8) At Home in the Sky

Spi walked up the steps to the building, passing between the two stone lions. They briefly acknowledged her presence with a sideways look, then went back to guarding the building.

Just inside, she presented her card to the doorman, who responded with a welcoming grin. "Aye girly, I see you made it," he said in a slightly cockney accent. "Here ya go... no key needed, just put this code in the elevator." He handed her a small metal disk about the size of a nickel, with a hole in it for a keyring. On the disk was embossed the numbers 18290. Spi laughed out loud, startling the doorman.

"Miss?"

"It's just... these numbers!" Spi continued to laugh, almost in stitches now.

"What about them?"

Regaining her composure, Spi explained. "Numbers have meanings and together they tell a story. We start with 1, the beginning. Then we go on for infinity - squared. Ha! Finally we come to 9, the end, and we are complete, 0. The 0 also indicates we have come full circle and can begin anew. Don't you just love it?!"

"Um... ok," said the doorman, and she could feel the energy go whoosh right over his head.

"I'm Spi," she smiled at him. "I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"Alfred."

"See ya around, Alfie." Spi waved as she headed toward the elevator.

She felt him blush slightly as the doors closed behind her.

The elevator glided silently on its track, then opened directly into the penthouse. No hallway. No extra door. No wonder it needed a code.

Spi stepped into the most ornate and luxurious space she had ever seen. Her world was similar to this one, but there were subtle differences.

She walked slowly from room to room, opening curtains as she went. Because the penthouse took up the entire top floor of one of the tallest buildings in the city, the views were panoramic. Every angle gave her something new: bridges, river, mountains, the sprawl of Portland below.

A large patio overlooked the river. Through the glass door, she saw a man tending plants.

She stepped outside. "Hello."

He straightened and smiled. "Ah. You must be Spi. I'm Jonathan. Mr. Prescott said to expect you."

"Nice to meet you," Spi smiled sweetly. His vibe stirred something in her; she wasn't sure what, but it felt nice.

After lingering for a moment, Spi drifted back inside.

She was worn out from the day's adventures and silently invited Jonathan to leave soon. Right off the kitchen was an enclosed sun room leading to a private deck which overlooked a different part of the city. She settled into a comfortable deck chair and closed her eyes, just for just a moment.

The next thing she became aware of was Jonathan tapping her gently on the shoulder. She awoke with a start and noticed the sun was much lower in the sky.

"I'm finished for the day," he said quietly. "Would you like a light dinner before I go?"

"I'm fine, thank you. But could you give me a quick tour?"

Jonathan obliged, showing her the bedrooms, linens, extra towels, controls for the HVAC, sound system and lights. He explained that many of the lights turned on automatically when you entered a room, but also showed her how to turn that off if she preferred. He also explained the outside lighting schedule and automatic watering for the gardens. He stressed that the entire penthouse was at her disposal and invited her to make herself at home.

"I'll return at 7am tomorrow," he said. "What time would you like breakfast? Also please provide a list of favorite foods so I can stock the fridge and pantry accordingly."

"Will do," responded Spi as she watched him step into the elevator and disappear.

Finally Spi was alone!

She washed her clothes in the small laundry room, making a mental note to do some shopping tomorrow. After all, a girl couldn't set out to influence the world with a single dress! Then she ran a bath in the oversized garden-style Jacuzzi tub and sank into it, feeling the jets massage and caress her. As she soaked, she watched the sky grow darker through the skylight until the stars twinkled above.

She wrapped herself in an incredibly soft and fluffy robe and, stopping in the kitchen for an orange, headed out to the main deck that housed the garden. The city glittered below her, a web of lights and movement which seemed to extend into the starry night above.

The penthouse was beautiful, but it also stirred a deep longing for... home. A small melancholy settled over her. She reminded herself that she was on a mission, and missions weren't always fun and games. They weren't always comfortable. But today? She had helped people. She had planted seeds.

She decided it had been a very good day indeed.

Inside, she found a super-comfy bed and slid between the sheets. She began her nightly ritual: highlighting the positive aspects of the day. Adam. Richard. Henry. Alfred (haha Alfie). Jonathan. Even the stone lions.

Then, as she drifted off to sleep, she pre-paved tomorrow in her customary manner. Not the details - she never tried to orchestrate that. But she definitely set the tone and feel for tomorrow's adventure.

Spi slept soundly, dreaming of all the adventures she would have in this world.