~
Midnight found Lilly soaking in her claw footed bathtub, aromatic bubbles tickling her neck. She replayed the unexpected ‘quicky’ she and Roland had enjoyed in the courtyard of the cave. She blushed, smiled and anticipated the long slow sex they would have when he arrived later.
The bath water was growing cold when Lilly, reluctantly, climbed out, wrapped herself in her fuzzy, pink robe and placed the jewel of Inanna over her head. She lit a scented candle on the night stand beside her bed, picked up a delicate crystal bottle and dabbed rose oil between her breasts. Her robe lay on the floor beside her bed as she slipped between cotton sheets. Turning on her side, she watched the moon floating through the clouds.
The morning sun found Lilly alone in bed. Roland had not arrived. Disappointment etched a frown between her eyes, as her hand reached out to the empty side of the bed. It was too late and he didn’t want to disturb me, she assured herself, as she pulled on her robe and put on a pot of coffee.
Chapter 16
A Ritual of Unbinding
Lilly had an apartment and a job. Meeting Roland brought home how much she wanted to be free of Alex. It was time for her to move into phase three, getting divorced. Jolene introduced her to a lawyer, Tyrone Williams. Tyrone was the son of the Vodou Mambo, Alustra Williams and her husband, Shemo. Both were longtime friends of Jolene and James. Lilly was assured Tyrone could be trusted with her story and any secrets she may want to share.
She met with Mr. Williams in his office downtown on Baronne Street. “What are your grounds for divorce, Lilly?”
Lilly looked Mr. Williams in the eye, lifted her chin and spoke in a steady voice, “I thought Alex was a wonderful guy, but over the two years I was married to him he became cruel and abusive. He was hurting me, slapping me, choking me. When he took all the doors off the inside of the house I was upset. Not caring how upset I was, he proceeded to put new locks on the front and back door and would not give me a key. I couldn’t get away from him. I was terrified.”
Barely able to find her breath, Lilly continued. “Things kept getting worse. By Thanksgiving he was slapping me around daily. The abuse was escalating. I was afraid he would lose control and kill me.” She stopped, clenched her hands together in front of her, and spoke in a strong voice, “I want a divorce and I want to get on with my life.”
“I understand, Lilly. I’ll put the papers together and meet with Alex’s lawyer. “Do you have any photographs of the bruises he inflicted?”
Lilly looked surprised, “No, I never thought about taking pictures of them. I was focused on hiding them.”
Tyrone nodded, “I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll get this done quickly. Did Mrs. McCabe tell you about my fee?”
“Yes, Jolene told me about your fee. I have the money to pay you. I might as well tell you, I stole money from Alex. I used it to escape.” Lilly spent the next few minutes explaining the red shoes and the socks full of money.
“This is why I want nothing from Alex but my silver flute. I took the money and my freedom. I don’t want to ever see him again and I don’t want him to know where I am.”
A few days later, Tyrone called Lilly informing her he had met with Alex and his attorney. “Alex denies having your flute. He is also demanding you return the money you stole from him.”
Lilly gasped! Tyrone gave a short chuckle advising her to deny having the money. “If the money was earned legally, it wouldn’t have been hidden in shoes. It would have been invested. Alex is not going to squawk too loud or too long about the theft of, what may be cash gained through illegal activity.
After much negotiation over nothing, Alex agreed to sign divorce papers. He stipulated there was to be a two year wait before the final decree. Alex was certain his wife would change her mind about a divorce when she realized how difficult the real world could be.
Lilly heard the terms for the divorce and surprised herself as she let a long loud exhale. “Ah, that felt good. I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath for months. Her chest and shoulders felt light as she released the weight of Alex from her life. She lifted her head and spoke calmly, “Two years will not make a difference. I am never going to return to him.”
With the legal divorce proceedings in motion, Lilly spoke with Jolene and Sabine about a ritual to dissolve her marriage on a higher level. “I’m sure vows resonate through the astral, and I want to be free from Alex in every dimension.”
Jolene smiled, “I’m so proud of you. You’re thinking like a witch! You’re right! Vows made in a binding ceremony do resonate through the dimensions of time and space, and possibly into parallel universes. I know a simple ritual to dissolve the bonds.”
“Let’s do it!” Lilly exclaimed.
Jolene, Sabine and Lilly met in the temple for a private ceremony.
Jolene cast the circle and called the guardians of the four directions.
Standing in the center of the protective magic circle, Sabine handed Lilly a sheaf of paper. “Write your name and Alex’s in large letters.” Lilly placed the paper with their names on it next to the brazier on the altar.
Sabine lifted a red silk cord from around her shoulders. Asking Lilly to hold her hands in front of her, she tied her wrists together.
“In this space, consecrated to
