Eden's Eve

Chapter 28

The next morning Eden might as well have been hung over.

She had not a drop of alcohol to drink, yet it had felt like she had partied all night. Wave after wave of ecstasy tormented for hours. Her body was sore and tired, despite that, her spirits were lifted. A sheepish smiled on her face when she saw Levi enter the room, freshly showered and ready for work.

He sat at the edge of the bed next to her, he leaned over and kissed her forehead affectionately. "I didn't mean to wake you. You should stay home today."

"Oh, you did not have to tell me that." Eden said on exhale, earning a secretly victorious chuckle from Levi. Eden continued, "Will you be home by dinner?"

"Always."

"Hm, you say that..."

"Baby, that was before. When you lived in LA, I had no reason to rush to an empty home, you are here now. I will be back by six."

"Then I will see you by six," Eden sat up and hugged Levi, "Have a good day."

"You too, baby. I love you."

"I love you too."

When Levi left the space felt strange to Eden, almost foreign.

She was not used to having so much free time and was doubly not accustomed to spending so much time at home. Her immune and digestive system was strangely calm when she did not have twelve hour work days, she loved that aspect.

The temptation to call Asher, struck her like a dagger in the side. Achievement addiction.

Eden knew she would have to accustom herself to just being. She would have to learn who she was behind the designer and away from the camera. Who was Eden Grace Hydari without constant applause?

Without the masses singing her praise? Though generally for self-serving purposes.

Eden was determined to find out. She was committed to embracing the silence and The Still. It was not a forever goodbye from acting, but the break was more necessary than Eden had initially thought.

She wanted to go back to the beginning.

Back to the days of old where her time was rooted in the love of God and love of family. She opened up Levi's Bible that was on the dresser, not knowing where to start, she put it back.

Anxiety.

"Okay, okay. I can do this." Eden said to herself as she found her robe and tied it around her body. "I can do this."

In the quiet sanctuary of her thoughts, Eden knelt beside her bed, her hands clasped together in an earnest plea.

"Dear Jesus," she began, her voice a gentle whisper, "I come to You seeking guidance and strength. In the chaos of this world, help me to embrace this new journey I have found myself on."

The silence embraced her words, and Eden continued, her heart pouring into each prayerful sentence. "I've journeyed through the twists and turns of life and I am afraid that I have lost fragments of myself along the way. But now, I ask for clarity, for the wisdom to rediscover who I am meant to be."

She then felt a reassuring presence, a calm assurance that her words were heard. As she continued, Eden expressed gratitude for the love that surrounded her.

"Thank you, Jesus, for the love that permeates my life. For the family that has stood by me through all of my pride and foolish ways, they have been a beacon of unwavering support. Their love has been a reflection of Your grace, and for that, I am truly grateful."

Her thoughts then turned to Levi, her husband, the anchor of her soul. "And thank you, Lord, for Levi. In his love, I've found strength, companionship, and a reflection of Your unconditional love. Bless our marriage, so that we may continue to grow together."

"Guide me, Lord, as I embark on this journey of self-discovery. May Your light illuminate the path ahead, and may I find the courage to embrace the person You created me to be. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen."

As Eden rose from her prayerful posture, a sense of tranquility enveloped her, and she carried the warmth of her conversation with the Divine into her day— in a world where she was determined to rediscover herself with the love of her family and the unwavering support of Levi by her side.