Constance laughed. "No! Don't be sorry. I'm glad I found him. No matter what happens now, I finally get to know him. And then I get to move beyond a decade of dreams. It's huge. Everything I wanted, really."
"You wanted your dream man to be a sexual predator?"
"Okay, maybe not that part. But I think he's innocent. The case is weak."
Serena pointed to the newspaper. "Doesn't seem that way from what I've read."
Stupid media, always presenting the most sensational side of a story. Constance knew all about that-she'd spent years trying to evade scandal-hungry reporters. "In that case, stop reading." She grabbed the paper and shoved it back into her handbag. "Look, I'm getting to know this case very well. I can't divulge details, but trust me, it's far from over. Meeting my dream man is definitely good news." Her friends nodded, clearly not convinced, but in any case willing to leave it alone.
Constance took a long sip of her wine and let relaxation slowly seep into her bones. "I'll tell you one thing for sure, active consciousness works. I want to do it again. Did anyone else have any luck?"
May spoke up. "I had a good one. You know how my stove has been broken for months with half the burners not working? Well, I visualized a new stove. I was planning on sleeping late Sunday morning, but something made me get up and go out for a run. Guess what was sitting on the sidewalk? A stove! The landlady told me that some other tenant was getting rid of it because they'd bought a new one. I was just in time to claim their old one. And it works great!"
Constance hugged her. "Nice work, May! Isn't it amazing when things like that happen?" She turned to Serena and Abby. "Did you two get anything?"
Serena shook her head. Abby shrugged. "Not yet, but I'm still trying."
Serena held out her hands. "Want to do it again, before dinner?" They all agreed. Soon they were deep in a meditative state. Constance forced herself to think about something other than Nick, not an easy task. Today she was more successful at thinking about her friend's bet and the hundred million dollars she'd be able to give away if he lost. She visualized spending the money to help the world. It really did fill her with joy.