Celestial Bodies Read Online Free PDF Page B

know how Felix hates to be disturbed during a consultation. I was trying to figure out if it was serious or not.”
    Diana’s green eyes narrowed as she studied him. It made her look disturbingly like her cat. After a long moment of silence, she pushed past him, knocked on the door and opened it a crack. She said something softly to Felix, then closed the door again.
    “He’s meditating,” she told Nick.
    “Oh. I guess I overreacted.”
    She didn’t look quite convinced. Fortunately, half a dozen people sat down in the courtyard at that moment and started clamoring for tea, so he was spared a cross-examination.
    Since room and board were included in his new job, he ate dinner that evening with Felix and Diana in their big apartment on the third floor.
    “Eggplant casserole,” Nick said, trying to muster some enthusiasm as Diana spooned the main course onto his plate. Meals had so far consisted of whole-meal, vegetarian, macrobiotic food and equally uninspiring beverages. He was dying for a cheeseburger and a beer.
    “Fresh yogurt for dessert,” Felix said eagerly.
    Diana’s clover-green eyes glinted playfully. Nick felt a rush of pleasure to see her looking at him without her usual air of suspicion. “I take it you’re not a vegetarian?” she inquired.
    “I wasn’t until I came here,” Nick admitted.
    “Good time to start, Nick,” said Felix. “You never know whom you might wind up eating.”
    Nick choked on his casserole. “Excuse me?”
    Diana burst out laughing at the expression on his face. He looked back and forth from father to daughter. Diana appeared tolerantly amused. Felix seemed thoughtful and serious.
    “It all comes back around,” Diana murmured to Nick.
    “Huh?”
    “Exactly,” said Felix. “Who knows how many lifetimes we must live in order to work through the issues we have chosen for ourselves? Who can say for sure how much progress and regression each individual spirit endures?”
    “I certainly can’t,” said Nick.
    “Exactly,” said Felix. “The cow you eat in this lifetime may have been a close friend in a past life, or may torment you in a future life because you cut short its journey in this life.”
    Nick looked warily at Felix. “What about chickens?”
    Diana gurgled with suppressed laughter. Felix frowned at her before saying, “All creatures possess a valuable spirit.”
    “But not eggplant, apparently,” said Nick.
    Felix pondered a forkful of eggplant casserole. “I’ve never heard of spiritual contact with a vegetable. I think fish may be safe to eat, too, but I can’t do it in good conscience until I receive empirical evidence.”
    “Just don’t kill any spiders while you’re living here,” Diana warned Nick.
    Although Felix appeared to mean every word he said, Nick couldn’t tell how sincere Diana was, since laughter had flushed her pale face and made her eyes glow. He told himself it was simply professional curiosity that made him offer to help Diana clean up the kitchen after dinner while Felix went downstairs for an evening consultation.
    “Your father has some fascinating ideas,” Nick said tactfully.
    Diana smiled. “I thought you were very polite.”
    “Who am I to scoff?” he said equably. “Do you want to wash or dry?” Keep looking at me like that, and I won’t care if you’re cheating every society matron in all of New Orleans .
    “I’ll wash.” She pulled on a pair of pink rubber gloves.
    “Do you believe in reincarnation, too?” Nick picked up a dish towel.
    “No. But my sister and I were raised as vegetarians, so I’m comfortable with it. I’m not worried about eating a spiritual friend, but I do believe vegetarianism makes economic sense. You could feed a whole village with the corn it takes to fatten one Midwestern steer.” She frowned as she added, “If you had ever visited a slaughterhouse, you might also become a vegetarian.”
    “You’ve visited one?” he asked curiously.
    “Yes. When I was twelve, I told