As his limousine slowly swerved into the curve, nineteen-year-old Daniel carefully ran his fingers through his hair after looking in the mirror for what seemed to be the hundredth time since he left home.Why had he agreed to do this again? Oh yeah, because I need eight hundred dollars and this is what I have to do to get it from my dad,he thought, letting out a sigh of contempt.His father, Frank Woods, could have had any one he wanted on this assignment, so why destroy his son's weekend plans for this? Because he still believes in you, he quietened that voice down. There was no such thing as hope left for him and he was sure even his old man could see that.
As the car came to a stop, Daniel tried to absorb the sight before him. He had actually expected a mansion or a castle, but the humble cottage in the outskirts of California demolished those expectations. The summer sun pronounced his finger rings, earrings and the gold chain round his neck. His dad would flip if he saw his dressing right now, but Daniel wasn't at all ready to change it. Huge baggy shirt and trousers too low, he knocked on the door.
"Well, hello there, young man." The streaks of grey on her dark hair showed visible signs of aging, but her smile made her look a day younger than thirty. He was taken aback by the peace and bright joy behind her eyes. Something he could never have. "Hey. Umm...my dad sent me here to interview Mrs. Pamela White for a biography he wants to write about her, " he heard himself saying. For the first time in his life, he felt ashamed of what he was wearing. What was it about this fifty-something woman? "That would be me, Daniel. Your father told me you were coming. Come in." Typical dad.
Once they were comfortably seated in the sitting room with cups of coffee beside them, Daniel put on the recorder he brought along and lay it on the centre table. "So, I don't know how this shit..sorry I meant interview, is supposed to go, but I guess all Dad needs is your life story or something." Pamela smiled genuinely at him, as if cutting right through him into his very soul."I suppose he would want that, but what exactly do you want?Or more importantly, what do you need?" That had to be a trick question, right? He must've looked confused, because she then let out a hearty laughter."Don't worry, son. I'm not here to scare you. But I need you to try to listen to my story as well. At least give me something to work with here. So you asked for my story. Well, my story is my testimony of how I survived because I found the Way. How I stopped controlling my life and connected to the Life. How I stopped listening to lies because the Truth found me and showed me what I am and will forever be." Daniel felt curiosity rising slowly in him as he dared to ask,"And what is that? What has the Truth shown you?"
She looked straight into his eyes and said with a wide smile,"The Truth has shown me that I am special. "
