Page 5 of Love Me in the Light

Once the food was fixed, the ladies moved back to where Memoree Layne stood. Veronica shifted her attention from Nathan to them. “Thank you, ladies. I know this seems weird and probably not how you expected me to take this news. I just feel like you saved my life, so thank you.”

Memoree Layne smiled. “Well, if that’s the case, it was my sister that saved both of our lives.”

Milan Renee was the one who posted the picture that brought all of this to light. What went on in the dark always came to the light. Social media often expedited that process. Well, one thing both women could agree on was that tomorrow would be a bright new day for them without Nathan.

Three Years Later

Light The Way . . .

Dr. Jasmine Lawson walked around her building as she showed me her ideas of the lighting, which equaled pretty light fixtures. That was what I ran into 95 percent of the time. I allowed her to talk because her excitement was too high to burst at this point. I also knew that, soon enough, she would have a different outlook on why I was here. I wasn’t here for just fixtures. Yes, that was a portion of what I did, but a very small portion.

We walked into another room. When she turned to face me, her smile was wide. “This is our meditation room, so I want it to be relaxing, peaceful, a place where you can fall asleep. I’m thinking dim lights.”

Here we go. “Dr. Lawson, dim lights don’t automatically mean that the space will be all those things. It is what most people assume, but that assumption is incorrect a lot of the time.”

The perplexed expression that painted her face let me know we were at the part of the program where she realized I wasn’t a woman who brought lamps from Ikea or Pottery Barn, then strategically placed them around a room. I was a certified lighting designer. It was time that she put some respect on my name.

“For your clients that come to your clinic who are already anxious, too little light can make the space feel heavy or unsafe. It could make them feel enclosed in the space. I would imagine that is not what you want.”

Her arms crossed over her chest. She was confused, clearly. “I was told that lower lights reduced stress.”

“I can see that. A lot of people are told that, and there is some truth to it. With the right light, you can reduce visual strain, support relaxation, as well as many other things that promote the experience you hope to give them. I’m sure you don’t want them to feel like they came into a dark room and were told to take a breath. That could be stressful,” I concluded.

Her face was straight for a second before she laughed. “Okay, I guess that’s fair. Let me take a step back and ask what you think I should do.”

My bright smile surfaced before I flipped open the cover of my tablet. “I thought you would never ask. I am so happy that you want to hire The Lighted Layne before construction was finished. Let me tell you, working around another company or person’s bad electrical plan is not what I like to do on any day of the week.”

She giggled. “I love your honesty. It’s refreshing.”

I thanked her, then turned the tablet toward her. “Let’s talk layered lighting. The contractor’s drawing currently has these harsh overhead lights—or illuminations as we call it in the business—for this space. My preliminary concept is to give soft recessed illumination, wall-washing along the textured feature wall, indirect ceiling lights, and low-level pathway lighting.”

I paused for a moment to allow her to take in the depiction on the table. Lighting software had come a very long way since I first got into the business. I continued after I saw the slight smile on her face. “We know that your employees would need visibility during certain tasks, so we would use adjustable task lighting for that. One of the most important parts of the design is the controls. It will allow you and your staff to change the environment in any room for whatever the need is.”

Jasmine’s finger caressed the screen of my tablet as she moved the module around to take in the different angles. There were a lot of “this is nice” and “oh, I like that” said under her breath. I loved those statements because they closed deals.

“Memoree Layne, this is so much different from what my contractors offered. It’s like a completely different room. This is amazing,” she complimented with bright cheeks.

I smiled because I knew that I had this in the bag. “I can promise you that it will feel like a different room. Your patients come here because life is loud. Everyone wants something from them, whether it be work, school, significant others, children, and anyone else that can get something out of them. Here, you don’t want something from them; you want to give them something . . . peace.”

Jasmine’s eyes lit up. “You get it. There is so much that is required of us these days. I just want a place where people can come and be free from it all. I just want them to find a place for complete relaxation.”

With a smile, I nodded. “And that is what I want them to have. Relaxation starts before the receptionist says hello. It should start from the moment they open the door. The lights need to speak before the receptionist. What do you want the lighting to say, Dr. Lawson?”

Her eyes closed as she crossed her arms over her chest. When that one lone tear trickled down her cheek, my inner goddess did a little dance. “I want it to say that they’re safe here.”

“It sounds like you now understand why I do what I do. Lights are communication, not just decoration,” I informed her. I loved educating my clients.

For the next hour, we walked through the building and went over the lighting plan that I set up for her. She was amazed that all the areas in the building were customized to what they were needed for, yet still had flexibility for change at her whim. Regardless of every space having a different vibe, they were all connected to give an effortless flow of tranquility and peace.

As a lighting designer, I created customized lighting plans for my clients. The combination of my creativity and technical knowledge allowed me to determine where lights should be controlled, and layers for an optimal experience for my clients. My primary clientele consisted of those with luxury homes, hotels, boutiques, restaurants, high-end lounges, clubs, and wellness centers. Dr. Jasmine Lawson was prepared to open one of the latter.

In 2025, my lighting design firm launched—The Lighted Layne. It was a year after I moved back to Charlotte, North Carolina, from New York. Through my education, training, and life, I learned that there were times when people didn’t need someone to lead them. All they needed was enough light to see the right direction clearly. For years, professionals, colleagues, and friends asked me to help them navigate different transitions, assist with business buildings, and so many other things. My natural, God-given talent to listen, strategize, encourage, and provide clarity was what made me a person people sought out.

A few months before I made the decision that I would start my own firm, it dawned on me that I never told anyone what to do. I simply lit different path options with the proper light so they could discover which path was for them. That one epiphany became the philosophy for my entire business model.

My reputation in the business for my creative and efficient designs followed me from New York. I came back home with a business model, a building that my parents gifted me, and the highest recommendations from lighting designers from California to New York. My first client was referred to me by a lighting director who worked in the movie industry.

A year later, The Lighted Layne carried heavy weight in the lighting industry. God had truly blessed my coming in and going out. When clients visited the offices of my firm, they got firsthand experience of why I was one of the best.