Saving Gracie (28 page)

Meghan stuck her head into the kitchen. “Is she gone?”

“She’s gone.” Quinlan carried dishes to the sink.

“Sorry.” Meghan sipped her luke-warm cinnamon coffee. “I couldn’t decide if my French toast was going to stay down or not.”

“What did it? The grape jelly?”

“That woman has a heart of gold, but grape jelly in chili?” Meghan pressed her hand over her heart and shuttered. “All I could see were globs of grape jelly floating around in chili powder and onions. Yuk.” Meghan turned to Quinlan. “Why was she here so early anyway?”

“She brought my phone.” Quinlan raised a finger. “And I already have a message.”

“That didn’t take long,” Meghan said.

Quinlan listened to the message.

“Well?”

“I have a meeting next Wednesday,” Quinlan said.

“With who?”

“Mary, George and Maggie. Mary said to take it easy and enjoy being back for a few days.”

“Sounds good to me.” Meghan wiped her hands on the kitchen dishcloth. “Shall we head to Angela’s for lunch?”

“You read my mind.”

CHAPTER 45

QUINLAN AND MARY

Quinlan made a list of all the places she’d been too preoccupied to visit before her trip back to Earth. She even invited Ruby to join them for a round of miniature golf, followed by three games at the Universal Bowling Lanes.

“Remember, one o’clock Wednesday. Green Room. Angela’s. Got it?” Ruby said, removing her bowling shoes.

“Do I need to bring anything?” Quinlan asked.

Ruby pulled out a small notepad and thumbed through the pages. “Does she need to bring anything?” She scanned her notes. “Ah…nope, don’t think so. Just your cheery self.”

~~~

Late Tuesday afternoon, Quinlan sat in the porch swing, her dangling foot moving the swing back and forth. A sense of peace had settled over her, a feeling she couldn’t remember ever having before.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Meghan pulled a wicker chair close to the swing, a large navel orange in her hand.

“Nothing, really,” Quinlan answered.

“Watching the grass grow?”

“I could, you know.” Quinlan smiled lazily. “Wouldn’t bother me a bit.”

“Nervous about tomorrow?” Meghan peeled the orange and handed Quinlan half.

Pulling a section free, she shrugged. “It’ll be fine, whatever happens.”

“You’re so different now, Quin.”

“I feel different,” Quinlan said.

“Then it was a good trip?”

She took her time with the next orange section as she thought. Ruby had asked the same thing. “I didn’t think so while I was there.” She popped the juicy piece in her mouth. “But now? Yeah, it was good.”

~~~

Wednesday morning Quinlan leaned over the sink and watered her newly planted herb cuttings. Several small clay pots lined the windowsill. She’d been ecstatic the day she visited the Natural World Arboretum and came home with sprigs of sweet basil, lemon thyme and rosemary. After the roots took hold, she’d transfer them to the garden.

Meghan entered the kitchen. “Are you ready for your meeting? Do you want me to go with you?”

“It’ll be fine.” Quinlan glanced at her watch. “But I need to get going. Want to join me later?”

“I’ll be there,” Meghan said.

Quinlan walked into Angela’s and found Ruby standing in front of the Green Room door, her hands folded in front of her. “On duty this afternoon?”

“Nah,” Ruby said. “Just wanted to be here, you being my first assignment and all.”

Quinlan smiled. She had grown quite fond of the gruff chili-cooking-maniac woman. Ruby opened the door, allowing her access. The door closed quietly behind her.

“There you are.” Mary rose from the table. Maggie and George were already seated. All three smiled warmly.

“Come in, come in,” George said. “Have a seat.” He tapped the chair next to him with his cane.

In the past Quinlan would have cringed at the thought of sitting so close to an actual Council member. Today, however, her peaceful state of mind allowed her to accept the offer. She slipped into the chair, noticing a silver laptop and green folder on the table. The walls of the room were colored the faintest hint of green. Lush budding hanging baskets and floor plants accented the décor in assorted shades of greens, pale yellows and whites, painting an ambiance of early spring after a rain shower.

“How are you, luv?” Maggie asked. “You look positively wonderful.”

“I’m well, thank you,” Quinlan said. “And very glad to be back.”

Mary, George & Maggie exchanged looks.

“We’re glad to hear it,” Mary said.

Quinlan folded her hands in her lap, took a long slow breath and waited, not surprised to see her name on the green folder George slid across to Mary.

“I’m surprised it’s not blue.” Quinlan said, feeling playful.

Mary smiled. “We’ll get to that in a moment.” She pulled several sheets of paper from the folder. “I have Angela’s report here.” Mary scanned the pages. “Everything seems to be in order.” She replaced the report and pulled out another sheet. “This, if you remember, is the pre-return form you completed.”

It seemed ages since Quinlan had filled out the forms for her return request.

“You were asked to state your intention for returning to Earth,” Mary said. “Do you remember what you wrote?”

Quinlan stifled a sigh, remembering the words clearly.

Mary handed over the piece of paper. “Would you read aloud what you wrote?”

A half smile touched her lips. Quinlan took the page, but sat it down without so much as a glance. “To save Gracie.”

George rested an elbow on the arm of his chair, his wrinkled chin cupped in the palm of his hand, his gaze direct, but not unkind. Maggie sat on the edge of her seat.

“To save Gracie.” Mary laced her fingers on the table. “And as for your post-return form, what will you write?” She paused for a brief moment. “In other words, what have you learned?”

The words no longer held power over her. Quinlan glanced first to Mary, then Maggie, and finally to George. With a clear and strong voice she said, “It wasn’t my job to save Gracie.”

Maggie leaned back in her chair, obvious relief escaping her lips.

George nodded.

“Would you mind writing that down?” Mary tapped her finger on the form. “Right here. Then sign your name, if you would.”

Quinlan took the paper and wrote the words she had spoken. She handed it back to Mary.

“Sign it!” Mary cleared her throat. “Please.”

She signed the form and mused at Mary’s anxiety…so uncanny for Her Royal Whiteness. “Don’t worry,” Quinlan said, “I think I’ve got it this time.”

“Just a formality.” Mary slipped the form in the folder. “Maggie?”

“Thank you, Mary.” Maggie inched, once again, to the edge of her chair. “Now that you’ve mastered this…situation.” Maggie looked to George and Mary and received nods. “You’ll be able to continue with the—what was that, Mary?”

Flipping through the green folder, Mary read, “A-C-G-I-P.”

Maggie winced. “Yes, well, I’ll translate that back to assist, comfort, guard, intercede and protect.”

“One moment,” Mary interrupted. “There’s a notation here from Angela.” Mary read,

“‘Important to reiterate ‘c’ stands for com-fort. Very important, Angela says here.”

Quinlan shrugged as if not having a clue what Angela referenced.

Mary and George exchanged nods, which implied they did, which made Quinlan a tad uncomfortable.

“Anyway, as I was saying,” Maggie continued, “you can now perform all these tasks without making a return trip.”

Mary took over. “You’ll instinctively know how to use your CI card for assistance without having to acquire clearance. You’ve successfully severed yourself from your Earthly fears, phobias, anxieties and all negativity.” Regaining her regal-ness, she smiled her warm smile. “And this includes your issue with heights. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Quinlan said.

Eyes turned to George, who had said little. He opened the silver laptop and punched keys.

“Gather around, will you?” His gravelly voice boomed around the room.

The three women jumped and quickly moved behind his chair. The streamed video showed Grace in an office signing to a young boy. The nameplate on her desk read:

Grace Brookfield, LMSW

Communities in Schools

“What is this?” Quinlan asked. Only days ago Gracie was going to her Monday-Wednesday classes and volunteering on Thursdays.

“Grace’s probable future,” George said. “It all depends on her personal choices, of course, but my sources say this is accurate. She’ll receive her master’s degree, and her licensure in social work will place her as a much-needed advocate for the deaf community.”

Quinlan’s eyes glistened, her heart filled with admiration and love. “And Hannah and Josh?”

“They’ll have the normal challenges of growing and maturing with a few bumps along the way,” George said. “But you’ll be able to watch the process and assist when need be.”

“What about the little deaf girl?” Quinlan recalled Gracie’s deep concern for the child’s welfare. “What happens to her?”

George hit a function key which produced a text box. He typed C-H-E-R-R-Y. The screen presented a written synopsis of the young girl’s life.

Cherry will be adopted by her foster parents. After her high school

graduation, she will receive a scholarship to Gallaudet University

in Washington, D.C., a university internationally known for specializing

in advanced education for the deaf, hearing-impaired and hearing student.

Cherry and Grace maintain their close relationship. Cherry will forever

consider Grace a pivotal person in not only her personal, but professional life.

Quinlan blinked tears, her heart about to burst. “I can’t…I don’t….” She pulled out a Kleenex and wiped her eyes.

“As I said,” George noted, “this future depends on personal choices.”

Quinlan nodded, straightened her back and breathed deeply.

“George, are we finished here?” Mary asked.

The Mr. Potato Head look-alike turned to Quinlan. “Unless you have questions for us?”

“Actually I do.” Quinlan stuffed the Kleenex back in her pocket. “What about those….” she paused and cleared her throat, “who don’t seem like…they belong here?” She glanced around the table, wondering if she was totally out of line.

“You’re referring to your mother.” The words marched out of George’s mouth without a hint of the reference being a question.

Quinlan nodded.

“Maggie?” George tipped his oversized head to Maggie.

“Well, luv,” Maggie began, “remember the Veils of Self-Deception procedure?”

Quinlan repeated the nod.

“As I told you then, once the veils are lifted one gets to see the areas that…how should I say this?” Maggie searched the ceiling. “Sucked.” She smiled. “Some need more work in…certain areas. Assessments are completed and reviewed. There are always choices to be made and plenty of fortuitous growth opportunities. Some are quicker learners than others.”

Quinlan immediately wondered if she possibly fit into that category. She’d have to mentally file Maggie’s infomercial away for further study.

“Anything else?” The half-moon squiggly smile on George’s face looked like it had been drawn on by a kindergartener with a fat crayon.

“Just one last thing,” Quinlan said. “Everything I was given for the trip was blue. What was that about?”

George looked to Mary. “Want to take this one?”

“Ah yes, that’s right. We have yet to explain the reasoning behind the cobalt blue.” Mary put her arm around Quinlan’s shoulder. “Because you were still—” Mary paused, “vulnerable, shall we say—you needed special protection. All the items you were given were cobalt because they emitted an ultraviolet sensor light.”

“I don’t understand,” Quinlan said.

“You were a bloody mess, luv,” Maggie chimed in. She had such a way with words. “It kept any more negativity from globbing onto what you were already lugging around.” Maggie’s English accent smoothed out the interjection a bit. “Just till you worked through…well, you know. Everything you were given protected you like a fluffy blue cloud.”

“And the glasses?” Quinlan looked at Mary.

Mary raised her eyebrows and motioned to Maggie.

“Uh, the glasses, yes. Protection for the eyes was very important,” Maggie said. “They’re the windows to the soul, you know.”

“But I felt like a glittery Catwoman.” Quinlan’s face portrayed her distaste.

Maggie rubbed her chin. “I was going for Endora, but now that you mention it, I can see Catwoman.”

“And the glitter?” Quinlan asked.

“Bling, luvvy. Bling.” Maggie’s eyes lit with an inner twinkle. “Thought I’d brighten things up a bit.”

“So, I’m okay now? I don’t need any of the blue things anymore?” Quinlan asked.

“Everything has been de-activated, my dear,” Mary said.

“Even your eyeglasses,” Maggie added. “Won’t be able to see a bloody thing with them.”

“Your frequency level is up to where it should be,” Mary said, “and all is, shall we say…in divine order.”

Maggie took hold of Quinlan’s elbow. “I’ll escort you out.” They left the Green Room and headed toward the outside seating area where Meghan sipped a cup of tea.

“Good work, luv.” Maggie gave Quinlan a hug. “Now, go enjoy yourself.”

~~~

Mary gathered the papers from the table and slipped them into the green folder. She kept her eyes on George. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”

George raised his puppy dog eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He proceeded to shut down the laptop.

Mary sat next to him. “Come on,” she urged. “You can tell me.”

George took his time sliding the laptop into its leather carrying case. “Some need a little help finding themselves, that’s all.” He pulled the zipper around the edges of the satchel. “Doesn’t matter how, just so they do.”