The Miracle Mirror, Debbie Lacy [sneezy the snowman read aloud .TXT] 📗

While in a deep sleep as the sun peeked through the blinds of her beautifully decorated room, faintly she could hear birds chirping outside her window when suddenly the telephone rang. Reluctant to answer, she faithfully let it ring until it finally stopped.  Slightly drowsed, she fluffed her pillow and drifted off again when five minutes later the phone began to ring for a second time.  Now well awakened, she glanced at her digital clock that displayed 7:00am when she irately thought, “Darn!  Who’s calling me so early?”

“Hello!”

“I called you several times last night.  Where were you?” Andre demanded.

“What?” She quaked.

“You heard me!  I said where were you?”

“What happen to good morning Shyra?  How are you feeling?” She suggested.

“Damn that! I want to know where you were?” Andre disparaged.

“Oh like you really care and what difference does it make Andre?  You said you had to work!”

“Shyra, if you were out messing around on me I swear!”

Annoyed by his comment, Shyra sat up in bed because she felt this was going to be another one of his insecure moments.

“Ugh!  What a way to start the morning.” She thought.

“No Andre, I was out with my girlfriends Jordan and Racquel and why are you checking me with this mess so early in the morning?  You’re not my mother nor my warden!” She exclaimed.

“Why didn’t I hear from you then?”

“Because you were at work, I didn’t want to disturb you and furthermore I told you I maybe going out with my friends so stop tripping!”

“I thought we were going to inform each other of our whereabouts that’s all.”

“Well if you recall, I did and don’t be calling me trying to imply something else!  You really need to check yourself because I’m getting really tired of all your insecure ravings!” She retorted.

“I am not insecure, I just want to know what you’re doing during the day and night baby! I miss you!” He empathized.

“Bye Andre!  I have to get ready for work.” She replied hanging up the phone.

Shyra worked as scenic photographer for National Geographic out of Los Angeles California.  She arrived at her office building around 9:30am; quickly grabbing an espresso from the lobby cafe then took the elevator up to the 21st floor to her office.  Ebony, her office assistant came in with her messages and slides of photographs taken recently for her review when her concentration began to fade away to the annoying debate with Andre earlier.  She realized she was lacking interest in continuing the rather complex nature of her association with him and was thinking of a way to break it to him gradually without any major drama.  Besides, she and Andre had some really good times during the three years of their involvement together, but sometimes people change in relationships causing a change of heart moreover, there was no need to be angry with one another but to remain friends.  She felt the sudden transition of his character had become quite overbearing, frequent accusations and insecure prying started to transpire more within recent months, which lead her to believe that something else was going on.

~

Later, Tim the Area Manager knocked on her office door before entering to propose a project opportunity and felt that she would be the perfect candidate to travel to Tahiti to get photographs for the upcoming quarterly edition of National Geographic.  It was a three-month assignment with a total luxury packaged itinerary.

“Well would you take the assignment?” He proposed.

“Tahiti!  Yes sir, I sure will!” She exhaled while shaking his hand.

“Great!  This will be good exposure for you and I feel you’ll do a fantastic job!” He expressed.

“And I’ll do my best sir!  So when do I leave?”

“A week from today.” He added.

“Wow!  Okay, well I'll need to start making preparations.” She informed him.

“Oh go ahead, take off!  I understand it’s short notice.  Take as much time as you need.”

“Thanks Tim!  I really appreciate this opportunity!” She smiled.

Shyra was so overjoyed being considered for a more profiled opportunity instead of all the local photography jobs, this was more of a challenge to show her stuff.

After several business calls and all of the detailed arrangements were made, she had to share the news with Jordan and Racquel.  Racquel suggested that the good news was a cause to celebrate, so they got together at a well-known nightclub called “Moments” for dinner and some live entertainment.

“Girl that is so wonderful!  You’re finally getting your big break!” Racquel rejoiced.

“Yeah, I can’t wait for the next issue to come out so we can see your name and face posted as photographer for the next month’s edition.” Jordan encouraged.

“Aw thanks y’all!  Well I’ll be working very hard for it that’s for sure. I’m just so excited and thank you ladies for believing in me the way that you do!”

“What! C’mon now, we’re your girls!  Yea and we love you girl!” They all gladly embraced.

The girls had a mirthful blast indulging in eats, drinks and laughing about the fun times.  It was a mellow crowd and the live music was sounding great when a guy came over to ask Racquel to dance.  Jordan stepped away to the ladies room and while Shyra sat grooving to the music, she spotted Andre’ in the crowd on the dance floor with a very attractive woman bouncing her butt against him.  Shocked but concluded the real reason he was trying to check her was because he was out doing his thing. Jordan arrived back from the ladies room and noticed an unexpected change in Shyra’s disposition.

“Aw, why the sudden sadness?  Did you miss me girlie?” She joked.

“Nah girl, I’m alright! Actually things just got better.  Let’s get another drink.”

“Well alright girlfriend!  That’s what I’m talking about!  Enjoy your moment baby because we’re about to turn it up here at “Moments” and having a blast!” They partied giving each other high five.

Arriving back from the dance floor, Racquel tried to find a way to tell Shyra that she saw Andre out on the dance floor but Shyra kept interjecting and wouldn’t let her.  After all they came there to party and she refuse to let anything spoil her groove. After all she wasn’t worrying about him, she was going to break it off with him anyway. He just made it easier.

~

The next week at the Airport, the girls were giving Shyra their love and wished her the best just before she boarded the plane.

“We’re going to miss you girl!  Have fun and call us!”

“I will!” Giving them both hugs.

Hours later arriving in Tahiti, she was so amazed of the beautiful scenery and the weather was simply perfect. Her hotel bungalow was fully equipped with a kitchen, bar, Jacuzzi, moon roof, sliding glass doors that gave a view of the beach from all angles.  She had her own private peer to sit out and enjoy the wonderful ocean breeze that was so serene and from the sitting area of her bungalow, she could watch the tropical fish below her feet through the floor.

“Wow, National Geographic does it in style big time!” She thought.

There was a kind of French Polynesian hospitality and she loved it.  Collapsing upon the fluffy comforts of her bed, she made a quick call to Jordan and Racquel to let them know she'd made it and complimented her bungalow suite and the beauty of the island.

She hurried to unpack, while gathering her camera equipment to get some pictures while it was the perfect light out.

After a couple of weeks stay, there was still a lot she hadn’t seen so she made more tour arrangements and local cruises to see some of the sights surrounding the island with her personal tour guide and was quite amused.

Late one evening, she became quite forlorn for her friends so she took a late evening stroll.  The beach was even more beautiful at night as the calming breeze blew through her hair.  While taking pictures of lovers along the beach, the beautiful trees and flowers, she noticed a spectacular view of a pile of solid white rocks.  Curiously, she wondered over to get some closer shots as the beautiful stoned structure appeared to be an exact replica of an iceberg mounted on the tan colored sand.  They seemed to glow in the moonlight but in its midst there was something that twinkled and sparkled when the smooth waves crashed amongst the rock’s formation.

As she slowly toddled from rock to rock in pursuant of its dazzle, finally to her surprise she discovered an old antique mirror of which she suspected was dropped by one of the tourist.  She picked it up and wiped away the sand and debris then placed it in her pocket and continued her sightseeing journey.

Later back at her bungalow suite feeling refreshed after her relaxing Jacuzzi bath, she remembered the mirror in the pocket of her jeans.  She grabbed it and rinsed away the debris then wiped it dry.  It was an astounding piece.

“Wow! This crafty framework is quite unique. You are so beautiful! I’ll bet you’re worth a lot of money.” She murmured placing it on the nightstand before turning in for the night.

The next morning she woke up to prepare for her day when she opened the dresser drawer to grab a tee shirt and it was overwhelmingly full of money.  She could not believe the abundance of cash that filled her dresser drawers.

“Oh my God! Look at all of this money!  How in the world?  Where -?” She exclaimed.

She dashed towards the door of her suite as well as the sliding doors and all were securely locked then she thought to check her walk-in closet and to her surprise there was more money piled high from the floor upward. Bewildered yet overjoyed, she hurried to stuffed most of the unimaginable amount of loot into her luggage, hand bags, plastic bags and some she tried to conceal with clothing stacked in her dresser drawers while trying to regain her composure.  Tens, Twenties, fifties and hundred dollar bills lie scattered.  It was quite puzzling where it all came from so desperately she tried to recap what happened the night before when it dawned on her, just before she went to bed she complimented that old mirror.  She went over to the nightstand to look at it and surprisingly, it was much shinier than before and while gazing into it, she softly touched her skin smoothing out her eyebrows with her finger tips when she noticed her skin’s sudden radiance.

“No, it couldn’t have! But how else could all of that money get inside of my bungalow suite!  It's the only other logical thing because no else was here during the night.” She concluded then chuckled glancing at the mysterious mirror.

Suddenly the clouds eased out of the way of the sun's bright rays and admirably everything felt right when she noticed, “It's such a beautiful day!  I’ve got to catch some of that wonderful sunlight for my photographs!” She murmured tossing the mirror on the bed happily grabbing her camera gear was out the door.

Later back in her bungalow, she reviewed some of the shots she took and they were outstanding.  She couldn’t believe how distinctly clear the images prevailed. There were no flaws, in fact, they were picture perfect as she reveled in joyfulness. The enchantment of the other islands, the beautiful lagoons, the banyan trees, tropical gardens, the lovers on the beach, the beautiful white rocks, the tropical fish, the beautiful spas, the mountains, the sunset and even the beautiful moonlight were all so vivid it was unbelievable.  She reached for the mirror on the nightstand and glanced into it again.  To her surprise, the brass and gold splendor that surrounded the mirror had a radiant polished glow that enhanced its beauty.

“Wow! You are so beautiful!” She confirmed touching the beautiful frame with her fingertips and with a soft kiss she held it close to