Free Redemption's Warrior by Jennifer Morse and William Mortimer

thoughts to describe something larger than words. “You’ve heard the saying ‘damage we do to the strand in the web damages the entire web?’“
    Christopher nods. Juanita pulls out her ponytail. For a brief moment her hair flies free. Sparkles shimmer, her swan peaks over her shoulder. Christopher feels… tight. He longs to run his hands through her shiny hair. The sound of her words pulls him back from his reverie. As Juanita reties her hair into its ponytail his heart speeds up and his mouth goes dry.
    “Let me start again. When you live accountability, when you dedicate yourself, thoughts and behaviors to a positive dream,” in Juanita’s pause Christopher counts her inhales; one inhale–two. “Life will gift you, provide aid.
La Currandera
calls them ‘serendipitous moments.’ We’ve talked around this before.”
    “You’re talking about Beneficence?”
    Juanita nods. “If we live in beneficence, beneficence will live in us. Does that make sense? Could this also be the last lesson of redemption? A global accountability to wellness and each other, acts of power and beauty?”
    “You think beneficence and redemption are related?”
    “Confusing,” Juanita sighs, “Yes. Beginning my apprenticeship with
La Currandera
she asked me, ‘Do you believe in Beneficence?’ Of course I said ‘yes.’ But she shrugged off my easy answer. She took hold of my shoulders and gave me a shake.” Juanita shrugs her shoulders her body remembering the shake from her teacher. “‘Can you fathom a goodness requiring you to create acts of power and truth that resonate out into the world? Goodness so powerful, living in your acts, creating waves of intention where the impossible becomes possible?’“ Juanita sighs remembering, “Honestly Christopher I had no idea what to say to
La Currandera
. She seemed to be asking me for a life-long commitment. I barely understood what she was talking about.”
    Looking at Christopher she asks, “Do you follow?”
    He nods, looking at her as if his life depended on her. Shouldering the burden Juanita said, “
La Currandera
made tea and sat me down at the kitchen table. She said, ‘Can you understand Beneficence as a morphological field created by truths, acts of power and beauty, the alignment of positive goals and behaviors?’ I drank tea and when I nodded she continued. ‘These acts of power and beauty magnetize beneficial circumstances.’“
    Christopher sits up straighter. “Master Jojo said the same thing about the mastery of martial arts. He said mastery creates a morphological field.”
    Juanita burst into laughter at the look on Christopher’s face. “A long answer to your questions about redemption.”
    “
La Currandera
and Master Jojo sound like a scientists.”
    Juanita nods her head solemnly. “Yes. Most healers I’ve encountered, excluding fakes, do speak with clarity. Theirs is not borrowed knowledge. They live healing traditions passionately, with curiosity, with love and purpose. They test a tradition to see if it’s true. In the process knowledge translates to wisdom.”
    Sharing a look, sharing silent communication, they laugh. They are happy in each other’s company. Amidst the desolation of
Islas Tres Marias
they have found joy in each other. Christopher longs to hold her hand.
    As months flow by they begin planning a future. They share words of encouragement. Christopher knows Juanita does not have the heart for crewing her father’s boat. Her father’s slow to replace her. If the Captain unintentionally hires crew with loose lips at a bar while shooting tequila… It could expose and ruin his entire operation.
    Christopher reassures her. “You’ll soon finish crewing for your father. You’ll be a healer! As soon as I’m free of
La Luna
I will join you.”
    Seeing her frown he rubs a hand down her arm. “Have faith Juanita. You’re my beautiful golden girl. I can’t wait to build a life with you.”
    “Christopher, tell me about your