Saving Gracie Part 3

"I am the a.s.sistant Intake Coordinator and will be conducting your Q & A today. This way, please." Albert's tone was solemn.

Kathryn patted her hair, a nervous habit, before following Albert through a maze of hallways opening into an area of modular cubicles.

Albert entered one of the small areas and sat at a desk, motioning Kathryn to take the seat across from him. "Busy day." He grabbed a clipboard and filled in blanks at the top of the first page. "Your name?"

"Kathryn Broussard."

"First names only here," Albert said, his eyes focused on the clipboard.

The procedure moved quickly. Albert asked questions, Kathryn answered, Albert wrote.

He laid his pen down. "Do you have any questions?" he asked, almost as an afterthought.

"Not yet, but I'll keep you posted," Kathryn chuckled at her joke. Albert's serious expression caused her to clear her throat. The water slide had been more fun.

"Good. We're finished here." From the cubicle Albert escorted Kathryn to the next building, identical to the one they had just exited except for the sign-VSD-EC STATION.

"V-S-D." Kathryn smirked. "Sounds like one of those nasty diseases."

Albert, reaching for the door, paused, his hand mid-air. He turned to face Kathryn. "VSD is Veils of Self-Deception,"

Oo-kay, not going well, Kathryn thought. "And EC?"

"Energy Centers." Albert ushered Kathryn through the doors and then glanced at his watch. "I've got to get back. Busy day, lots of arrivals."

Kathryn watched Albert do a perfect Pee-Wee Herman impersonation speed-walk down the sidewalk, make a U-turn around a row of trimmed bushes, and disappear inside the Intake Building.

"Welcome to the VSD-EC (ves deck) Station." An attractive young woman sat at the receptionist desk. "Your name?"

"Kathryn," she answered, remembering first names only.

"You're right on time. Follow me please." The young woman led Kathryn down a narrow hallway and stopped at a door marked #5.

"Please go in," the woman explained. "Your host will be with you shortly."

Kathryn turned the doork.n.o.b, peeked inside and blinked hard several times, adjusting her eyes to the hosed-down walls of mellow oranges and salmons. "Geez, looks like a Dreamsicle," she breathed, feeling like she'd fallen down Alice's rabbit hole. She slipped into a straight-back chair near the door and looked around. Recessed tempered lights illuminated the room, throwing soft peach half-moons across the walls. A ma.s.sive canopy bed framed the middle of the room, stacked high with layers of thick mattresses. A patchwork quilt in varying hues of Dreamsicle colors lay across the top.

Princess and the Pea? She rose and walked around the room in fairy-tale wonder, noticing the perfectly coordinated airy wisps of material gathers across the canopy. A polished wooden step stool perched next to the enormous bed.

An elderly woman entered the room through a door Kathryn had yet to notice, concealed in one of the salmon-colored wall panels.

"h.e.l.lo luv. I'm Maggie." The woman spoke in a silky-smooth British accent. "I'll be your host for this part of the intake." Maggie's faded yet round blue eyes sparkled. Her hair, auburn and lightened by streaks of gray, hung to her shoulders in loose waves framing her heavily lined, but kind face. "Hop up on the bed, dearie," she instructed.

Kathryn felt another nervous twinge. "Can I ask a question first?"

"Of course." Maggie adjusted a small switch on the wall, lowering the lights to a past-sunset look. "What is it, luv?"

"Albert told me VSD-EC means Veils of Self-Deception." Kathryn inched toward the overly large bed and absent-mindedly ran a finger along one of the canopy bedposts. "Exactly what does that mean?"

"A bit anxious, are we?" Maggie moved to stand beside Kathryn.

"What?" Kathryn turned and realized Maggie caught her checking for dust. "Sorry," she said, quite embarra.s.sed. "I usually clean when I'm nervous."

"No need. Come sit." Maggie tucked her fingers under Kathryn's elbow and led her back to the chair by the door. Pulling up a matching wooden chair, Maggie sat across from her.

"You'll learn more about this later, luv, but let's see if I can help." Maggie took in a long breath. "This, the V-S-D part, gives you a chance to review your time on Earth." She reached for both of Kathryn's hands. "Warts and all. You know, to see what areas you need to work on, what went well, and what...how should I say this." She paused. "Didn't."

Kathryn sucked in air. "My faults? All of them?"

Maggie smiled. "That's the self-deception part, dearie; they're not faults, although humans regard them as such. Rather judgmental creatures they are."

"But what if I don't like what I see?" Kathryn wiped sweaty palms across the top of her pants leg. She didn't like the sound of this at all.

"It is what it is. That's how you learn about your true self," Maggie said. "It's the development of the soul."

Kathryn fidgeted in her chair.

"Once the veil is lifted you will see your time on Earth more objectively; something humans rarely do, if ever."

Kathryn pulled a hand free and rubbed her forehead. "Do you have any Extra-Strength Tylenol?"

"Look, luv. Take a deep breath."

Kathryn forced air into her lungs.

"The way you're feeling is a human emotion. Once the veil is lifted you'll feel much, much better," Maggie said.

"Swear?" Kathryn wrung her damp hands.

Maggie smiled rea.s.suringly. "Humans, by nature, are difficult creatures. They devise unhealthy emotional havens for themselves."

Kathryn squinted, trying to grasp the meaning of Maggie's words.

"They're greatly influenced by what they're told by others or...what they tell themselves," Maggie said. "Which in turn becomes their reality."

Kathryn eyed Maggie, not having a clue what the woman meant.

"The veil of self-deception is a defense mechanism used to protect the ego. It's rather fragile, you know." Maggie paused. "The ego, that is." She pulled Kathryn gently to her feet. "There, I've said enough. Just keep in mind, it's a good thing." Maggie paused, a puzzled look on her face. "Who says that?"

"What?"

"It's a good thing." Maggie rubbed her chin. Her eyes brightened. "It's that Martha person, isn't it?"

Kathryn could only nod. Martha Stewart? At a time like this? Not at the top of her list.

"I knew I'd heard it somewhere." Maggie plumped the pillows on the peach bed. "Most unusual woman, I hear."

"Yes," Kathryn managed to say.

"You'll be here for an hour." Maggie turned to face Kathryn. "Just think of it as a lovely nap. Once you're finished, I'll come and take you straight away to the E-C chamber."

"Can't you stay?" Kathryn said, petrified by the warts and all thing. "You know, just till I fall asleep?" she asked, feeling five.

"You'll be fine, luv. Just trust the process." Maggie walked toward the door. "Now. Any more questions?"

Kathryn shook her head, regretting the ones she'd already asked.

"No worries, luv." Maggie said and left the room.

I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, Kathryn thought, slipping between the Dreamsicle sheets. She forced her head to relax against the mound of down pillows, the covers clenched up under her chin.

"I can do this," she said one last time before her eyes closed.

Maggie watched Kathryn from a two-way gla.s.s outside the room. She set the timer on the meter box for an hour. "This one isn't going to be an easy one."

An hour later Maggie returned to the meter box. The needle gage had barely moved.

"She's holding on too tight, I'd say." Maggie rubbed her chin. "I'll give it a bit longer." She set the timer for another hour.

When the timer sounded again, the needle gage registered 48%. Maggie shook her head and made a notation on her clipboard.

Appears to be having difficulty letting go of Earthly matters.

Kathryn awoke from a fitful sleep. Not the lovely nap at all Maggie promised, but a near nightmare of Gracie planning another dinner party. She witnessed her daughter banging *1 on her phone desperate for Kathryn's help only to get the repeated disconnect recording.

"Alright, off you go." Maggie helped Kathryn down from the tower of mattresses and escorted her through a short hallway to what looked like a small elevator. "In here, luv." Maggie pointed to the open door.

Kathryn, still shaken by her less than pleasant nap, backed away from the door, not at all ready to be shoved into a small closet-sized s.p.a.ce. "Ah...I'm claustrophobic."

"It'll be over before you know it," Maggie said.

Gulping back trepidation, Kathryn stepped inside. A seven-columned panel of round b.u.t.tons aligned one wall. Above them, a small, mounted plaque read ENERGY CENTERS.

Maggie handed Kathryn a pair of blue-tinted sungla.s.ses.

"What are these for?" Kathryn slipped them on, trying out the blue tint of her surroundings.

"It's just a bit of a light show," Maggie replied.

The door of the chamber slid shut and, as predicted, the walls of the chamber seemed to close in around her like a trash compactor. Kathryn felt beads of sweat form on her brow. Just stay cool, she thought. Nano seconds before she reached full-throttle panic, a high frequency hum resonated through the chamber, followed by vibrant rays of neon lights ricocheting off the walls. The bottom b.u.t.ton on the control panel glowed red. The next one up, orange, then yellow and the last b.u.t.ton to light beamed neon green. The top three b.u.t.tons remained unlit.

The humming psychedelic light show stopped and the door of the small enclosure opened. Kathryn lifted the blue-tinted gla.s.ses from the bridge of her nose and peeked out. "I got four out of seven. Is that good?"

Maggie seemed to avoid direct eye contact. "I'm sure it'll all work out, dear. C'mon, luv. We've a schedule to keep."

CHAPTER 6.

QUINLAN AND MAGGIE.

Maggie led Kathryn to a third building down the street, similar in structure but much larger than the Intake and VSD-EC buildings. Ruth met them in the lobby.

Maggie turned to Kathryn. "Hungry, luv?"

"Starved," Kathryn said.

"There you go," Maggie pointed to an adjacent area stemming from the main lobby, filled with comfortable over-stuffed furniture and an elegant buffet line.

Kathryn made a beeline for the food.

"How'd she do?" Ruth asked.

Maggie glanced into the eating area and, seeing Kathryn pile fruit onto a plate, felt sure their conversation would not be overheard. "I'd say she's hanging on a bit to her Earth life."

"I was afraid of that." Ruth shook her head. "She has a long history of over-reacting when it comes to her daughter, Grace."

"And why is that, luv?" Maggie asked.

"Ever hear of a helicopter mom?" Ruby asked.

Maggie shook her head.

Ruth made a swirling whistle sound, her index finger circling in the air. "Named after my sister," she said. "Helicopter moms hover. They try to control everything." A pause. "Kathryn never allowed Grace to do anything for herself. Of course, in her eyes she wanted to be the perfect mother. It's like she embraced motherhood with clenched fists." Ruth shuddered at the thought.

"Sounds like she went a bit overboard," Maggie said, her concern for Kathryn b.u.mped up a notch...or three.

"Ya think?" Ruth said.

They joined Kathryn, whose plate was filled with plumb strawberries, perfectly ripe mangos, avocados and fresh pineapple. A second plate of a.s.sorted cheese and crackers hovered nearby.

"I'll leave you to your meal." Maggie placed a hand on Kathryn's shoulder, "Your sister will show you to your next appointment."

Maggie left the building and returned to her office, plopping down in her chair. "She's a b.l.o.o.d.y mess, that one is." She powered on her electronic notebook and began on what she was sure would be a lengthy report on the new arrival.

Kathryn, enthralled by the luscious fruit, hardly noticed Maggie's absence. She looked around and found Ruth staring at her. "What?" she asked.