path: root/02-LArmeedeJoanPart1.rst

Episode 3.02, L'Armée de Joan, Part 1
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It has been a long three weeks. At least I was allowed to keep my
job. Straight to work and straight home, but four hours out of the
house a week was a godsend. The reading has been pretty dry, but it
has been making me think more than anything else. The best part is
Mom. It really hurt her when we couldn't talk after my concert trip.
Even after I apologized, it still seemed a little awkward to sharing
things at times. And when I refused to tell her why I broke up with
Adam, that started the whole thing over again. All along, she never
said a word

Now that we are reading many of the same books, we talk about them. I
feel our talks are helping her in her journey back to the church,
even though my questions always seem to add more confusion. But, that
is what she wants, and I want that for her. She seems to become
happier every day, and that I can be a part of it really pleases me.

And, Dad and Kevin are being affected too. Well, not so much Dad, but
he is listening. Kevin is struggling like Mom. He wants to learn
because he is in love with Lilly. Her extremely strong religious
beliefs are very much a part of her. It's not that Kevin is trying to
convert, but rather that he feels he needs to at least try to
understand Lilly's passion for the Church.

Grace came over yesterday. We had a good time. It seems she spends
all of her time with Luke now. It was good having just her and me.
She worries about me though. I keep telling her I am fine, but she
doesn't believe me. Okay, so I do yoga now. Is it really that
strange? At first, I didn't like it. I hurt everywhere. But now that
I have it figured out, I feel good when I'm done. It's calming. I'm
going to keep bugging her to join me.

But the dreams are what worry her most. Yeah, I told her about some
of them. I probably shouldn't have, but she is my best friend, and
I'm so lonely carrying all of these secrets. It's like, I see a
place, but I don't know how to get there. I don't even know where
there is. But, I know it is some place that I want to be. Strange!

Last night’s dream was one of the weirdest! I was in a convent. No, I
wasn't a nun, but there were a pair of nuns who were dancing. Are
they supposed to do that? Anyway, they were doing a waltz, I think.
They did other dances too, but the neatest dance was the jitterbug.
Can you imaging two nuns jitterbugging? It was hilarious! I was
laughing so hard when I woke up that I almost wet the bed.

When I told Grace about the dream, she laughed. We laughed together.
But, she wonders if I'm heading back to crazy camp. I reassured her
that I wasn't, but truthfully, I wonder myself. The dreams are no
longer sporadic. It's almost every night. I started writing them
down, as much as I can remember. If Mom ever finds my journal, it's
back to crazy camp for sure.

Well, one more day of prison. I'll spend tomorrow night at Grace's,
and then we'll go on vacation! I'm so excited! Good night ole pen.

Joan drifts off into another adventure in sleeping. After she is
asleep, God pays her another visit. He sits on the bed beside her and
speaks to his sleeping child, “You're doing good, Joan. The yoga is
beginning to tune your mind and body. You are slowing becoming aware
of the gift that I gave you, the gift you asked for so long ago. In
time, you will understand.” He runs his fingers across her forehead,
like he has done so many times before, and leaves.

When Joan wakes up, she remembers it's a new day. The last day of
being grounded! But still, she has a lot to get done before she
leaves. She makes her bed and gathers up her dirty laundry into a
pile. She makes herself a breakfast of eggs and toast. While she
eats, she struggles through the last few pages of St. Augustine's
Confessions. Then back up to the bedroom to pack.

Usually by now, she has acquired at least some new summer clothes,
but being grounded at the beginning of summer squelched that custom.
So she sifts through last year's clothes to see what can still be
worn. Nothing really, but she places what she has in the suitcase
anyway with the swimsuit on top. All she has to do now is put her
toiletries in later, and she'll be ready to go.

She enters the bathroom to begin the morning ritual of cleansing.
Helen hears the shower running as she walks out of her bedroom. She
notices Joan's suitcase on her bed and decides to take a peek. She
browses through the clothes that Joan has packed for the trip. A
smile paints across her face and she heads downstairs to start the
coffee.

After her shower, Joan gathers up her laundry and takes it down to
the washroom. She begins sorting, filling the washer with a load of
whites. Helen quietly walks in with her coffee and watches by the
door.

Joan – “What?”

Helen – “Nothing, I was just watching.”

Joan – “I'm doing it right. You only had to teach me once.”

Helen – “That's not why I'm watching. I know you'll do it right. You
have been doing it right for three weeks now.”

Joan – “Then what?”

Helen – “I have a surprise. Let me get my shower then I'll tell you
what it is.”

She makes a second cup of coffee and heads back upstairs. “Will,
honey, I brought you some coffee.”

Will – “Thanks Hon. So what's on the agenda for today?”

Helen – “You are going to have a quiet morning, and I am taking our
daughter shopping.”

Will – “Should we be rewarding her so soon? We already knocked off a
week from her punishment.”

Helen – “It's not a reward. I just saw what she has packed for her
trip. She needs new clothes.”

Will – “What about Luke?”

Helen – “I took him shopping last week. He's fine.”

Will – “Well, enjoy your shopping. You're right, I would rather let
you two take care of that on your own. This will be our last dinner
with Joan and Luke for awhile. What sounds good to you?”

Helen – “Surprise me.”

She gets cleaned up and returns downstairs. Joan has finished dusting
the living room furniture. She has the vacuum poised to be used as
soon as the others wake up. She is watching a video she recorded
earlier and is practicing her yoga.

Helen – “When you're finished, I have another job for you.”

Joan stops her routine and looks at her mother, “Mom! Don't I already
have enough chores to do?”

Helen – “You'll like this one. Grab your purse.”

Joan – “Purse? Where are we going?”

Helen – “Shopping.”

Joan doesn't know what brought this on, but she's not going to argue.
She quickly follows her mother out to the car before she changes her
mind.

Will finishes his shower and calls Kevin and Luke, “Get up
sleepyheads. I'm making pancakes.”

In a short while, Kevin and Luke arrive in the kitchen. Will serves
up the pancakes, and they sit down to have breakfast.

Will – “Luke, what are your plans for the day?”

Luke – “Friedman and I are going to spend time at the arcade. That's
about it.”

Will – “Why don't you pack for tonight before you go?”

Luke – “It's already done.”

Kevin – “I proofed a story about that whole area a few weeks ago.
There are lots of things to do. I'm sure you will have fun.”

Will – “So what's on your schedule today?”

Kevin – “Lilly is cleaning St. Peter's again. They have to finish up,
so they can have Mass in the morning. She's going to come by when
she's done, and we'll figure out something to do.”

At the Store

Joan – “Mom, this is so wonderful! Jeans, shorts, shirts and...” She
lowers her voice, “Even new bras and panties! And, the swimsuit is
gorgeous!”

Helen – “Is there anything else that you need?”

Joan says no, but she has never been good at lying. Helen can see it
written all over her face. “What is it?”

Joan – “Oh, it can wait.”

Helen – “Tell me.”

Joan - “Okay, Sammy placed a special order for Joan of Arc, by Regine
Pernoud and Marie-Veronique Clin. He should have let me do it. He put
the number in wrong, and the copy we received was in French. He told
me to send it back, but I didn't. I started reading it. Mom, I would
love to take it with me to read at the lake. I can pay you back. I'll
have a check waiting when I get home. Please!”

Helen – “Ok, we'll stop at the bookstore on the way home.”

Joan – “Thanks, Mom.”

At Home

Will has decided what he wants to make for dinner. It's Luke's
favorite and he hasn't made it in awhile. He has been searching
through cupboards and finds that he is missing some of the key
ingredients.

Luke has gone out with Friedman, and Kevin has settled in the living
room. He is quietly reading Helen's catechism book.

Will – “I have to go to the grocery to pick up a few things. Would
you like to come?”

Kevin – “No, I'll stay here.”

Will – “Can I get you anything?”

Kevin – “If they have Snapple Kiwi Strawberry, pick me up some.
Otherwise, I’ll drink what we have here.”

Will writes it down on his list. “I'll look for it.” He leaves for
the store.

Helen and Joan return home from shopping. Kevin is still on the
couch. Joan says excitedly, “Look Kevin, new clothes!” She pulls out
her swimsuit and a brassiere falls out onto the couch beside him. She
quickly grabs it and puts it back in the bag, “See my new suit?”

Kevin – “Very nice, and I'm sure Dad will like it too.”

Joan – “Yeah, I know, he's Amish too. But, it's still pretty.”

Kevin – “You don't wear blue very often. It looks good on you.”

Joan – “Thanks, I really like it.”

Kevin – “So, does this mean you're out of the dog house?”

Helen – “Not yet.Joan, you still have to finish your chores.”

Joan – “I'm on it. I'll have everything done before I leave.”

And off she goes. She puts her new clothes into the wash, and then
she begins the Indianapolis 500. She has had three weeks to get this
routine down to an art form. How does she vacuum the entire house in
an hour and fifteen minutes? The trick is imagination. But for
Larry's sake, it really is a good thing that he ran away.

Joan finished up the vacuuming just in time for lunch. Will picked up
a variety of lunch meats and some Roman Meal bread. He was also able
to find Snapple Kiwi Strawberry. This turned out to be the drink of
choice for lunch.

At the Arcade

Luke and Friedman are disappointed the new game promised won't be in
until next week. They play some of the familiar games, but soon
become bored.

Luke – “This is no fun. Maybe I should go home and finish getting
ready to leave?”

Friedman – “I sure wish I was going. If I have to go on another
cruise, I'm going to puke even more!”

Luke – “Grace will never invite you anywhere as long as you keep
calling her Marge.”

Friedman – “That's her name, Margaret Grace Polk.”

Luke – “We all know that's not what you mean. Besides, you know she
likes to be called by her middle name. What if we start calling you
Alfred? Alfred E. Friedman. What if I let that get around school?”

Friedman – “You wouldn't dare.”

Luke – “Watch me. Stop calling her Marge or I'll do it.”

Friedman is about to refuse, but then he begins to believe that Luke
might actually do it. “Deal, but you sure are pussy whipped.”

Luke doesn't get mad often, but he is this close to decking his
friend. He decides it's time to leave, “Hey, I have to go. I'll call
you when I get back.”

At Home

After lunch, Joan rotates the laundry once more. She then decides to
endure the most vile chore of all, cleaning Luke's fish tank. At
least there is one consolation. She will never, ever clean it again,
even if Luke does offer to explain the unified field theory.

Next, she cleans the bathroom. She wipes down the shower, tub, and
all of the porcelain. Mrs. Clean! She unstreaks the mirror and
streaks the floor. She kicks her father out of the kitchen long
enough to do the same there, and she's done. Whew! She flops down
beside her brother on the couch, “ Whatcha reading?”

Kevin – “Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica.”

Joan – “Is it any good?”

Kevin – “It's kind of dry, but interesting.”

Joan – “Yeah, well that's next on my list, but I'm taking a break. I
bought the story of Joan of Arc to read. She was really cool.”

Kevin – “Let me read it when you're done.”

She smiles. “Sorry bro', you'll have to learn French first.”

Joan repositions the tape to where she left off, and again begins to
practice her yoga.

Kevin – “You really like doing that, don't you?”

Joan – “Yeah, I do. At first it was really hard. In fact, I still
don't think I'm doing it right, but I'm going to keep practicing
until I get it.”

Kevin goes back to his reading, keeping one eye on his sister. He
doesn't know anything about yoga, but it looks like she is doing it
right to him. For Joan, it is graceful. She's no longer that pudgy
6-year-old busting out of a tutu. This seems to suit her. Briefly,
the thought crosses his mind of how he would like to be able to join
her. He quickly begins to read again to clear that thought from his
head. He wonders, ‘What's keeping Lilly?' He expected her to be here
hours ago.

Joan finishes her routine and rotates the laundry one last time. The
last load is now in the dryer. She begins the task of folding and
hanging up the clothes. She puts on her headphones and begins singing
along with the music, while also doing a little dance. Will and Helen
hear her fractured singing and can't help but go look. They both peek
around the corner and watch for a moment. They smile at each other
and return to the kitchen. Joan is completely oblivious to the event.

Luke arrived home with Lilly. She had seen him walking home from the
arcade and gave him a ride the rest of the way home. Lilly sees Kevin
on the couch and goes to him, “I'm so sorry. When we were almost
done, one of the slimes I brought with me to help spilled a whole can
of paint. It took us forever to get it cleaned up. Then I found out
Margaret from the Ladies Auxiliary has been sick, and no one made the
arrangements for the ‘Coming Out Party.' That's what we are calling
the party tomorrow after Mass. Funny, huh? I thought of it. So what
would you like to do now?”

Kevin – “There's no more time left. It's almost time for dinner. Then
Joan and Luke are leaving for a week, and I want to see them off. My
day has been totally shot! And now you tell me that after Mass
tomorrow you are going to a party. I have been trying to be
understanding about your passion for the Church, but where is your
understanding for me? There are other things in life than the
Church.”

Lilly knows she has stepped in it. She has seen Kevin upset before,
but never this angry. She is used to doing the yelling, not the other
way around. Although she knows Kevin has a right to be angry, she's
not in the mood to deal with it, “Ok, I'm sorry, but there are things
that I just have to do. I'll call you in the morning.” She gets up
and heads for the door.

When Luke comes in, he smells the garlic and heads for the kitchen.
As he passes the laundry room, he notices Joan. Yeah, she was still
in there folding laundry, listening to music, and dancing about. He
stopped to take a look. Joan noticed him standing there and takes off
her headphones just as Luke says to Helen, “Look at this weirdo!”

Of course, Joan had to respond, “Why, can't you dance, dog breath?”

Helen arrives just in time to put an end to the crisis, when she sees
Lilly heading for the door, “Lilly, are you staying for dinner?”

Lilly – “No thanks, Helen. Some other time.”

Joan grabs her dad's folded laundry and hang-ups, and heads for the
stairs. Helen calls out, “Come down and set the table as soon as you
have that put away.”

She puts her dad's things nicely away in the drawers and closet and
comes down and sets the table. She decides she has time for one more
trip before dinner. She takes Luke's clothes up to his room and
throws them on his bed.

Will – “Dinner is served!” He brings out the pan of lasagna and Helen
brings a large bowl of salad. Helen returns to the kitchen and brings
back a freshly made loaf of garlic bread.

Will – “Bon appetite!”

They serve the food and everyone begins to eat.

Helen – “Oh, wait! We forgot the prayer. Joan, would you do us the
honor?”

Joan – “\ Bénis, ô Dieu, et ces ton des cadeaux que nous nous
apprêtons à recevoir de ton.\ *Par le Christ notre
seigneur.*\ *Amen*\ .”

Helen – “Joan!”

Joan – “I did it right. It was just in French. And before you ask,
you already know how my day was – work, work, work, shopping,
shopping, work, work, work, work.”

Helen – “Well, thanks for the prayer, even if no one but you could
understand it. Kevin, you don't look too chipper. Shall I ask?”

Kevin – “You don't want to know.”

Helen – “Luke?”

Luke – “I almost decked Friedman today.”

Will says, satirically, “Isn't this a wonderful dinner I made for us
tonight?”

Everyone responded with the appropriate compliments, and then
continued to enjoy the meal quietly.

Joan finishes eating first and excuses herself. She takes her
mother's laundry upstairs and puts it nicely away in the drawers and
closet. She makes another trip and does the same with Kevin's
laundry. As she is returning downstairs, she passes Luke on his way
up. “Bite me!”

She returns with her laundry and places it on the bed. From Luke's
attic bedroom she hears, “Mo-om!”A smile crosses her face, “ Les
services vous le droit, l'haleine de chien!”

Helen calls up the stairs, “You two stop your fighting. Joan, you
need to come down and do the dishes.”

Joan knew she had to do the dishes, but was hoping to be able to
finish packing first. She returns down to the kitchen and does the
chore. Lasagna sure is good going down, but it's a pain to get off
the pan. She gets the worst of it off and into the dishwasher it
goes. That's it! That's the last chore to be done. She skips back up
to her room.

She removes the clothes from her suitcase that she had put in earlier
and replaces them with the new ones she bought today. Then she
returns a few items of her old favorites for good measure. A couple
of brushes, a zip-lock bag of makeup, and of course Jeanne d'Arc. A
trip to the bathroom and she returns with her toothbrush, toothpaste,
a few odds and ends, and of course a fresh Oil of Old Lady Bath Bar.
Joan borrowed it from her mother years ago, and she hasn't used
anything else since. A quick shower, a change of clothes, and she's
ready to go.

Joan begins to lug her suitcase downstairs and meets Luke doing the
same. They exchange glares, and then they both notice their father is
standing there, “Come on you two. You are going on vacation. Whatever
it is you are fighting about, get over it. Have fun.” He grabs both
of their bags and takes them down to the car. He opens each one and
slips an envelope inside. He returns inside and gives Helen a knowing
nod.

Helen – “Okay, are you sure you have everything you need?”

Joan – “Mom, I'm seventeen. I don't need to be babied anymore.”

Luke – “I made a list and cross-referenced everything. I have
considered every variable.”

Helen – “I guess that means you're ready too. Your father and I have
put a little surprise in each of your suitcases. Look for it later.
Come give me a hug.”

Joan gives her mother a hug, “I love you Mom.” She turns to Kevin who
is sitting there with open arms. She leans over and gives him a hug
also. Kevin grabs her hips and swings her into his lap, “Why don't I
give you a ride to the car?” Luke finishes hugging his mother and
turns to see Kevin and Joan are now beside him. Kevin raises his fist
as if to give him a shoulder punch, but changes his hand to a finger
gun, “ Gotcha. See, I'm learning.” He shakes Luke's hand, leaving
Luke both happy and surprised. They all go out to the car, and Helen
and Kevin wave as they drive away.

At the Polonsky's

When they arrive, they exit from the car and Will places the
suitcases on the sidewalk, “Now it's my turn.” He gives Joan a hug
and sees Luke's outstretched hand. He takes it and pulls him in for a
hug also. They walk up to the door and ring the bell.

Sarah answers the door and invites them in, “You must be Will. It is
nice to finally meet you.”

Will – “It's nice to finally meet you, too.”

Rabbi Polonsky approaches and Sarah begins an introduction, “This is
my husband...”

Rabbi Polonsky interrupts, “Jakob Polonsky.It is very nice to meet
you. Would you like to join us? We were about to have a snack.”

Will – “No, thank you. I have to go, but Helen and I really
appreciate you inviting Joan and Luke to vacation with you.”

Jakob– “It is our pleasure. They are such fine children.”

Will shakes the Rabbi's hand and also bids Sarah farewell. Grace
directs Joan to her room and Luke to the guest room where they leave
their suitcases. They return to the dining room where Rabbi, Sarah,
and Adam are already seated.

Adam – “Hi Joan… Luke… Mrs. P has made Rugelach.”

Joan – “Hi Adam, how's work?”

Adam – “Good, I'm just doing ad layouts, but Mr. D. says I'll be able
to do more in time.”

Joan redirects the conversation to Grace, “I have some new songs on
my iPod. You'll have to listen to them later.”

Luke – “To which she can't dance.”

Joan gives him a glare and mouths the words, ‘Bite me, dog breath.'
Sarah and Jakob exchange glances and smile.

Rabbi Polonsky – “It would appear you have brought with you a
confrontation. Let us pray that this can be resolved, and we have a
happy vacation.” He prays silently.

At Home

It's 5 AM. Helen has been tossing and turning in her sleep. She can't
shake the feeling that she should not have allowed Joan to go with
the Polonsky's. Maybe it's the over-protective mother in her. Maybe
it was the idea that Joan still had one week left of her punishment.
But, the real reason is because, when she believed Joan had been
kidnapped, she feared that all of the horror from that night in
college would now be her daughter's fate. She springs up in bed with
her heart pounding and her eyes flooding with tears, “My baby girl!”

Her sudden movement makes Will stir. He sits up beside her and gives
her a hug, “Honey! Shhh… Shhh… what is it? What's wrong?”

Helen – “It's... it's nothing, nothing, really. I'm just being
silly.”

Will – “No, Honey, tell me what's bothering you.”

He puts his arm around her shoulder, and she melts into him, sobbing.
A few moments of his comfort helps her calm down, and she is able to
talk to him, “What if something terrible happens to her when we're
not around?”

Will – “That won't happen. Joan is a smart girl.”

Helen – “Who sometimes gets into trouble.”

Will – “I'll grant you that, but I think this time she's really
learned her lesson.”

Helen – “I hope you're right.”

Will – “I know you're worried. I am too, but we have to let her grow
up and just trust that we raised her right.”

Helen – “I know, she's a good kid. It's the other people in the world
that I'm worried about.”

They settle back down into bed and Will goes back to sleep. Helen is
only able to doze.

On the Way

The highway is surrounded by heavy forest cover, cut in the side of a
mountain pass. The terrain steeps up on the right and continues down
on the left in the same manner. Ahead is a brown 8-passenger van
whose driver must not understand the meaning of the word
‘accelerate'. In the back of their mini-van, the kids are laughing
their way through ‘99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall’.

Rabbi Polonsky is driving, with Sarah in the passenger seat. They are
both wearing typical weekend summer clothes, but Sarah's summer dress
is outstanding. It is pale yellow with a faint flower pattern
throughout. And, of course, she has a matching bonnet. They are
carrying on their own conversation in spite of the munchkin singing
coming from the back seats.

In the middle are seated Grace and Luke. Although wearing seat belts,
they are turned towards Joan and Adam in the rear seat. All of them
are smiling and laughing and sometimes messing up by singing the
wrong number. But, the deathblow to their singing finally occurs when
Luke sings, “49 Bottles of Bears on the Wall.” This sends them all
into a chorus of laughter, effectively ending the song.

Grace – “I'm really glad your folks let you out of your jail cell.”

Joan – “Yeah,” with a little laugh, “time off for good behavior I
guess.”

When Grace invited Joan to join her on this trip, she was devastated.
She wanted so badly to go, but she knew she had over a week left of
being grounded. Then on her 19th day of life in prison, Homeless Man
God nearly scared her to death. He popped out from behind a can when
she was taking out the trash. He suggested that she take a break from
her punishment and go on vacation. “Duh! Grounded, because of you I
might add.” But he told her that she should ask her parents for
permission, and it worked!

She really isn't sure why her parents let her go. Sure, for three
weeks, she was a princess. She did all her chores, plus Luke's and
Kevin's, without complaining. But she still had one week left. She is
certain God had something to do with her parents' decision.

Luke – “Good behavior or begging? You must have bargained with
everything but your new iPod to get permission to go out of town.”

Joan – “You would have done the same thing, brain boy. Chores for
three weeks. I'm just glad it worked.”

Luke will never tell his sister that it was he who actually did the
begging. He put his logic into overdrive and convinced his parents
that Joan had to be allowed go. Why? Let's just say that he didn't
want to lose his favorite flavor of lip-gloss.

Adam, in the shy quiet voice he has used on many occasions before he
and Joan became an item, agrees, “I'm glad too.”

Joan smiles at him, sees him smiling back at her, and then quickly
turns away. She's still not ready to completely forgive him for what
he did last April. The hurt is still too fresh. On the other hand,
she misses him terribly. It's a conflict within her that she really
wishes she could sort out. But the healing of a heart takes time.

Luke – “I think this time out of Arcadia will do us all some good.
Being at the lake, away from all the drama about the fire…”

Joan interrupts, “And the ‘run away high school student' crap the
Arcadia Herald has been printing lately. Andy Reese is such a jerk!”

Luke – “And that, too.” Luke is a little annoyed that Joan is still
dwelling on this.

Joan glares at Luke who glares right back. It's a brother-sister
thing, but Grace, being an only child, doesn't understand that they
are only joking around and are not really fighting. She‘s right to
question it though, because they had been fighting before they left
Arcadia.

Grace intercedes with a motherly tone, hoping not to have to hear
Joan mope all week long, “Okay, no fighting, children.”

Adam also tries to lighten the mood. He doesn't understand it's just
a sister and brother thing either, “So, um, Grace, do you still have
that tire swing out by the lake? I haven't taken a dive off that
since we were eight.”

Grace – “Yeah, it's still there, but you may need to spend a few
hours cutting your way through the overgrown bushes. The path hasn't
been taken care of since we stopped coming a few years ago.”

Joan – “Speaking of which, how come you guys stopped taking a
vacation out here? It's such a pretty place.”

As Joan is talking, the trees give way to show the amazing view. The
sun is shining, leaving sparkles and reflections on the smooth
surface of the lake. Around the edge are families getting into canoes
with children bundled up in life jackets that are almost bigger than
they are. It looks like a picture from a ‘wish you were here' post
card.

Grace – “That was around the same time that…” Grace trails off. She
is talking about her mother's drinking problem. She doesn't want to
bring it up, not now. Her mother has been sober for almost six
months. This is their first family vacation in a long time. Luckily,
a voice from the front seat ends the awkward silence.

Sarah – “We're almost there kids. We're going to stop at the grocery
store in town to pick up some supplies. Then we'll head back to the
lake.”

The kids all sigh and begin to stare out of the windows. As they
approach the town, they pass a large sign adorned with flags and
yellow ribbons. It reads, ‘Welcome to Millersville.' Joan is shocked.
She had no idea this trip would bring her here. The others are
oblivious to the significance, but Joan remembers the house fire. You
know, the one with a connection to Ryan Hunter. She never did hear
anything back from Kevin on the matter. She turns and watches the
sign leave her view as they go around another curve in the road.

At Home

Will's cell phone rings. They both know from experience that when his
phone rings on the weekend, there is no good news on the other end.

Will answers the phone, “Girardi... okay... okay... all right, I'll
meet you at the Crime Lab.”

Will hangs up the phone and looks sadly at Helen, “So much for a
peaceful morning. I'm sorry, that was Roebuck. He wants to go over
some information about the Synagogue fire.”

Helen – “I understand. Go catch the bad guy.”

She gives him a swift kiss, and he gets up and readies himself to go.

Helen reaches for the phone and calls Lilly, “Lilly, this is Helen.
I'm not feeling good this morning. I'm going to have to pass on Mass
and the party. I'm really sorry.”

Lilly responses with the appropriate disappointment and wishes Helen
to feel better.After the call, Helen goes back to sleep.

In Millersville

The Polonsky vacation party pulls into the parking lot of Finnegan's
Grocery Store. It is a typical grocery store, with large glass
windows lining the front, and signs advertising their sale items of
the day: ‘2% milk, $2.75 gallon', ‘All Pepsi 12 packs, 3/$8'. Joan
remembers the name and wonders how many Finnegans live in
Millersville. She notices that the prices in this town are much less
expensive than in Arcadia. Or maybe it is just that she never really
paid attention to the prices at home. After all, she has only been to
the grocery store on a few occasions and rarely needed to pay for
anything using her own money.

The six of them exit from the van with sighs and stretches. They make
their way to the automatic doors that still open using a pressure mat
in front of the door. No fancy motion sensors in this small town.
Joan looks around. She notices that the people walking on the street
seem to know each other. There is a mother pushing her baby in a
stroller, an elderly couple sitting on a bench, and with a double
take, a young couple she could swear included Ryan Hunter as the male
half. She rubs her eyes. Maybe she was seeing things. Maybe her
obsession with Ryan is playing a trick on her now. She looks back
down the street and the couple is gone. Relieved, she follows Grace
into the store.

Rabbi Polonsky – “We are just going to pick up a few things here for
the week, and then we'll be on our way. We shouldn't be too long, so
don't go far, okay?”

He and Sarah head to the back of the store toward the bread, while
Grace, Luke, Adam, and Joan mill around the front entrance. Adam
notices Joan's frequent glances towards the street outside.

Adam – “What's wrong, Joan?”

Adam startles Joan back into reality, “ Noth... Nothing, Adam. I'm
fine. I think I'm just tired from the drive.”

Adam – “Okay, if you're sure.” He knows her well enough to know that
she's lying to him, but he doesn't want to press the issue.

Luke – “Hey Grace, why don't I get some chocolate, graham crackers,
and marshmallows?”

Grace – “ Don't tell me you want to make s’mores.” Luke looks at her
with a ‘what's the problem' look on his face. “You can't be serious?
That's so 5th grade.” Luke gets a dejected look on his face, so Grace
gives in, “All right, let's go find the stuff.”

Grace leaves and Luke follows her. Adam decides to go with them as
well, leaving Joan alone at the front of the store.

Joan walks back outside. She searches down the street in both
directions. Ryan is nowhere to be seen. The mother and her baby, who
Joan had seen a few moments ago, stop and smile at Joan. Joan smiles
back and suddenly gets the ‘Oh No, what now' feeling. You know, the
one that happens when God pops out of the blue. But, she has learned
that not everyone she suspects is God, really is.

Joan – “Awe, what a cute baby.”

Woman – “I know, isn't she? I'm just caring for her until her new
parents arrive tomorrow. Have you ever saved someone's life, Joan?”

Joan sighs, “You know the answer to that. No, unless you count
Dylan.”

God – “Oh, it's such a wonderful feeling, knowing that you've helped
someone.”

Joan – “I feel a suggestion coming on.”

God – “Just keep your eyes open for your chance to make a difference
in someone's life.”

Joan – “Don't I do that every day?”

God – “Yes, but today is most important.”

God straightens the baby's hat and strolls away, giving a wave as she
turns the corner.

Joan yells down the street after her, “I've been doing everything
you've asked all month, the yoga and all of the reading. Didn't you
tell me to go on vacation? What happened to that assignment?”

Joan stomps back into the store with a frown on her face. Adam
returns and assumes it's still the same frown from before he left.

Adam – “So, now that everyone is gone, you can stop lying and tell me
what's wrong.”

Of course, Joan can't tell him that she's getting tired of having to
work for God on her down time, “Okay, if you must know, I could have
sworn I just saw Ryan Hunter.”

Adam – “Why does he bother you so much?”

She lowers her voice to a whisper, “He's evil Adam. Evil!”

Adam – “ Come on, Jane. How much time have you spent with the guy?”

Joan – “Enough.And Adam, please don't call me Jane anymore. I want
you to call me Joan. My name is Joan.”

Joan's request causes Adam to lose his train of thought, “Ah, yeah,
sure, I'll try.” There is an uncomfortable silence. Adam looks out
the window following Joan's gaze. He decides to change the subject,
“I can't wait to get to the lake.”

Joan is also relieved to get off the subject of Ryan, but she still
can't stop herself from looking for him, “I know. It looked so
beautiful. I can't believe they stopped coming up here.”

Adam – “I used to visit the cottage with Grace every summer. All that
stopped when we were eight.”

Joan – “Can you blame her? I wouldn't want my friends to spend a week
with my mother if she was always drunk either.”

Adam – “It made a big difference in our friendship. I can mark the
time we started to lose track of each other starting from the summer
before 4th grade.”

Joan – “Maybe we shouldn't bring it up this week. They seem like such
a happy family now.”

Joan hears the sound of a woman crying. She tells Adam, “Wait here,
I'll be back.” She walks over to the corner of the store and finds
the woman seated behind the counter, “Can I help you?”

Woman – “No, I don't think anyone can help. I have really made a mess
of everything.”

Joan – “What's the matter? Maybe I can help.”

Woman – “It's my sister. I didn't want her to become a nun, and now
she hates me. Our father supported her decision, and now he's dead. I
love her so much, but I don't know how to fix it.”

Joan – “Well, you have answered your own question. Tell her how much
you love her. That's how you can fix it.”

Woman – “You make it sound so simple.”

Joan – “Sometimes the answer is simple. Talk to her. Tell her how you
really feel.”

Woman – “We are meeting for lunch later. I'll think about how to tell
her and do it over lunch. I sure hope it works!”

Joan – “Trust me. It will work.” Joan thinks to herself, praying that
she is right. She is certainly no expert on fixing relationships!
“Tell her that you love her?” How corn ball is that? But, this is
what God asked her to do, so she has given it her best shot.

Woman – “What is your name?”

Joan – “Joan, Joan Girardi.”

Woman – “Anna Finnegan, it was nice to meet you.”

Gears begin to grind as Joan recalls that she is Michael McCauley's
daughter. She is tempted to ask a ton of questions, but decides that
this is not the time, “It was nice to meet you, too. Good luck with
your sister.”

Joan returns to the front of the store, somewhat amused by the
accidental pun she just made. She meets the others as they are
leaving the checkout lane. She grabs a bag and follows them to the
van. They pile the groceries into the back on top of the piles of
luggage and duffle bags. As Joan is taking her seat in the back, she
again sees Ryan talking with the cute blonde she had seen him with
before. It looks like they are arguing now. She puts her hand on the
window to stabilize herself and whispers so that only she can hear,
“It was him!” As Rabbi Polonsky drives them away, Joan watches until
they are out of sight.

At the Sheriff's station

Will arrives at the Sheriff's office. The crime lab in Bakerstown has
finally sent back the results of the tests on the glass from the
Synagogue fire. Will is anxious to hear the results. It has been 3
weeks, longer than he had expected for a case that had been marked
‘priority.' But, the crime lab also had evidence from several
homicides to analyze. This bumps their need to be next in line.

Roy– “We just received the report.”

Will – “And?”

Roy– “You're not going to be happy.”

Will – “Spill it.”

Roy– “There was nothing unique about the glass. Its composition is
common to many types of glass containers.”

Will – “Is that it? You called me in on a Sunday for this?”

Roy– “Well, there is more, and this is why I asked you to come in.The
bottles were approximately 1 gallon in size made of thick clear
glass. There were five bottles altogether. Engraving on some of the
glass pieces survived. They could make out the letters ‘I', ‘V', ‘L',
and ‘O'. Although they don't know the order or how long the original
word or words may have been, it's something.”

Will – “So we have five gasoline bombs with four letters to identify
the bottles. Why can't we get some answers? These are just puzzle
pieces!”

Roy– “Well, I have some more pieces for you. We also sent paint
samples from the Catholic Church vandalism. The paint used was a
marine paint manufactured by Hacket Paint Industries. It was easily
identifiable due to its copper content. They provided the address and
phone number of the company. You can get a list of their local
distributors. That might lead to something.”

Will – “Like I said, puzzle pieces. Roy, thanks for your hard work.”
He heads home to try to enjoy the rest of his day off.

At Home

When Will left, he closed the door just loud enough to wake Kevin up.
Kevin quietly got cleaned up and went down to the living room to
read. Lilly said she would call, and he hope she will keep her
promise.

A little later, Helen finally gives up trying to sleep. She takes the
back stairs down to the kitchen. She makes herself a bowl of tomato
soup and toast. Despite sleeping in until 9 a.m., she is still very
tired. She puts her elbow on the table and rests her chin on her
palm, propping up her head like so many school children do during a
boring history lesson.

She tries to stay awake, but is too exhausted. She falls asleep there
at the table. She starts to dream, but this dream is unlike any other
dream Helen has had in the past. It's like she is viewing the scene
from a hidden camera. She is in the Synagogue again. This time she is
inside the building, but there is no fire yet.

Helen has never been there, but she can see exactly what it looked
like before the fire. She turns around towards the back of the aisle
and sees Ryan walking in carrying two large boxes, one on top of the
other. They must be heavy, because he is straining, and Ryan is in
pretty good physical condition. He walks past her but doesn't notice
her standing there. She is mesmerized and can't take her eyes off
him.

He begins to empty the contents of the boxes. He takes out large
jars, half filled with liquid. He places each one in different parts
of the room. Then he pulls out a gas can and begins spreading
gasoline everywhere. He repeats the procedure using a second can of
gas. Then he walks to the door, turns, and throws a match.

Helen is suddenly engulfed in an inferno. The shock is so great that
it pushes her back into reality. She wakes up with a start and spills
the bowl of soup, now cold, onto her lap. The phone is ringing. Kevin
answers it.

Lilly – “Are you still mad at me?”

Kevin – “Yeah, a little.”

Lilly – “Tell you what, why don't you come pick me up at the church,
and the rest of the day is yours. We'll do whatever you want.”

Like he said, he is still mad at her, but he can see that she is
trying to make it right, “Okay, see you in a bit.”

Helen was so tired when she came down earlier she didn't even think
about Kevin being home, “Who was on the phone?”

Kevin - “It was Lilly. I am going to take her to a movie.”

Helen – “Okay, have fun.” She heads back upstairs, again using the
back stairway. She doesn't want Kevin to see the soap on her shirt.

At the Cottage

They are all relieved to finally arrive at the cottage. Joan steps
out of the van and gets her first look at the house. She stands there
dumbfounded. She has the, ‘I just saw Rocky' look all over again.
Grace can't help but notice the expression on her face, “Hey Girardi.
What's with the look? Your warranty already ran out once this year.”

Joan – “I've been here before, in a dream!”

Joan has told Grace about some of her dreams, but not about this one,
“Come on! This is summer vacation, not crazy camp. Get a grip!”

Joan – “No, I mean it. It's been a few weeks, but I remember it all.
Inside, there are four rooms, a living room, the kitchen, and two
bedrooms. Okay, five counting a bathroom. There is a couch in the
living room with faded yellow fabric. Over the back is draped a
patchwork quilt, with designs on it like...” She pauses for a moment,
“Like your necklace! There is another stuffed chair and a rocker. All
are placed around a coffee table. The bedrooms each have a queen size
bed with a pair of dressers. The kitchen has a table and chairs, and
the counter is lined with an assortment of appliances.” She pauses
again, “And the cupboard under the sink is open. There is a toolbox
open with some tools lying on the floor. That's what I saw.”

Now Grace is dumbfounded and so are the others. Joan hadn't noticed
them gathering around her. Grace knows Joan has never been here
before, but she doesn't believe all of this mumbo jumbo stuff, “Come
on in. Maybe you should take a nap before we go swimming.”

They all grab grocery bags and luggage and carry them into the
cottage. As they enter the kitchen, they see the open cupboard and
the toolbox there, just as Joan had described. They all begin to
stare at Joan, wondering how she knew. The toolbox belonged to a
plumber who was supposed to be finished already. He must have left it
here by mistake.

Joan found her way to the couch and sat down. She is still in awe of
what she is seeing. Grace comes back from the kitchen and sits next
to Joan, “Come on. You really do look like you need a nap.” She
escorts Joan to the rear bedroom where Joan lies down.

After Joan is asleep, the conversations ensue. Luke and Adam just
observe, but Rabbi and Sarah Polonsky are full of questions. They
directed them all at Grace: “How did she know that? Why haven't you
told us about this before? How long has she been able to do this?”
Grace has no answers, at least none that make any sense, “Dreams, she
has dreams. That's all I know.”

At Home

Helen has changed her clothes and is back sitting at the table when
Will arrives.

Helen – “Hi, Hon, can I make you some lunch?”

Will – “No, sit tight. I'm going to make a masterpiece sandwich with
the Italian salami that came on Thursday. So, are you feeling
better?”

Helen – “Yes and no.”

Will loves that kind of answer. It usually means that whatever
follows, he won't understand, “Okay, tell me about it.”

Helen – “Finish making your sandwich, and then we'll talk.” Helen
waits while Will finishes and sits down at the table, “I've had
another dream.”

Will has become accustomed to Helen's dreams, but is still not
comfortable with them, “What was this one about?”

Helen – “The Synagogue fire.I saw who set it.”

Will – “Clowns?”

Helen is becoming a little annoyed with his clown remarks, “No, it
was Ryan Hunter.”

Will – “Have you been talking to Joan?”

Helen – “No, but I will when she gets home. I saw it clear as day. He
carried in two large boxes. Then he took out large jugs half filled
with something, probably gasoline. The tops were sealed with wire
wrapped around the top and the neck. There were five of them. He
placed them in different parts of the room. Then he took a gas can
and sprinkled gas all over. Then he got a second can and did the same
in a different part of the room. Then he walked to the door and lit a
match. That's what I saw.”

Will doesn't know what to think now. There was no way she could have
known there were five gasoline bombs, but he is still leery of her
dreams. “What am I supposed to do, arrest Ryan Hunter, because you
had a dream and Joan thinks he's guilty for whatever reason?”

Helen – “I know what I know, and it's up to you to decide what to do
about it. But if you ever want to catch who set that fire, you had
better start looking harder at Ryan Hunter. That ‘upstanding citizen'
notion of yours is crap!”

Will – “Okay, Helen, I don't want to fight with you today.” He pauses
for a moment, “Tell you what. Tomorrow, I promise, I'll start asking
questions about him. Fair enough?”

Helen is still mad, but doesn't want to fight with him either, “Fair
enough. I'm going to take a shower, and then we are going out. I'll
decide where while I'm in the shower.”

At the Theater

Kevin – “Okay, looks like there are two movies that will start in ten
minutes.” He directs her attention to the movie posters on display,
“Which of these do you want to see?”

Lilly looks them over and points, “How about that one?”

Kevin glances at the poster, but then does a double take, “Wow! You
know, that one actress sure looks a lot like Joan. This is going to
be weird.” Kevin buys the tickets, and they enter the theater, “Okay,
pants it is.”

At the Cottage

Joan is awakened by the sound of a lawnmower. Adam is clearing a path
down to the tire swing. Joan comes out to the kitchen to find the
Polonsky's sitting at the table, “Mrs. Polonsky, do you have anything
for a headache?”

Sarah – “I have some aspirin in my purse. Would that be okay?”

Joan – “Yeah, that will be fine.” She sits down at the table,
obviously not feeling well.

Sarah makes a glass of ice and brings a drink with the aspirin, “We
bought Mug Root Beer. Grace tells us it's one of your favorites.”

Joan – “Thanks, Mrs. Polonsky.I should be okay in a little while.”

They engage in chitchat, specifically avoiding what happened earlier.
After a little while, Joan begins to feel better.

Grace – “Come on, let's see you in that new swimsuit! I have a new
one too.” They both go into the bedroom to change.

Joan actually bought a skirtsuit. Just like it sounds, it looks more
like a short dress than a swimsuit. It's one piece with attached
panties. The background is varying shades of light blue with dark
blue and white daisies in the foreground. Very pretty!

Grace's swimsuit is a two-piece, but very conservatively styled. The
top is styled like a sports bra and the bottom is more like
short-shorts. The color is light green with small dots and half-moon
shapes printed throughout the fabric. Again, very pretty.

Joan and Grace come out and model their swimsuits for the Polonsky
parents. They receive the appropriate compliments and head down to
the lake. While Adam was mowing, Luke was inflating the inner tubes
and a huge beach ball. All of the fun is prepared by the time the
girls arrive.

Joan and Grace both grab an inner tube and take them to the end of
the dock. They drop them into the water and slip inside. Luke and
Adam begin taking turns on the tire swing. As they swing out over the
water, they jump. Remember the image of Will Ferrell falling out of a
plane? Well, imagine it even funnier.

After awhile, Luke and Adam become bored with the swing. They pick up
their inner tubes and join the girls. They also bring the beach ball.
A game of volleyball ensues. Perhaps volleyball isn't the correct
word. They bat the ball around playing catch. Whatever you call it,
they all have a lot of fun.

At Home

Helen has finished her shower and is reading the newspaper. She
remembers seeing something earlier, but needs to refresh her memory.
As she reads, she thinks to herself, ‘Great, a one o'clock showing’.
She hands Will the paper and says, “This is what I want to go see.”

Will reads the article, “\ Jesus Christ Superstar? Didn't that come
out in the 70's?”

Helen – “Yeah, but I never got to see it. They are a group of amateur
actors, but I think it would be fun. I know you enjoyed Zombies
Arise.”

Will – “That's because Joan was in it. Can't you think of something
else?”

Helen – “Please.”

Will relents, “Okay.”

At the Cottage

Sarah calls the kids in for lunch. She has prepared Kreplach, which
is a Jewish ravioli. She has also set the table with Jewish Rye
bread, peanut butter, and an assortment of homemade preserves.

Rabbi Polonsky – “Out of habit, this morning, I said the prayer in
Hebrew. I should have been more considerate of our guests. For the
rest of our time together, I will recite the prayers in English.” He
asks for them to remain quietly seated while they wash their hands.

When they did this at breakfast, Joan thought it was kind of strange.
They had all just washed their hands! But, Grace explained that it
was religious ritual, not about cleaning their hands. She remembered
what God had told her about religions, “People need different ways to
relate to God, and religions are just different ways to share the
same truth.”

The Polonsky's walk over to the sink and pour a little water over
each of his hands three times and say a blessing while drying his
hands, “ Praised be to God, Ruler of the World, who blesses us with
the commandments, commanding us to wash our hands.”

When they return, Rabbi Polonsky recites a prayer, “Blessed are You,
Lord, our God, King of the Universe who brings forth bread from the
earth. Amen.”

Adam – “Wow, Mrs. P., it has been so long since I had this. Thanks!”

Joan – “What is it?”

Sarah – “It’s called Kreplach. It’s similar to ravioli, try it. You
can make sandwiches if you prefer.”

Luke – “Well, I'm starving. I'll try it.”

They pass their plates around and Sarah places a serving of Kreplach
on each plate. They also pass around the bread, peanut butter, and
the preserves.

Joan – “This is the first Jewish food I have ever eaten, except for
at Grace's Bat Mitzvah. It tastes just like the ravioli we have at
home. It's really good!”

Sarah – “ Thank you, Joan. Have all that you want.” The conversation
ceases while they eat, “What do you kids plan to do after lunch?”

They all look at each other. They have had enough swimming for now.
Then Joan speaks up, “I would like to go for a walk. It's so
beautiful here.”

Grace – “Hey, let's go see the toboggan slide.”

Adam – “Isn't that for in the winter?”

Grace – “Usually, but not this one. You ride the sled down, and it
shoots you out over the water. It's really a lot of fun.”

Luke – “I'm in.”

Joan – “Is it anything like the high dive? Because if it is, I don't
know if I can do it.”

Grace – “Let's just go look now. We can wait until tomorrow to
actually decide.”

When the meal is finished, Rabbi Polonsky again recites a prayer,
“Blessed are you, LORD our God, master of the universe, Who nourishes
the whole world in goodness, with grace, kindness, and compassion. He
gives bread to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. And through
His great goodness we have never lacked, nor will we lack food
forever, for the sake of His great Name. For He is God, who nourishes
and sustains all, and does good to all, and prepares food for all His
creatures which He created. Blessed are You, LORD, who nourishes all.
Amen.”

When the prayer is finished, the gang goes strolling out the front,
and Grace leads them to the right down the road. The whole area is
heavily wooded, and the trees have an abundance of wildlife living in
them. The birds are making a ruckus because two squirrels are chasing
each other, jumping from limb to limb, and the birds don't like them
invading their space. They all stop to watch the entertainment.

They continue walking along, when they come upon a ditch on the side
of the road. A patch of cattails and wildflowers catches Joan's eye,
“Black-Eyed Susans! I love ‘em.” She walks down into the ditch to
pick a bouquet. She caresses each plant as she gently breaks the stem
about six inches down from each flower. She collects them all. There
were only about a dozen flowers blooming, “Grace, let me put one in
your hair.”

Grace – “No way!I don't want people to think I'm a flower girl.”

Joan – “This is a flower and you are a girl. Come on.”

Grace again refuses, but Joan quickly slips the stem of the flower
down the front of her blouse, “Ok, wear it there.”

Grace is about to remove it when Joan also slips a stem down the
front of her blouse, “There, now we are both pretty.” Grace decides
to let it go and leaves the flower in place.

Luke has enjoyed Joan and Grace's exchange, and is doing everything
he can to keep from laughing. He knows how uncomfortable Grace is
with girlie things. Adam is also amused, but limits himself to a
smile.

When they reach the slide, Luke is really impressed, “Wow, look at
that! It must be 30 feet high.” His estimate was accurate, with the
base of the slide being about a foot above the water. Joan thinks to
herself, ‘Not me’. Adam is just mind-boggled. Grace is also thinking,
‘Not me’, but pretends to be impressed as well. The slide is fenced
off, so they walk over to the entrance to see the rates published on
a billboard.

Adam – “Tomorrow is going to be fun!”

Joan – “We'll see, let's head back. My flowers need water.”

Adam – “There was this movie called Bed of Roses. Christian Slater
delivered flowers. Anyway, he said if you put Seven-Up in the water,
the flowers will last longer.”

Joan cracks a smile, “Do you think Mug Root Beer might work?”

Everyone gives her the kind of smile you give when someone tells a
stupid joke. They continue their stroll back to the cottage, when
Adam again breaks the silence, “Joan. When are you going to tell us
about what happened earlier?”

Joan, hoping this conversation would wait, returns, “I don't want to
talk about it now.”

Adam – “But we all want to know how you did that.”

Joan – “I don't understand it myself, and I'm not sure if I'm ready
to devolve from a sub-defective into a freakazoid. Just drop it.”

They can all see she is starting to get angry, but Luke can't resist
adding one more comment, “But you are already there.” Joan and Luke
exchange cutting glares, and the walk back to the cottage continues
in silence.

At the Community Theater

Helen and Will arrive and find perfect seats near the front and
center of the stage. Helen begins to read the synopsis of the play,
more just to kill time than anything else. It's not like either of
them doesn't know what the play is about. Helen puts the flyer in her
purse and looks at Will, “I'm so excited.” Will looks back and gently
takes her hand. There are a hundred places he would rather be, but
none of them are without her. He has decided to try to enjoy the play
and let whatever happens, happen.

As the play progresses, Helen is drawn toward the character of Mary
Magdalene. She looks familiar, but Mary's long brown hair is
confusing. She continues watching, enjoying the play immensely.
Finally, Mary becomes the center of attention. She begins to sing.

I don't know how to love him.
What to do, how to move him.
I've been changed, yes really changed.
In these past few days, when I've seen myself,
I seem like someone else.
I don't know how to take this.
I don't see why he moves me.
He's a man. He's just a man.
And I've had so many men before,
In very many ways, He's just one more...

Helen realizes, ‘That voice, I know that voice.' She leans over in
the seat and pulls out the flyer form her purse. She reads it with
the penlight on her key chain, ‘Mary Magdalene... Elizabeth
Goetzmann.' She sits back up, pleased with herself that she has
figured it out. She plans to congratulate Elizabeth after the show
for a fine performance.

At the Theater

Kevin – “Well, that was a good movie. Kind of a chick flick, but I
enjoyed it. What did you think?”

Lilly quotes from the movie, “You are really good with that thing!”

Kevin answers, quoting from the movie as well, “Yeah, well we all
have our little talents.”

Together, “And then she shot a price tag onto her forehead!” They
both start laughing.

Lilly – “So, what would you like to do now?”

Kevin – “I need to go home and change clothes and clean up. Then we
can think about dinner.”

At the Cottage

When they arrive, Joan takes the flowers to Mrs. Polonsky, “Do you
have something I can put these in?”

Sarah – “How pretty! I don't have any vases here, but let me look.”
She finds a quart-size canning jar, “This is about the right size.”
Joan puts the flowers in and Sarah fills the jar with water.

Joan lowers her voice almost to a whisper, “Do you happen to have any
Seven-Up?”

Sarah – “No, I'm sorry. Are you thirsty?”

Joan – “No, never mind. Thank you.” She takes the flowers with her
and places them on the coffee table as she sits down.

Adam and Luke are already seated when Grace joins them with a box of
cards, “Have you ever played Skip-Bo?” Everyone shakes their heads,
“Me neither.” She reads the rules and they begin to play the came.
They quickly get the hang of it. The smiles appear on everyone's
faces as they are able to play or foil another's chances of victory.
Luke is especially intrigued. No special effects, no monsters to
shoot, how can such a simple game be so much fun?

At the Community Theater

Date Line Arcadia is small segment of the local evening news. It
covers events of local interest such as this one, the opening
performance of a new play. The crew plans to interview patrons as
they leave the theater.

Inside, they are most of the way through act two. Most of the cast is
on stage singing Could We Start Again Please?. Suddenly, there is an
explosion. The curtains on the left side of the stage become engulfed
in flames. Flames also spew out over the cast, catching some of their
costumes on fire. The audience immediately begins to flee. Will
escorts Helen to an emergency exit to the right of the stage. He
pauses and looks at her, “Go, get out!” He leaves her and jumps up
onto the stage. He joins others who have begun to help the injured
entertainers. Half of the stage is now on fire, and all but three of
the performers have been able to flee. The other men tear down the
curtain from the right side of the stage and use it as a blanket to
put out the flames on two of the performers costumes. Will's victim
only had her brown wig on fire, and he was able to pull it off and
cast it aside. They each carry their charges to the exit.

The news crew is filming when Will and the others bring their victims
out of the theater. Will lays the girl he has carried down and begins
to check her condition. Helen joins him as he comes out of the
theater.

Helen – “Elizabeth, are you all right?”

Elizabethresponds by coughing, “I'm not sure. I think so.”

Will looks her over and sees that her most serious injury appears to
be her lack of hair on one prominent spot on her head, “You look like
you will be okay, but we'll let the paramedics decide.”

Helen – “I'm so glad you are okay. Your performance today was
marvelous!”

Elizabeth– “Thank you, Mrs. Girardi.”

Will realizes that they obviously know each other, “Hi, I'm Will
Girardi. Nice to meet you.” He pauses for a moment, “And I think your
performance was wonderful too.”

Elizabeth– “Thank you, Mr. Girardi.” The conversation ends as the
paramedics take over.

At Home

Kevin goes upstairs to change and get cleaned up. Lilly waits
downstairs. There are some things Kevin prefers to do in private.

As Lily waits on the couch, bored, she begins to look around. She
notices the open newspaper on the coffee table with something
circled. It is the schedule for the play Helen had circled for Will.
She thinks to herself, ‘Hmm, maybe this is something Kevin and I can
go see.'

She notices the remote and clicks on the television. The reporter is
talking about the fire. “Just moments ago, fire broke out in the
Arcadia Community Theater. Our reporters were on the scene when it
happened.” They begin to show the footage shot of Will carrying
Elizabeth out of the fire. They also pan over to show Will, Helen,
and Elizabeth talking. The reporter comments during the footage, “The
fire was quickly put under control and the damage is limited to the
stage area. The man you saw is Detective Will Girardi of the Arcadia
Sheriff's Department. He was one of the patrons at the play. The
performer he carried out is Elizabeth Goetzmann who played Mary
Magdalene. Both have been transported to University Medical Center
for treatment of burns. Two other…”

Lilly yells, “Kevin, your Dad's been hurt!” She runs up the stairs,
pounds on the bathroom door, and yells again, “Kevin, your Dad's been
hurt in a fire. He's at UMC!”