Saving Gracie (27 page)

CHAPTER 44

QUINLAN

Quinlan spent her last night with Grace, Josh, Hannah and Jennifer watching
Ice Age
on Netflix. When the movie ended the kids fixed bowls of popcorn and headed upstairs.

“Sleep tight, dear ones,” Quinlan said, watching them disappear. “If you ever need me, just holler.” She turned to find Grace returning from the kitchen with a glass of wine. She watched her daughter take a sip, sit the stemmed glass on the coffee table, and drop down on the couch beside her.

“Don’t you think you need a….” Quinlan hit her own mute button before the word coaster escaped. She winced and looked up. “Sorry. I’m trying.” Quinlan regrouped. “What I want to say, Gracie, is I’m so happy
you’re
happy. I went about this parenting thing all wrong. I’m sorry about that. And this trip didn’t turn out at all how I expected….” she paused, “but I’m guessing that’s a good thing. There, I said it. I don’t have all the answers.”

Reaching over to the side table Grace grabbed a coaster and placed it under her glass.

She straightened, stared at the coaster and then back at Grace. “Can you hear me?”

Grace picked up the remote and flipped through channels.

“If you can hear me,” Quinlan said, “touch your nose.”

Grace stifled a yawn and took another sip of wine, replacing the glass on the coffee table. She pulled her hair back away from her face and secured it in a ponytail with a covered rubber band on her wrist. She reached up and scratched her nose.

Quinlan’s mouth fell open. She quickly slammed it shut. “I’m supposed to say goodbye,” Quinlan said, her voice shaky. “But it’s not goodbye. You know that, don’t you?”

Grace stopped channel surfing.

“
I’ll…be…right…here
.” ET touched Elliot’s forehead with an extraterrestrial finger the exact moment Quinlan’s finger touched her daughter’s chest. Grace’s hand moved upward and covered her heart, her eyes glistening.

Pulling her finger back, Quinlan checked to see if it glowed red. She wiped her own tears away. “Wow. Now that’s just cool.”

~~~

The next morning, her bag packed, Quinlan stood at the curb outside her living quarters.

“I will be your return escort, ma’am,” a familiar voice said.

“Eddie!” Quinlan said. “I mean…Edward. Hey, congratulations. I hear you got your green parachute.”

“Are you ready ma’am?”

“Yes I am.” How could she forget Eddie’s no-nonsense personality? “Here’s my bag.” She had mentally and physically prepared for the return trip, choosing to wear a cargo vest and camouflage flight pants. She had secured her wad of Kleenex and Catwoman blue eyeglasses in one of her many pockets. She wanted to be prepared for anything.

“Do you have your eyeglasses?” Eddie asked.

“Got’em.” Quinlan said.

“ID bracelet?”

“Yes.”

“Gold card?”

“Yes, Eddie. I packed everything.”

“What about your iPod?” Eddie asked.

Quinlan stopped. “I gave it to Bridget. I didn’t think—”

“Just kidding.” A trace of a grin broke across Eddie’s face.

“I knew it! You
do
have a sense of humor.” Eddie
so
needed to lighten up.

He took the bag from Quinlan. “I assume you’re ready?”

“You mean from right here?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Eddie, conducting himself as a seasoned and accomplished escort, retrieved his over-sized calculator and pressed several buttons. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

~~~

In the blink of an eye Quinlan found herself at the corner of Moon Shell Drive, facing the backside of her old friend Ruby. Meghan’s house was only steps away. Wow, I’m back, she thought. No cannon. No parachute!

“Hello there.” Quinlan said gently, trying not to startle Ruby. It didn’t work.

The over-sized woman jumped then swung around. “You’re back!” Ruby grabbed Quinlan in her over-exuberant bear hug, Juicy Fruit fumes hung in the air. “They didn’t tell me. Just said be here at three o’clock. So, whad’ya know!”

“How are you, Ruby?” Quinlan returned the hug as best she could with her arms pinned to her side, surprised how genuinely good it felt to see Ruby and her blue-tinted sunglasses.

“Fine. Fine. Couldn’t be better,” Ruby answered, releasing Quinlan. “Hey, look at those pants, will ya? I’d kill for a pair of those.” As the words left her mouth she sucked in her lips, her eyes rounded. “I didn’t mean that.”

Quinlan waved aside the remark. “I thought you’d like them so I brought you back a pair.”

“For real?” Ruby chomped.

She reached in her bag and pulled out a pair of camouflage pants, identical to hers with the exception of the XXL label.

“Ah man. These are so cool!” Ruby moved in for another vice-grip embrace.

Quinlan held her hands up, blocking the suffocating gesture. “No Ruby, you’re cool.”

Ruby rocked back and forth on her heels, beaming. “So…how was the return trip?”

“Great.” Quinlan snapped her fingers. “Nothing to it.”

“Who was your escort?” Ruby asked.

“Eddie.”

Ruby looked around. “Then where is he?”

Quinlan turned and realized Eddie was nowhere in sight. “I have no idea.”

“Uh-oh.” Ruby shook her head. “No telling where he is.”

“You’re exaggerating, aren’t you? Quinlan asked. “You did say he’d been promoted.”

“The promotion was for getting to Earth,” Ruby explained. “He’s still having trouble with re-entry.”

“Oh.” Quinlan looked around again, now worried.

Ruby shrugged. “Oh well, I’m sure he’ll show up somewhere. He usually does…eventually.”

Quinlan shot Ruby a look, trying to decide if the plus-sized woman was being facetious.

“C’mon. I’ll escort you home,” Ruby said.

“No need,” Quinlan said. “I know the way.”

“Are you kidding?” Ruby pulled back. “Give me that.” She grabbed Quinlan’s bag and started off down Moon Shell Drive.

Falling in step beside Ruby, Quinlan glanced at her surroundings. A new feeling moved through her like a warm breeze. She was back. As she approached Meghan’s house a smile curled around her lips. The flowers she’d planted across the front of the house were in full bloom. She spotted Meghan propped up on the porch swing reading
The Guardian
.

“See ya.” Ruby handed over Quinlan’s bag and waved to Meghan.

“Don’t you have your things here?” Quinlan asked.

“Nah. I never moved in, just cooked the meals,” Ruby replied, walking away. “I’m off like a dirty shirt.”

“Wait!” Quinlan remembered her last instructions from Angela. She patted her vest pockets and pulled out the blue glittery phone. “Here.”

“Oh yeah.” Ruby retraced her steps. “I’ll get yours back tomorrow.”

“No hurry.” Quinlan smiled. “I’m not going anywhere.” She realized once again how good it felt to be back. “I’ve also got my tack…sparkly glasses to give you.”

“Keep’em. A memento.” Ruby winked and turned back down the street.

Quinlan rolled her eyes. “How special.” She made her way to the porch and plopped her bag down near the swing. “I’m back.”

“I see that,” Meghan said. “I’m glad.”

“Me too.”

“No. I mean, I’m really glad. Ruby’s made chili with oysters, ginger, apricots, corn, chocolate, olives….”

“Olives? Black or green?” Quinlan asked.

Meghan made a face. “I don’t care, I hate olives. Period.”

Quinlan laughed, trying to picture olive chili.

“You think I’m joking?” Meghan rubbed her chest and throat. “I’ve had heartburn ever since you left. And we’re not supposed to even get heartburn!”

“Oh well. I’m back, so no more chili.” Quinlan sat on the swing and rested her head on Meghan’s shoulder. “Hey, I hear there’s a really good rum raisin bread pudding at Angela’s. Can’t wait to try it.”

“You’ll love it.” Meghan gave Quinlan a hug.

~~~

Quinlan busied herself with breakfast the next morning, reveling in her new-found energy. She felt relaxed and refreshed with a clarity of vision she couldn’t quite describe. She looked up when a sleepy-eyed Meghan walked into the kitchen.

“That smells wonderful.” Meghan shuffled across to the coffee pot. “What is it?”

“French toast.” Quinlan placed a small pitcher of maple syrup in a pan of simmering water.

“It doesn’t smell like chili powder…I love it.” Meghan sat at the table and took a sip of coffee. “Hey, this coffee is excellent. What did you do?”

“Just added a little brown sugar and cinnamon sticks to the grounds.”

“It’s fantastic. But don’t tell Ruby. I can see it now.” Meghan shuttered and stuck her finger in her open mouth. “Gag. Cinnamon chili.” She took another sip. “Where’d you learn this anyway?”

Quinlan smiled. “Let’s just say I’m good friends with the owner of a certain café.”

“That’s right.” Meghan’s eyes came fully awake. “Ruby told me you got to meet her.”

“Someone mention my name?” The voice came from the open back door.

The women turned and found Ruby chomping her Juicy Fruit, nose and blue-tinted glasses pressed against the screen door.

“Come on in,” Quinlan said. “We’re just having breakfast. Want to join us?”

“Thanks. Would love to, but can’t stay,” Ruby said, letting herself into the kitchen. “Smells good, though.”

“Coffee’s over there.” Quinlan brought the pitcher of warm syrup to the table.

“Thanks, but no,” Ruby said. “Never touch the stuff. Strictly a milk person, Vitamin D junky. See?” Ruby grinned widely to show her full set of pearly whites. “That’s why I wear the shades. Attracts the rays.”

“Is that what mine did?” Quinlan asked.

“Your glasses?” Ruby thought for a minute. “Nah, yours were…different.” She tapped her shades. “Mine are for, you know, the sun, Vitamin D. That sort of thing.” Ruby took a whiff. “Man that smells good. Meghan says you’re a really good cook.” She edged closer to the table. “Maybe we can swap recipes sometime.”

Meghan choked, coffee spewing from her nostrils like a spray hose. “Excuse me.” She grabbed a napkin, coughed loudly several times and pointed to her coffee mug. “Swallowed wrong.”

The cause of Meghan’s nose mishap swept right over Ruby’s head. “Yeah, I’m trying to get a chili cook-off set up,” Ruby said. “I make a mean pot of chili.”

“So I’ve heard.” Quinlan didn’t dare look at Meghan.

“Been working on my recipes for a while now…got a secret ingredient.” Ruby rocked back and forth on her heels. “Chefs have secret ingredients, you know.”

Meghan sat back down, intently cutting her toast into small pieces.

“Yep. Top secret.” Ruby shoved her hands in her pockets, still rocking. “Big. Huge.”

The only sound in the kitchen came from Juicy Fruit chomps. Quinlan broke the silence. “Oh, tell us Ruby. You know you want to.”

“Well, you could be the competition, but…if you insist.” Ruby panned the kitchen as if to ensure privacy. “But you gotta promise to keep it quiet.”

“Promise,” Quinlan said. Meghan, still focused on her French toast, crossed her heart.

Ruby leaned across the table. “Grape j-e-l-l-y.” She nodded, her mouth set. “Now you know.”

“Excuse me.” Meghan choked out before leaving the table. A sort of gasping, rattling noise came from the living room. Then the bathroom door closed.

“She okay?” Ruby asked.

“I’m sure she’s fine.” Quinlan wondered if Meghan was choking or laughing. She poured the warm syrup over her French toast. “You sure you don’t want some?”

“No, better not.” Ruby headed for the door and stopped. “Almost forgot why I came over.” She groped around in the pockets of her cargo pants and pulled out Quinlan’s old silver cell phone. “Here you go.” Ruby handed it to Quinlan. “You already got a message.”

She took the phone. “Thanks for bringing it over.”

“No problem.” Ruby headed for the door, but stopped. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” Quinlan dabbed her napkin to her lips.

“What’s it like?” she said. “You know. Being there.”

Quinlan leaned back, thinking how she could possibly explain. “It was….” Quinlan searched for the word. “Interesting.”

“Interesting?” Ruby scrunched up one side of her face. “Is that good or bad?”

Gracie’s centerpiece and the Stove Top Stuffing popped into her mind. Quinlan narrowed her eyes reflectively. “What I can say is,” she paused, “what I thought was important turned out really wasn’t so important at all.”

Ruby’s eyebrows came together as one. “How can bowling and baseball not be important?”

Quinlan smiled and shrugged. “Just my experience, that’s all.”

“Sounds bor-ing.” Ruby said. “Guess I’ll stick around here for a while. See ya.” The screen door banged behind Ruby.