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Title: A Rabbit in the Garden
Author: Diane Lajqi
Category: Fiction, Spirituality, Young Adult
Price: $9.95
Date Added: 2008-07-05
Description:

After the death of her father, Belinda’s mother, a psychologist, feels compelled to finish the work he started with the Foundation, setting up the Institute in Peru. Sending her daughter to spend the summer with Aunt Lilly seemed like the best thing to do. Thinking her summer vacation would be ruined, Belinda reluctantly complies with her mother’s wishes only to find that her whole life, her entire spirit, would be forever changed by this summer and the mysterious stranger in the garden. She begins a journey of the soul from which she would never return.

An adventure of the soul.
Finding your "higher self".

Sample:

Chapter One

Belinda was in her room trying to decide what to wear for the last day of school. This was a day that she looked forward to all year. No more exams, no more homework, just summer and fun, but not for Belinda, not this summer. It had only been 3 months since her father died. She understood that her mother was only going to Peru to finish the work with the Foundation her father had started, but Belinda could not help but feel abandoned. What about her? What about her summer plans with Carrie? Carrie was Belinda’s best friend and had been since kindergarten. The two were inseparable. Belinda didn’t know how she would have made it thru these past few months without Carrie and Carrie’s mom, Pamela. Pamela had become like a second mother to Belinda. Her own mom had been dealing with so much between the hospital and her patients and then having to deal with the loss of Belinda’s father, not to mention the enormous task of taking over his position with the Foundation. That stupid foundation! If it wasn’t for the foundation, her father wouldn’t have been in that car that night and would still be alive, her mother wouldn’t be leaving for the summer, and Belinda’s whole summer wouldn’t be ruined. Belinda was far wiser than her 15 years of age. She knew that this anger she felt was a natural part of the grieving process. That’s what you learn when your mother is a psychologist….how to handle anything. This did NOT make Belinda any happier about having to spend the summer at Aunt Lilly’s and not being able to be with Carrie. Why couldn’t she just stay at Carrie’s house? Pamela had offered. Why did she have to go all the way to Aunt Lilly’s? It wasn’t that Belinda didn’t like Aunt Lilly; she really didn’t know her well. She hadn’t spent a lot of time with her in the past few years other than when Lilly came for Belinda’s father’s funeral. Belinda thought back to that time. Aunt Lilly had really been a godsend. She had helped Belinda’s mother, Beverly, so much, not just by dealing with a lot of details that would have overwhelmed most people, but by doing it with such ease and empathy. There was something special about Aunt Lily that made you feel really calm and peaceful. She just seems to have a magic about her. It was as though the moment Lilly arrived, a peace had come over Beverly, like she understood and accepted her husband, Bill’s death. It was obvious how close Beverly and Lilly had been growing up, not just as sisters, but as devoted best friends as well. It was Lilly who had encouraged Beverly to finish the work with the foundation that Bill had begun. Belinda remembered overhearing Lilly telling her mother, "Beverly, you, of all people, knows how important Bill’s work with the foundation was. It was your shared dream."
"Of course, you’re right, Lilly. I just never imagined that I would be finishing the work without Bill, but the foundation was so important to both of us. It must be completed" Beverly spoke with resolve.
Still Belinda wished she could stay with Carrie for the summer. Nothing about today was good now. It had been a day to look forward to all year, but now….it was just the day before her horrible summer would begin. Or so she thought.

"Hi Pam, its Bev. I need you to bail me out again. I just had a call from the hospital and I have an emergency patient." Belinda overheard her mom saying to Carrie’s mom.
"Oh, you are a lifesaver. I hate to have to do this today of all days, but it can’t be helped!" her mother continued.
"Thanks, as always, Pam. You ARE the best! Hey, why don’t you and Carrie come over tonight and the four of us will grill out. Maybe I can ease some of my guilt about having to leave Belinda for the summer and taking her away from her best friend." She paused. "Great, we’ll see you tonight and thanks again for taking the girls this morning."

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