer tattoos. "Just no way."

"Well, then, let's go for a walk on the beach."

Nicholas found that one of the most connecting activities in his new life of blindness, occurred when someone would be guiding him. He would grasp their elbow or shoulder, walking beside them. An excellent exercise in trust building. Many times, it resulted in a much greater amount of sharing and understanding.

Within ten minutes the two made their way along the Bellingham Promenade, smelling the ocean air, listening to the seagulls and a biplane in the distance. Nicholas felt Scott relaxing. This beach was the broad shouldered surfer's second home.

"Never guided a blind person," Scott confessed as the man proceeded at a languid pace.

"Doing great! Just walk normally. I'll adjust to your motion."

"Cool. I tend to be a slow walker. Don't know why."

"Is it a health issue?"

"No dude, I'm fit."

"You pick the speed you're comfortable at."

"Wish they'd clean up the trash on the beach," complained Scott.

"How do you enjoy this beach?"

"Lots better."

Nicholas realized Scott owned one of those cynical tones that lacked any zeal for life. Although, he utilized some trendy surfer lingo at times, he sent out major negative vibrations.

As Nicholas's auditory and tactile skills improved since his accident, he found zeroing in on people's energy level, and the positive or negative vibes they gave off became a new found skill. It was similar to tuning into a radio frequency. Now, he dialled into energy and vibration levels with an uncanny accuracy.

In addition, Nicholas thought how the words utilized by a person revealed so much. The overuse of words such as: don't, not and no, were symbolic of a person giving off strong negative vibes. Certainly, Scott spoke those three telling words frequently.

Nicholas carried on, "So now that we're away from prying eyes, why'd you sign up?"

"Ah, not sure dude." The surfer shrugged one shoulder, walking even more lethargic, dragging his feet. "Talked to some of the folks you met with. Not into the dream thing. That scen e's not me."

"Do you know Scott, that maintaining a  sense of purpose in life is linked to aging better? After researchers analyzed data from a long-running study, they concluded that people who had dreams and goals displayed a decreased risk of physical decline compared to those who didn't."

"Don't know about that dude," Scott said as the rather tall, yet slouching surfer, progressed to barely a crawl.

The Dream Guru decided it was time to jolt this fellow along. "Also the study found, those people who felt purposeful tended to possess a higher walking speed—meaning their body functioned about two and a half years younger than they were."

"Woe dude. No way," Scott protested as he picked up his pace.

"So what do you want to focus on?"

"Not sure, but aw, might have a problem. Kinda relates to my job."

"What's the problem?"

"Know how I'm continually snapping beautiful bods." Scott stopped, turning to Nicholas. "And the sex sport fills the air at BT."

"Go on."

"Can't get enough of it."

NINE

Friday morning on March 24, and Nicholas found himself back in the fourth floor palatial office. Only one person scheduled up here today, the second in total. Definitely, fear of being spotted by the big cheeses scared staff. For Nicholas heard the harsh footsteps of Lisa stomping by to check if anyone was in with the Dream Guru.

Sonya spoke quietly in a sing song voice, "Excuse me."

Nicholas popped up his head, removing an earphone, clearly surprised. This girl walked quietly, for his sharp ears never detected a sound.

"Please come in Sonya, make yourself comfortable."

"I brought you a present," Sonya said as she articulated every syllable, setting a plant on the desk.

Nicholas sniffed the air, catching the uplifting fragrance. "Mint. Thank you very much."

"You are welcome."

Within ten minutes the two were chatting amiably. Sonya shared her relocation story from Tokyo to become a Beach Time server-model. The Oriental lovely maintained her poise as she remembered her home fondly. However, Nicholas detected a slight quiver in her voice.

"Sonya, others were afraid to be seen in this office. You've shown a lot of bravery to meet here."

"My father's teachings."

"Sounds like a wise man."

"He is." A tear rolled down the five foot nine, fine featured server-model's cheek. She gulped, hanging her head. "He never wanted me to live this life."

"Tell me about this life?"

Sonya described a couple of the aspects of her time in the modelling world. Through a series of questions and the Wheel of Life exercise, she began to explore herself. The Wheel of Life operated as a fantastic exercise and tool for helping a person create more balance and success in their life.

The Wheel of Life ranked as Nicholas's most powerful and flexible exercise in his coaching toolbox. Firstly, Sonya and he built the eight categories that made up her individual wheel. These life categories created a view of a balanced life for her. Then they reviewed, evaluated and weighted her eight personal Wheel of Life categories which were: family and friends, dating, career, finances, health, fun & leisure, personal growth, and spiritual. The process left Sonya with many insights and many dilemmas to be sorted out.

For the Japanese model, this exercise merely scratched the surface as she took her time in its construction. She honoured each question and each step in the exercise by giving it ample thought before uttering a word. Nicholas felt it may take many open ended questions and sessions to find her dream. However, when it came to implementing that dream, he had a hunch, Sonya possessed the power to persist until completion.

Nicholas designed many open ended questions in the DREAM model. The questions were adaptable to each situation. The questions were to be asked in a supportive, confidential and secure environment. The open ended questions forced a response and engagement, making it difficult for a person to not answer or to at least think of the answer. The open ended questions focused on the what, how, when, where and who. But seldom did the Dream Guru ask why questions, for they implied judgement. He kept his questions simple, asking them one at a time with no leading questions.

These purposeful questions provoked thought and insight, there may not be answers. But hopefully, the questions at least primed the pump, stirring the conversation. Nicholas found it was critical to not ask closed questions throughout the DREAM Model. Except when in the Progress report component of any Session.

"So let's go back to your category called career," he said. "Talk about your life as a model."

Gracefully, Sonya raised her finger tips to her full lips as the thoughtful girl pondered. "I have enjoyed some shoots, but..."

"Tell me about modelling At Beach Time?"

"Do not enjoy the serving component. And I have difficulty keeping the required weight on for what Beach Time requires for their models."

"Describe the difference between Beach Time standards and regular modelling shoots."

"Before Beach Time, my little issue was not such a problem, but here at Beach Time."

"So you're bulimic?"

Later that friday morning Nicholas packed up, ready to head to the warehouse office. His cell rang, and an assertive Pari Rai demanded to move to the second step in the DREAM process.

"Let's like do the R over the phone," insisted Pari.

"How positive are you about becoming a server-model?"

"Like, no doubt DG!"

"Except the aptitude tests you took yesterday, turned up some interesting results."

"Silly tests. Look, I want to be a SM. That's it!"

Nicholas listened to another server-model crying down the hall.

"Why do you want to be a server-model?"

"Money, money, money!"

"What do you think the downsides of being a SM are?"

"Ah, hear they're treated like crap. But they make a ton more. So, like let's get on with it. What's the R?"

"Reality Scan."

A minute passed as Pari skipped to another call. When she returned to Nicholas she chuckled. "My friend is such a wench. Like, where were we?"

"The R stands for Reality Scan." Nicholas heard Pari tapping on her cell.

"Ah, like, pardon?"

"Reality Scan," the Dream Guru repeated. "And going forward, for your sake, your total concentration is critical."

Sixty minutes elapsed as Nicholas took Pari through a series of questions, a personal SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and a discussion on the wheel of life tool. They uncovered many issues and obstacles Pari had never considered. With each question she attempted to answer, her confident tone diminished. This step could be devastating for those who harboured dreams that had not put any aspect of realism into that dream. However, Nicholas found these individuals could recover quickly, once they looped back to the Design Your Dream phase.

"Like, never thought of it that way," confessed Pari. "Guess I may have to stay behind those slaving machines."

"First off, if you really want the server-model dream with its challenges we discuss. Then go for it."

"So spaced out. Modelling isn't for me. And like I hate serving drinks."

Nicholas heard her flicking her tongue ring.

She carried on, "And I know they'd want me to give up my jewellery."

He then detected the sound of her crying as she mumbled, "But I hate sewing."

"Do you know your aptitude tests showed a strong interest in the area of fashion design?"

Pari collected herself. "Like, I can't be a designer."

"When I talked to the person in charge of the design area here at Beach Time. They loved your input, want to see more."

Nicholas stepped out of the office, ready to swish his way to the executive floor elevator, and make his way to his afternoon warehouse appointments. Claudia yelled from down the hall. He heard her dress rustling like a whirling waterfall as she wiggled toward him in a fluster, "Get back in there!"

Vanessa had described to her husband how Claudia wiggled her hips seductively where ever she went. She challenged many younger Beach Time server-models in that acrobatic act.

The CEO shoved Nicholas back in the office, shutting the door and raged, "Lisa told me. Where did you hear about the Asians?"

"Can't reveal my source. But more know than you think."

She changed her tact. "Come on big boy," a coy Claudia said, fluttering her eyelashes, having no effect on the sightless man.

"No chance."

"Damn! That's hush hush!" Carmel doesn't even know. She grabbed a pill from a tiny bottle, popping a pick me up. Or was it a slow me down?

"Sounds like you should have a chat with her."

The CEO poked him in the chest. "Listen Mister, you're not telling her a thing."

"What's your reason for not telling her?"

"I'll tell her if it ever was time to sign."

"She may not sign."

Claudia stomped her foot. "She'll sign if I tell her to."

"Don't be so sure. Your sister is changing right under your nose."

She laughed mockingly. "Got no staying power."

"Might surprise you."

"No way!" Claudia delivered another poke in his chest. "Since Papa died, I make all business decisions for this family."

Certainly, Claudia ruled Beach Time with an iron fist since she took over, determined to make everyone forget her father. For she had planned to elevate Beach Time to another level, becoming number one in the industry ranked as her greatest desire. Desperately, she wanted to put that smug Hefner group in their place. One slight that added to the motivation, was when Claudia had dated the much older Hugh for a short time. Until he publicly dumped her like a rock, leaving a greater desire for revenge.

Unfortunately, the soft porn industry experienced a major downturn. Claudia's attempts to right the ship failed miserably. For example, the millions upon millions she pumped into Ski Time, never got off the ground. Her purchase of existing tiny porn rags, sewered millions. Her starting a professional beach volleyball league and a professional surfing league, squandered more millions of dollars. Her venturing into high end beach furniture tanked. Her dip into the publishing business with a company called Beach Books, failed horribly. Finally, her beach sports car concept ate up massive amounts of capital, and once again never lifted off the ground, leaving a frustrated Claudia searching for another life line.

"The new Carmel will want a say," Nicholas said. "And from what I hear about her daughter, Brittany, she will as well."

"That smug Ivy Leaguer. Who now has to live in Toronto, Canada."

"What do you mean, has to?"

Claudia grasped him by the shoulder. "Thank goodness, she'll never get back in the US."

TEN

The next week flew by for both Nicholas and Vanessa. Individual sessions, group sessions and that DREAM model continued to prove its worth. The coaching couple walked home from Beach Time on that cool and drizzly Thursday evening of March 30. Their home sat a mile from the headquarters site. The couple loved the walk with the crashing waves and salt air ensuring every step positively stimulated their senses. They passed by one of the many fish and chip establishments on the way as the smell caught Nicholas's attention. His tummy growled.

A ping sounded on Vanessa's phone. "Got a text from Carmel. Says Claudia's panicking. Need to meet at mansion."

"Guess we're heading back," he said.

She jabbed her husband in the ribs playfully. "No halibut for you tonight." A second ping sounded. Vanessa checked another text. "Carmel again. Says Claudia wants double the cash."

Twenty minutes later on that gloomy Thursday evening Claudia's elderly butler, Oscar, ushered Vanessa and Nicholas into the formal dining room. Dominating the expansive room stood a gigantic mahogany table that sat 36, displaying priceless gold place settings. A massive 1700s chandelier hovered from the ceiling which Johnny Tonini imported from France during the hey days of Beach Time.

When Johnny built the Beach Time mansion, he spared no expense. His Italian architect went all out, spending Johnny's cash like there was no tomorrow. The mansion still showed elegant after all these years. However, to the discerning eye, the dwelling wrinkles filled the opulent air. For Claudia invested little in the landmark home ever since her father's death.

Also, she invested little in her relationship with the Lummi Nation which the mansion resided on, and which Beach Time had the hundred year lease agreement with. The CEO held her nose high whenever she looked over at the neighbouring Native-American community, situated about a half a mile from her sprawling estate.

"Please have a chair," Oscar said in a cracking voice which at one time sounded like a stuffy butler. Now it sounded more like an aging out of touch croaking frog.

Nicholas and Vanessa sat in awe in the sprawling room. Two odours wrestled with Nicholas's nose. First, the woody scent that resonated from the antique furniture. Second, the musty and stagnant smell of a closed up room which was seldom utilized.

Fifteen minutes passed and a mink stole wearing Claudia swept onto center stage with a practiced flare. "Delighted you could join us."

Oscar popped a bottle of champagne pouring a generous glass for his boss. He turned to the Coaches asking if they wished to partake. Both Coaches graciously declined. While Claudia drained half her glass in one swallow as Oscar hobbled awkwardly out of the room.

She planted herself at the head of the finely polished table, snatching a pill on a gold tray, washing it down with another long swill of bubbling champaign. "Carmel will be joining us shortly. Wanted to chat with you first."

"What about?" Vanessa asked.

"Well, honey," said the CEO. "I would ask that you work with me to persuade Carmel to see things my way."

Right then Carmel hurried into the room with Oscar limping painfully behind her. "Sorry Ma'am, I could not detain her."

"Sis, trying to stack the deck before the discussion begins." Carmel dropped into a dining room chair. "Never dull around the tyrant."

A more confident aura surrounded the younger of the twins. As part of her dream, Carmel struck up her old passion of painting. She possessed bundles of talent. It relaxed her, making her forget about her addiction, bringing some needed confidence to her aura. Except, how long could she hold that aura around her dominating twin?

"Don't be so juvenile Baby Sister. We're merely chatting."

Vanessa's expressive eyes performed a jig. She crossed her legs, coughing, flagging the lie.

"Let's get on with it," Carmel said. "Tell these two what you want."

Claudia inhaled the remainder of her champaign. "I require twice the amount originally asked for." Oscar stepped up and refilled her crystal glass with the CEO draining that in seconds. "And I require it right now."

"No chance," Carmel stated. "We are only two weeks into the thirty day trial."

"Foolish, foolish, drug addict Carmel. Grow up and give your older sister the money."

Carmel flinched, hooking her feet around the chair legs to give her strength. "I'll decide after the thirty days are up."

"I'll decide after the thirty days are up," Claudia mimicked her younger twin. "Ooh, I should be so scared." The CEO executed an exaggerated shiver.

"Please Sis. No theatrics."

The older twin wagged her finger at Carmel as if she was a school child. "Ever since you began wearing that tacky bracelet, you've become such a pain."

Carmel raised her arm, shaking the electronic device. "GENIE'S a lifesaver."

Claudia wiped her brow with her usual pizazz, ignoring her sister's plea. But making a plea of her own. "And why don't you save my life?"

"What's changed so that you need the money right now," Nicholas asked?

Claudia wilted slightly. "Ahem, rather not say."

"Come clean," demanded Carmel. "What's really going on?"

A long silence unfolded. An arthritic hip Oscar shuffled out of the room as quiet as possible. "Due to a missed payment on my part, one rather shady lender has accelerated my payment schedule." A shamed faced Claudia attempted to shed a fake tear. "Between the loan sharks, banks, etc. The wolves are about to break down the door." She finished her champagne. "Even drained Decker's trust fund last year. But if I don't come up with the money now." Smash! She fired her glass against the marble fireplace. "I'm dead!"

"We have to talk," said the tired voice on the cell as Nicholas sat in the warehouse office the following morning on that last day of March 2017.

"What is it Oscar?"

"Sir, may you and I meet privately."

"When and where?"

"Tomorrow at 3:00 PM, in the back room of Pier's restaurant."

"What about?"

"Sir, it is a matter of the utmost financial importance."

An hour later Nicholas, Claudia and Carmel positioned themselves around an antique conference table in the CEO's office. The stress induced smoke smothered the air as Claudia puffed up a storm. The stress thick tension smothered each individual. For last night Claudia stormed out of the dining room after revealing her fear in regard to her life. Carmel insisted the three meet, attempting to work something out, insisting Nicholas come and give her moral support.

"Look Claudia, I never realized you were in over your head."

Claudia folded her arms across her chest, speaking in a defensive tone, "Don't need your pity. Just need your cash."

"Cash! Cash! Cash!" squawked Paula the parrot.

"Gonna kill that bird," Claudia threatened.

"How much money gets you out of the immediate threat?" Nicholas asked.

Claudia groaned. "Five million by tonight."

Carmel covered her eyes. "How much until the next life threatening payment?"

"In one month I'll need another five million." Claudia groaned even louder. "And then a month later I'll need another five million."

"And Sis, how much are you in to these sharks?"

The CEO executed a lightening quick nail slash, ripping the leather upholstery on the chair she sat in. Charlie Wong complained to Nicholas about the Claudia racer sharp nails and the punishment those slicers reek on the furniture. "And then in three months I will need the final ten million to send the scum packing."

Nicholas rubbed his chin. "Twenty-five million in total."

Carmel held her breath as she absorbed the size of the problem, then let out a massive moan.

"And then there's the banks," the CEO said. "At least they won't kill me."

"Oh my God!" Carmel slapped her own forehead. "How could you get into bed with these sharks?"

Nicholas cleared his throat. "Claudia, is Tad aware of all the details of this."

Claudia blushed. "He's part of the deal. They sent him up from LA to keep tabs on me." She then spoke in a throaty tone, "And as with all my EA's, we ended up sleeping together."

"Like crawling in bed with a bunch of snakes," Carmel scolded.

"But Tad doesn't get much out of me."

"Sure, sure" said the younger twin.

"Well, not any more." Claudia attempted to put on a brave front, but her head began to hang in shame. "And Decker has grown to rely on him. So don't mind the shiny toy around for now."

Carmel rolled her eyes. "How many pink pills have you taken to keep up?"

Claudia turned a bright shade of red.

"And Sis, is that why you've done even more beauty surgeries these last few months?"

The CEO turned a double bright red with embarrassment.

Carmel sighed with concern. "What to do with you?"

"Save me." Claudia shed a tear. A moment past, then she sprang up. "But there's a way. There's an Asian group that wants to buy all of Beach Time."

Carmel shook her head slowly.

"Or Baby Sister, they'd also consider just purchasing the mansion."

Carmel shook her head vehemently.

"Come on," the older twin pleaded. "This is my life we're talking about."

Carmel squared her jaw. "Not a chance."

"Oh God!" Claudia slumped back down, reaching for a pill.

"Sis, I've asked Eric to join us, he'll be here soon. We're drawing up papers to get you the cash."

"Cash! Cash! Cash!" The irritating bird sounded off again.

"Carmel, you're really going to give me the, I'm not saying that word, the money?"

"Not so fast, Sis. There'll be conditions."

"What? I'm practically on my knees, and."

"You'll get the first five million," Carmel said. "But conditions will be put in place."

The older twin scoffed. "No conditions."

"First condition," Carmel insisted. "Nicholas and Vanessa will be her for three months with a free coaching hand. And here's a list of items we want put in place." Carmel slid a piece of paper to Claudia.

An impassive Claudia read the list. "Sure. Whatever. Except, for this." The CEO pointed at one item.

Carmel leaned over, looking at the list. "Okay. Know how you love to negotiate everything and feel like you've won something. We won't ask for that."

"And you can't have this." Claudia pointed to another item on the list.

"Enough of your negotiating," Carmel tapped the table decisively. "That menu is changing."

Claudia flashed a look of resignation. "Wanted to get Marco to change his stance on utilizing our blue Beach Time outfits in return for menu changes." It was a complicated original agreement between Beach Time and Frankie's Cafe. Johnny and Frankie Tonini weaved in all sorts of push and pull clauses, confirming their sibling rivalry. "But okay Baby Sister, you can have that one."

"Excellent. Next I want to drive all internal communications for your CEO office."

"Absolutely not! This CEO needs no help in that area."

"Who drives this for you now?" Nicolas asked.

"Tad," replied Claudia.

Carmel laughed. "A joke."

"And Lisa helps," Carmel added.

Carmel groaned. "An even bigger joke. Give me a break." She slid a document to her older twin. "Here's the plan the Dream Guru and I built. And Monique will give me some help doing this stuff."

"Carmel, you know nothing about business."

"But Monique and I know a lot about the people in Beach Time, and Nicholas will guide us along." Carmel took in a breath before she blurted out, "Just face it. Your image sucks with staff."

Claudia fumed. She ground her teeth as she decided whether to go forward or not. Nicholas felt she was about to storm out of her own office. "Let's go through the plan Carmel put in front of you," Nicholas encouraged. "Is there anything you don't want to happen?"

The next few minutes were spent going through the internal communication items specifically for the CEO which were to be implemented over the next three months. Claudia made alterations, but finally agreeing there was some logic in what was being asked. "Okay, okay, you get your way on this Baby Sister."

"Thank you! Now for the deal killer," said Carmel. "All major Beach Time financial decisions must be signed off by me."

"Absolutely not Carmel! I'll say it again. You know nothing about business."

"And I am taking a role as Co-chairperson of the Board."

Claudia swept her hand back, holding it there for numerous heartbeats. Her dramatic pause was irresistible. Crash! Bang! She swept everything off the table, screaming, "No bloody way! Your damn daughter's behind this."

"You're lucky I'm not changing the share structure. But I'm willing to put in my own, not using that word either, money, as you did, to help save our father's legacy."

"Will not agree," Claudia raged.

"What choice do you have?" Carmel spoke with a firm tone, looking her sister squarely in the eyes. "That's how it's gonna be, even after the three months are up." A grandfather clock clicked in the background. Carmel turned to the antique. "Hey, you got Papa's clock fixed."

"Yes, I did," replied Claudia. "But I run this ship myself."

Carmel never blinked. "Only way you get the cash."

Predictively, Paula the parrot squawked. "Cash! Cash! Cash!"

The younger twin glared daggers at Paula. "Shit. I said it. That bird's beginning to bug me."

The CEO collected herself. Her mind raced at a hundred miles an hour. Years of power had left her obsessed with never leaving a table without trying every angle. "I've got my conditions. I'll agree to your conditions for the three months until the money is paid back." Claudia smiled like a cat ready to strike. "But if the coaches and you can't get at least 400 outstanding ratings from our staff on our employee survey in the next three months, then you get out of my business completely. That means you'll only ever attend one board meeting at the end of June. Then, that's it!"

Nicholas gasped. He knew this would be almost impossible, getting a 5 out of five rating was a challenge at the best of times. Especially, after the disastrous results scored on the previous employee survey. He thought getting 400 staff to rate at a 4 and 5 would be a huge challenge, but at a five level alone was impossible. He knew the slippery Claudia was rolling the dice, hoping her sister would bite. He raised his hand attempting to stop Carmel from responding, about to speak. However, Carmel jumped right in, yelling, "Deal!"

ELEVEN

Eric Holmes joined the group within the hour. The seventy-nine year old Bellingham lawyer led the twins in the fine tuning of the required legal documents, navigating between the squabbling sisters. Next came the signing as of that Friday, March 31, 2017, ensuring all money transfers, conditions and details were cast in stone. Even the terms of the CEO internal communication plan and the employee survey were laid out.

The employee survey would be conducted the last week of June, closing on exactly the thirtieth of that month at precisely 12:00 noon. Also, stipulated in big bold letters were the actions to be taken if the results stood at or above the 400 outstanding ratings, and the actions to be taken if the results fell below the 400 outstanding ratings.

Smiles were not shared by anyone at the table. However, the distinguished, grey haired Eric managed to keep the proceedings crisp and cordial. Incredibly, Eric had been Beach Time's legal council for all fifty years. Another good friend of Johnny Tonini, shepherding the family through many a legal and financial crisis over the years.

The stoic Lawyer stated in his monotone voice, "One more signature ladies, and we're all done."

"Thank goodness," Claudia said sarcastically. "And I can go and celebrate pulling the wool over my naive sister's eyes one more time."

"He's dead! He's dead!" Carmel cried out as Nicholas held his cell in his hand, answering the call at 11:00 PM, on that memorable last day in March 2017.

"Who's dead?"

It took a few seconds for Carmel to collect herself, tears flowing uncontrollably. "Our father's close friend for all those years. I loved that man. Use to call him Uncle Oscar."

First thing on Monday morning Nicholas chatted with the art director at Beach Time. The stockily built Ivan Spassky struggled with creativity. Nicholas guided the heavy breathing, panicking Ivan, who wore his Golden State Warrior hat, through tried and true techniques that would spark the creative juices. First, the Dream Guru engaged Ivan in a deep breathing exercise, slowing the professionals racing car heart rate. He then progressed to a few creative unblocking questions, loosening up the squirming man.

Next, Nicholas utilized the 30 circles exercise which could be a great warm-up tool. Also, it highlighted the balance between fluency (the speed and quantity of ideas) and flexibility (how different or divergent they are). Ivan made a bit of progress. However, additional relaxation exercises followed to bring down the frazzled man's edge. The Dream Guru decided this skittish creative needed to explore an entire new world, or they would never get off the ground.

Therefore, Nicholas proceeded to a couple of his own home grown creative exercises. In these ground breaking exercises, absolutely no visual component existed. Ivan's eyes were required to be shut. He was to explore his other senses to spark the creative juices.

Nicholas felt for those in the creative field. They heaped massive pressure on themselves to co ntinually deliver. Except, that pressure, whatever the source, could wear them down and zap their well of creativity. That's why the Dream Guru possessed a list of recharging and refocusing techniques to elevate the frustrated creative types, taking them to new heights. But time and patients were paramount in this area.

Claudia and Lisa burst into the office. "This session's over," the HR executive shouted as she pointed to the door, sparking the art director to cringe and cower in his chair. "You two have been in here long enough."

"Ivan, wait a minute," Nicholas objected.

The Dream Guru was so pleased the man came to see him after Vanessa encouraged him to chat with her husband. Ivan attended one of Vanessa's popular sessions, wanting to change something in his life. As Vanessa was doing with countless employees, she put an individualized wellness plan together for Ivan. She placed him on a new diet which would assist him in losing his excess weight. Launched him on an introductory yoga program as well as a fitness schedule.

Lisa snarled, shaking her fist, causing Ivan to duck. "Didn't know that even this washed up loser came to you."

Nicholas held up his hand to stop Lisa from going further. "Enough of that!" he smiled at Ivan. "Remember the Flash Fiction exercise. We'll go over it in two days."

Lisa extended her middle finger at Ivan.

Ivan rose, hunching over, a petrified tear forming in his eye as he prepared to flee. "Okay."

Nicholas gave him another supportive smile. "You've made great progress today."

"Thank you." Ivan shuffled out of the office with his tail between his legs. Yet, underneath Nicholas knew they made a break through. Ivan confessed how he experimented with every possible drug, from weed to the hardest hallucinogenic hit to get the creative spark back. Nothing worked. But this morning was different for the man.

"Can't fix his issue," Claudia snickered.

Smack. Lisa slapped a chair. "Needs to be fired."

"No chance," Nicholas defended. "That man is about to break through."

"Hah! Not that wimp!" Lisa gnashed her teeth. "Need to talk about how much you are taking time away from our staff."

"Before we discuss business," he said. "I was so sorry to hear about Oscar."

"Yes, yes, so sad," responded Claudia. "But the old fellow had a good life."

"You were such an angel Claudia," Lisa praised. "For employing him these last years, even though he was a useless cripple."

Nicholas thought how cold these two ladies were, not a hint of sadness. He lied awake all night. He attempted to put the pieces together, wondering what Oscar wanted to meet on.

Lisa scowled at Nicolas, continuing on, "And the trend of useless carries on." The two executives chortled.

"Back to business," Claudia insisted. "Going forward, we'll not allow any of our employees to be coached by you or Vanessa when on Beach Time's clock. Any coaching is on their own time. Lunch, after work whatever, but not on my dime."

"Already sent a note to all staff," boasted Lisa.

Nicolas swallowed hard. "But Claudia, that wasn't the intent of Carmel's agreement with you."

"To hell with Baby Sister!" Claudia poked him in the chest with her alcohol breath hitting him like a sour wine blast furnace. "Let me make you see." She dragged out her last word with the two ladies snickering. "Oh, so sorry, you can't see! Anyway, Carmel never demanded it be done on work time."

"Absolutely blind man!" Lisa pumped her fist as she laughed mockingly. "Good luck getting your 400 outstanding ratings now."

Claudia and Lisa's taunt shot hot flames through Nicholas's body. Something that had been stirring inside him ever since he arrived here snapped. Not a crazy lose it kind of snap. But an internal determination that he would not be folding from this game. He would be fighting to the end.

Nicholas thought of one of his two favourite sayings; knock me down seven times, and I'll get up eight. He took a few deep breaths, thinking this was his turning point. For once, he would not hesitate, letting his disability cloud his confidence. No longer would he let his blindness hold him back. No longer would he let his blindness get in the way of him becoming the real Dream Guru again. And no longer would he let people like this treat him like shit.

He ingratiated the two with a smile that chilled the room. "You two are a disgrace." The temperature in the room dropped another 30 degrees with his words. "If either of you ever speak in a derogatory manner in relation to my disability." The frost bitten words made Lisa and Claudia take a step back. "I will ensure I expose either of you for what you are."

Lisa raised an aggressive hand, about to fight back. Something in the Dream Guru paralyzed her. She attempted to speak. No biting words spewed out, for unconsciously, she read his stone cold face correctly.

"Now leave with your hollow victory." He pressed his finger to his lips to silence both executives. "But know you've just sparked a tiger."

An hour later Nicholas accepted coaching session appointments at some strange hours of the night. For the edict had been issued on that morning of April 3. Outrage flowed from many staff, however, none more pronounced then from Carmel. She called Claudia, lambasting her older twin. She insisted Claudia was out to destroy the coaching initiative now that she had her first five million dollar payment taken care of.

Nicholas and Vanessa discussed this new obstacle, determined to do everything in their power to overcome the challenge. Vanessa admired the piss and vinegar flowing from her husband. She had not heard that assertiveness from him since his unfortunate accident. They ensured their calendars were opened up. Also, Vanessa opened up additional web casts for a variety of wellness sessions. Finally, Nicholas and his tech savvy team prepared themselves for the launch of their secret weapon.

Later on that Monday evening, Vanessa and Nicholas met with Donita Perez at a coffee shop down the street from Beach Time. An action oriented Donita already progressed through the E on the DREAM model, Energizing Goals. The vibrant girl determined she wanted to learn more about wellness and mindfulness to augment her yoga training. She knew what she wanted and was determined.

Donita desired a career and lifestyle change. She was ready to begin the process to drive forward. She experienced an epiphany when working through her Reality Scan phase and doing the Detoxing Relationships exercise. She discovered heavily socializing with other gambling addicts at this time, who couldn't shake their nasty habit, would not move her forward in breaking the addiction and attaining her dream.

Donita shook her GENIE wristband and giggled. "I snuck within ten feet of the Silver Reef Casino. It worked like a charm." The GPS on her GENIE bracelet was programmed to alert Nicholas if she tempted fate.

Vanessa winked at her, "Sure that was just a test?"

"Totally!" The fiery Donita stood up straight in her chair. "No way, I'm going back down that path again." She held up the GENIE bracelet. "Love the techie side of this thing. The way it monitors my stress level."

"And the way it alerted me two days ago," said Nicholas.

"Ci! Ci! Cook confronted me while I was serving drinks," Donita explained. "Since I paid him off in full, the asshole was pressuring me to place more bets." She tapped Nicholas on the shoulder. "My saviour here. Talked me through it."

Nicholas added, "That emergency two way communication set up on the bracelet comes in handy if cell phones aren't handy."

Donita laughed hardily. "Scared the shit out of Cook. That leering creep. Got me out of a jam."

"You're making progress," Nicholas praised. Ever since he coached her through the 'What makes My Heart Sing' exercise, Donita zeroed in on her dream. Her vitality shot through the roof upon her finding her passion in life.

"Really want to learn more about this stuff," Donita said supporting rainbow coloured hair. "Want to do what you guys do. Especially you, Vanessa." She snickered. "See Nicholas, I was listening when you said; if you have a dream, go for it now, cause in life you never know if you will get another chance. That's why I already signed up for the wellness program at our local college. I start in a few days."

"Fantastic! And you can learn even more as you take classes," Vanessa said. "Why don't you come with me to a couple of my other client sites?"

"Wahoo!" The ecstatic Latino sprang out of her chair, spilling her coffee. "Really?"

"For sure!" Vanessa began wiping up the spill. "After that, if you want maybe you can sit in on a session at the factory and warehouse." That location harboured the highest BMI issues. Fortunately, the greatest uptake on Vanessa's wellness sessions occurred out of there.

Donita shifted from one foot to the other, animated face telling the entire story. Her enthusiasm boiled over, her eyes glittered, her aura radiated brightly through the room. "Oh my God! Oh my God!"

Vanessa smiled at the girl's energy. "How about Saturday afternoon?"

"Ci. Ci." Donita exclaimed as she pumped her fist. Then she gazed off into space for a second, touching her chin as she thought. "But to symbolize my change in direction. I must do something dramatic. And I mean mucho dramatic!"

TWELVE

The following day Nicholas chatted over Skype with a Beach Time employee stationed at a Beach Club in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Nicholas ensured he had relaxing Latino music softly playing in the background. As well, a Mexican flag displayed behind him, honouring the person's country. Nicholas did this with every one of his clients he chatted with over Skype who was from a foreign country. He amassed an impressive collection of the world's flags over the years. Since his blindness, he braille coded each flag, so there would be no confusion.

Won served drinks as a senior bartender at the Sand Pile. Except on occasion, he could not shake free of the very liquid he served up to BT guests. "Coach," Won confessed in his strangled tone. "I go clean for a few years, then boom!"

"What do you think brings it on?"

"Man, don't know. But when I get the itch to booze."

"Anything that happens before you get that itch?"

"When I was single, I was just loco." Won shook his puzzled head. "But since I married. Don't know man, just don't know."

"Where are you when it happens?"

"Weird man. Never get the urge at work." Won perked up, eyes widening. "When I get back to mi casa. When I sit there alone, after I've visited my bambinos."

"Tell me about that?"

"After work, on the days I can, I stop in at my wife's parents place to visit my three bambinos."

"Describe the time."

"Mi bambinos are great man! I love them. They love me." A sadness overcame him. "But, real real tense with my Rosa." He wiped his worried brow. "And her folks." A long pause unfolded. "They hate me."

"What makes you think that?"

"They tell me. They've hated me from the day I got my Rosa knocked up, and we had to get hitched. Wanted more for their Rosa, but they didn't want the shame. So, we married."

"Go on."

"Rosa and me had some good years. I beat the booze twice over our first three years of marriage. Never boozed again until she up and left me six months ago."

"Why'd she leave?"

"Her parents and Father Hector showed up when I was at work, packed up our small casa, and that was it man. Rosa's never talked to me since. Parents do all the talking. They tell me she don't love me anymore."

"What do you think?"

"Man, won't even look at me. Flashes her killer dark eyes".

"What else do her parents say?"

"She's tired of being shamed by me being a bartender. Shamed I don't go to their church."

"Let's start with the bartender issue? How do you feel being a bartender?"

Won stuck out his chin. "Love it. Damn proud of it."

The Dream Guru knotted in acknowledgement, smiled warmly, encouraging Won to go on. Even though Nicholas could not see the other person on Skype, he knew they could see him. He understood having genuine positive facial reactions assisted in the relaxing, communicating and connecting process.

"It's always been my dream man," Won spoke with soaring passion. "One of the best in the business. Came third in last years city bartendering championships. Only thing Rosa left in the home was that trophy." Won moaned. "Except, somebody broke it in half."

Nicholas then explored Won's dream and passions further. Again the wheel of life exercise paid off, along with the two spending over an hour sorting through Won's core values. Also, the Bartender agreed to wear the GENIE bracelet which would be shipped to him immediately.

"I want to beat the booze for good man."

Nicholas found over the years dealing with addiction issues they needed to proceed through the standard five steps. First step was pre-contemplation. Then came contemplation which the addict many times did not get to until they hit rock bottom. Third, came preparation which Won was entering. Fourth came action and finally, concluded with a very lengthy maintenance period.

"Then I want my Rosa to love me again."

Nicholas took Won through the Circle of Influence and Concern exercise. He assisted many of the people he worked with through this thought provoking process. Most times, they realized they were concerned about many things, they have little control or influence over, leaving them frustrated.

However, as the person focused themselves more on what they could control and influence, their ability to attain their dream increased dramatically, allowing their happiness and contentment to increase right along side. Over the years of dream coaching, Nicholas found again and again, having control over one self and taking responsibility for oneself, taking charge of oneself, directly effected a person's level of happiness.

"Wow!" Won wiped his perspiring brow with a bandana. "I do worry about some shit I can't do anything about."

"You can take the steps to change yourself. But you can't control how she'll react. Except, what you can control is how you'll react to whatever Rosa does or feels."

"Oh man, now that her parents control her, my stubborn Rosa will never change how she feels."

Knock! Knock! "Are you Ready?"

"Come on in Monique," Nicholas said at lunch on Wednesday, April 5. "So glad you wanted to have our session on the executive floor this time. No hiding the fact we are meeting after work."

"You bet! After we did that Anxiety Busting exercise as part of the Reality Scan last session, I'm fini, I am done with slinking around the office. Worrying and being scared of things."

Nicholas had encouraged Monique to think about something that stressed her out or weighted her down. For Monique that list ran long. Once her worry item had been selected, he coached her to take a piece of paper and divide it into two columns:

Column One: Things she could not change

Column Two: Thing she could Change.

He took a moment with Monique to acknowledge the things that were currently beyond her control. Nicholas reminded her that while she may not be able to control what is going on, she could control her response. Then he encouraged Monique to study the column of things she could change. Selecting the one or two items she could take action quickly to bring her out of her funk, moving the anxiety out, and the sense of control and action in.

"And I've continued to use that petite exercise for many of my worry attacks," Monique informed.

"Way to go," he praised. "Moving worry out. Replacing it with real feelings."

"Feels magnifique! Use to get those frightful boils on my arm from the worrying." She touched her arm. "They're all gone. And even with the extra work I've taken on with Carmel. No worries! So exciting."

"You'll be a real asset to the twins as you sense and influence the pulse of BT."

"Thank you for recommending me." She rubbed her hands together. "And I'm ready to tackle my goals today." An enthusiastic Monique chuckled. "And be SMART about it."

"Been doing your homework."

Monique spoke in a confident manner, "SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound. And one of my goals has to be around these filthy cancer sticks." She tossed a pack of smokes on the desk.

"Excellent! We're ready to build some goals."

"And another of my new goals has to revolve around doing less gossiping. But Nicholas, before I start that goal, your little birdie has something new to share with you."

Immediately after Nicholas finished up with Monique, someone pounded on the open office door. "What is it Tad?" the Dream Guru inquired.

"How'd you know it's me mon?"

"Only you would pound that high on the door. And your cornrows singing was the icing."

"Ay, Coachman's receivers are finely tuned."

"What do you want?"

"Bill back mon. Just to chat." Tad stepped into the office, shutting the door behind him. His chest stuck out even further today. For yesterday, the big man purchased a new pair of alligator shoes with a matching belt that cost him a pretty penny. However, he supported no worries his gravy train would end anytime soon.

Nicholas leaned back in his chair. "Something smells new."

"Tad's a major fashion statement today!"

"Bet you spend some real coin on your look?"

The Jamaican dropped his large frame in a chair. "Every penny worth it."

"Must make a bunch?"

"Tad does okay for himself." He put his gigantic feet up on the desk. "Some day Tad'll send some coin home, but..."

"Family could use some help?"

"Fallen on hard times. When I was a tyke. We lived high. Actually, I lived high."

"What do you mean?"

Tad tapped his Rolex. "My folks spent major on their only kid, my education, fine schools, fine clothes, letting me live in style. They lived real plain. Too plain."

"How'd that make you feel?"

The EA's wide smile faded. "Major shame."

"What do you want to do about it?"

"Someday, I'll square up with them." Tad adjusted his tie. "But for now, need the coin. Ladies love the Tad look." He let out a long satisfying laugh. "And it drives old Marco crazy."

"Why do enjoy getting to Marco?"

"That slime thought him something special in the decked out department." Tad put his monster mitts behind his head. "Until I came from star town. He hates the Hollywood Tad look. And I mean hate!"

Nicholas had learned about the second thing that Marco hated. It was being out dressed by any other male in his presence. Therefore, Tad's statement fit. "How do feel about Marco's hate?"

"Love his hate message!" Tad stretched. "And how do you feel about how my people feel about the Coachman?"

"Please explain."

"First off, my people inform me you are in some financial difficulty."

"No concern of yours."

"My people tell me the Coachman got no insurance from his accident."

"Your people seem to know a lot."

"And you spent a fortune fighting that insurance company."

"Keep going."

"And then lost on a technical matter."Tad chuckled knowingly. "In other words, you got screwed. Your lady's income is all that kept you going." He pointed at the Dream Guru. "And you're considerable savings are almost drained."

Nicholas massaged his shoulder. "Your people sure do know a lot."

Tad tapped the desk with one of his sizeable fingers. "They do. And those people aren't real happy that they are going to be paid back in full by Claudia."

"Why not?"

"Not for the Coachman to ask." Smack! Tad struck the desk with his fist. "They have a hate message. You my broke friend, are getting in their way." Tad rose, walking to the office door. "Bless up." He slammed the door for all the fourth floor to hear.

THIRTEEN

"Another suicide attempt," Carmel blubbered out one week later on Wednesday, April 12 as she burst into Nicholas's fourth floor executive office.

For Carmel now had an office next to Nicholas, making it easy for her to pop in and out. Also, it made it easier to insist her older twin follow the internal communication plan designed for the CEO. Except, right now she weeped uncontrollably, anguish and gloom painted all over her face.

Nicolas shut off his talking laptop. "Who?"

A trembling Carmel attempted to get hold of her erratic breathing. She wiped tears clumsily, sniffling and wheezing. "Such a, such a beautiful creature." She shook her head in confusion. "Was about to be next month's beach baby." She let out an agonizing moan. "Oh, Megan."

" Where is she?"

"Just came from the St. Joseph Hospital," quavered Carmel. "She's, she's in critical condition. Donita's with her now."

"How are you?"

Nicholas could hear Carmel's rapidly jingling bracelets. "Need a mega fix."

Twenty minutes later Nicholas and a more composed Carmel sat with Claudia in her spacious CEO office. Before Carmel and Nicholas entered the office, the Dream Guru took Carmel through some basic breathing techniques to calm the former drug addict down.

Carmel settled herself in a plush chair, revealing the circumstances of Megan's suicide attempt to her sister, while Claudia continued to peruse a doc on her lap top "And do you want to know what Megan told Donita two days ago?" The younger twin asked as her words began to accelerate.

"No." Claudia looked to the ceiling in disgust. "But you'll tell me anyway."

"She said she wanted to talk to a coach. But was scared in case Lisa or you found out."

"Foolish girl." Claudia snorted. "What was that high maintenance princess down about? God! She was about to make a ton of cash."

"Cash! Cash! Cash!" Paula the parrot screeched.

"Shut up," bellowed Claudia. "So sick of that thing. We've no legal responsibilities here, so nothing to worry about."

"That's all you care about!" Carmel yelled. "Heartless bitch!"

"Come on Baby Sister. Of course, sad for Megan the princess. But it's also damn unfortunate that we've got to find another beach baby for next month." She flicked a spec off her dress. "And find another bimbo quickly."

"Don't be so sure. We may have a legal responsibility." Carmel leaned in, whispering her next statement. "Donita also indicated that what sent Megan down this suicide path, may have started in a private meeting she had with our HR executive."

The following day Nicholas conducted a Skype session with Scott Hendricks. The cameraperson shot footage down in the LA Beach Club for next months featured video. The LA Beach Club stood as the largest of the BT club's, and also supported studios for soft porn shoots similar to the ones up in Bellingham.

With Scott down in LA, his Reality Scan phase of the DREAM model would be conducted remotely. "Before we get going," he said. "I want to report that I've abstained from sex since our last session."

Nicholas thought this was the first positive statement Scott delivered in their time. Not the fact he abstained from sex, but the fact he felt in control of himself. The surfer's voice sounded upbeat, not laden with a somber or its usual dejected note. "Good on you! How long is your abstaining going to go for?"

"Until I sort some things out. Thanks for that exercise last session. Made me think. Time for reality!"

Nicholas assisted Scott through his personal SWOT analysis over the next hour. Unfortunately, Scott's voice dove downward in a hurry. A pessimistic Scott could not seem to see past his weaknesses and threats. His tone spiralled back into his habitual gloom and doom zone. The negative vibrations immolating from Scott were at an all time low with his use of the don't, not and no words running high.

"No way dude. I can ever reach my dream," Scott whined

"What's holding you back?"

"BT. I went to them once about getting into virtual reality and 3D."

"You said Beach Time does some VR and 3D."

"Not enough! Dabble a little here and there. But you gotta go big or go home if you mount that board. Taken courses, practiced and kept up with the technology. Even trained myself in the area of Augmented Reality. Don't know why I do it."

Nicholas heard his voice hit the bottom of the bleak barrel. He knew it was time to move Scott forward, if he wanted to move. Except, he would ask a couple more questions to gain clarity. "What makes Beach Time reluctant to venture into this area in a big way?"

"No vision dude. No leadership." A crestfallen Scott paused and thought for a minute. "Not just that. The tech is one thing. Everyone rides that wave. It's that one or two creative ideas that takes the tech, and delivers an entire new thrill to our customers."

"What are some creative ideas in the area?"

"Don't have one," mumbled Scott. "I'm such a loser."

"Far from it," Nicholas encouraged, knowing it was time for a few impactful exercises. This was going to be a lengthy session, but Scott needed to take the time.

Nicholas introduced a process where he began stripping away some of Scott's negative thoughts. Nicholas encouraged the cameraperson to replace those thoughts and words with positive thoughts, words and affirmations. He reworked words and statements of Scott's which quickly shifted his energy from a negative to a positive. Also, to assist the surfer he ensured the positive affirmation module on Scott's GENIE bracelet was activated.

The Dream Guru re-enforced the power of journaling, focusing on the positive and on being grateful. Also, gave Scott tips on recognizing reoccurring negative themes and doubts his mind dragged him into. Taught him some basic mindfulness breathing, awareness, listening, observation, appreciation and imagining exercises to engage in when he found himself heading down the negative path.

Nicholas explained to Scott how at times, humans pay far more attention to negative than positive information. Our brains were wired this way on purpose since being cautious kept us safe. However, in todays' world, this negativity bias could often override a person's perception of reality to the point that they view things as much worse than they actually are. So Nicholas coached the surfer to take a step back. Asking him if it was truly that bad in the grand scheme of things?

The two felt exhausted from the never ending session. Scott scratched his chin when he admitted, "I really have a negative outlook. Don't I?"

"You're not alone. Us humans carry a lot of negative baggage around with us. We crush ourselves under that weight."

Smack! Scott struck the table. "Time for me to shed some of that excess weight. And eat a little positive thought."

Two days later on Saturday, April 15, Nicholas met with Pari at the warehouse location for a marathon session. They had started back at the beginning, Designing Your Dream phase of the DREAM model. After careful thought Pari decided she wanted to pursue the fashion designer dream. They now worked on another Reality Scan for her, with plans to move on to the Energizing Goals phase today, if time permitted.

Pari claimed she was determined to make progress, scheduling this mega session with the Dream Guru. Except, throughout this session, Pari never stopped playing on her phone, until Nicholas asked her in this Reality Scan phase to attempt the Big Rocks exercise.

The Big Rocks exercise utilized a powerful metaphor of attempting to fit rocks, pebbles and sand in a jar. He went on to explain how we tend to fill our lives with sand and pebbles first, leaving no room for our "BigRocks". Nicholas told Pari the legendary story and concept first, capturing her undivided attention. Then the jar with "Big Rocks" was used as a visual to help Pari prioritize her activities and cement the learning. He coached her around identifying, learning to prioritize, actioning the "Big Rocks" first, and then to put her metaphorical pebbles and sand in afterward.

At that point of the session she admitted, "I'm on my phone a lot."

"There's an app that can help you track how much."

"Don't want to know."

"The app can remind you when you're at your prescribed limit."

Pari giggled. "Like I'd ignore it."

"So how many hours do you spend on it in a week?"

"All the time this girl's not at work." She snickered. "And then like at BT, I hide my phone under my sewing table, and like do stuff."

The Dream Guru guided Pari through a discussion on growth versus comfort activities. Asking numerous questions to bring her understanding on her personal energy pie. Nicholas found so many people's energy pie was out of whack, all comfort, no growth. When he shifted the person's focus to their dream and passion, growth became a larger part of their energy pie. Many times, this process was critical to success in goal setting.

"So Pari, where would the phone fall as far as an activity?"

"Almost none of it is growth. Except DG, like I might miss out on stuff."

"You mean fear of missing out?"

Pari thought hard, twirling a lock of her hair in one hand, hanging on to her cell with the other. "Guess I got FOMO bad." She moaned. "So bad. Do you know a car almost took me out when I walked across the street on a red light?" She stared at her cell. "Cause of this ball and chain."

"Pari, how much do you want to be a fashion designer?"

She vaulted to her feet. "For sure! This time I'm sure!"

"So after that Big Rocks exercise, and our discussion on comfort and growth activities. What has to change?"

She turned her phone off, tossing it on the desk. "Help me!"

Later that Saturday Nicholas swished his white cane along the sidewalk. He left the warehouse and headed for home. He was forced to make one unfortunate stop on his trip. Nicholas stepped in a pile of dog poop. He wished his GPS could have alerted him to that pending squishy feel under his shoe. After a quick shoe wipe, he proceeded on his journey.

A feeble voice called out, "Got a minute."

"Who am I talking to," Nicholas slowed, turning and facing the point at which the sound originated.

"Chief Jimmy."

Nicholas halted, flashing a warming smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Chief Jimmy."

The two men located a nearby bench to chat in private, surrounded by thick green bushes and sweet note producing birdies.

"What can I do for you Chief?"

A tired sigh resinated from the seventy-seven year old man. "Can you work with my Billy?"

"What's the issue?"

Chief Jimmy took a moment to answer. There was a pain in the man's voice along with a sadness. "Oh my Billy's been a challenge."

"In what way?"

"First, his anxiety. Worries about everything. Can't sleep at night." The Chief let out a wheezing cough. "Seen numerous psychologists over the years. He's hooked on those damn sleeping pills."

"Those are tough to get off"

"Second, Billy gets all down on himself when he goes on his Facebook and those kind of sites."

"Social media can be great, But..."

The Chief finished Nicholas's sentence. "But not when you spend all day on it." The Chief gained strength in his voice, "And finally, lacks direction in his life. Other than his college education which he took fifteen years to complete after quitting and going back to University many times." The pain on Chief Jimmy's face weighed heavy. "Everything else in his life, can't seem to finish."

FOURTEEN

"Megan released from the hospital," Donita said with relief as Nicholas took her call at home a week after the girl's attempted suicide. "Thanks for going to see her. She said her chat with you and Vanessa totally helped."

"Wonderful person."

"She says she's done with the surgeries."

Megan confessed to Nicholas how many painful body adjustments she endured to become a serious candidate for beach baby of the month. She developed a destructive obsession to possess the perfect face, the perfect breasts and the perfect butt. The number of surgeries bordered on the ridiculous.

"So glad she's coming along."

"She's staying with me. Totally opening up. And Coach, guess what Lisa wanted her to do?"

"Some sort of sex act."

"Ci! Ci! That's not all. It's who she would have sex with. And who she'd blackmail."

"Fire in the warehouse!" shouts rang out down the fourth floor executive hallway of Beach Time with alarms sounding in the distance on the last week of April 2017.

It was lunch time as Nicholas ended his Skype coaching session with an employee from the San Diego club. He hurried out of the office, hearing Claudia having a panic attack in her executive suite with her parrot challenging her decimal rant. He made his way in that direction. The firetruck sirens grew louder, joining the noise convention.

Claudia, Carmel, Lisa, Tad and a number of executive staff looked out the window, pointing at the smoke rising from the warehouse two hundred yards away. They watched their staff fleeing the danger. As Nicholas waded into the confusion in Claudia's office, he better heard their comments.

"Didn't know the staff could move that quick," Lisa said sardonically.

Prissily, Marco adjusted the lapels of his expensive smoking jacket. "Hope the filthy stench from the smoke doesn't gravitate this way."

Claudia flashed a scathing look at her cousin. "Never mind that, just hope the fire doesn't spread over here."

"Hope this isn't costly," said Tad.

Claudia reeled on her Executive Assistant. "And it was your stupid idea to reduce our building insurance."

One hour later two handsome Bellingham firemen addressed Claudia in her CEO office. Their tight fitting uniforms set the CEO's frisky eyes to popping.

"Ma'am, we managed to contain the fire to only one storage room in the back," said the handsomest of the two bulging muscled men.

Claudia batted her eyelashes, jutting out a suggestive hip, flashing the firemen a cougar smile. "Thank you, speaking in a breathy manner. How can I ever repay you boys?"

"Unfortunately Ma'am, one of your employees died."

Nicholas shepherded a panic struck Carmel to his office. She curled up in a chair, covering her eyes, crying, her bracelets jingling as her panic level hit the breaking point. Over the next thirty minutes Nicholas guided her through basic grieving techniques to settle her down.

"Oh thank you, Brock was such a good guy," Carmel said in a small sullen voice. "When he first started with us, he wanted to be a beach bum of the month. Never worked out. Then he became an outstanding warehouse guy."

An aroused Claudia flung the office door open, waltzing in, dropping into a chair. "Offered that hunky firemen a spread in next month's feature."

Carmel turned to her older twin. The jingling from Carmel's bracelets intensified. "You, you..."

"What's your issue now Baby Sister?"

"Brock is dead," Carmel responded. "Have you lost any sense of emotion?"

Claudia spoke in a smokey tone letting all know she was still turned on from her firemen encounter. "Ooh, certainly was feeling emotion when I ogled those uniforms."

"A wonderful young man died," Carmel said. "A man who worked here for ten years."

"Of course of course, very sad." Claudia picked at her nails. "But damage is limited. Could have been a disaster."

"But a man died," Carmel screamed.

"Such a drama queen." The CEO waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, as I said, very sad. But someone will get his life insurance!"

"But Sis, his wife, Letitia, and two small children will never see him again."

Claudia's eye brows leaped up in surprise. "Didn't know he had kids."

Carmel turned to her sister, shaking her hard. "You and I are going to visit that family cause we're responsible for this death. That fire was deliberate. Maybe set by one of your low life associates."

The first week of May found Marco sitting across from Nicholas at a back table at Pier's restaurant. The high end Italian restaurant, run by a flamboyant Frenchman, served up the most amazing pasta dishes in the Pacific northwest. Nicholas salivated at the thought of the culinary pasta delights. Except, with him heading back to the office immediately after, and with his reputation for staining his shirt after the scrumptious messy dish, wisely, he chewed on a safer choice. His favourite fish, freshly caught Pacific halibut.

Today, the restaurant sat almost empty as Marco enjoyed his fourth glass of wine from the most expensive bottle on the menu. "Now Nicky, I'm displeased with you and your wife."

"Why?"

"First off, your Greek ancestry means you two come from an inferior culture when placed up against us Italians." Marco scowled over his wine glass. "Second, I heard numerous positive comments about you two from Beach Time staff. I don't like that."

"Why would that bother you?"

"None of your business Nicky. And I hope you consider it an insult me calling you Nicky. Cause that's how I will address you."

"Was called that as a young lad, so I take no offence. But you do enjoy your head games." Nicholas inhaled the smell of the massive amounts of cheese and pepper Marco piled on his plate. "I suppose you're going to deliver another one of your threats as part of your next move."

"Oh Nicky. Foolish Nicky." Marco cleared his voice and smirked. "I never deliver threats."

"Sure." Nicholas let go with a smirk of his own. "Hey, Cook didn't learn the art of the subtle threat. He was upset at me for helping Donita kick her habit." Nicholas tapped Marco on the leg gently with his white cane. "He openly threatened to kill me."

"Maybe your oversized nose sets him off." Marco laughed raucously. He teased as one who had some insecurities about his own smallish smelling tool. "Certainly Nicky, your nose." The man snorted contemptuously. "Irritates me as much as you're blindness."

"Sounds like you both harbour some issues."

"Maybe Cook harbours some unpleasant anger issues. But he's a dedicated father. Has seven kids." What Marco left out was that Cook had been married five times, terribly behind on any child support, and seldom saw any of his kids who all lived here in Bellingham.

Last week Nicholas caught wind of some shady immigration practices led by Cook. Bring in illegal immigrants to work at Frankie's Cafe. Cook pushed hard to get them hooked on drugs or gambling, exploiting the hell out of them. Nicholas pondered if Marco was in on this scam too.

"Certainly, communicated various ways he was going to eliminate me. Death threats seem to be all you guys know."

"Ahem! I ingratiated the man with some advice. Explained your run in with Tad. Needs to learn the art of subtlety."

"I'm sure you'll teach him. Now what do you really want?"

"How did you and your wife persuade Claudia to change the menu in our cafes?"

"Friendly persuasion."

"Her and I've been arguing about the menu for years. That harlot was utilizing it as leverage over me."

Carmel enlightened Nicholas on the tumultuous relationship between Marco and Claudia, and where the battle originated. The third thing Marco hated was men who were more endowed then himself, and we are not talking of his nose. He faced ridicule in the Catholic boarding schools he attended, making this an even more sensitive issue for the man. Then in his twenties, Claudia turned him down for a nude shoot in Beach Time, due to his smaller size. He went ballistic. Going so far as to endure an enlargement operation. The painful surgery turned out to be a disaster. He blamed Claudia for his precarious plight to this day.

"Are you talking about the colour of the cafe uniforms that Claudia wants to change?" Although the two cousins disagreed on the colour, the one area they did agree were the size. Both Beach Time and Frankie's Cafe insisted their staff wear the skimpiest of bikinis and altar tightest of speedos.

"Yes, colour change, plus." Marco whispered in a menacing tone. "Something else that selfish bitch will never attain from me."

"Are you going to call the police?" Nicholas asked the next day as he stood in front of Claudia's desk. He heard Paula hopping about in her cage. The noisy bird patted about, twittering like an old hen, fussing and fuming, clearly upset about something.

"No chance. Lisa did nothing wrong."

"Blackmail's a criminal offence." Nicholas pushed hard on Claudia to take action against Lisa ever since Megan spoke out. He made zero progress.

"But Lisa didn't actually blackmail Carmel with anything. She merely suggested Megan. Well, you know." She rubbed her temple in frustration. "Please, please just drop it."

"And the things she wanted Megan to do with Carmel."

Claudia shut her eyes, wearing a pained expression. "Disgusting."

"Aren't you pissed at Lisa?"

The CEO rose, walked to her door and slammed it. "Damn right! That bitch!"

"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!" Paula let fly with the new words Tad had been teaching her.

Clang! Claudia threw a cup at the cage, sparking another run of Paula's jabbering. "Every time Tad cleans that cage, that bird gets crazier." She marched back to her mega chair, collapsing into it.

"Back to Lisa. Of course, you know Marco pays her on the side for..."

"For what I don't know. And don't want to know." Claudia cringed, digging her weapon like nails deeply into her leather chair. "But we have to let it all go." She wilted into a tiny ball in the chair which Charlie would now be getting repaired. "Lisa's got a video on me that can never, never be seen."

FIFTEEN

"Time to launch Genie 2.0!" Nicholas announced as he sat on the couch in their living room while talking on his cell on the evening of Friday, May 12. "We've tested it to death." He ended the call and sighed.

"So exciting!" Vanessa said as she hugged her husband.

"Sure is. But nerve wracking. This artificial intelligence technology is a game changer. GENIE 2.0 is cutting edge."

That AI technology monitored the mood of a client at an incredibly accurate level compared to the initial GENIE. It asked appropriate questions; gave appropriate answers to a person's questions; issued motivational quotes and mantras; assigned appropriate exercises and games for the situation; and alerted a coach when anything got out of line. GENIE 2.0 performed all this while adjusting to the bracelet wearer's mood, responses and history.

Throughout the building of the revolutionary bracelet, especially with GENIE 2.0, Nicholas utilized the second of his favourite sayings multiple times on the tech team. "Doing something difficult takes time, doing something impossible just takes longer." After a while, it became a running joke with the GENIE team every time they hit another snag, and there were plenty. Each frustrating snag sparked someone to shout out Nicholas's words, bringing a groan, a laugh and a determination to forage on.

"GENIE 2.0 has been your dream. And look how many bracelets we've handed out at BT." Each GENIE bracelet distributed to date at Beach Time could deliver the added features. Only the new GENIE 2.0 app required the enhanced 2.0 features programmed in. Excitingly for the coaches, that upgraded app was ready to rock.

Having an AI device that operated as a fully conversational coach was Nicholas's dream and passion, countless sleepless nights planning and designing its features. He imagined something that could talk to a person on a daily basis, asking about their feelings, asking what's going on in their life, tracking their mood. Now he possessed it.

Some of the features Nicholas particularly enjoyed were: empathic responses, (tailoring to specific mood states of the person); all sorts of additional enhanced visual and auditory alerts and prompts for the bracelet wearer, (relating to their actions, goals, mantras, motivational sayings, dreams, moods, health, wellness, etc.).

With activating the more sophisticated and diverse sensory capabilities, he loved the manner in which GENIE 2.0 could accurately measure the wearer's happiness level at any point in time, measure their sadness level, their anger level, their anxiety level, etc. Also, a person's historical tracking capabilities were upgraded in GENIE 2.0. As well as many of the original features of the first GENIE were enhanced in the new version.

One particular feature that Nicholas enjoyed was the GENIE's ability to make the wearer of the bracelet calmer right on the spot by responding to the external rhythms it could generate. A similar concept to how the tempo of a song can naturally alter our breathing and heart rate. The bracelet was designed with exactly this in mind, aiming to make a person relax. The GENIE bracelet utilized what was arguably the most natural and ubiquitous biological rhythm, the human heartbeat. A person could even set the pace to the one that they felt made them the calmest.

"Many more bracelets to give out at Beach Time," said Nicholas. "Thank you for sticking with me on this. This bracelet and app has cost us a fortune."

"Worth it. And I love the saliva lick and retina scan capabilities that gives even more help and info on the wellness side."

He grinned affectionately at his wife. "And thank you for your hard nosed negotiation with the manufacture of those bracelets. Got 'em way below cost. Including the first two hundred for free upon signing the deal. Remarkable."

"That woman CEO saw their long term potential."

Nicholas smiled with delight. "And now everyone who has the bracelet and app will have access to us and a very smart soft spoken, AI coach named GENIE."

The Monday after Mother's Day 2017 found Nicholas sauntering along as he made his way from the washroom to his office. He chuckled as he thought of the first time he ventured to the washroom in this maze they called the fourth floor executive area.

He had been given instructions, make a left and then two rights, and you'll be there. When weaving his way, he somehow executed a left, then an awkward right which had him confused, resulting in another disoriented turn, landing him smack dab at the door to the ladies washroom. Unwittingly, He pushed the door open. After a muffled squeal, an uncomfortable moment, he issued a sincere apology. Hastily, he shovelled out of there with his white cane between his legs. Not like he actually witnessed anything. Thank goodness he only ever experienced that awkward mistake once.

As Nicholas neared his office, a window rattling scream pierced the entire fourth floor of Beach Time's Head Office. It sent chills from Nicholas's head to his toes. A second scream sounded, followed by a woeful gut wrenching moan. He adjusted his course, veering off, making his way to the CEO's office door.

"No! No! No!" An agonizing denial sounded from Claudia.

Lisa stepped out of that noise filled office. Nicholas heard Tad consoling the CEO. Lisa stomped towards the Life Coach, balling her fists. He listened to her firm foot steps approaching as she ordered, "Get out of here! You can't do anything for her. Decker's dead."

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! The alarm on Nicholas's computer later that night let him know his newly implemented GENIE 2.0 worked as it should. Vanessa raced to his side where he sat in his home office. Someone was in trouble. Their mood hovered at the crisis point. Repeatedly, the auto coach GENIE talked to the person via the bracelet. However, there was no response. That person in distress was Carmel.

Nicholas called her cell phone. No answer. He began talking to her through her GENIE bracelet. "Carmel. I know you can hear me. Please respond or call me on the cell."

He waited ten-seconds, repeating his plea. No luck again. Finally, on the third try, he detected a faint sound of someone crying.

"Carmel, please speak to me."

"Not Decker," Carmel whispered. "Please not Decker."

"Where are you?"

"Home."

"Anyone there with you?" Nicholas asked.

"Alone. Need a fix."

"No, you don't!" Vanessa shouted into the mike.

"First Oscar," mumbled Carmel. "Then Brock, now sweet, sweet Decker."

Nicholas hit a button on his computer, activating the calming vibrating feature on Carmel's GENIE bracelet. He realized she had not activated that component, so he did it for her.

"Feels nice," Carmel said.

"Don't move," Vanessa ordered. "We'll be right there." She grabbed her car keys and the two coaches headed out. On their way to Carmel's home, Nicholas talked continuously to her, keeping her mind off her insistence on returning to the hard drug circus.

When they arrived, they entered through Carmel's unlocked front door. The living room was in shambles. Carmel's easel was overturned. Paint brushes scattered on the floor. A half completed canvas torn.

In the middle of the ramshackle room, sat a dazed and despondent Carmel. She held a needle in hand, trembling in fear, ready to slip the needle home. "Need it," she uttered with a vacant look on her face. She covered her eyes with one hand beginning to cry. "Need it so bad."

Vanessa snatched the needle out of her hand. "No, you don't!" Carmel rocked back and forth, uncovering her eyes. She gazed out her window, searching for something. "Poor, poor Decker. He and I were both frustrated artists." For the thirty-six year old Decker attempted to make a go of it in the art world, never attaining the success he desired, receiving failure looks from his CEO Mother.

An hour later the two coaches talked Carmel down. Her last words before falling asleep, "No, no reason for Decker to kill himself." She shut her eyes. "Don't think he did."

A week later a more relaxed Ivan the art director and Nicholas worked on additional creativity exercises. This time the Dream Guru tried some more visual exercises to go along with the previous non-visual exercises. All sparking and igniting Ivan's right brain which had gone somewhat dormant for a long while.

Over the past few sessions with Nicholas, Ivan dove into a variety of personality tests. He zeroed in on the Big Five Personality Dimensions (OCEAN). The well known assessment tool divided people into five personality traits: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. The assessment identified Ivan's preference out of the five and helped him identify his learning styles as well as his work preferences. In addition, he progressed through the DREAM model. His key SMART goals revolved around weight loss, assertiveness and creativity.

"First off, I'm twenty pounds lighter," crowed Ivan. "And running three times a week. Doing the yoga shuffle for the other four."

"Excellent!"

An hour later Ivan sucked in his breath as he said, "This Mind Mapping exercise is awesome. Even added more to my list."

Nicholas found Mind maps were a powerful way for a person to overcome fear of the blank page, looking for patterns, exploring a subject, coming up with truly innovative ideas and recording their evolution. All this so the person could trace back in search of new insights, and communicate their thought processes to others. While lists helped them capture the thoughts they already have, Mind Maps helped to generate wildly new ones.

"Do you realize how many great ideas you've got now?"

"The other day I ran one of them by the guy who runs Business Development."

"What'd he say?"

"Same response he gives everyone who tosses out an idea. Tells us to do our job. Then Lisa comes over and threatens us." Ivan ducked merely talking about it. "Swear that hire by Lisa is more like a crook then interested in business development. Hell, not one new idea's come from him."

"Let's take your ideas straight to Claudia."

Ivan's cheeks sped directly to scarlet. "Ah, don't know."

"You can do it."

"Okay, but my allergies go crazy when I'm around that bird."

"Meet out of her office."

"No, no, that's okay. Nothing will stop me. That idea we overhauled today can make the difference, Beach Reality!"

"Love the fire in your voice."

A super charged Ivan stood and paced in the room. "But we'd need Software Engineers. Need capital. Although Beach Time can save money on the design."

"Oh right. You started out as a Designer."

"Hell, I'll have the specs half done in two days. Nicholas, this is my dream! We can safe this company!"

The next morning Nicholas sat in front of Claudia's office waiting to enter. He wanted to chat with Claudia to see how she was coping with her son's death. He sniffed the air. The distinctive weed odour filtered from the EA's work area.

"Like to enjoy me some relax." Tad tapped his keyboard while sitting at his desk. He chuckled in a knowing tone. "Your new talking toy sparked a run on your GENIE jewelry."

"Can't keep up with demand since we announced the enhanced capabilities."

"Sick mon!"

"Thanks."

"But Coachman, last time I'll say this." Tad reached into his desk drawer, cocking a gun, allowing the click to echo through the room. "My people are done with warnings."

SIXTEEN

"Here it is," announced Charlie Wong as he flung open a stain glass door. Proudly, he escorted Vanessa and Nicholas into the new Fitness Center at the Bellingham Beach Club on May 31. He stood seven feet tall even though he barely reached five foot one. But the man had good reason to stand tall.

"Amazing!" Vanessa hugged Charlie excitedly. "You worked a miracle."

"Every one of our twenty Beach Clubs opens its Fitness Centres to guests and staff tomorrow," Charlie stated. "Got great deals on exercise equipment, hot tubs and saunas from a bankrupt outfit." The property manager led the two coaches over to a secluded corner of the room. The partitioned off area sat tucked away with a fountain and plants giving off a peaceful vibe. "And in each Fitness Center there is a tranquil area for yoga and meditation."

Vanessa graced Charlie with a thumbs up. "Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

Nicholas savoured the smell of the plants, the sound of the flowing water and began to relax. "Can't believe what You've done with the budget you were given."

"Thanks to you two." Charlie chuckled. "And came in under budget. So guess what I spent the extra cash on?" The property manager shepherded them to another tucked away corner. He pointed to a tiny kitchen area. "Only healthy stuff in here." He touched a juicer, and fancy new vending machines that only held healthy snacks and healthy drinks. The kitchen even boasted a green tea dispenser and a water purification system.

Charlie received another heartfelt hug from the wellness coach. "How'd you know this is the one thing Claudia turned us down on?"

Nicholas took in the citrusy smell from the recently utilized juicer. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

Charlie slapped Nicholas on the arm. "A birdie told me how you pushed for it Vanessa. But old Charlie figured out a way."

"And Donita excitedly hit the roof when she heard that part of her job is to look after this area," Nicholas added.

Charlie giggled like a little child. "And I'm gonna be the first sign up to that lively girl's initial yoga class."

Tap! Tap! Tap! That Wednesday night Nicholas and his white cane fumbled their way from the executive washroom on the fourth floor to his office. He completed another late night session with Sonya. She proceeded cautiously and diligently through the DREAM framework, building her SMART goals. Next session, she would move to the Action Stepping Stones Phase. The meticulous Sonya took her time progressing through the DREAM model. Working with Vanessa, she also focused her energy on changing her attitude toward food, changing her eating habits and learning to enjoy tasty and healthy meals.

As Nicholas approached the office he picked up the sound of someone crying. He entered the room. He heard someone in his chair.

"Please shut the door," came from the sobbing voice.

He shut that door, sat quietly and waited for the right moment. The only sounds he heard were the hum of a fan and pills being popped.

"Need help. This CEO is broken."

"What next?" Vanessa asked one week later while the two sat on the beach. They dried themselves as they soaked up the sun, listening to the happy children bringing energy to the sandy fun filled environment.

Nicholas smelt the fresh salt air, pondering the confusing twists and turns within Beach Time. "She tossed a curve. Especially after opening up to me."

Vanessa scowled. "Can't believe Lisa let every Beach Time manager know that for every one of their employees asking for coaching help, the manager will be docked on their performance review."

"Challenged Lisa on it. She spit in my face." That meeting with her was down right nasty. Nicholas took off the gloves with the HR executive. War was declared on both sides. Numerous threats directed his way.

"You mean that performance review system that's a joke."

Nicholas shook his head in disgust. "Such a disaster."

"So, what about the CEO?"

"Challenged Claudia after the battle with Lisa."

An agitated Vanessa kicked the sand. "How could she?"

"Claims she didn't know."

"Sure. Sure."

"She definitely wants our help with her personal life. And did agree to overhaul their Performance Management process, and focus on SMART goals." He sighed in frustration. "But she backed Lisa on the manager issue."

"Makes no sense."

"Claims she doesn't want us to reach the 400 outstanding ratings."

"Ridiculous! Split personality or what."

"Popping 'em like crazy. Insisted she doesn't want her sister anywhere near the company after these three months are over."

Vanessa blew out a disgusted breath. "Crazy!"

"Not buying it. A lady in terrible turmoil." Nicholas rubbed his chin. "The truth still lies in that video Lisa holds over Claudia."

"Can you talk to my grandfather?" Billy pleaded as Nicholas approached the Beach Time Head Office on Thursday, June 8. "He's becoming forgetful."

Nicholas leaped back into reality. For he was enjoying a tranquil walk into the Beach Time office. In particular, today he was enjoying the invigorating earthy smell resulting from the gardeners replanting some sickly shrubs. "Hi Billy, what do you want?"

"To check with me on stuff. He's putting the entire Lummi community at risk"

"But when are you gonna come and see me or someone else on your issues?"

"Soon, soon. Just gotta get Grandpa sorted out. And quickly!"

The next day Nicholas sat at Pierre's. He enjoyed a glass of water while he waited for Marco who was fifteen minutes late. His curiosity danced on high alert as to why the man scheduled a lunch meeting with him. Especially, since their last session pissed Marco off according to Lisa.

"Here Nicky awaits like a well trained dog," sounded from Marco in his penetrating voice as he entered the restaurant, ensuring all that were there knew the wine connoisseur had arrived.

The Dream Guru detected more then one person approaching the table.

"Nicholas, and that's the only time I'll use your real name. I want you to meet my powerful friends from China." Introductions were made and the next minutes were spend in polite chatter. Marco became frustrated when Nicholas and one of the three Chinese businessmen named Sam Liu, dove into a discussion on karate, laughing and hitting it off.

A supercilious Marco raised that distinctive nose in the air, rudely snapping his fingers. "Let's proceed gentlemen." This drew frowns from the Asians as they wanted to establish some type of rapport before jumping into the nitty-gritty. However, Marco pushed on. "Listen up Nicky, these distinguished businessmen would like you to work closely with them." Marco deepened his tone, "And I insist on it."

Alarm bells went off in Nicholas's head. "On what?"

Marco drained his wine glass, snapping his finger for the waiter to refill the aquarium sized glass with fine Italian wine. "No secret Claudia confides in you now."

"So?" Nicholas glowered and shuffled in his chair.

"That means you can help her come to a favourable decision on an offer for the company," said the wine connoisseur as he tackled his refilled wine glass. Except, he tackled his wine more like a thirsty piggy then an admirer of vintage vino.

Nicholas turned to Sam, his fellow karate black belt. "You mean you want to pressure her?"

Sam hung his head in shame. "Ahem. Only suggest. Nothing under handed." He turned to his other two associates. "Nothing dishonourable."

SEVENTEEN

"Please hear him out," pleaded Nicholas. "He's on to something."

Claudia shook her head vehemently. The two chatted openly in one of their frequent and lively sessions in the CEO's office on Monday, June 12. In the first couple of meetings after Decker's death, they started out with a simple grieving process which Nicholas gently guided her through.

Next the two progressed to the DREAM model. One of the exercises that resinated with her was the Urgent-Importance Matrix. This coaching tool assisted people to become aware of how they could waste less time and be more productive. It opened up the CEO's eyes. Claudia recognized how much energy she wasted on non important activities that dragged her even further from her dream.

"Please explain Claudia."

"Ivan is our art director. That's it!" She swallowed another pill. "He reports to our managing editor, Rex out of LA."

"You mean..."

Abruptly, Claudia held up her hands, palms out. "Stop! You've been on me ever since you got here to clean up the studios. But Rex is in charge of that area."

"Every time that creep ventures into a studio. You're flirting with a potential law suit. Never mind what your letting happen to those poor victims." Nicholas was not the only one harping at Claudia to do something about Rex. Vanessa and Carmel were every bit as vocal with the CEO.

"What goes on in the studio, stays in the studio. Always been that way."

The various Beach Time studios located on the third and fourth floors of the Bellingham head office building and at the LA Beach Club had been the center of scandal for years. But much more so since Rex took over. From the casting couch, to the endless supply of drugs, from the well stocked bars, to the orgies and ultra rough sex games, all led by Rex Miller. He called himself, Sexy Rexy. But behind his back, all talked about him as a lecherous sadistic animal.

"Staff don't see it that way. Claim it has got much worse, and even violent, since he showed up."

Claudia groaned. "Whiners!" She rubbed her chin. "Well, maybe. Eric's been warning me, but..."

"Who hired Rex?"

"Well, me, except Lisa actually picked him out. But we're talking about Ivan over stepping his role. The executive team sets the business strategy. We've a new business development manager who drives new ideas."

"How's that working?"

Claudia flushed. "Ahem, he needs time." She thought for a moment. "Actually, he's been here quite a while. He's done nothing."

"Who hired him?"

"Damn, Lisa again." The lights flashed in Claudia's mind as she took on a pained look. "Oh, I suppose, I really should do something."

The last few sessions Nicholas spent more time on developing Claudia's ability to be proactive versus reactive, to be strategic versus tactical. He felt her potential was amazing. However, she carried a history of showing leadership brilliance, then sliding into operational hell.

The Dream Guru utilized a story from Beach Time's past that he hoped would resonate with Claudia. "Remember through the conservative 80s, the changes in the early 90s, Johnny selected some strategies and stuck with them? Not all worked out. But most did."

"True! Most of Papa's ideas did work. Even though there were some tough times with each of them."

"Bet not everyone was on side with him?"

"Remember by 1994, Playboy offered a free web site. Except, Papa and BT had beat the giant soft porn folks to the punch, getting a head start on that game." She winced. "And how I and many of his executive team ridiculed Papa while we built that venture." She smiled with satisfaction. "Papa was a real visionary. A real leader."

"We can learn from that."

"I sure didn't. Then when I was in charge and the less sophisticated rags that connected to the younger folks came on the scene. Beach Time tanked. And every new venture of mine tanked. Didn't even give them a chance." A sadness filled the room.

"All behind us. Give Ivan five minutes with just you."

"Okay, okay, okay. You're such a pain. But I must admit you and your wife are making a difference." She slapped him on the arm playfully. "Making me think differently. Thanks for those fantastic ideas on having me connect with employees." She chuckled. "Having Carmel and Monique driving it. Never dull."

"They're having fun."

"Too much! Every few hours they have me posting or sending something else out to all. Or doing a web cast, or whatever." She sighed. "But by the great response, I never realized how much staff eat this up."

"Need to keep them in the loop. And there's even more site visits coming up."

"For sure! You are a pushy one. And speaking of pushy, I love that high tech Performance Management system you've suggested. Never realized you can measure everything in that way. Damn, you do more than provide dream coaching!"

"Be great to start the system by the beginning of July."

"Wow! You don't fool around."

"Need some training for managers and staff. But the system itself is a slick app. Just plug and play."

Claudia held a hand to her forehead. "Keeping up with you is a challenge."

"And guess which CEO is going to share her SMART goals with all her staff?"

She delivered an exaggerated shutter. "Oh no, this one."

"Bingo! Time to move on to the Energizing Goals phase."

"Oh shit!"

"Don't have to share any personal goals. Just the corporate ones."

"Great!"

"And would you consider making one of your personal goals to dump those pills?"

The next day Nicholas listened as Vanessa and Donita guided a group of staff and guests through an early morning yoga session. Vanessa's yoga and wellness web sessions were a huge hit at all twenty locations at Beach Time as well as her live sessions at the Bellingham complex. In addition, she developed dozens upon dozens of personalized exercise, meditation and nutrition plans.

With Vanessa's encouragement and the GENIE app and bracelet working hand in hand, it was a powerful combination to ensure those individual wellness plans were adhered to. Her favourite saying, 'Health is Wealth' echoed increasingly from the lips of greater numbers of Beach Time employes.

There stretched Donita up front with her natural dark hair flowing as she assisted Vanessa with the group again today. She glowed and giggled the morning that she pranced in with her natural hair colour. She announced her symbolic gesture, marking her journey toward her dream, never putting a touch of colour in her beautiful dark hair since. She worked incredibly hard, taking classes, assisting Vanessa, and doing her server-model job.

Of course as promised, Charlie strained right there in the front row, attempting to do the downward facing dog, providing comic relief for all. The other surprises, who bent themselves at the back, were Sonya, Ivan and Monique, extending and cheering on Donita.

Noisily, Lisa stepped up beside Nicholas. She thrusted her fist in front of his face, unaware he could not see it. But, he felt her violent energy. "Stupid staff better be on their own time."

"Let's go chat," Nicholas said.

The two stepped out of the Beach Club Fitness Center. When they were out of ear shot of anyone, Lisa whirled around, hissing fire at him. "Pushing our washed up art director on Claudia will stop."

"What are you worried about?"

"She has enough problems already."

"Afraid he'll have a winning idea."

"Huh! Not that stupid wussy." Hostilely, Lisa placed her hands on her hips. "And I don't want anyone's stupid ideas."

"Are you afraid things might improve?"

Smack! She slapped his face firmly. "How dare you?"

Nicholas smiled and carried on, "You've fought anything that might move Beach Time forward. Even the new Performance Management system."

"Its stupid!"

"Countless reputable studies on the positive effects of setting real SMART goals. Not the ridiculous performance crap going on now."

"Nothing needs to change. You're ideas are just stupid!"

"In one particular study, the 3% of Harvard MBAs, who developed clear written goals, earned ten times more than the other 97% combined, who didn't set goals."

Lisa panted like a crazed animal. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Her anger hit the boiling point. "Get it through your thick head." She attempted to shove him while she shouted, "This Executive VP doesn't care!"

"Fascinating how you place the word executive in front of your VP title. But never when Claudia or the other execs are around."

"Just a matter of time before this CEO makes it official." She shoved him even harder. "And remember that. You stupid." She stopped herself before she said the words, blind man. Somewhere in her unconscious there was a sliver of fear in pushing that discrimination button with the Dream Guru again.

Nicholas never budged, merely maintaining his grin. "You do have a violent streak."

Thud! The muscular lady punched Nicholas on the arm. "You better remember that."

"Did some checking into your past. Before Beach Time, you had no experience in HR."

"Don't need it."

"You have no training in the area."

"Don't need it. People love me."

Nicholas enjoyed a long laugh. He thought it was time to deal with this individual in a different manner. Time to reveal a piece of the gossip Monique relayed to him. "Although, you used a Claudia sex video and your relationship with Carmel to promote in the company, it's a mystery how you ever got into the company in the first place."

"I'm talented."

"If talented means drug trafficking, theft, blackmail, assault and battery, then I guess you are."

Lisa took in a sharp breath, turning fifty-one shades of grey. "All lies."

"In fact, your last job before Beach Time was with a Washington State Penitentiary."

EIGHTEEN

Later that Tuesday evening Nicholas worked with the stoic Sonya in the fourth floor executive office. Even though Lisa would check up on who was talking to the dream coach, Sonya never flinched. Diligently, she proceeded to the final stage of the DREAM model, Motivation Beyond Achievement. The purpose of this final phase was to transform a discussion into a decision to take action, utilizing the outcomes of the four previous coaching phases.

Those first four phases for Sonya put her in a fantastic position to move forward. Meticulous would be an understatement as her analytical ability and attention to detail produced a well thought out dream, SMART goals and action plans. An example of her thoroughness stood out when she took a number of career and aptitude tests.

Patiently, she combed through the reams of information, drawing conclusions and moving on to the next test on her long list. After each discussion with the Dream Guru on the results of a particular test, she let fly with her innocent smile, saying, "Just want to be positive."

In today's session, Nicholas armed her with a number of tried and true exercises and tips in the area of motivation. He taught her to visualize her dream and the accomplished SMART goals. He promoted a variety of methods to continuously remind her of her dream and goals. Even a process to review them in the morning and at night with the GENIE 2.0 being front and center. Also, he coached Sonya on establishing success routines which meant understanding time management. In that area, she soared. She took to it like Nicholas dove into a feast of halibut.

Finally, he taught her how to build a Vision Board. A collection of images that represented what she desired in life. It provided a visual reminder she could look at on a regular basis. To make one, she could take a stack of magazines, old greeting cards, inspirational fliers, scissors, glue, and a piece of poster board. Or for a paper-free version, she could go to Pinterest.

This Motivation phase was critical. Nicholas found if he did not nail a person's long term and sustainable commitment to the goals and action plans, a quick spiral downward unfolded.

"Can't wait!" Sonya jumped excitedly in her chair. The first true emotion she demonstrated to date. "I can't wait to get started."

"Your GENIE is all programmed and ready to help you on this phase of your journey."

"And I've got our weekly Tuesday evening session set up."

"You're off and running."

"And my father wants to phone you."

"Whatever for?"

"He wants to personally thank you." She leaned over and uncharacteristically hugged the Dream Guru. "As do I. Thank you." She clapped her hands. "Can't believe it. My father was actually in tears last night when I revealed my dream."

The following morning found Nicholas cursing. His old talking GPS had crapped out on him last night. So, he gave his new and improved GPS a whirl which he purchased a couple of months ago. But he had never removed it from the box. On its maiden voyage this morning, he encountered a few slip ups with the new tech toy. First, he waltzed himself into one of those rock hard sex fountains, giving himself a bruised knee. What rock hard body part did he actually hurt himself on?

Second, five minutes ago, the new GPS went into a loop and would not shut up. He killed the irritating device, relying on his wits which resulted in chaos. For he managed to get himself turned around while on his way to the warehouse. All this while a fishy stench wrinkled his nostrils. As a pungent smell permeated the beach air today. Nicholas wondered if some poor unfortunate whale washed up on the shore.

He stopped for a moment, attempting to get his bearings. Except, there were no bearings to grasp hold of. He was lost. The new GPS was useless. Or was it the operator? This GPS or operator malfunction happened to Nicholas a number of times in the last two years of darkness. He found it to be quite unsettling. Usually, there was someone around to ask for assistance, but no luck here. Even though he told himself it would all be fine, a simmering panic formed in his stomach.

Nicholas took a few deep breaths, smiling to himself, attempting to relax. He carried on, cautiously proceeding for ten minutes over some rather rough terrain. Rocks, tree branches, fallen logs and blackberry bushes introduced themselves to the lost man.

After those ten nerve racking, bruise acquiring minutes, he stepped upon gravel which crunched under his feet like broken glass. It alerted him he had most likely stumbled upon a familiar side road within the BT complex. The brewing panic subsided. For this was all of a clue he required to be on his way. However, the noise of the crunching gravel under his feet and a persistent screeching boat horn out on the water made enough noise to allow two characters to sneak up on him.

"Nothing would be more humiliating then being stripped of your world titles," suggested Marco in a snake oil smooth manner. Sam lurked in the background as Marco hovered over Nicholas. The two men closed in, surrounding him threateningly. They caught the Dream Guru at an isolated spot, no witnesses to whatever was done or said.

Marco continued, "Unfortunate for you Nicky, when Sam communicated with a low level, co-operative Clerk at your karate association. They mysteriously found that your membership dues were not up to date back when you won your world titles."

Nicholas's brows creased with worry. "My dues have always been up to date."

The wine connoisseur inched closer, sharing his vino breath with the Dream Guru. "Not according to the official records."

"Sam," Nicholas asked, "what kind of dirty trick are you pulling?"

Sam's head hung low. Marco answered for the humbled man. "No trace of any payment in your file. Therefore, Sam being the conscientious member of the highest standing, was ready to escalate the oversight. But, I looking out for you, said we should talk first."

"In other words," Nicholas said. "If I do what you want. You won't inform all, of the mysteriously disappeared documents."

Marco grinned slyly. "I think you're comprehending the message."

Nicholas licked his dry lips while he thought. "Sam, I thought you'd do nothing dishonourable? Clearly, you two paid someone to tamper with my file."

"I'm outraged Nicky," protested Marco.

"You're a shitty actor," Nicholas snapped. "Both of you disgust me."

However, Nicholas knew how rules oriented the world association was, and as soon as the issue was escalated, action would be taken. He would be stripped of his titles. They meant so much to him. Also, he thought they could be bluffing. Except, he had a sense that Sam would be thorough in anything he did.

Sam stayed silent shuffling his nervous feet as Nicholas pondered his situation. He plucked an irritating twig out of his dishevelled hair after his forced nature walk, wishing a way out would pop into his swirling mind.

Marco grinned triumphantly from ear to ear. "Are we to take your silence for agreement to co-operate?"

"Go ahead Sam," Nicholas said. "Escalate. Hope you can live with yourself." He tapped Marco on the leg with his white cane. "I know this scum has no problem living with himself down in the gutter."

"Piss off Nicky!"

Nicholas smirked knowingly. "And from now on I think I'll call you by your childhood name as well."

Marco went white with terror. "You, you wouldn't."

Nicholas mouthed the name.

"You are an asshole Nicolas." Marco shook his fist at the Dream Guru, his anger shooting skyward. "And when are you going to get it through your thick head? This is a small indication of our influence." He waved his arms like a madman, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Now to show what we really can do."

Nicholas gulped.

"You know how your kids business is flourishing?" Marco lowered his voice. "But at a volatile point."

Nicholas stiffened. His adult children owned a growing tech business. Except with all businesses in the growth stage, they were cutting it close. Nicholas's wife and kids were his weak spot. He never dreamed they would drag his adult children into their dirt.

He experienced a flashback to how he felt the first time his kids walked into the hospital room after the explosion that rendered him blind. He heard them talking to him. He felt them hug him. He felt them squeeze his hand. He even smelt their perfume and after shave, along with the get well flowers they brought. Except, he could not see their faces. He could not see anything. It was at that point, he realized the magnitude of his plight. It was as if someone kicked him in the stomach. When the kids left, he thought how he would never ever see their faces. He cried himself to sleep.

"We're about to anonymously invest in their venture," Sam said. "And then a bit down the road, we'd hate to pull the rug out from under them at an inopportune time."

Marco cackled maliciously. "Not going to be a flourishing venture Nicholas, if you don't play your part!"

NINETEEN

"But to go after the kids," Vanessa said as she grimaced later that Wednesday night as the coaching couple reviewed their situation while laying in bed. She undid her ponytail and shook out her hair. "Marco's so sleazy!"

"Sam sure changed his tune," Nicholas commented. "Must be under pressure

She grasped a book, slapping it. "Dirt bag!"

"Talked to the kids the other day. They were so excited about the new investor."

She graced the book with another slap. "Jerks!"

"What do we do?"

Come this far. "We'll find a way out."

"But they need that cash to take it to the next level. They're so close."

"Last of our savings," Vanessa looked to the heavens for help.

"Are you sure?"

"Has to be! Call the kids, tell them to cancel. Tell them the new money is dirty."

"But if we give them what they need, we got nothing" Nicholas shivered with the statement. "Absolutely nothing."

She hugged her husband, kissing him on the cheek. "But we got a family that sticks together through thick and sleazy bullshit."

"You bastard!" a hostile Lisa thundered as she stood in front of Nicholas in the executive hallway on the fourth floor, precisely at 9:10 AM on Friday, June 16. Her hands positioned on hips as usual, chin jutting forward, ready to rumble. "It was you."

"I assume you're referring to Rex being let go last night."

"Without my approval."

"A sensitive legal issue. Claudia and Eric handled the messy legal situation."

It was complicated. First, Claudia fired Rex. Second, she handed over the damning facts to the police who launched their investigation into Rex. Claudia resisted that step at first. She knew she carried responsibility for ignoring the goings on. But by the time Nicholas, Carmel and Monique were done with her, she agreed.

Also, Carmel and Monique demonstrated strong leadership in the communications out of the CEO's office, showing sensitivity to those who were harassed and/or abused. Nicholas ensured councillors specializing in those issues were made available for any who wanted help.

In addition, evidence was handed to the police in regard to Cook who was as involved as Rex. Except, Marco refused to take action against his employee. He defended Cook passionately when Claudia approached him immediately after Rex was dealt with. All of this was done without Lisa's involvement. For her strong connection to Rex and Cook was well known.

"Rex has always been like that. No big deal." Lisa's anger level rose. Her twitching hand worked overtime.

"It is a very big deal. That you should have dealt with long ago."

"I'd never lift a finger!" Smack! She struck a side table. "I ought to kill you for interfering in this."

"You're threatening my life again."

"Asshole!" Smash! Crash! She hurled a glass at the wall. "Wait until Marco hears..." The HR executive stopped herself as she realized what she uttered.

"First off, Marco knows. But Lisa, why do you think he would care if Rex had a job at Beach Time?"

She flinched. "He's Marco's friend." She shook her fist at Nicholas, Clued out of the fact that the man could not see the gesture. "Now get out of Beach Time. And there's no way dopey Ivan's meeting with Claudia."

The Dream Guru was distracted temporarily as he could hear someone sneezing in Claudia's office. "Why would that bother you?" He harboured a smile, waiting for another Lisa explosion.

Her anger maintained its intensity, "He's washed up. Done, done done!"

Nicholas sensed unresolved inner turmoil within the HR executive. "There's something deeper with Ivan and you. What is it?"

"Please!"

"What is it? I've sensed it from the start."

"Piss off!" Lisa gulped. "Nothing. So shut up!"

"You need to give the man a chance."

The explosion occurred again. Bang! She threw an art sculpture at the wall that had been innocently sitting on a side table. "Never giving that wimp a chance." She gained a bit of control and snarled. "Looks like an uncle of mine. And that Uncle abused me."

"I'm so sorry. I'm hear to talk anytime you wish. Or I know a fantastic councillor."

"Go to hell. I let it go years ago." Her hand twitched intensified.

"So you have some sensitivity to what Rex's victims are going through."

She scoffed. "Whiners! And I'm gonna fire Ivan."

"Please Lisa, give him a chance. He's not your uncle."

"Doesn't matter. I'm about to fire him."

An exuberant Claudia burst out of her office. She raced towards Nicholas and Lisa, announcing for all to hear, "Brilliant! Ivan's brilliant!" An allergy activated Ivan trailed after the CEO supporting a massive grin. "Ivan's idea could save this company!"

Next morning a knock sounded in the middle of the fourth floor office door. Nicholas had worked right through that Friday night. Session after session. Coaching staff from across the Beach Time empire after many had finished their night shift. He was spent by the morning.

Early last evening Claudia and he completed another productive goal setting session. Due to Claudia's heavy reliance on the visual, he blindfolded her. The CEO's visual bias impeded her ability to firstly, tap into her other enlightening senses. And secondly, to create futuristic mental imagery, which could assist her in the building of long term business strategies.

Rattled best described her initial reaction to the questions and exercises. However, as the CEO grew more comfortable, relaxing in the dark, she began to connect with her other senses. Also, her imagining the Beach Time of the future took on a clarity she never experienced in the past.

"Come in," Nicholas said as he yawned. He heard someone enter the room, quietly shut the door and sit in the chair in front of him.

"What is it Tad?"

The big man chuckled, slapping the arm of a chair. "How'd you know it was me mon? Knocked lower this time. And cornrows are out."

"Your heavy footsteps as you approached the door. And only you make that chair cry out like that."

"Damn! Gonna fool you next time."

"You don't usually come in on Saturday?"

"Knew the Coachman would be round."

"Did you come to intimidate me? Maybe cock your toy gun again."

"No, no mon! How'd you know it was a toy?"

"All in the sound. Maybe this time you'll pull a plastic knife on me."

"No, no mon. No more of that scare show."

"So Tad, what do you want?"

"First, getting rid of the Rex game was a good play."

"Why?"

"Bad egg. This soft porn game has its sex fun. But some of the shit he pulled with the server-models. Way over the top."

"Were you in on it?"

Tad shook his head frantically. "No. No. No. The Tad show doesn't go there."

"Cause I heard you enjoyed some adventure."

"Maybe, me and the boss lady had some fun on her desk a time or two." Tad smirked. "Or maybe Tad and one or two of the SM's had a bit of crazy on the side. But that gang were into mean shit."

"Who was part of it?"

"Not saying mon. But one other egg in deep. Tad's got enough trouble. Want coaching." He buried his head in his hands, speaking in a thick voice, "I'm in a bit of a jam."

TWENTY

On the afternoon of Tuesday, June 20 Nicholas went through Ivan and Scott's plans for a pilot, and their detailed design of what they were building. He invited both Claudia and Carmel into their secret meeting to give them an overview of how far the two progressed on Beach Reality.

Nicholas hooked the two up as soon as he realized they complemented each other perfectly on this venture. It jumped out at the Dream Guru as he worked through the Action Stepping Stones phase with each professional. The detail required in phase four made it obvious these two needed to work together to accelerate Beach Reality. Of course, Claudia scolded him for running the skunk works project without her knowledge. Then she hugged the Dream Guru and genuinely thanked him.

"Beach Reality will save us!" Claudia clapped her hands when Scott and Ivan completed the final portion of their pitch. She stopped abruptly as a thought hit her. She pressed her hands to her throat. "But does it have to cost that much?"

Carmel spoke in a quiet yet firm tone, "We, or I, will find the money."

The CEO's eye's shot up in surprise. She raised her hand in protest. She went to negotiate, but stopped herself. She went to make a scene. The old Claudia would have. She smiled a winning smile, slipping over to Carmel, giving her a long heartfelt embrace which said it all.

That night Nicholas answered a call while sitting on his deck at home. A frantic high pitched voice spoke, "Please, please help!"

"Take a breath. Tell me your name and what's going on?"

"My name is Annie Wong, Charlie's granddaughter and financial analyst with Beach Time where I'm calling you from."

"What can I do for you Annie?"

"Please, please don't tell my grandfather I called. But I just can't live with myself anymore."

"What can't you live with?"

"Couple things," she screeched. "First, I may have a shopping addiction."

"Thank you for sharing. How about we get together and chat about it?"

"Need help right away for my second issue."

"What is it?"

Annie's panicking voice increased with ever word, "It might appear as if I've embezzled funds from BT."

On Wednesday, June 21, Nicholas sat on Skype with Won down in Mexico. Except this time, Rosa agreed to join the session. They were proceeding toward a divorce. But, before they took another step, Won insisted Rosa sit in on one of these coaching sessions.

Nicholas kicked things off, and then turned it over to Won. "Are you ready to give your progress report?"

Nicholas found that besides working through the five phases of the DREAM model, the private one on one sessions were also key for reviewing progress, and addressing problems and obstacles getting in the way of the dream, goals and actions. As well, the private sessions provided motivation, inspiration and opened up the opportunity to celebrate when milestones were achieved.

"Ci Coach!" Won burst with enthusiasm. In record time, Won completed all five phases of the DREAM model. Like clock work, he presented crisp and concise weekly progress reports to Nicholas. Won tracked well in regard to his SMART goals and his associated action plans. Now, he wanted Rosa to understand the incredible distance he traveled on this dream journey. Desperately showing her that he was not all talk, but full of positive action.

"Let's start with your goal on the alcohol," Nicholas prompted.

"Papa and Mama say you'll never do it," Rosa piped up with an edge to her words.

"Time will tell," the bartender replied. "But I haven't touched a drop since my first session with Coach."

Nicholas worried about how Rosa would respond. Except Won wanted her to hear his dream and plan. He claimed if she laughed in his face, so be it. He would move on.

Before Rosa agreed to join the session, she called Nicholas. He spent two hours preparing her, sorting out some of her own conflicting feelings and influences. The Dream Guru led Rosa through the Energy Zappers-Tolerate Exercise. In the first step, simple and powerful "list" tools were utilized to assist Rosa to identify literally what was zapping her energy, or what she was tolerating. In the second step, the Dream Guru hoped to guide Rosa through a process to eliminate her energy drainers, freeing up more energy for her dreams and goals.

However, there was little response from Rosa once they completed the first step, accumulating a long list of energy zappers and things she tolerated. Rosa claimed she needed to go away and think. But one thing she stood firm on, any talk of dreams and goals were foolishness, ending her session abruptly.

Twenty minutes later Won completed laying out his progress. Rosa remained silent while Nicholas and Won made adjustments to the living plan, firming up next steps.

"That's it!" Won stated proudly. "Until next week."

"You're tracking extremely well," praised Nicholas.

"Gonna do it man," Won said in a determined tone.

Rosa began to cry.

"That Monique and Donita never quit," A sour faced Billy complained with a cigarette hanging from his mouth later that day as he and Nicholas sat on a marble bench in front of Beach Time's head office.

"They care about you Billy."

The security guard spoke in a lethargic voice, "That's nice. But..."

Nicholas smiled with understanding. "But you're not ready for any type of coaching or counselling."

"Done tons of that crap before." He yawned. "Never helps."

"How's the sleeping pills working?"

"Not worth a shit. Gotta get a stronger kind."

"There's lots of other ways to address sleeping disorders. Everything from good old tried and true meditation to a high tech solution called ASMR. I call it sounds that feel good, but it stands for; Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response."

"Nothing can help me," a hopeless Billy said.

The Dream Guru felt the power of the dark aura surrounding the security guard, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Anytime you want to talk to me or a councillor."

"Talking never helps." Billy's jaded attitude seemed impenetrable.

"Please give it a try."

"Maybe one day. But not now." The security guard blew a lazy smoke ring. "Just with Grandfather and everything."

"What's the everything?"

"Personal stuff."

"How's the Chief doing?"

"Much worse. Lots of powerful medications. But nothing helps."

"Except last time I chatted with Chief Jimmy when he was out for a walk, he seemed better."

"Poor guy, that was one of the few good days he's had in months." Billy kicked a stone in front of him. "The rest are hell."

"Huntington Beach attacked," a tremulous tone filled Nicholas's ear as he held his cell.

"What happened Carmel?" Nicholas asked as he swished his cane, heading home that Wednesday night from the warehouse after a number of evening coaching sessions. He became a regular fixture. Folks popped in on the spur of the moment, ensuring their managers did not see them. However, Nicholas developed a great relationship with some of those managers as well. They were looking the other way. They ignored Lisa's threats and penalties, taking advantage of the coaching themselves.

"Toxic gas," cried Carmel.

"Anyone hurt?"

"Lucky no one was killed. A few guests and staff sick. Doing fine now. But the putrid smell will force us to shut down for a couple days. This is getting out of hand."

Nicholas scratched his head. "The oddest thing was that just yesterday, Claudia and I were in her office, talking about how that California location was making a huge comeback. And that was where we were going to pilot Ivan and Scott's Beach Reality."

"Coachman, give me a session," Tad demanded as he walked up behind Nicholas in the lobby of the Beach Time head office on Thursday morning, June 22. "My people are turning on me,"

Nicholas eased around to face the perspiring giant. "Well, you're swimming with snakes."

Tad clenched his jaw in fear, wearing a haunted look, peering around, ensuring no one would hear or see. "Coachman don't understand."

"No Tad I don't understand. You have two personalities."

"What?"

"I listened to you carry on an intelligent conversations. Clearly, demonstrating your fine education. Then the next minute, you talk and act like a thug. So, what are you?"

"Some of both." Tad gazed around to ensure no one could over hear. "Look mon, all I know is I'm being threatened."

"What did you do?"

Tad leaned against the wall, looking to the ceiling. "Ahem. Haven't delivered the gold."

"Delivered what gold?"

"Rather not say. But these LA brothers play real rough."

"Go to the police."

Tad raised his mega hands in defence. "No,no mon!"

Nicholas knew Tad wouldn't approach the police. He was in too deep. Tad felt isolated as Claudia trusted him with absolutely nothing lately, keeping him at arms length. His teeth chattered as the man was living in fear, the terror was oozing from his every pore. "Feeling you're between a rock and some killers?"

Tad tugged at his shirt collar. "Damn straight."

Nicholas tossed out an olive branch. "So how can I help?"

"Help me with Claudia. She can save Tad's ass."

"Why would she?"

"I, I think I might know what happened to Decker."

TWENTY-ONE

Monique and Nicholas chatted in the fourth floor executive office during their regular Thursday lunch meeting where she reviewed her progress. Her dream revolved around helping people. Whether that was through providing makeup or styling hair, or supporting someone that required her listening ears, warm heart and common sense, she gave others hope and encouragement naturally.

"Major relief on the models part with Sexy, Rexy gone," said Monique. "Finally, Claudia dealt with him."

"Wish Marco would deal with Cook the way Claudia dealt withRex. Hopefully, the police will hurry along their investigation."

Monique slapped her knee. "So those two reptiles get theirs. But, the mood inBT is changing for the better, not just Rex leaving. You two have made such a difference."

"You've been a big part of it. The work you've done on Claudia's communications. Amazing!"

"Been so much fun. And the company parties we organized on Claudia's tour of each BT location."

"Overwhelming success. All the positive energy that tour generated."

"People are starting to love BT."

"And you can make an even bigger difference."

"What do you mean Nicholas?"

"Been talking to Claudia. She loves the way Donita is beginning to handle some of the activities Vanessa's doing."

Monique added, "And the guests here love it. All live sessions are packed."

"All web casts are flooded with employees. And Vanessa's personal wellness plans have almost reached three hundred. Anyway, what we were thinking, is to let me work with you. Over time, some of the dream coaching could be done by you."

She pointed a finger at herself. "Moi!"

"For sure!" Of course, you'll have to take a coaching program.

"I couldn't."

"You're a natural. We'll get you trained. And then you can begin if you wish."

"I've no talent for this," she said with true sincerity.

"Monique. You have such potential." Nicholas coached her through a Boost your Strengths exercise.

Through all the years as the Dream Guru, Nicholas attempted to focus primarily on strengths and positivity. However, many people he worked with were immersed in the world of fixing and improving, of criticism and negativism, of performance reviews and fault-finding. And sometimes they required a little reminder of how it feels to focus instead on their strengths.

This three step strengths boosting exercise turned out to be exhausting for both. For the lady had a difficult time seeing herself in the brightest of lights. At the end, Monique lit up with an awakening smile. "I'm looking at myself in a different way."

"And if you study your original dream, it's not that different from what we are talking about."

She squealed like a little girl. "Extraordinaire! You're right!"

"And you really care about Beach Time."

She swung her crossed leg, smiling with some past memory. "Oui, I guess I do. Do you want to know why?"

"Only if you want to tell me."

The makeup lady folded her hands in her lap, blowing out a cleansing breath. "Back in 1992. I had a three year secret romance with a much, much older man. We shared so much." She wiped a tear. "Asked me to marry him twice. But I said no both times."

"Any regrets?"

She shook her head. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as a wistful mood enveloped her. "Not with all the other women. I couldn't share him. Even in his last years, he couldn't stop the womanizing." She let go with a bitter smile. "It was all about that damn image."

"Did you love him?"

"Oui, oui, was a wonderful guy underneath. But had to be seen in public as a real player, pretty ladies, fast cars, jet setting, rubbing elbows with the stars, fancy clothes, drugs and lavish parties, many of which were orgies." She fiddled with her earring. "I didn't love that part. Not my cup of wine."

"Who else knows?"

"No one else knows about Johnny and me. Except, for his shover. We shared each others secrets. And shared a passion to keep Johnny's dream alive."

Carmel broke into the office, interrupting Monique and Nicholas, shouting out, "Now Jane!"

Nicholas tensed. "What happened to Jane?"

"Dead!" Carmel swayed on her feet. "Found in her car. Bullet in the head."

A mortified Monique covered her mouth with her hand as tears began to form. However, the caring and white faced lady leaped to Carmel's side. She placed a comforting arm about Carmel, giving support, gaining much needed comfort herself. Jane worked as the loyal family shover for years. Carmel and her were close. Another blow for the former drug user. Would she be able to handle this one?

"Not Jane," Carmel whispered as she shook her head in denial.

"Jane was such a nice lady," Nicholas added.

"She was wonderful," Monique let the tears roll down her cheeks. "Why, why can't the police stop this reign of terror?"

Nicholas let out a disgusted breath. "They've found no trace on any of the crimes."

"This attack on BT has to end," Monique said.

Carmel lifted her head. "Or another one of our family's going to be murdered like Decker."

"But we don't know about Decker," Nicholas said.

Carmel grimaced. "I still think. And now Jane who was like family."

Monique looked upward, pondering before she spoke, "I promised Jane I'd keep her secret until her death. Carmel, she was your half sister."

Four days later Nicholas sat at his kitchen table with a heavy heart after returning from Jane's funeral. Carmel and Claudia wore shock throughout the ceremony. All these years they had been driven around by their half sister. Jane came into the world back in 1957. The same year the twins were born.

Jane resulted from one of Johnny Tonini's numerous affairs. He whisked the pregnant Brazilian girl off upon hearing the news. Generously paid for Jane's upbringing, and gave her a job as the family shover when she turned eighteen years of age.

Nicholas's cell rang. Scott the cameraperson was on the other line. "I'm ready dude."

"Excellent!"

"Can't believe how focusing on my dream and goals took my mind off my sex obsession. I look at my personal dream statement five times a day."

"How's your GENIE treating you?"

"Between you and the bracelet I can't believe how much more positive my outlook is." Scott giggled like a happy kid. "Starting to naturally be positive. Don't even have to think about it. And I love the way GENIE reminds me. Then teaches me."

GENIE 2.0 possessed the capabilities to alert, track and promote positive thoughts and speech. But to also teach the bracelet wearer about negative thought patterns of theirs that could be sabotaging their happiness; utilizing different games and videos to bring them along on their positivity journey.

"Scott, you're sounding great!"

"And I can't believe how energized and focused I am on my dream and goals."

"How's Beach Reality?"

"Most fun I've ever had! Gonna put BT back on the map! And it's strange. I used to dwell on whether I was straight, gay or whatever. But now, I'm not obsessed with sex. And I'm not obsessed with my sexual identity. I'm me, and I'm proud of it."

The next afternoon a scowling Marco caught Nicholas passing by Frankie's Cafe on his way to a meeting with Claudia. The man lifted on his heels, nose pointed skyward as he spoke, "Such an imbecile. A low life such as yourself will never learn."

"What do you mean?" Nicholas asked as he slowed, knowing this man was itching for a battle.

"Gave up your karate titles. Gave up the investment money for your adult children. Now you're practically impoverished." He touched his expensive diamond ring. "A true loser!" Marco attempted to snatch Nicholas's white cane. Except, his grip held solid.

Nicholas smiled crookedly. "But one thing you haven't broke my wife or me yet. And you've sure done your best." The Dream Guru grew serious. "And I'm sure more is coming. Maybe even from your bought and paid for Lisa."

Marco clasped his hands behind his back, enjoying a smug smile. "She does what I tell her."

"But she doesn't do it for the money." Nicholas gave a sympathetic sound. "Feel for the lady. Even though she is got crimes piling up against her, she actually loves you."

"Please."

"She'll end up going to prison again. Taking the fall herself, when both of you should be behind bars. Just like before."

Marco's chest rose and fell with his accelerated breathing. He attempted to grasp Nicholas by the shoulder. However, the Dream Guru felt the movement and his white cane blocked the feeble move. "I'll..."

"Threaten me one more time. I get the routine."

"You insignificant blind minion who have become much to much of an inconvenience." Marco took his time as he thought of his next words. "And much too much of an influence on this situation."

"So you've informed me on multiple occasions."

"And I know you're going to meet with that so called CEO again."

"So Marco. What's your real issue with Claudia and her family?"

"Despise them," he gripped a side table next to him, grimacing from the anger he generated.

"Why?"

"Uncle Johnny and his brats thought they were so superior. Looking down on my father and I."

"What was the one thing you said you would never give Claudia?"

"Do not know why I'm telling you this." He huffed. "But who cares, you're a washed up coach who's about to be removed."

"Go on, what did she want?"

Marco cringed, clenching and unclenching his fists before he answered. "Claudia always wanted to combine operations of Beach Time and Frankie's Cafe. Changing the colour of our server outfits was merely the start."

"Makes some sense."

"Never, never! Now that I've attained Power of Attorney over my father and have a seat on the Beach Time board, removing Claudia is the priority."

"Except your father, Frankie, had no Beach Time stock and only a non voting seat."

"Doesn't matter." Marco spoke and swaggered with a new sense of importance. "I'll be positioned at the table insisting on extensive board changes." He dawned his patented smug look. "Attaining those changes is paramount. Along with ensuring her life is a living hell. And keeping her grimy hands off Frankie's Cafes'."

"So your father's legacy is important to you?"

"Do not give a damn about that. Now that I've seized power of attorney, those cafe's will be called Marco's."

Ten minutes later Nicholas met with Claudia and Tad round the table in the CEO's office. Tension filled the air. Tad and Claudia barely spoke in weeks.

Nicholas attempted to slice through that tension with his first question. "Okay Tad, what do you know about Decker's death?"

"What I know," replied the big man hunched over in his chair. "He was major upset about something."

"Did my son kill himself?" Claudia asked with a kurt tone and guarded eyes. "Cause my Sister insists he didn't."

Tad lowered his head. "As far as I know. He overdosed like the cops said." One thing Tad did not reveal was how the police interrogated him on numerous occasions. An anonymous tip pointed Decker's death at Tad. However, the police could not connect him after hours of interrogation.

The CEO pointed an accusatory finger at her Executive Assistant. "Are you sure?"

Tad swallowed hard. "As, as far as I know Boss."

Nicholas tapped the shaking man's elbow. "But you know something else."

"Ya mon." Tad squirmed in the chair. "Somebody, and I don't know who, was blackmailing him." This was one piece of info he did not share with the police.

Claudia sprang up. Crash! She knocked her water glass to the floor. "What?"

"Look Boss. All I know is it had something to do with a video."

TWENTY-TWO

"Not a drop of booze!" Won declared. "Not one little drop man thanks to you and my GENIE. And there's something else." Won called Nicholas on Skype unexpectedly with his news at 5:35 AM on Friday, June 23.

"How's it feel?" Nicholas asked. "The no booze thing."

"Like I got my life back." The bartender enjoyed a satisfying grin. "And you know what else amigo?"

"Let's hear it!"

"Last night my Rosa and bambinos spent the night back in our casa. And they're home for good."

"So what turned her around?"

"The session she sat in on with you and me. Rosa understood my dream. Started thinking about her own dream. Realized she was living other people's dreams. Going back to school to be a Dental Hygienist." Won jiggled the GENIE bracelet on his wrist. "Oh, and my bambinos love my talking GENIE." Won snickered. "And at high noon today when that employee survey opens. Giving my 5 rating. Go Coach!"

Claudia dished out last minute instructions to a lean Ivan and purple haired Scott in her office on that Friday morning. The two were flying out of Bellingham airport immediately after for Huntington Beach and the start of the Beach Reality pilot. After heroic efforts, the Huntington Beach site returned to normal following the toxic gas incident. Claudia insisted on driving forward with the revolutionary pilot, come hell or toxic gas.

All sat around in the CEO's office, excitement filling the room, all wearing their GENIE bracelets. Even though the two men had made major progress through the DREAM model, and their new found confidence was apparent; they perched nervously around Claudia, who loved emasculating them in the past. Except this time, she led more like a CEO, encouraging and supporting.

Refreshing, best described Claudia's ongoing leadership transformation, continuing to make major strides. Also, part of her work with Nicholas was in relation to men. In the past, she verbally attacked most males she came in contact with, unless she desired sex. And even then, she might take a strip off them for fun.

"Any other questions for Claudia?" Nicholas inquired. "Now's your chance?"

Uncertainly, the two men looked at each other, shaking their heads.

"Ivan, I know you've got the design specs taken care of," said Nicholas. "But, do you have the Software Engineers lined up?"

The art director knotted. Then realizing Nicholas could not see the move, he blushed and said, "Sorry Coach. You bet."

Nicholas smiled with understanding. "Scott, you got the special equipment and software you need?"

The cameraperson rubbed his hands together like a sugar addict in an unattended candy store. "For sure dude."

"Do you two have enough room on your company credit cards?" Claudia asked in a gentle tone. "Also, some of the pilot will require a ton of hard cash."

"Cash! Cash! Cash!" Paula the parrot squawked.

"That bird isn't bothering me anymore," Claudia said with a smirk. "Growing kind of fond of the flashy feathered yap."

"Ah Chou! Ah chou!" Ivan's allergic reaction to Paula commenced. He scratched his new look beard nervously, cautious of a CEO tirade. "We, we got brand new corporate credit cards. And lots of," he looked at the bird, "paper money."

"We're so stoked," Scott added. "We have a chance to make a difference."

"The upcoming board meeting will be a great spot to unveil your initial findings," added Nicholas.

"Could safe my ass," Claudia said. All stood, energy pulsating through the office. She shook their hands. "You two have a chance to truly save Beach Time. Have a safe flight?" She issued a heartfelt hug to the two men. "Thank you so, so much!"

An hour later Tad and Nicholas chatted about what he told Claudia concerning her son. The Jamaican's apprehensive aura filled the room.

"She was almost pissed at me mon," admitted Tad. "Especially, when I informed her of the hush-hush coin Decker paid to keep that incriminating flick buried."

"Doesn't take a genius to figure out who's behind this."

"Yeah mon! But might take a big brain to catch them." Tad moaned, shutting his distressed eyes. "Actually thought I could..."

"Get her to trust you again."

"Something like that."

"But what'd you expect?"

"Respect mon. Gave her the reason Decker took his life."

"Maybe. But Claudia suspects you were the guy supplying her son the smack."

The next morning Claudia shouted into her phone, "Where are they?"

"Who?" Nicholas asked with his cell phone on speaker as he ate breakfast, enjoying his favourite Saturday morning sports talk radio show out of Seattle. Nicholas loved his sports, enjoyed participating in a wide variety of athletic activities.

Before the explosion, he loved to golf. Even as he watched his drive slicing out of bounds, or his putt breaking just before the hole, or his ball dropping in the middle of the water hazard. Except, he never touched his clubs over these two years. They sat alone in the back closet like a friend who had been forgotten.

Until last month, Vanessa caught him gripping his trusty putter that waited patiently in his bag. She talked Nicholas into going to the driving range and attempting to swing the neglected sticks. They picked an isolated spot at the end of the massive range. His inside spun with tension. He knew there were golfers who were blind who enjoyed the game with the help of a spotter. But he never thought it would be him, attempting to swing a stick in the dark.

Vanessa lined him up. Even though he could not see the ball, his grip and stance came back like riding a bike. Except when he swung that nine iron, he fell hard off the club swinging bike. Swish! All he heard was air as he missed. He missed again. He missed again and again. And he continued to miss, to spite Vanessa adjusting the positioning of the ball and his line up. Nothing worked. All he ever heard was the sound of air as the club and ball never introduced themselves.

A dejected Nicholas was about to walk away, ready to put this humiliation down to the cost of being blind. Vanessa made him try one more time. He reminded himself of his own favourite sayings revolving around determination and resilience as he gripped the club for another try.

Whack! The feel of hitting on the sweet spot was heavenly. Whack! He felt another sweet stroke. Much the same frustration occurred on the practice putting green, until cur-plunk! The sound of that putt dropping in the hole, ensuring the beaming Nicholas was back in the crazy sticks game.

"Ivan and Scott disappeared,"Claudia screeched.

"What?"

"Nicholas, they haven't showed up in Huntington Beach. Never even boarded their plane."

The Dream Guru raced to the Beach Time Head Office. His white cane and GPS doing overtime. Claudia, Carmel and Nicholas put a plan together as the CEO called an emergency meeting. An hour later a team including Lisa, Tad, Carmel, Marco and a couple of other executives hovered around Claudia's desk. The CEO revealed the secret pilot to be carried out in Orange County, informing them of the missing employees. Claudia rehearsed her story before hand, hoping that one of these potential suspects would give something away.

"I'm calling the police," Claudia insisted.

"Sure way to kill the two," said Marco.

Lisa lit up a smoke. "Oh well."

Claudia's hate filled eyes zeroed in on her HR executive. She managed to maintain her control, even though her eyes wanted to rip Lisa's face off. "How cruel! And put out that cigarette."

Lisa squinted, looking to Marco for support.

Marco served up his pretentious laugh while waving his lit Cuban cigar in the air. "Be serious Claudia. We don't follow those rules."

Claudia pointed an accusatory finger at the man. "We all follow those rules as of now. And that includes no more booze up here. Have I made myself clear?"

"Ha!" Marco gave an aristocratic tilt of his head. "I do not abide by your rules." He sniffed haughtily with his size challenged nose. "As I'm not an employee of Beach Time."

"But you're on BT property," indicated Claudia. "So, put it out right now."

A long moment passed while killing stares were exchanged between Claudia and Marco with Lisa's right hand twitching in overdrive.

Nicholas smelt her tension induced perspiration. "Would you two make a decision. Either put them out. Or walk out the door. But I know you two are dyeing to hear Claudia's plan."

Gradually, Lisa put out her smoke. "Pilot was a stupid idea anyway."

Marco never flinched. He refused to leave, but took a puff, continuing to stare at Claudia. "Let's hear your plan. Not like any of your plans actually achieve success." With a look of pure satisfaction, he extinguished the cigar on Claudia's desk. "Oops!" He grinned menacingly.

"God Marco!" Claudia scowled as she wiped up the ashes. "You're such a pig underneath those clothes your Daddy buys you." "Here's the plan," sweeping the cigar remains in her garbage can. She held up her finger speaking slowly for effect, "Since the Police have made little progress on anything, I've hired Private Investigators out of Seattle to dig into the murders, kidnapping and the other crimes."

"A bit much," objected Marco.

"Good." Claudia set her hands on her desk, palms down. "Also, we're tripling our security at all BT locations."

"Have you got money for that?" Lisa asked.

"We'll find it," replied Carmel.

"You bet! As CEO, it's something I should have done three months ago when all this started."

Marco jerked his head in the direction of Nicholas. "The same time this fool and his wife commenced their coaching charade."

"Exactly!" agreed Lisa. "Pointed that out to the cops many times."

"So they told me," Nicholas said.

Whack! Lisa struck him on the arm. "You two coaches should be thrown in jail."

Nicholas chuckled. "Nice try at deflection you two."

"But an absolute waste of time," Claudia added.

The loud sniping between Marco and Claudia continued. While off to the side, Nicholas lowered his volume so that only Lisa standing next to him could hear. This was the icing on the cake that Monique revealed to him as her last piece of gossip. "What isn't hard to figure out is how the cigar smoker was going to use you when he got you a job at Beach Time?"

Lisa's head jolted back. "Screw you!"

Nicholas licked his lips. "But one thing I can't figure out, is how your one time lover, Marco got you out of jail early." Panic flooded her face. Nicholas carried on, "And the second thing is how you two crooks plan to elevate you up into a COO role." He chuckled. "Or maybe something even higher if your Asian friends are successful."

TWENTY-THREE

"My design, my design," echoed out from a hyper charged voice bursting into Nicholas's office in the warehouse at 9:00 AM Tuesday, June 27. Pari scampered down from the second floor immediately upon hearing the news. "They selected my design!"

"Congratulations Pari."

She bounced on the balls of her feet. "Thank you, thank you. I'd never have..."

"You've done amazing work in the last few weeks."

Pari completed a fashion course at a local college and multiple online courses in the same area. Also, she developed and presented her own designs to the Beach Time decision makers. She joked how she was able to take a much cheaper cell plan as the amount of data she utilized on her phone dropped significantly. Pari could not believe the extra time she captured when she dropped the cell addiction, steering that time toward her training.

Pari did however, love her GENIE. For it helped her keep focused, reminding her of what she truly desired. Also, it reminded her constantly of her actions developed in the Action Stepping Stones phase, ensuring the formally distracted girl zeroed in on each action on the plan with a new found discipline and determination.

She waggled her GENIE bracelet. "Never taking this off." She danced over giving Nicholas a hug. "Got to go! My design needs tweaking before it goes into production." Pari tossed her hair. "Super exciting!" She scampered out of the office.

Nicholas felt the energy flowing from the focused girl. She floated on top of the world. Ever since she proceeded through the DREAM model, her drive and determination never wavered.

Although a constant momentum and energy flowed through a person throughout all five phases of the DREAM model, Nicholas found how a life altering jolt hits almost everyone he worked with at some critical point in one of the five phases. It was that special moment, that special feeling, that special point of enlightenment where there is no going back.

Most experienced that life altering jolt in the Design Your Dream phase. Not many found it in the Reality Scan phase. While a surprising number received the jolt in the Energizing Goals phase. Again, in the fourth phase, Action Stepping Stones, few people discovered it here. By the final and fifth phase, Motivation Beyond Achievement, some experience the lightening jolt toward the end of the journey. No matter when the jolt hit them, the dream journey became greatly enhanced when people experienced that personal life altering moment.

Except, that every so often, Nicholas thought back, there was that individual that did not find that true life changing jolt. They may experience a false jolt or two, never actually internalizing their dream.

The Dream Guru chuckled to himself. And that merely meant that he guided them right back to the Designing Your Dream phase. Ensuring on the next run through, they would find their true dream and life altering jolt.

Then Nicholas thought back to his early morning call from Annie Wong. In the last couple of days, her and Nicholas made fantastic progress on her shopping addiction, and her ability to simply breathe in order to relax. Her GENIE bracelet kept her away from the local Bellis Fair mall, and she never ventured into any online shopping sites. Annie tackled phase one of the DREAM model. She embraced it with an eagerness and an efficiency her grandfather would be proud of.

Also, she sat down confessing all to Claudia. The two worked out a private arrangement, no police. All seemed okay. Except today, Annie spoke in a panic. Someone found out her secret. She revealed the blackmailer over heard their previous phone conversation when she sat in her office, confessing to Nicholas over the phone. Annie refused to admit who. Nicholas carried a short list. They wanted her to co-operate. Or the police would be called, and Claudia could not protect her. Worse yet for Annie, the straight laced Charlie would be informed of his granddaughter's offence.

Claudia barged into Nicholas's warehouse office shouting, "It's been ages since I've been to the warehouse twice in a week. Never mind that it was years since I came here before you started making me do the walk." She dropped into a chair in front of him.

"As I said on your first visit here, welcome to Beach Time." Nicholas opened up his arms. "Where the real work gets done."

Claudia blushed. "I suppose, I've not been much of a CEO. Ignoring this area. And the other BT locations."

"You're making up for that. Your tour of every site generated so much good will with staff. Your image is changing."

"Thanks to Carmel, Monique and the Dream Guru."

"And the CEO. So, what do you think of the strategy concerning modernizing this factory and warehouse?"

"Victoria and you made an interesting case," Claudia said in a cautious tone. "But that's expensive."

"Robotics isn't cheap."

"No Cash! And I can say that word here without Paula going off."

"Carmel's ready to fund it."

Claudia squeezed her hands together. "How did you persuade her to say yes to something that will illuminate jobs?"

"First off, your turnover's so high, no layoffs will have to happen in the areas that will be effected. Second, you're going to need to re-deploy many staff with Beach Reality. And with the additional product lines you'll be getting into."

"You mean what I put in my SMART goal?"

"Carmel's ready to back that one too. She knew having a line of Beach Time jewellery, makeup, perfume and cologne was your father's dream as well as yours."

"Damn right it's my dream!"

"Combining a unique ocean theme with the Beach Time logo to produce that unique product line. A winner. And let a winner lead it!"

"You know how you've been bugging me about naming a COO." Claudia grimaced. "Guess who approached me?"

"Lisa." Nicholas worked closely with Victoria Walters over the last three months. He realized the African-American Wharton MBA was exactly what the twins needed to shore up all of their BT operations. Especially as they moved into expansion mode. "But, Lisa's a joke as COO. Whereas Victoria's a star with how she runs Merchandising and all her potential. She's your new COO!"

Claudia put a finger to her worried brow. "Lisa insisted I fire Victoria." Claudia thought for a moment as this was one dream she had let go south for years. "I want this new product line dream for me and Papa! And I want Beach Reality! It should be Victoria. But..."

"No buts. You got the right leader. You've got the money."

"Oh we'll see. Brittany did a better job of managing Carmel's money then I thought."

"Sure did."

"God, love doing these SMART goals."

"How's that other SMART goal going?"

"Much to Lisa's objection, I've dumped the pills. And cut down on the booze. The first few days were horrid. But you know. Feeling more focused. Vanessa getting me into yoga. Incredible!"

"Been a hit with the staff you showing up, doing the cobra with them."

"Humbling, but fun." She gazed at the wall for a moment. "Love that painting." Claudia leaped up and enjoyed a closer look at the art hanging on the wall. She touched it. "Amazing!"

"Present from your twin. Hung it yesterday."

"Woe! She's real good!"

"Carmel created a tactile painting especially for me. She did it so anyone who can't see could enjoy the various textures."

Claudia sighed with regret. "I've been unfair to my sister at times. Guess deep down, never really accepted her being a proud lesbian. Must have hurt her." Claudia buried her head in her hands and muttered, "I'm such a hypocrite." She raised her head and sneered. "And having a snake like Lisa in her life, even damaged her more."

"Are you still managing to hold your control around Lisa?"

Claudia groaned. "Been hard."

"Let the private investigators do their job," Nicholas encouraged. "They'll find something."

"Until then, I try to play nice." Claudia made a fist. "But that bitch still feels she got the upper hand over me. Reminding me yesterday in her COO pitch, or threat, about that, that." She shut her eyes with a tormented expression before carrying on, "video." Claudia dug her nails in the arm of the cloth covered chair leaving more work for an upholsterer down the street. "Except, the one thing I made perfectly clear. She can hold it over me for some items. But I let her know she will never hold it over me when it comes to the sale of BT to the Asians. And Marco's got the sale on the agenda for the board meeting on Friday."

Claudia's cell sounded. She grabbed it. She listened for a moment, gasping. When she composed herself the CEO asked, "How much do they want for Ivan and Scott?"

An hour later Nicholas sat alone in his warehouse office. Claudia completed another tour of the complex, promising the staff she would return soon, delighting all employees with her personalized attention. She even took the time to chat with the gardeners on her walks, to and from the warehouse and factory. That would have been beneath her a couple of months ago.

Every day, Nicholas gained more hope for her potential as a leader. She took the DREAM model to heart. She embraced the DREAM journey, determined to be a better CEO as one of her primary SMART goals. And with the communication plan Carmel and Monique directed for their CEO, and the effectiveness of the location tours, Claudia was beginning to be treated like a rock star by her employes.

Nicholas rubbed his chin as he always did when the gears were grinding him his brain. He thought about Marco and Lisa. He thought about Tad and his people. He thought of the many other players. A thought hit him like a lightening bolt. He called Carmel immediately, running his thoughts by her. Thoughts which clarified some research the two had conducted last week.

He ended the call, feeling dry after the lengthy discussion. As Nicholas began to fill his glass with water, he smelt a peculiar burnt odour within the office. Boom! An explosion rocked the tiny space, hurling him violently against the wall.

TWENTY-FOUR

Alarms screamed. Twisted and tangled debris filled the room. Smoke and dust choked the life out of Nicholas. The dazed man felt his way along the wall, attempting to crawl to clean air. Shattered glass sliced him as he inched along. He sensed blood flowing from his head. He hoped he was moving in the direction of the door. Faintly, he heard panicked yelling outside the office. His head rang, and the alarms weren't helping his swirling brain.

He experienced a flashback to an explosion two years ago. The thought paralyzed him for the moment. What if he had some other faculty lost? He groaned. Shook his head, attempting to clear the heavy brain fog. He hurt all over. He felt for his cane. Where was the damn thing?

Crash! Bang! Nicholas detected a hammering noise. Or was he imagining it? A scream echoed through his mottled mind, "Is anyone in there?"

The Dream Guru attempted to speak. Nothing came out, but silence and dust. Finally, he touched his cane. His trusty friend was back.

Tap! Tap! Nicholas struck it against the floor with his remaining strength. His head spun and swirled with the effort. He continued tapping his cane until he passed out.

"No! No!" Nicholas bellowed at the top of his lungs later on that explosive day.

"Just relax," sounded from a gentle voice coming way off in the distance.

Nicholas fought, coughed and wheezed as he came out of the heavy fog with his noggin pulsating.

He felt the tender squeeze of his hand. "You're okay," came from a familiar voice. "Safe and sound in the St. Joseph Hospital."

He wrestled with himself, attempting to free himself from some unknown bind. "No. No."

"It's okay Honey," Vanessa said in her soothing tone. "You've come out of it just fine." She stroked his forehead. "May support a headache for a few days, and be making a multi bandage fashion statement. But thank goodness you're alive."

"What?" he hacked out.

"An explosion in your office eight hours ago. Collapsed in the door. You were trapped." She hugged him. "But the warehouse guys worked like mad men until they got you out." She sighed and shed a tear. "They heard your cane tap, and knew it was you in there. Those guys love you."

"Felt like I..."

"Relived a hell you've been through before." She gently touched the bandage on his head. "Got stitches on that skull and body of yours to show for this blast."

Nicholas smelt the antiseptic in the room. He felt his throbbing head and winced in pain.

Vanessa hugged her husband again. "Only man I know that could survive two deadly explosions in one lifetime."

One day later a quiet knock sounded on the door of his hospital room. "May I enter?"

"Come on in Sonya," encouraged Nicholas.

"Look at all the get well flowers," Sonya admired. "How are you?"

"Ready to escape."

"Vanessa told me you're getting out first thing tomorrow morning."

"Not soon enough."

A composed Sonya sat in a chair next to his bed. "I wanted to come say good-bye."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm heading home. Accepted into a top notch software engineering program." She laughed. "First step on my Life Map that we created way back."

Nicholas guided her through the building of a detailed Life Map in the Design Your Dream phase. The most detailed and elaborate Life Map he had been involved in.

"Your father will be happy you are back in Tokyo."

"So will I. I missed my home and family. And my father isn't getting any younger." She tapped the Life Coach on the arm. "He certainly enjoyed your talk."

"As did I."

She placed a gift in Nicholas's hand. "This is for you. It is from my father and I."

"Thank you."

"Go ahead. Open it. It is for all you've done for me."

Nicholas unwrapped the crinkling soft package. He felt as his fingers worked through the paper, landing upon a soft smooth belt. "What's this?"

"My father knows the President of the World Association you won your karate titles with."

"Too bad I lost my titles cause..."

"Not any more. First, your titles have been restored. Obviously, something was underhanded. Second, the Association issued you a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of what you've overcome and for the inspiration you've given others." She touched the belt he held. "This rare silk belt is in honour of you."

A tear rolled down the karate man's eyes as he clutched the life giving belt.

That Wednesday night Vanessa sat with Nicholas reading him a get well message from Won and his family in Mexico when Claudia and Carmel paraded in the room. The two joked and laughed, actually being civil to each other. Had they turned the corner?

"Okay Coach," Carmel chirped. "Are you gonna be well enough to attend the board meeting in two days?"

Claudia drew back aghast. "Carmel, the man isn't even out of the hospital."

Carmel squeezed the Dream Guru's arm playfully. "This is a tough nut. One of his favourite sayings is: knock me down seven times, and I'll get up eight. So, this guy's got a few more explosions in him."

He gritted his teeth in pain. "I'll be there."

"Excellent!" Carmel leaned over to hug him and whispered, "Process underway."

"And Lisa's going to announce the survey results," Claudia stated.

Carmel furrowed her brow. "Don't trust anything that lady does."

"Hate her!" Claudia moaned. "Also, wants the COO announcement at the board meeting. Wish there was a way, but she keeps reminding me."

Vanessa's eyes blazed with a mischievous light. "So where is this video?"

"Not on her computer," replied Carmel. "Lisa's not technical at all. Except, for Facebook and twitter." The youngest twin covered her eyes as a thought hit her. "Oh yeah, Lisa's got a huge built in safe in her condo."

"Let's go get that video when she's not around," Vanessa suggested.

"Impossible!" Carmel dropped in a chair, sighing in frustration. "She has a pit bull. Her complex has a security guard out front. She has an expensive alarm system. And you'd have to get the safe combination."

"Forget that!" Claudia sighed in resignation. "We'll have to learn to put up with the bitch. Even though I'd like to kill her!"

"We agree on that Sis."

Nicholas wanted to take the twins away from this discussion, so he changed the subject. "Have we heard anything from Ivan and Scott?"

"Not a word," responded Claudia. "The pilot is on hold. Other than one call demanding 20 million dollars from Beach Time. But, nothing after that. Investigator's are trying. Nothing so far."

"Hope they're okay," Carmel said. "Don't understand."

Nicholas touched the bandage on his arm compliments of a high speed piece of glass. "Someone didn't want that pilot to go forward."

"So few people knew," added Carmel.

Nicholas attempted to pull himself up with Vanessa pushing him back down. "Ladies, I want you to go back in your office and do something very important. But, don't do it until tomorrow morning when I'm back."

TWENTY-FIVE

The next morning Nicholas positioned himself in front of Claudia's office. Tad sat at his usual desk, fidgeting and fussing. Claudia and Carmel hung back in the CEO's office having their planned chat. Purposely, Nicholas selected a chair right next to Tad's desk. So close, he heard the EA's earphones, chatter spilling out of them.

Tad rose abruptly. "They'll call you in when they're ready. Gotta fly."

"Where you going Tad?"

"Gotta take care of something for the Boss."

"Sit down," Nicholas insisted with a firm tone.

Tad gazed around in panic. "Hey mon. Gotta go!"

"We got you. We know about the bug in Paula's cage. You've had it there ever since." Nicholas tapped on a button on his phone.

Claudia and Carmel strode out of the CEO office. Also, three tough looking security guards stormed out of a side office where they listened with high tech devices. One of them held up an odd shaped tech gadget, saying, "Even got the message he shot to his sleazy pals."

Claudia moved next to Tad, slapping her EA on the head. "Start talking. And start with where Ivan and Scott are."

Three hours later on that Tad catching Thursday, the same group sat in Claudia's office when the news came through. "They're free," Claudia announced as she read the text on her phone. "P.I.'s freed both men."

"Now Tad," Carmel said. "Keep talking." A security guard squeezed the EA's arm.

"Know nothing else mon."

Nicholas turned to a trembling Tad. "Your bros won't protect you. This was a major screw up. First, you gave them info that Claudia wasn't going to make her last payment as you listened to them talk this morning. Got your brothers excited."

The EA hung his head. "Set the Tad man up."

"Then twenty minutes later her final payment of ten million appeared," the Dream Guru continued. "Made you look like shit."

A haunted looking Tad shrank in his chair a little more.

"Then you gave us the location to find Ivan and Scott. Our team of private Investigators got them out without a hitch. Now your bros will really be pissed at you. They'll know it was you who squealed."

"I'm a dead man," Tad mumbled.

"Not necessarily." The CEO tugged on his ear sharply. "Start talking and maybe the police will go easy on you."

"No. No." Tad shed a tear. "I'm bagged no matter what."

"Not if you co-operate," Claudia said.

"Do you know what queff means?" Tad asked.

Everyone shook their heads.

"In Jamaican, it means to murder or kill with a gun. All of my bros are pros in that scene. Except me."

"Look Tad," Nicholas said in a calming tone. "I know you never did any of the violent crimes. But right now everything is pointing to you and your bros will be untouched."

Carmel pointed an accusatory finger at him. "And that means the murders, fires, explosions, toxic gas. I mean everything."

Tad crossed his arms over his chest. "No!"

Nicholas encouraged, "Come on Tad, give us what you know."

"Want a lawyer," demanded Tad.

"We're not the police," Claudia stated. "Don't give a damn about your rights."

Oomph! One of the security guards punched Tad in the shoulder.

"Ouch!" The big Jamaican complained, massaging his aching shoulder.

Thud! A more solid shot was delivered by the same hulking guard.

"Ow! Ow!" Tad grimaced in pain. "Okay, okay! My bros were responsible for the kidnappings, as you know."

"What else?" Nicholas pushed. "Come on."

"Toxic gas mon," Tad confessed. "And unfortunately the warehouse fire. No one, no one was to be hurt."

"But why?" Carmel blurted out.

"Can't say," replied Tad.

Nicholas rubbed his chin, thinking back to one of their chats. "What did you mean when you said you weren't delivering the gold?"

The EA swallowed hard, wiping his brow with his pretty puff. "Two things the Tad man was to ensure. First, that the money was not to be paid back, so my brothers could move in on the BT game with an eye to run the entire show one day."

"And second," Nicholas encouraged.

Tad looked sheepishly at Claudia. "Ahem, to ensure the queen had a king whispering directions in her ear to speed up the takeover game."

Thump! Claudia smacked her EA on the head as the embarrassment flowed into her face.

"Keep talking," insisted Nicholas. "There's more."

Another security guard gripped Tad by the neck, applying painful pressure as he snarled, "Keep talking."

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Swear only one other." Tad covered his face, attempting to hide from the pain. He muttered, "But honest, honest, I told the brothers not to."

"Tell us right now." Nicholas demanded.

Tad began to weep as he whispered, "Jane's murder."

TWENTY-SIX

The next morning the showdown board meeting kicked off with Claudia calling the restless group to order. In the past, these meetings were a formality with Claudia laying out what she wanted. All followed along, flashing confused looks and a simple nod of their head. Useless to protest as Claudia held total control, holding her 50% and having Carmel's 50% in a proxy. Except, for the first time, Carmel attended one of these board charades. Even though the twins were now Co-chairpersons for this meeting, Carmel agreed Claudia would run the meeting as in the past.

Ever since the creation of the puppet board back in 1967, Johnny Tonini hosted the board meatiness at the mansion dining room. Claudia never altered that tradition. When Johnny named a board, he did it to please his party pals. He gave Charlie, Eric, Chief Jimmy and his brother Frankie a none voting seat on the board. They attended faithfully, nodding their heads in agreement with the Chairman, drinking his fine whiskey and patting Johnny on the back.

However, fifty years later, a fancy blue suit wearing Billy sat in for his grandfather. He supported a matching red power tie and puff, the finest of Italian leather shoes, and a variety of gold jewellery to complete the new look ensemble. Perched next to Billy, an impeccably attired Marco took his Father's place. Clearly Marco dished out fashion advice to Billy. As well as, Marco directed Billy on how to gain power of attorney from Chief Jimmy. Replicating some of the dirty tricks Marco utilized to gain that right from his father, Frankie Tonini.

Claudia kicked off the meeting, proceeding through a number of usual housekeeping items, knocking them off in a more professional manner and tone then in the past.

"Excuse me!" Eric interjected. "As legal council for Beach Time. I must inform the board that the Half Century Clause has been invoked." The straight faced lawyer passed a legal document down the long dining room table to Claudia. "This formally alerts Beach Time International the Half Century Clause takes effect as of today, June 30, 2017."

Claudia frowned thoughtfully. "What's the Half Century Clause?"

"Let me explain in simple terms," Eric said, giving her a paternalistic look, speaking in a matter a fact manner, "It is a clause as part of the initial establishment of Beach Time International back on June 30, 1967."

The CEO clutched her chest. "Never heard of it."

"All there in the initial incorporation agreement I created." Eric tapped a thick document in front of him.

Claudia rolled her eyes. "That thing is over 500 pages."

Eric jutted out his scrawny chest. "578 pages. Wrote it myself. Know it well."

"What does the clause say?" Carmel inquired in a hushed voice. These words that came from her were the first she ever uttered in a board meeting. Carmel confided in Nicholas about her nervousness in speaking up in this environment. However, after some confidence building exercises, she was ready to take the plunge.

Erick's eyes lifted in surprise, never thinking Carmel would actually participate. "If after fifty years Beach Time still exists, and if any of the original four none voting board members are still alive; they will be granted 1% of Beach Time voting stock."

Claudia shook her head. "Absolutely not!"

Agitation began to appear on Eric's face. "I'm afraid it is all here in black and white." Fondly, he touched the massive dust laden document in front of him, stroking it like a long time lover. "As of today, Claudia and Carmel automatically relinquish 2% each. In order that Frankie, represented by Marco; Chief Jimmy, represented by Billy; Charlie and myself are granted our rightful shares. All the paperwork is completed, and the share transfers are executed."

Claudia tapped a pen on the table irritably. "Why'd our father do this?"

Eric gave Marco a meaningful glance as the lawyer replied, "He wanted to reward our loyalty."

"About time." Marco raised an imperious brow. "Uncle Johnny owed it to us."

Claudia rolled her eyes again. Clearly, her patience hovered at a breaking point. "At least I still have control."

"Not so fast," said Eric. "Remember you signed off on the bylaw change a year ago, where each shareholder with voting stock possesses only one vote on any one issue during a board meeting. No more weighting of the vote depending on the amount of shares."

"You claimed that was done for tax purposes," Claudia said in a taught voice. "It was merely a formality." It seemed like a minor issue to Claudia at the time. For only Claudia and Carmel possessed voting stock, and Claudia had a free hand with her sister up until three months ago.

Eric smirked, winking at Marco. "Yes, well, that formality as of now means there are six votes, equally weighted, impacting all major decisions."

Claudia gripped her glass of water tightly. Many thought it would be striking the wall in a second. However, the new Claudia held her temper.

Marco taunted her, "Go ahead and throw it. You've always been a spoilt brat."

"I'll fight all of you in court," Claudia threatened.

Carmel glared at Eric. "We'll fight you all in court."

"You two have no chance," Eric replied with minor surprise filling his face. This Carmel showed different. Not the loser he had come to look down upon.

"And the vote to sell to the Asian group will proceed," Marco crowed as he adjusted the sleeve of his one of a kind white silk suit flown in especially for this momentous meeting. "Let's welcome in the delegation to present."

Finally, the made over Billy spoke, "And the Asians have a plan to turn this Bellingham location into a mega resort and casino. Our Nation will be in for a healthy cut of that action."

Nicholas sat at the back. He gave a trembling Carmel comfort as the drama unfolded. Her progress each week was notable. Her grasp on business grew over these three months. Her daughter Brittany would have been proud of the direction her mom's life was heading.

"Excuse me," Carmel whispered.

"Not now Carmel," Eric scolded. "We've allowed you to speak quite enough. We are dealing with a serious issue here."

"Let me put it in simple terms a drug addict can understand," Marco brayed, "You and your sister are about to lose your dear daddy's legacy."

"Except, I have one point," Carmel pushed on. "Nicholas helped me out on this." She distributed a legal document to Eric and Claudia. "Last week, Nicholas and I discovered an obscure clause by chance. So, ah, I, I dealt with my own lawyer."

"Preposterous!" Eric interrupted. "I am the family and corporate lawyer." He shoved the document back at Carmel. "Not valid."

"Very valid," Carmel said with a bit more jam in her voice. "My new legal representation assisted me to transfer 5% of my voting stock to my daughter Brittany. And the legal document I handed the board is to notify the board it takes effect as of now."

Eric's eyebrow arched. "Not legal."

"Oh, yes it is," replied Nicholas. "You may have outsmarted yourself. For if you dive into the stock transfer procedures; there's a loophole Johnny and yourself insisted on for family members only. You two wanted flexibility to transfer voting stock quickly, in case he ever got in trouble."

Eric assumed a bright shade of red as he swore under his breath.

Marco stepped into the fray. "Doesn't matter. We vote today, and Brittany's not here." Smack! He hit the table solidly. "Bring in the Asians!"

Nicholas punched a button on his cell phone. "Brittany's issue with US immigration has been clarified. She's allowed to enter her country again."

A tall sophisticated Brittany Tonini, wearing a tailored made blue pinstripe business jacket and short skirt, stepped into the dining room possessing the brightest of smiles. She kissed her mother, taking her hand sitting beside her. "Hi everyone! Is it time for a vote?"

"This is highly irregular," Eric protested.

"But very legal," A middle aged, sharply dressed lady said as she followed Brittany into the dining room.

Nicholas introduced the short statured woman with her hair in a bun, dark rimmed glasses, wearing a black pant suit and possessing a commanding presence. "This is Carmel's legal representation. She's the top corporate lawyer in the country. Hilda Chang will be ensuring this vote is conducted fairly."

"I object," Eric blustered.

"You can't run the vote," said Nicholas. "You're now a voting board member."

"Highly irregular." Eric slapped his precious document in front of him.

"The only thing that is highly irregular here, is your conduct as a lawyer," Hilda stated.

Eric blustered, challenged and protested. Except, each of his legal points were obliterated by Hilda, driving the man's anger higher.

"Relax Eric," Marco said. "We have this in the bag."

The Asian group entered with their proposal to purchase, presenting in a professional manner. Within thirty minutes the vote to sell Beach Time International was ready to conduct.

A no nonsense Hilda laid out the voting process succinctly, repeatedly putting an obstinate Eric in his place. "We'll go around the table and vote," Hilda instructed. "Seven votes, options are yes, no or abstain. Claudia will begin."

Smack! Claudia struck the table, topping Marco's previous whack. "I vote no to the sale of Beach Time! It's an insult to my father."

"And this is an insult directed at your father." Marco sat up straight, holding his head high. "A definite yes!"

Billy smirked. "A double definite yes."

Eric scowled at Hilda. "I shall make it a third yes."

"Let me break the chain," a blonde haired Brittany said. "No to the sale of Beach Time."

Carmel squeezed her daughter's hand. "I'll make it a third no."

"We're all tied up," Hilda said. "Charlie, it is your turn."

Marco sneered. "Remember where your loyalties lie."

A grave faced Charlie took his time, fiddling with his glasses. Then he twisted the wedding ring on his finger, turmoil written all over his face. He thought hard as he contemplated his dilemma. He had thought hard ever since the blackmailing call was made to him. On the one hand, his granddaughter's career and possible jail time, along with his wife's wrath if he did not protect Annie; and on the other hand, his loyalty to his old friend Johnny Tonini.

Nicholas spoke up, "I received a message from Annie. Made a deal. No jail time."

Marco's face drained of all blood. "Shouldn't effect a thing."

"Damn right it does!" Claudia snarled.

"No, to the sale." Charlie shouted. He turned to Marco. "You bastard!"

TWENTY-SEVEN

Twenty minutes later after ranting, raving and over the top temper tantrums, the board returned for more. That break witnessed angry eyes flashing, feisty words firing, fist clenching and shaking, not much of a cooling off period. But now all hunkered down ready for more action.

The employee survey issue sat on the table. Claudia perched at the head of that table, back running the meeting, on top of her game again. Was she on top of her game enough to now remove her twin sister from the board show?

"I'm going to have Lisa give us a report on how the employee survey went in regard to the agreement Carmel and I entered into."

Much to the dismay of Claudia, Lisa joined the board meeting for this portion. The HR executive grinned from ear to ear. Claudia could hardly stomach her. Except, that embarrassing video hovered over the CEO.

"Any new executive position announcements you'd like to make Claudia before I talk employee survey?"

"Not at this moment Lisa," replied the CEO.

Lisa glared at her boss."Are you sure?"

Claudia shook her head.

Lisa scowled, continuing to glare at Claudia. "Okay, here's the results, but before I-"

"Hang on," Claudia interrupted.

"Someone just came to their senses," Lisa said with a victorious smile on her face.

"I do want to thank Carmel, for her financial assistance to save the company, and the chance to work with her the last three months. And what a fantastic job her and Monique did in driving communications out of my CEO office." Claudia led many in the group in a warm ovation.

Lisa groaned loudly. She wanted to stop this appreciation directed toward Carmel, and wanted to stop this cat and mouse game with Claudia. "But I-"

Carmel interrupted Lisa. "Thank you Claudia for the kind words. But if there were to be any announcements involving a certain executive position. As per the bylaws, the chairperson of the board must approve. Since I'm legally a co-chair, I would approve no such announcement."

Surprised looks formed on many, hearing the certainty in Carmel's voice. But the look of pride resinating on Brittany's profile was everything Carmel could have hoped for. However, a long moment passed as Lisa stretched out her killer look at her former lover.

Claudia prompted the HR executive, "Just give us the results Lisa." The CEO sighed with relief as her sister had temporarily saved her from a potentially awkward situation.

Claudia's insides spun in turmoil. On the one hand, Carmel saved her ass on more then one front. On the other hand, she wanted all the power, all the status, all the limelight, all the accolades. And it meant all the power, status, limelight and accolades of a potentially revived and growing Beach Time. A sexy vibrant company where she, Claudia, wanted to remain the only BT queen.

Lisa broke from her hate trance, knowing she was not done on her power quest. "Sure, sure." She jumped into the spotlight seeking a little Carmel revenge. "As of now, the Employee Survey received 397 outstanding votes. Falling short of the 400 target." Lisa shot dagger eyes down the table at Carmel, delivering a triumphant laugh. "Back in your cage drug addict."

"Stop that!" Claudia held her hand up. "Lisa, show some gratitude for what Carmel's done."

"Hold everything," Nicholas said. "When was the last time you checked the results?"

"Just before I walked in." Lisa's hand twitched. "There's only a few minutes to noon and the deadline. Nothing will change."

"But the survey is still open," said Nicholas as he continued to fire texts.

"Check again," Charlie insisted as he tapped on his cell.

Lisa played with her phone. "398, not enough."

"Besides the 398 ratings at a five level," Nicholas informed. "Last I checked, there were 353 ratings at the four level."

"That's over 750 people rating at an outstanding or very satisfied level," added Carmel. "That's great!"

"Not part of the deal loser," jeered Lisa.

"I'll grudgingly admit," Claudia said. "That is impressive when we consider where BT sat three months ago."

"Any credit's due to my HR work," bragged Lisa. "Nothing to do with coaching or Carmel's silly communications."

Carmel shot dagger eyes back at Lisa. "Cut the crap. More like, we got the good results in spite of your work."

"Check again," Charlie demanded.

"399 outstanding," Lisa's eyes widened. "Only one minute to noon."

Claudia wiped her brow. "Damn close."

The next seconds ticked by slowly as Carmel, Nicholas and Charlie tapped away. They attempted to encourage someone else to do a last minute rating.

"Time's up!" Claudia said. "Check one last time. And no matter what the result. I do want to thank Nicholas and Vanessa for all they have done for Beach Time and myself." Claudia led most of the group in another warm ovation, with Carmel leaning over and hugging the Dream Guru.

"399!" Boom! Boom! Boom! Lisa pounded her fist on the table, making any previous attempts at the table dinting game sound like light taps. "Carmel and Nicholas get out!"

TWENTY-EIGHT

A week later Nicholas strolled down the sidewalk a block from their beach home. Whack! His white cane struck a bench. He dropped down, unraveling what went wrong, contemplating his future.

"Nicholas," came from a soft male voice.

The Dream Guru smiled in recognition. "How's my former karate friend?"

"Wrestling with myself," Sam admitted.

"You guys played a shady game."

"Don't feel great about myself." Sam took a cleansing breath. "I've dishonoured myself in front of a martial arts brother. Feel shame."

"Were you being blackmailed?"

"We all were." Sam hung his head. "Insignificant dirt held over our heads. Even paid some extortion money."

"I suspected something was not right."

"Yet, I reacted like a cowardly fool. I am sorry!"

"I forgive you Sam."

"Can't believe how I had your belts taken away." Sam sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you got them back. And I can't believe how I threatened your children's business. Shame of the lowest kind."

Nicholas shrugged. "Shame can linger a long time. But let it go. Its over."

"Not for me!"

Three days later, Nicholas joined Vanessa at their dining table. He finished a long call with Claudia. He sighed, rubbing his chin as he contemplated the wave of news thrown at him by the CEO.

"Where do I start?" He shook his head in disbelief. "First, Claudia's still handling the fall out from Rex's actions. And where her responsibilities and liabilities lie. It'll cost her and BT."

"She knew, at let it go on, so..."

"Next, Marco and Lisa were arrested."

"What?"

"Apparently, Sam came forward with what he knew." Nicholas shut off his phone, setting it on the table. "Sam was playing a little shady stuff. But, not the major crimes. With what Sam gave and the P.I.'s uncovered, the police had almost enough on Marco and Lisa."

"Almost enough?"

"And then the police got to Cook and Rex. They sang like out of tune birds to make a deal to reduce their prison time. Although, they didn't get much of a break. They'll be gone for a long long time."

"Two pigs!" As females and males came forward on what Rex and Cook were doing, the specialized counsellor's were busy and effective at working through the emotional damage.

"So with all the evidence stacked up, Marco and Lisa are charged with funding the warehouse explosion and my attempted murder. Plus several counts of blackmail, extortion and operating an illegal immigration operation."

"Did more than that!"

"They're charged with Decker's murder. Turns out Carmel was right. They had a professional forcibly apply the needle, making it look like an overdose."

"But why?"

"Marco wanted to turn the spotlight on Tad."

"And."

"And Decker was not co-operating in Lisa's blackmail game. He wouldn't turn on his mom."

Vanessa dropped a few tears. "Oh the poor guy."

"The story doesn't end there. Also, charged them With Oscar's murder."

"Woe. Why'd they want Oscar dead?"

"Oscar was on to their blackmail games and their plans."

"So what were their plans?"

"Somehow Marco and Lisa were convinced if they could get the Asians to buy Beach Time, they would have enough dirt and professional underworld help to take the show over. Yet, Sam assured me the other day, if his group were successful, Marco and Lisa were definitely not in their plans. Even though they had some dirt to use on the Asians."

"So sad." Vanessa stared out the window. "So much pain over Beach Time. And we were so close to staying on to really make a difference."

"Very close, but no coaching cigar."

Vanessa rested her chin on her palm. "There'll be new opportunities."

"Maybe, but I not sure it matters any more."

"What?"

"Remember we said we always wanted to give this coaching world up one day."

"But, you just got back."

"Yeah. After the first explosion, I think I wanted to prove I could still do it."

"Sure did that!" Vanessa squeezed his hand affectionately. "And in such a circus."

"Remember, how we said we wanted to retire and find a sunbelt spot in the winter, then enjoy the Pacific northwest in the summer."

"After our luck, that's one dream that died."

"Got an offer for the GENIE technology from an associate of Sam's." He handed his wife the phone.

She peeked at the number. "Holy shit! And you'd give up coaching?"

"After the second explosion. I'm sure ready." He took his wife's hand, returning the affectionate squeeze. "Are you?"

One month later Vanessa hugged Nicholas in the excruciating summer heat as they received the news of their accepted offer. The blissful retired couple stood in front of their soon to be condo next to a golf course in the Coachella Valley, when their realtor gave them the good news. Vanessa raced over to the complex swimming pool with child like pleasure. She kicked off her sandals, dipping her toes in the water. "Can't believe this place is ours."

"And I can't believe that Southern California will be home for us in the winter."

His cell rang. "Hello."

"Nicholas darling," Claudia chirped. "Carmel got hold of the video Lisa had on me"

"How?"

"Let's just say, a small team of folks led by my sister snatched it."

"So the combo idea worked?"

"For both her builtin safe and her security system." Claudia laughed. "Thanks to Monique and Carmel putting their heads together on Lisa's good luck numbers she bragged about. And thanks to Vanessa's tip on pacifying a dangerous dog, and a nosey Concierge. With Carmel leading the sting operation. That video had no chance."

"Never underestimate that sister of yours."

"No kidding." Claudia chuckled. "Must admit, she's been a real help to me. Especially, working through the fallout from the Rex scandal, and my ignoring it. It'll cost me."

"Tell the truth and take the high road whatever the consequences."

"That's what Carmel keeps telling me. Thankfully, that strategy seems to be working best. Also, she's been a big help to Ivan and Scott on the pilot."

"How's the pilot going?"

"Fantastic! And thanks to Carmel's additional injection of cash. We just gave our new COO, Victoria, approval to move into full fledged operation ASAP"

"Sweet! Why don't you give Carmel back the Co-chairperson role?"

"Already did. She's been such a lifesaver with the press. It's odd, after losing a sister we never knew we had. We appreciate each other much more."

"Any more details on Jane's murder?"

"She found out what Tad's people were up to," Claudia said with a heavy heart. "Tried to protect her twin sisters. A pro took her out."

"Have they found him?"

"Many of them, including that pig, are nailed. And yes, Tad's cut a deal. He'll be spending a few years away. Not as long as the rest."

"How are you?"

"So glad I've got Carmel. I need her. Speaking of needing people. Now that this dreadful business is over. Police investigations and all." She paused. "Well, would you like to come back? Carmel and I still have issues to sort out at BT. We need help around here."

Nicholas squeezed a lemon he just picked off the tree in front of the condo. "You can always call us to chat. But we'll toss this one to Donita and Monique. They have our number for unlimited help. Cheers!"

A smiling Vanessa raised a quizzical eyebrow while she soaked her legs in the hottub. "What's that all about?"

"Donita and Monique took another step on their dream journey."

A trembling neighbour walked up to Nicholas and inquired, "Hey, got a second?"

"Sure, Barney." Nicholas enjoyed a long chat with the man on their first viewing of the property.

"Your realtor said you're like some kind of Dream Guru," the nervous man said. "I've got a dream, but..." Barney hung his head, clinching his hands together anxiously. "And well ah, could you please, please help me with my dream!"
  1.  GURU ON THE BEACH

