Saving Gracie (12 page)

CHAPTER 18

RUBY AND MARY

She checked her watch…1:58. Ruby blew a Juicy Fruit bubble and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Mary said.

Ruby entered to find George, Albert, Maggie and Mary gathered around a small conference table. Panic struck. “Am I late?”

“No dear. You’re right on time.”

Mary’s reassuring smile did zilch for Ruby’s nerves.

“Please….” Mary’s arm waved to the empty chair between her and George. “Have a seat.”

Eying the set-up, Ruby mentally cracked her knuckles, refrained from another Juicy Fruit moment and sat. She looked around the table and greeted the group. “Hey Mr. George, Al, Maggs, ma’am.”

Each nodded at their name.

“I asked the others to come so we can gather all the facts,” Mary explained. “I’ve relayed what you shared yesterday. I hope you don’t mind.”

Ruby dropped her eyes. “No ma’am.” Good news: she didn’t have to personally spill the beans about the breached protocol in front of Mr. George. Bad news: everyone knew she’d screwed up.

“Very well.” Mary turned in her chair. “Albert? Would you care to start?”

Albert squirmed in his chair. “I did the Q & A after her arrival. It was a busy day.” Albert paused to clear his throat. “I can’t say I noticed much out of the ordinary.”

“And since that time?” Mary asked.

“I’ve seen her a couple of times at the library.” Albert crossed and uncrossed his arms.

“And was she on-line?” Mary asked.

“Yes ma’am,” he said.

“Did you find that odd?”

Albert shrugged. “I figured she had clearance. I try to keep my nose to myself. I mean…mind my own nose. Business!” he spurt forth, tugging at his collar.

George smiled, as did Maggie.

“I see,” said Mary. “Anything else?”

Albert’s eyes searched the ceiling for answers. “No-o-o-o…oh, wait. I did hold the door for her one time. She had some really big books. I asked if she needed help. She said she could handle it.”

“Thank you Albert.” Mary nodded, signing Albert off.

“No problem.” Albert sunk back in his seat and blew out relief.

“Maggie?” Mary asked. “You assisted Quinlan through the Veils of Self-Deception
procedure?”

“I did.” Maggie’s English accent drifted through the room like piped-in Muzak.

“And how did that go?” Mary followed.

Maggie shot a brief glance between Ruby and Albert, then George and Mary. “Uh…she appeared rather nervous straight from the get-go. I talked to her a bit before the procedure. You know, to help her relax.”

“Did that help?” Mary asked.

Click. Click-click-click. The noise sounded like tap shoes on a stage.

Maggie glanced down. The clicking stopped. She cleared her throat. “Not much.”

“After orientation,” Mary continued, “she was in your “Bigger Picture” class?”

“That she was,” Maggie said.

“And?” Mary asked.

Click-click. Click, click, click.

“What is that?” Maggie pushed her chair back to look under the table. Albert and Ruby followed.

The clicking stopped.

Maggie continued. “She seemed to have difficulty staying awake. I wonder if she might have trouble getting proper rest.”

Attention shifted to Ruby.

“What?” Ruby tried deflecting the question with some squirming. It didn’t work. She popped her gum. Oops. “Sorry.”

“Does Quinlan have sleep issues?” Mary asked.

“No…I mean, I don’t know. Should I? I just do what I’m told…well, most of the time. I have to keep up with her sleeping too?” Ruby’s voice approached panic as she pulled out her psychedelic notebook to scribble a note.

“Calm down. As you know, we don’t accuse or judge. We’re merely trying to gather facts.” Mary paused, Ruby inhaled. “Is there anything else that may be of importance to this matter?”

Once again, all eyes focused on the woman sporting blue-tinted sunglasses.

“No ma’am.” Ruby looked down and moved her gum to the other cheek. “I don’t think so.” She fiddled with the bottom edge of her work shirt. “We talk a couple of times a week, that’s all.”

“Cell phone?”

“Yeah, mostly.” Ruby’s eyes moved back to the table.

“And who initiates the calls?” Mary shifted in her chair.

“She does.”

“Why does she call?”

“She has questions.” Ruby hesitant, fearful something spilling from her mouth could get her in more trouble.

“Such as?” Mary asked.

“Oh, I don’t know. Let me think.” Ruby ran her fingers across her forehead. She scratched her nose. “Once she asked how we get back. You know…what’s the procedure.”

Click-click…click, click-click, click.

Mary and George exchanged glances.

Mary leaned forward. “To Earth?”

Ruby rubbed her palms down her pants. “Yes ma’am.”

Click. Click-click-click.

Maggie threw her hands up. “What
is
that bloody noise?”

Mary wave-dismissed Maggie. “Workers downstairs. It’s nothing.” She turned back to Ruby. “Why do you suppose she asked that?”

“She said it was some extra credit for her major.” Ruby nearly swallowed her Juicy Fruit, the lameness of Quinlan’s excuse registering. Extra credit? Yeah, right.

“Quinlan’s major, Where Do We Go From Here,” Mary informed the others. “Correct?”

Click. Click. Click.

“Yes ma’am,” Ruby answered.

“I see.” Mary made a notation on her electronic notebook. “I think that’s all. Albert and Ruby, thank you for your time.” Mary smiled kindly at the two younger people. “You may go.”

Albert nodded, pushing back his chair.

Ruby stood and hovered over the table. “Excuse me?”

“Yes?” Mary answered. George and Maggie leaned in.

“Am I in trouble? I mean…is this going on my record?”

“Is what going on your record?” Mary asked.

“You know. Showing her….” Ruby’s voice drifted off into silence. Way to go, Rubes. Keep your trap shut. “Nothing. Forget it.”

“Everything will work out for the best, my dear. Trust the process.” Mary offered Ruby her
Queen for a Day
smile.

Ruby gave a slow nod and exited the white office with Albert.

~~~

Once the door closed, Mary turned to Maggie. “I feel you had more to say, my dear.”

“I did.” Maggie straightened herself in the chair. “I felt it unwise to discuss such matters in front of the youngsters.”

“I understand,” Mary stated, grateful for Maggie’s discretion. “Please. Tell us what you know.”

“It was the self-deception procedure,” Maggie said. “She stayed in the chamber for the standard hour, but the meter box hardly moved a bloody notch.” Maggie raised her hesitant eyes. “So, I set it for an additional hour.”

Click, click, click…click.

“Go on.” One of Mary’s eyebrows inched upward. She licked her lips, an unsettling feeling moving through her.

“She only completed forty-eight percent of the process,” Maggie said.

Mary’s hand touched the flutter in her chest. “Two full hours and only forty-eight percent?”

“My thoughts precisely,” Maggie said. “I dare not let her stay in a moment longer.”

Click, click.

“I’m sure you did the right thing.” Mary’s fingers tapped her forehead in agitation, and then swept her hand over her perfectly smoothed hair. Forty-eight percent echoed through her being. “And the
E-C
chamber?”

“The bottom four energy centers cleared. The top three remained
completely
blocked.”

“Yes, I seem to recall her telling me something along those lines.” Mary fanned herself. Her heart rate elevated, an unusual occurrence.

George sat, his hand across his mouth. He had yet to utter a word.

Maggie hesitated a moment before she spoke. “I do believe she’s holding on too tight.”

“To what?” Mary leaned forward, continuing with the hand-fan.

“Her daughter.” Maggie looked thoughtful. “She doesn’t believe her daughter can survive without her.”

“You’ve talked to her about this?”

“Not exactly,” Maggie said. “I listen. She’s rather chatty about the topic. Every conversation we’ve had centers around her daughter. Actually, that’s all she talks about, now that I think of it. Quite obsessive about the girl, she is.”

Click, click, click.

“Do you believe her daughter to be helpless as Quinlan portrays?” Mary forced herself to focus on Maggie. George’s silence unnerved her. What was he thinking?

Maggie only smiled.

“As I thought.” She valued Maggie’s observation skills. And at this point, pertinent details were vital to Quinlan’s assessment. Mary tried sitting back in her chair. Her spine refused to cooperate.

Click-click. Click, click...click.

“I must excuse myself,” Maggie said. “That racket is unbearable.”

“Thank you for your input. It’s been most helpful. And I do apologize for the distraction downstairs,” Mary said. “I trust you will keep us updated with any further developments?”

“Of course,” Maggie offered. “Quinlan is lovely, though her need to control her daughter seems to be quite deep-seated.” She walked around the table. “Too bad humans don’t come with a reset button; would make my job much simpler.” She stooped to give Mary a quick hug, then extended her hand to George. “It’s been way too long, my friend.”

George took Maggie’s hand and shared his crooked smile. “It has.”

Maggie left the room. Mary and George sat in silence.

“I’ve gathered the records from the library.” Mary’s eyes rounded as she addressed George. “She’s checked out
every
conceivable book on making the return trip.” She tapped the screen on her notepad. “Her on-line usage is…well, it’s preposterous.” She couldn’t stand George’s silence a moment longer. Nervousness, a new sensation, had her feeling rather, oh what’s the word…uncomfortable. “Tell me, what do you suggest?”

George seemed to enjoy rattling Mary’s nerves. “It’s only a matter of time before she asks to go back,” George said. “And when she does….” George slapped the table. “We let her go.”

CLICK-CLICK. CLICK-CLICK-CLICK.

“I beg your pardon. Did you say we let her go?”

“Nervous?” George asked.

Mary moved her hands to her knees to stop her heels from clacking together. Busted.

“Did you say we let her go?” Mary repeated, fighting to regain her composure.

“I did.” George responded.

“Are you serious?”

“I am.”

“But why?” She’d never heard of anything so ludicrous.

George only smiled.

“But it’s so…drastic.” Mary felt at a loss for words. Her hands remained clamped to her knees. “And so soon!”

“Trust the process, Mary. Just like you instructed Ruby.” George’s expression never wavered.

Mary’s mind raced through several dozen disastrous scenarios. “But how can—?”

“We’ll monitor her.” George stood and reached for his umbrella cane, plopping the Detroit cap on his head. “Go ahead and request a meeting with the Council. Let’s see if we can get this thing moving.”

Mary stood to stabilize her legs. “It could take weeks to get a meeting scheduled.” Mary tapped the calendar on her notepad. “Can’t you do it?”

“I could.” He paused. “But the request needs to come from you. Tell them I’ve endorsed it.” George hooked the walking cane over one arm and readjusted the baseball cap, pushing his ears outward. “What’s the sense of having clout if you can’t use it once in a while?” George shot Mary his rickety smile.

“Very well.” Mary closed her notepad, not at all comfortable with George’s suggestion. “If you insist.”

“Good day, madam.” George tipped his baseball cap and headed for the door.

“George?” Mary’s final attempt at reassurance.

He turned. “Yes?”

“Are you sure about this?” Indecision rattled her.

“Let it be, Mary.”

Mary watched George exit the room. She cleared her throat, then blew out a tiny puff of air. “Let it be,” she repeated, tapping slender fingers on the conference table.

~~~

The nervous heel clicking in full swing, Mary clutched her laced handkerchief wadded in her fist. She sat in the upper gallery and chewed her lower lip. A special session of the Advisory Council progressed below on the main floor. She’d observed Council meetings before, but never under such unusual circumstances. Only two days after filing her request a special session had convened. Apparently George held more clout than she knew.

The decision had been made and read aloud. Mary sat back in her seat, hands perched over her mouth. Quinlan would be allowed to return with specific guidelines.