Spirit Talk: (Book One of The Fiona Series)
Page 22
“I won’t,” her mother said, “and I’ll be thinking of you.” As Fiona settled into the passenger seat and buckled her belt, Theresa pulled a small box out of her purse and handed it to her. “I found this in my mother’s jewelry box,” Theresa said. She looked at Fiona with a tender expression on her face. Who is this woman? Fiona thought.
Fiona held the box a moment before opening it, then slowly removed the lid. Inside, nestled in pink tissue, was a heart-shaped silver locket on a fine, slippery chain. Fiona held her breath as she opened the locket, then exhaled excitedly when she saw the two photos inside. One was of her Grandma Mary as a bride, her hair in a double-bunned “Cootie Motel” style. The other photo was of her Grandpa Pete, the groom, looking sophisticated in spite of his obvious youth. They smiled serenely out at her Fiona. We love you, Fiona heard them say simultaneously in her left ear. She wondered if Martin had heard their voices, too, and hoped not. She did not turn her head to look at him. This was her private moment.
Fiona looked at her mother. “Don’t you want to keep this?” she asked.
“You keep it for now. They can watch over you while you’re away.” Theresa was hugging herself in the cold wind and Martin released an impatient cough. Fiona felt instantly annoyed and she wanted to tell him to relax, but she refrained. She guessed that Martin was like her boss now that she’d signed the contract.
“Thanks, Mom,” Fiona said. “I will treasure it.” As she rolled up the window, she gazed at Theresa, who was wiping away tears with the sleeve of her coat. Fiona wiped her own eyes, then waved as the car slowly pulled away from the curb and onto Main Street. In the sideview mirror, she watched Theresa shrink out of sight.
Thankfully, Martin did not speak and Fiona was able to take her last glimpses of Fireside lost in her own thoughts. It seemed like no time at all had passed since she’d rolled into Fireside in Ginny’s station wagon, and in other ways it seemed like eons. So much had happened in such a short time. She gripped the locket and it felt warm against her fingers as if it were emanating love. Now, she had a reminder of her past in case she felt lost or afraid at the facility.
Looking at Martin’s face in profile, Fiona remembered Grandma Mary’s words in her dream: “You have to go because you have to stop them.” Stop them from what? Fiona wondered. She looked away from Martin and gazed at the winter-bare trees on the side of the highway. She remembered how the voice had spoken to her on her way into Fireside. The trees are talking to each other. She was simultaneously overcome with excitement and apprehension as Martin’s car passed smoothly over the road toward Deer Grove, Minnesota.