How to Stop an Itch

Nigkala Tales 28: How to stop an itch

I played a cat-girl. Then I became one. Oops.

Thanks to my editor kenjisato. Also, to LanguageTool. Combined, they put me right. Any problems left all belong to me.

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I had an itch I didn't want to scratch. A magical itch. My brief encounter with Isis left me with a lesser talisman, but of a goddess. I wanted to understand what I had been given, but I was wary of its power, as she had dominated me when we met. I spoke with my husband about it.

"Filipe, I am undecided what I should do about the Isis tattoo. It represents a lot of power, but I am concerned about what it might do to me."

"Becky Sue, when she left, she could have taken your body with her. Instead, she left you a gift. With her power, she didn't need to be subtle. Nor do I think she was worried what others would do to her, since she was theoretically going away forever. That talisman may be dangerous, but I don't think it is trapped."

"How can I be sure?"

"Why not ask some experts?"

"Who?"

"John comes to mind. He was there, so he would understand. He is also an archaeologist, so likely knows a lot about history. He also likely knows a lot of people who are very educated about such things."

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll send him an email."

"Not call?"

"No. He's a newlywed, and I'd rather be discreet at first."

I heard from him a few days later. He apologized for not replying immediately. Apparently, he is a new father. He would have loved to talk with me, but he never knew when little Jack would need attention. When I told Filipe, he suggested I visit and be grandmotherly and give them some relief. When I offered, he said hurry on over. Filipe set up the travel arrangements, and I was there two days later, at The Tap Room.

In the morning, I got a cab to their place. After knocking several times, the door opened. "Sorry, we were busy with the kid. You are... Oh! Becky Sue! Come on in."

"Sally, I've raised eight. No need to explain. In fact, I brought some stuff I thought you might use. Why not show me the little tyke."

"Sure, follow me."

I followed her to the baby's room, and saw John struggling to change a diaper. As it was a style I knew, I said, "John, let me do that. Then I can show you both some mommy techniques."

He looked at me, then moved aside. "It looks so easy in the book." I moved in, and made some adjustments, then finished putting it on quickly. "How the... teach us that."

"I learned by experience. Eight kids gave me lots of practice. Why not put your kid to bed, as he's sleepy, and when he is down, I can show you."

They took some time to get him settled, then finally, gave sighs and relaxed as he fell asleep. They were about to show me to another room, when I told them to bring two diapers. I brought my duffel bag, and when they sat down, I dug in my bag and pulled out a life sized doll. I then took one diaper and quickly put it on the doll.

"Okay, pay attention here. How many times have you gone to change little Jack, and wound up wet as he squirted before you could cover him?"

John said, "Too often." Sally nodded.

"The secret is you cover him with the second one before you open the first. Watch." I had them sit on either side of me as I showed them. I took it slow, and showed them how covering with the second avoided getting wet. I then had each of them give it a try as I guided them. Then I had them do it on their own.

Sally said, "I can hardly wait to try it out."

John quipped, "Give it two hours. I'm sure he'll need one by then."

"What else did you bring?"

"Lots of stuff. Check it out." I started to pull all sorts of stuff out of the bag. Some clothes, blankets, toys, and other things. I also had several educational toys, and some baby monitors. "I got the baby monitors locally, after the flight, so you don't have to worry about power settings. I also got some universal power adapters, in case you want to travel somewhere." I also started pulling out some other things that weren't for little Jack. "You saw the practice doll. Here are some other things." I pulled out some books, a pair of eye blockers, and a noise-canceling headset. "The books are some instruction books I found useful for the many questions I had. The blinders will help you sleep even in the day. And the headset is so you don't wake up from noise while you sleep."

"Wow. That's a lot of stuff."

"Sally, until you get the hang of a kid, you are going to feel stressed and very busy. I'm here to teach you both, and to give you some relief from parenting duties so you can chill out."

"How long will it take?"

"Part of it depends on the kid. Some settle into a rhythm quickly, others take longer. And there is little you can do about it. So, who is most rested?"

John said, "I am."

"Then you are on watch. Sally, take a pair of blinders, and the headset, and take a nap. I'll pick up the slack for you."

Sally looked at John, who just said, "Take it while you can. We'll wake you soon enough." She nodded, and went to their room. "I'm just glad I don't have to be in at work until noon."

"I'm staying at The Tap Room, as before. Call me anytime, day or night. I expect to be here for a month."

"You don't have to..."

"I know. But you two need a lot of help, and I have some other things to discuss with you."

"You do? What kind of things."

"Questions about Isis. And the legacy that I have been given."

"She gave you something?"

"Oh yeah. But before I say more, I want your input on who she was, and what she believed. I want to understand the goddess. I think Sally will also have something to add, given her different perspective. You should have more access to what her people left behind."

"You sound a little spooked."

"Perhaps I am. She did push me aside and took my body without any difficulty."

"Yeah, there is that."

"I found out later that she left me with something some days later. Inanna told me it was quite powerful, and linked to me."

"Oh dear. I can see why you would be spooked."

"That's why I sent my email in the first place. That you two need parenting help just provided me a way to repay you for your help."

He gave a half smile. "Who's helping whom?"

"Exactly. But I don't mind helping out with your kid. I've helped out my own kids with my grandkids, so I have a bit of experience teaching others how to parent. What say we set up the baby monitor?"

"Okay."

"Let's read the instructions, so you know how they work, and how to use them." We spent a while reading, and playing with them, before setting up the first set. This one was a short range household set with three receivers. The next one was a remote viewing one that could link to their phones. That took longer to set up, but let him see his kids room from anywhere on the internet, and with strong security so others couldn't access it. It also would go on Sally's phone as well.

"Okay. We have the transmitters in his room. One receiver will be in our room. Where will the others be?"

"One here in the living room, as this is where you will be relaxing. But the other one will be in the kitchen. With the schedule disruptions, you'll both be spending a lot of time there."

"You are so right."

"Let's find a place, then make lunch. I'm sure Sally will be up by then."

We spent a while there. After setting up the monitor, I asked him to show me everything in the kitchen, so I could make some additions. After seeing their food supplies, I could tell they had not thought about their menu given their schedules.

"So, that's the lot. Nothing like the setup I hear you have."

"True, we have a pro cook for us. But only most of the time. Filipe and I make our own meals often enough. But we have come to an understanding of our needs, and how they change with very young kids. The first addition I will give you is a pair of crock pots. Good for keeping food ready for hours with minimal preparation. The second one is to prepare one meal while enjoying the first. With a good-sized one, you can get four or five plates of food, so you might be able to have a day's worth of food for you two with only a single preparation."

"That does sound like a good use of time. But neither of us have used one."

"No problem. I know a few simple recipes, and you can get a cookbook for more, easily. Next, snack food. No, not junk food, but grab and go healthy food. Fruits, smoothies, jello and pudding cups, energy bars. After that, comes the heat-and-serve meals. Plenty of microwave options; however, the crock pot is good here also. You can cook up a week's worth of food and freeze it, allowing you to heat and serve it later. Next, you need a larger fridge, and another microwave."

"Where would we put a bigger one?"

"I see what you mean. Let me think... I know, replace the combo one you have with a dedicated one, and get a separate freezer to replace the oven. You won't be using a big oven for a few years, and getting a microwave that can double as an oven should handle your needs fine."

"That sounds like a lot of money."

"It is a sound investment. If you paid for it. Let me, I can afford it."

"I don't know. We want to make it on our own."

"You will be quite on your own, raising your kid. I'll be here only a few days. In the grand scheme of things, the money is inconsequential. The time you spend with your kids will be precious beyond compare. Trust me, I speak from experience."

"Well, I suppose so."

"Now sit down, and enjoy the show. I'm going to make lunch, and a few other things." While he was thinking that over, I started going through the cupboards and pulling out food and utensils. I soon had several things going at once, and was preparing quite a feast.

"We won't need all this for lunch."

"It's not all for lunch. I'm also making extra, to stuff in the freezer so you can reheat it later when you have need."

"Oh."

"So sit already, and let me finish."

"Okay, okay, I'll sit."

In time, I set out three places, and also several containers. I filled the containers first, then sealed them with lids. Then I set out some serving dishes for the food. As I brought them to the table, Sally walked in.

"Something smells good. What's for lunch?"

"I'm not sure. She cooked, and I couldn't follow it all."

"I made a nice stew, along with some bread, and also a fruit cup of fresh-cut fruit. Please sit down, while I finish shutting down the stove."

Throughout the meal, we filled her in on the baby monitors, and the plans for updating the kitchen to their new needs. She, too, initially objected, but came to see the sense of what I was suggesting. When I told her of the frozen extras, she thanked me, saying they've been having difficulty with meals recently.

When lunch was over, I said, "I need to leave to set up some things. I'll be back in the morning."

"Thanks, Becky Sue. That nap sure helped, as did that wonderful meal."

"I'll tell her about the other things."

"Other things?"

"We set up some baby monitors, and she told me about her current research project."

"Oh."

"We both look forward to seeing you tomorrow."

"Goodbye for now."

My first stop was back at The Tap Room. I asked to speak with the maintenance man for some advice. They were reluctant, but some coin of the realm convinced them it was a reasonable request. We spoke for about fifteen minutes, and I got the names of a few local places that did housing construction. I called them, and selected the second one to handle the kitchen remodel to increase the food storage by some replacement or additional appliances. I gave them the requirements, and said I was paying, but the homeowner had final say. We decided to have someone meet us two days from now, in the middle of the day.

Next, I went shopping. I picked up a pair of crock pots, numerous containers, and labeling material. Then I went elsewhere and got some baby gates, towels, washcloths, and throw rugs. Returning to the hotel, I had dinner there, and wrote a long email to Filipe to tell him everything.

In the morning, when I arrived, I brought the stuff I bought, and helped them with their first crock-pot meal. I told them of the minor kitchen remodel I was giving them, to help with the food situation. They initially objected, but I insisted. John had to go into work, but Sally and I spoke of my time in the dreamworld, and of my meeting Scheherazade. She told me of themselves, and how becoming a family had really changed things. After a light lunch, I suggested she take a nap, while I watched little Jack.

When John came home, he brought some books. They were about Isis and the Egyptian pantheon. But his greatest enjoyment was when he ate the dinner that had been cooking all day. When we dug in, he saw they had enough for another meal, and this meal was quite enjoyable. After dinner, I suggested they go for a walk, while I watch the kid. They came back after an hour, well refreshed. I said I would be back on the morrow to assist with the kitchen remodel design, and left with the books.

I chose to read the one on the pantheon to get a feel for the nature of their divine reality. What was important to the gods of Egypt, and the people as well. It had so much, that I was only able to get about a third of the way through. While I could read faster, I didn't want to miss anything, and went back to check and re-check everything to be sure I understood it.

I arrived a little later, as the contractor was meeting us an hour before lunch. I played with Jack for a while, and he tired out shortly before the man was due. Sally changed him and put him down to sleep a while, and just finished when the contractor came. It turned out the man was actually a woman. We welcomed her in, and described the situation.

I began, "Ms. Barstow, I am providing a gift to my friends here. They have a newborn, and as their first, they need help. I'm showing them how to prepare food far more efficiently. But to do it well, they need more storage. As you can see, they have an average kitchen. My thought is to get half as much to perhaps double their current storage for cold or frozen food. I am also thinking they don't need such a large oven, and that it could be replaced with something like a toaster oven or a microwave. The plan is to spend time making large quantities at once, and storing a lot of it for later, with a net reduction in the total time. What I don't know, is what they like to eat, and what is common here. No doubt you noticed my accent. I am not as familiar with the food here. I want this kitchen to serve their needs when I am not here to help."

"I see. Well, that oven is more useful than you would think. I think a small, combined unit added to what they already have would be better. That unit could also have a door system for dispensing water and ice. If we replace the table in the center of the room with something smaller on the side, that will free up a lot of room. We can also add some high cabinets to store more supplies."

I asked, "Speaking of high, do you have any suggestions to kid-proof the place? We have some baby gates, but something for the doors would help."

"I have three kids myself. I can fix you up."

I left them to decide what to get, and instead began reading in the baby's room while I waited. When the baby woke, I played with him some more. It took almost two hours for Sally to come to an agreement. I spoke with the lady, and got her to do an expedited job. I later told Sally and John not to worry about the cost.

The next day, I met John at his college, and made contact with some people steeped in mythology. I had finished the first book, and was a ways into the one on Isis. I hung out at the cafeteria, and bought food for those who taught me about Isis. I used my ability to sense thoughts to get more than what they said. They were surprised at my insights, and generally went away happy that I was learning what they knew. Something all teachers treasure. I did this a second day, asking a lot about Isis since I finished the Isis book. While two days might not seem a lot, with my added mental reading of their thoughts, I learned nearly a semester's worth in that short time.

With the weekend arriving, the work began on the kitchen. With the good weather I ensured, they played outside with their son while I helped out with the remodel. I had dinner sent in so they wouldn't have to worry about dealing with a kitchen in flux. The remodel was done late in the evening, and all that was left was the arrival of the appliances. They would come in a few more days. I told them I would stay at the inn tomorrow, but if they wanted to visit, or drop off Jack for me to watch, I would be happy for the opportunity.

Over the next week, I often visited, showing them some more recipes, and taught them more on how to handle a kid. By the end of the second week, they had picked up enough that they were feeling less stressed. That's when I told them of how I got to the dreamworld.

Sally said, "So if I can get someone to do this ceremony over me, I can go anytime?"

"I expect so. But I think it also needs her talisman as well."

"So you could do it?"

"I think so. However, I was hoping John could."

"Me? I'm not one of her followers."

"Yes, you. Here, hold this, and focus your mind on it."

"This looks like amber. Is it...?"

"Yes, it belonged to one of her priests. I realize you may not be her follower, but you accept she exists, and that the supernatural is real. So focus on it, and picture that tree out the window. Tell me what you see within it."

"Okay... Huh? I didn't know it was a field maple."

"What else do you now know?"

"Uh... it is good for maple, and it supports aphids, caterpillars, and those that feast on such. They also help freshen the air. How do I know that?"

"Aja is a goddess of the forest and the animals within. This talisman is about her knowledge. I was not sure you could access it. That you can, means you can likely do the ritual for your wife."

"What? John can send me there?"

"If he can learn the ritual. When I went, it was the shaman's son and heir that sent us there. Neither was her follower, although they both were religious leaders in their community. You are not such, but rather, you are an academic leader. I don't think Aja is as concerned with your religion as she is concerned with spreading knowledge."

"I'll certainly try and learn it. Where is it?"

"You can find it within the talisman. However, since that is difficult to access for now, I also have made a video showing it. I'll send you a link. When you think you have practiced enough, I would like you to send Sally and I to the dreamworld."

Sally asked, "Why do you want to come?"

"It is a place of dreams. Some dreams are nightmares. The dreamworld can be dangerous. If you die there, you usually get ejected, but waking, you still feel a bit of that death. The shaman woke screaming, because of how he died in the dream. I, however, completed my quest, and was allowed to exit when I wanted, and woke peacefully. My reason involves Scheherazade, but as a historian rather than a storyteller. If we both go, I think I can ensure you get to see her as well. I spent about a month there yet woke minutes later, so you don't have to worry about your baby while you are there."

"That's very good to know."

"I waited to tell you this, until after you started getting a handle on being parents. Before then, you two would be too stressed."

They looked at each other, and John said, "We were. But thanks to you, things are starting to come together. I still think your gift was a bit much, but it does help a lot."

"Yeah, it does. I only have two more weeks of pregnancy leave before I have to return to work, myself. Now, I can at least think and plan about daycare."