path: root/03-LArmeedeJoanPart2.rst

Episode 3.03, L'Armée de Joan, Part 2
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At the Cottage

Sarah calls everyone for dinner. She has had a pot roast cooking in
the crock-pot, becoming tender all day. She finished it off in the
oven by adding carrots, onion, garlic, tomatoes, pitted prunes,
apricots, and raisins. She also prepared chicken soup, a vegetable
salad, roasted potato wedges, and a Jewish tart.

Rabbi Polonsky recites a prayer. “Blessed art Thou, Lord our God,
King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

Joan – “This meal is so good, I feel bad that you had to work all day
to make it.”

Sarah – “Don’t worry about it, Joan. It is my pleasure.”

Joan – “No, really. I make a pretty good meatloaf. Why don’t you let
me make that for tomorrow’s dinner?”

Sarah is somewhat surprised, but pleased by the offer. “Thank you,
Joan. That would be nice.”

They commence with the meal and engage in chitchat about the day’s
events and tomorrow’s plans.

At the Hospital

Kevin and Lilly arrive and inquire about Will’s whereabouts. The
nurse informs them that he is in being treated by the doctor. Kevin
asks about his condition, but the nurse refuses, stating privacy
laws. “Just have a seat over there. We will let you know.”

Will’s burns are confined to his hand. He was so caught up in the
rescue that he hadn’t realized he had burned his hand when he pulled
off Elizabeth’s wig. It was only after getting outside that he became
aware of the pain.

The doctor treats the wound by applying a salve and a dressing. Will
is released and he and Helen head out to the waiting area.

Kevin – “Are you all right? How bad is your hand?”

Will – “It’s nothing, just first degree burns.”

Helen – “Second degree burns!”

Will – “Ok, one blister, but mostly first degree.”

Lilly – “I saw you on the news carrying out that girl. They just said
you had burns, but didn’t say how bad.”

Helen – “It was on the news?” She pauses for a moment. “Oh my God!
What if Joan and Luke see it? They will be scared to death!”

Will – “I’ll take care of it.” He pulls out his cell phone, but sees
there is no signal. “I have to get outside. Why don’t you take us
back to the theater. I have to pick up the car anyway.”

Once on the way, Will makes the call, “Millersville Police
Department, non-emergency number please.” The operator connects him.

Officer – “Millersville Police, Detective Anderson, may I help you?”

Will – “This is Detective Girardi from the Arcadia Sheriff’s
Department.”

Detective Anderson interrupts, “Are you the one who rescued that girl
from the theater fire?”

Will – “You know about it?”

Detective Anderson – “Yeah, it was on the news. Well done!”

Will – “Thank you, but I have a favor to ask.”

Detective Anderson – “Sure, what is it?”

Will – “My children are staying with the Polonsky family at Lake
Nashman. I’m afraid if they have seen the news they will be worried.
They don’t have a phone, but can you get a message to them that I am
all right?”

Detective Anderson – “Sure, we have a patrol in that area now. Give
me the address.”

Will provides the address and asks one more thing, “Tell them my wife
and I will come by to visit tomorrow afternoon.”

Detective Anderson – “Got it. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.”

Will ends the call and Helen inquires, “We are going to Lake Nashman
tomorrow?”

Will – “I have to show Joan and Luke that I am okay. I’m taking
tomorrow off.”
At the Cottage

Joan has used guilt to convince the others that they should do the
dishes. Rabbi and Sarah Polonsky are out front enjoying the night
air. A police car pulls up the driveway.

Officer – “Mr. and Mrs. Polonsky?”

Sarah answers, “Yes, I am Sarah and this is my husband Jakob
Polonsky.”

Officer – “Do you have the children of Will Girardi staying with
you?”

Sarah – “Yes, Joan and Luke.What is this about?”

Officer – “I have a message from their father. May I speak to them?”

Sarah – “Maybe you should tell us first. What’s going on?”

Officer – “There has been another fire in Arcadia. Have you heard
about it?”

Sarah – “No, we don’t have a radio or television here. Where was it?”

Officer – “It was at the Community Theater. Detective Girardi was
there when it happened. He was hurt, but he wants his children to
know that he is all right. He was afraid they might have heard about
it on the news.”

Sarah – “How bad is he hurt?”

Officer – “I don’t know, ma’am, but he said he and his wife would
come to visit tomorrow afternoon.”

Sarah – “Thank you, officer. I will tell the children.”

Jakob and Sarah wait until the officer leaves and then go back
inside. They can hear the children carrying on and laughing while
they finish the dishes. Sarah is thinking, trying to figure out the
best way to tell them. She pulls the coffee table out of the way and
pushes the stuffed chair so it is facing the couch, “Joan and Luke,
come here, please.”

Joan and Luke enter the living room, both tugging on the same
dishtowel, trying to dry their hands. With a laugh, Joan replies,
“Yes, Mrs. Polonsky.”

Sarah – “Please have a seat.” She directs them to the couch and sits
in front of them in the chair. The others have also quietly come into
the room, now wondering what is going on, “First of all, your father
is fine.”

It doesn't matter what she just said. Joan and Luke both become
filled with panic.

Joan – “What do you mean fine? What happened? Did he get shot?”

Sarah – “No. There has been another fire in Arcadia. This time it was
at the Community Theater. Your father was there when it happened. I
guess it was on the news. He was hurt, but he sent a police officer
here to tell us that he is okay.”

Joan – “Hurt! How bad?”

Sarah – “I don't know, honey. I just know that he is okay, and he and
your mother will be visiting tomorrow afternoon.”

Joan doesn't know what to believe. Is her father okay or is he really
hurt, and they don't want her to know about it? She begins to cry.

Sarah – “Honey, he's fine. There is no reason to cry.”

Joan – “I know, I just can't help it.”

Sarah comforts her until she regains her composure. She comforts Luke
as well, but he is more reserved about revealing his emotions.

At the Community Theater

Will – “I'll get the car and be home in a little while. First I need
to check and make sure everything is being done right.”

Helen – “See if you can get my purse while you're there. It'll be
where we were sitting.”

Will – “I'll try. See you in a little while.”

Kevin drives away and Will walks into the theater.

Toni – “Will, how is your hand?”

Will – “It hurts, but I'll be all right. The doc says I should take
some time off, so I won't be in tomorrow and maybe Tuesday. What's
the status here?”

Toni – “Roebuck is down by the stage doing his investigation. I have
acquired the surveillance camera video for that last 24 hours.
Officer Osborne is cataloging the items found in the seating area.”

Will – “Where's Carlisle?”

Toni – “He went to visit his mother this weekend, remember?”

Will – “Right, okay, good work.” He walks over to where Officer
Osborne is working.

Officer Osborne – “Hi Chief, ah, I mean Detective Girardi.”

Will – “How are you doing with the inventory?”

Officer Osborne – “I have most everything catalogued. There are a few
odd pieces, but mostly they are women's purses.”

Will – “My wife's purse is there.” He points to the evidence bag, “I
would like to take it.”

Officer Osborne – “But I'll need the Fire Department to sign off on
its release also.”

Will realizes that he is right and remembers scolding him once before
for not following proper procedure. “Fill out a removal form. Take
the driver's license out of the wallet and I'll sign for it.” Will
knows it will be an inconvenience, but it is the only thing Helen
really needs for the next few days.

Officer Osborne – “Yes sir.”

Will walks down to the stage to talk to Roy, “Roy, how is it going?”

Roy – “Slow and steady.”

Will – “Do we know anything yet?”

Roy – “Too soon to tell.”

Will – “A guess?”

Will knows that Roy does not like to give preliminary reports until
the investigation is finished, but this one is personal. He and Helen
could have been killed.

Roy relents, “Looks like it might be the same perp, but I need to do
more tests.”

Will – “Thanks, Roy. I'll leave you alone to work.”

Will returns up to where Officer Osborne is working, “I have it ready
for you to sign.” Will reaches for the pen and realizes he can't pick
it up. He signs the form with his left hand and thinks to himself,
‘This is going to be fun.' He returns to the car and drives home.

At the Cottage

Joan has retired to the bedroom, wanting to be alone. She is still
terribly worried about her father. She wonders about her situation,
‘The dreams, what to do about the dreams? Ryan Hunter, that S.O.B.
I’m sure he is also behind this latest fire. But I’m alone. I can't
do it alone! Need a plan.' She remembers what God told her, “You have
everything you need, Joan.” ‘Yeah, right!' Then a collage of thoughts
and ideas begins to coalesce. ‘That's it. I'll have to tell them.'
She rolls over and enjoys one of her first dreamless nights in weeks.

At Home

Will has had a restless night. No matter where he laid his hand, it
hurt. When Helen got up, she changed his dressing and applied the
salve the doctor had prescribed. She also gave him a painkiller. It
was just extra-strength Tylenol, but she gave him three pills instead
of two. Will went back to sleep as soon as she was done.

Helen went out to the garage, retrieved a suitcase, and laid it open
on Joan's bed. Then she quietly made trips into the bedroom and got
them each a change of clothes for the trip. She also packed the
toiletries they might need. She knew they are just supposed to be
going and coming back, but she decided she'd have it in the back of
the car just in case.

At Lilly's Apartment

Kevin and Lilly have both had a good night's sleep. Lilly has
purchased a nice plush couch for when he spends the night. Kevin
knows Lilly's views on this matter and is actually happier this way.
It makes things much less complicated.

The alarm sounds and Lilly quickly turns it off. She scurries into
the living room, “Time to face the grind, handsome.”

Kevin – “I know. Bummer!”

Lilly – “Well, we all have our little talents to fulfill.” She laughs
at her joke.

Kevin – “I'm going to have to take you to the movies more often.” He
gives her a kiss, “You or me first in the shower?”

Lilly – “You go first. I'll iron my blouse.”

Kevin – “Can you take a look at my pants and shirt?”

She jokingly says, “You're pushing it! Get in the shower.”

At the Cottage

Joan wakes up to see that Grace is still sleeping. She quietly slips
out of bed and heads for the bathroom. Grace opens her eyes to see
the polka dots passing through the door. She wonders, ‘God, I love
her! But, sometimes I just want to knock her up side of the head. Let
me in! Secrets. Too many secrets.'

Joan finishes brushing her teeth and begins to wash her face. She
sees her reflection in the mirror, ‘Okay, so now I know who I am.
But, what I am is still the question. Freakazoid! Yeah Luke, I am
already there. God, why can't I just be normal?' But she knows God's
answer, ‘Yeah. I am who I am. Well, God, I hope this is what you
want.' She returns to the bedroom.

Grace – “Good morning, princess, are you feeling better?”

Joan – “Sure.I now know what I have to do.” She sees the puzzled look
on Grace's face and realizes that she wasn't privy to her thoughts in
the bathroom, “I have to go down that slide. Face my fears. Do what
I'm most afraid of. Might as well start with the slide.”

Grace is used to Joan's cryptic remarks, but has decided to go down
the slide herself. “Yeah, I've been thinking about it too. We can do
it together.”

Joan – “You saw those sleds. There is no way Adam and Luke are going
to squeeze together on one of them. You go with Luke, I'll go with
Adam.”

Grace – “Okay, you're right, but we are going down together at least
once. Luke and Adam can just sit one out.”

Joan – “Works for me.”

Joan takes her shower followed by Grace, then the others. Sarah has
placed a variety of cereals on the table: Rice Krispies, Raisin Bran,
and Frosted Flakes. She has also placed a bowl of peach slices, a
gallon of milk, and a pitcher of orange juice on the table. They sit
down for the meal.

Joan – “So Luke, are you ready to face the toboggan slide today?”

Luke – “Yeah, it looks like a lot of fun!”

Joan – “You're not afraid?”

Luke – “Sure, a little, but I'm going to do it anyway.”

Joan – “Adam, how about you?”

Adam – “I'll do anything you… you guys want to do.”

Adam's little slip did not go unnoticed, but she ignores it and
continues, “Well, I'm going too. I'm scared to death, but I'm going
to do it anyway. Grace is going too.”

Grace – “Mom, Dad, you wanna come?”

Sarah – “I believe we'll pass. You kids go have fun.”

After breakfast, Rabbi Polonsky recites the ‘Grace after meal.' The
kids don their suits and head for the slide. The trees are quiet this
morning. There are just a few chirping birds. Luke and Adam are
wearing sneakers, but Joan and Grace are wearing flip-flops. When
they reach the slide, Joan pays for renting the sleds. The others
offer to share, but she insists that it is her treat. She is really
glad that her parents not only let her come, but also gave her
spending money.

Adam and Luke are given charge of carrying the sleds. They are made
of wood and are rather heavy. The climb up the steps to the top of
the slide is tiring, but the moment has arrived. The attendant
explains how it works and the safety precautions, “When you hit the
water, don't let go of the sled. Hang on to it until you stop. That's
how you keep from getting hurt.”

Adam and Luke wax up the rails and they position themselves on the
sleds. They are paired Adam and Joan, and Luke and Grace. Joan and
Grace exchange glances. They are a combination of both afraid and
excited. Adam and Joan push off first. As they speed down the slide,
Joan closes her eyes and prays for it to be over. Her hair blows back
into Adam's face. The smell of Joan. This is something he has missed
terribly. He hasn't been this close to her in months. Last night,
when she started crying, he wanted so much to take her in his arms.
He misses her so.

When the sled hits the water, they skip and skip again, and then
ker-splash! They swim to the side and begin the trek back up the
slide. Joan is now excited, ‘I’m still alive!’ She’s ready to do it
again.

The routine continues over and over again. They keep their pairs,
except for a couple of times when Joan and Grace go down together.
After several hours, they begin to tire. It's not the sliding, but
the walk up the slide that has worn them down. They return the sleds
and walk back to the cottage.

At Home

Will is awakened by the phone ringing, “Hello, Girardi residence.”

Man – “Hello, may I speak to Will Girardi?”

Will – “This is he. How can I help you?”

Man – “My name is Wayne Goetzmann. Are you the man who saved my
daughter's life?”

Will – “Well, I wouldn't say that.”

Wayne – “Come on, we both know what you did. I can't thank you
enough. She means the world to June and me. We want to meet you. Can
you and Helen have dinner with us tonight? And Joan, too? Elizabeth
tells us she and Joan are friends.”

Will – “I'm sorry, we can't tonight. We have other plans and Joan is
visiting friends. Can we get together this weekend?”

Wayne – “We’ll be looking forward to it.”

Will – “How is Elizabeth?”

Wayne – “She's fine. We brought her home last night. She just has
minor burns and a few bruises.”

Will – “I'm glad to hear that. I'll have Helen call June later this
week.”

Wayne provides his phone number and address, and they bid each other
farewell. Will looks at the clock and decides it’s time to get up
anyway.

At the Cottage

They arrive back and change out of their swimwear. It's still too
early for lunch, so Grace and Joan decide to take a walk. Luke and
Adam want to come, but Joan insists, “She's mine for an hour. Find
something else to do.”

They again head out the front, but this time they go left down the
road. The scenery is pretty much the same, with small- and
medium-size homes lining the lake.

Joan – “Do you remember the movie The Matrix?”

Grace – “Yeah, sure. I never saw it, but you have talked about it
enough.”

Joan – “In the movie, Morpheus offers Neo two pills. The red pill
will answer his question, ‘What is the Matrix?', and the blue pill
will allow him to simply carry on his life as before. Which one would
you choose?”

Grace – “I would choose the red pill. Curse the totalitarian regime
of the Matrix.”

Joan – “But, what if the truth is harder to bear than not knowing?
Would you still want to know?”

Grace – “Truth is a precious commodity. It's hard to find. Yeah, I
would want to know. So what is this about?”

Joan – “I was just wondering what you thought. It's nothing.”

Grace – “So, you're not going to tell me?”

Joan – “Tonight, maybe tonight.”

They come upon a house with broken yellow police tape lying about.
The mailbox says “Finnegan.” Joan is compelled to go look.

Grace – “Wait! Where do you think you're going? Come back here.”

Joan – “I have to see. It's important.”

Grace – “Important?How? You don't even know these people?”

Joan - “I do, well sort of. Just stay there, I'll be back.”

This house is bigger than where they are staying. It has two stories.
She walks around back to find there is a porch lining that side of
the house. This is where the fire was. There is a pile of burned
lumber and plasterboard. She can see there are still burn marks
outside of the bottom floor window. She looks through to see workers
have already done a lot of repair. Grace is still calling, so she
begins to leave, but she notices a gleam of light from the pile. She
walks over and finds a bottle. She picks it up and reads the
inscription. Grace calls again, so she puts the bottle down, “Coming,
I'm coming.”

On the Way

Will and Helen have left Arcadia.Helen is driving, which is a rare
occurrence when the two of them are in the car. Will can hardly move
his hand, so to let Helen drive seems the sensible thing to do.
Still, he feels at a loss of what to do with himself in the passenger
seat. He considers the call that he received this morning, “Remember
when we first moved here, you were concerned about us not having a
lot of friends to socialize with?”

Helen – “Yeah, and then you arrested Tommy Wyatt.”

Will – “I know. That didn't work out so well, did it? I know nothing
about Wayne Goetzmann, but he sounded like a real nice guy. I'm
really looking forward to meeting him. And if June and you hit it
off, they will be our first friends outside of your work or mine. I
just feel this could be a great opportunity for us.”

Helen – “I haven't really thought about it yet, but yeah, that would
be good. And Joan does like Elizabeth. She told me Elizabeth really
helped her to remember her lines.” She laughs, “Remember in the play
when Friedman came on stage when he wasn't supposed to?”

Will – “Friedman was the soldier, right?”

Helen – “Right. Anyway, when Elizabeth left the stage after him, she
gave him a right hook. I know the play wasn't supposed to be a
comedy, but I sure would have loved to have seen that!”

Will – “That would have been funny.” He pauses while his thoughts
return to other matters, “So what do you think I should do about the
Chief's position?”

Helen – “That's totally up to you.”

Will – “Yeah, but you made a point of being involved the last time.”

Helen – “That was different. That involved the whole family. We had
to move. We had to leave friends. Joan was especially heartbroken
when she had to leave Cory. They were like sisters. On the other
hand, it was a job you had always wanted, and the doctor said it
would probably be good for Kevin to move to a new environment. There
was a whole host of things to weigh and consider. This time, whether
you take the job or not has little effect on us.”

Will – “But, I just can't seem to make up my mind. I keep running in
circles.”

Helen – “Do what Luke did. Make a list and cross-reference
everything. Consider all of the variables. Make columns of pro and
con and see which side is longer. There is a pen and notepad in the
glove compartment. Get it out and start writing.”

Will – “You want me to do it now?”

Helen – “You have something better to do?”

Will sees her point. It will still be quite awhile before they
arrive. He begins to scribble on the page using his left hand, “I
hope I can read this when I'm done.”

At the Cottage

Grace and Joan return from their walk. Sarah has prepared chicken
salad and was just waiting for them to return, “Good, you're back.
Did you have a nice walk?” Both Joan and Grace say yes. Sarah asks,
“Joan, please call your brother and Adam.”

Joan – “Yes, Mrs. Polonsky.”She goes outside and finds them skipping
stones across the lake, “Lunch!”

At the Newspaper

Rebecca – “Kevin, how is your father?”

Kevin – “He has second degree burns on his hand, but he will be
okay.”

Rebecca – “I saw it on the news. It was amazing that the camera crew
was there when it happened. My TV died and I was shopping for a new
one when a bunch of the TV's on display started showing your father
carrying that girl out. He's a hero.”

Kevin – “Is that what you are going to write about him?”

Rebecca – “Well, yeah, sure. What's wrong?”

Kevin – “It just seems that sometimes you have an agenda when it
comes to my father… my whole family for that matter.”

Rebecca – “I know I've crossed the line a few times in the past, but
I've tried to be fair since then. You should know. You read almost
everything that goes to print.”

Kevin – “You're right, but here is Andy again doing the ‘runaway high
school student' bit. The first time was funny. The second time was
annoying, but I let it pass. But this time, there isn't even any
correlation to the story. Enough already! I'm going to word-check it
out.”

Rebecca – “Let me see.” She leans over his shoulder and reads the
article on his computer, “I see what you mean. Kevin, you are a fact
checker, but that doesn't just mean spelling and correct definitions.
It also includes the content in relation to the story. From now on,
when you see something like this, tell me. We may not agree, but I'll
at least listen. Fair enough?”

Kevin – “Okay, fair enough.”

Rebecca – “Flag that comment and move on to something else. I will
speak with Andy.”

At the Cottage

After lunch, Joan feels like being alone. She reads Jeanne d'Arc for
a while and begins to wonder, ‘Is she about to do the right thing or
is she having a failure of imagination? How else can she convince
everyone to help her? What to do?' She lays the book down and
continues evaluating her situation.

Adam – “Why don't we go out and sit with Joan?”

Grace – “No, she wants to be alone. She needs time to think.”

Adam – “Think about what?”

Grace – “I think she is going to tell us something later.”

Adam – “About what happened yesterday?”

Grace – “Maybe, maybe more.”

Luke – “What do you mean, ‘more'?”

Grace – “Luke, there are things about your sister that you don't
know. She is full of secrets.”

Luke – “Secrets? She's just Joan! What are you talking about?”

Grace – “Luke, all you see is your weird sister. But Joan has reasons
for the weird things she does, and that is what she hasn't been
telling us. That is what I hope she is going to tell us tonight.”

Adam – “She's going to tell us something?”

Grace – “Yeah, I believe she is, but don't say anything. Let's just
see how this plays out.”

On the Way

Will – “I have a pretty good list now. The columns are about even,
but I think I can cross out a lot from the “con” column. With a new
city council and mayor coming, things will be different. What do you
think?”

Helen – “I think you have made your decision.”

Will – “Okay, I'll tell Joan and Luke when we arrive. That will make
them happy.”

Helen – “No, this is a family matter. We should do it when everyone
is there, including Kevin.”

Will – “You're right. We'll keep it a secret for now.”

At the Cottage

Joan approaches the group, “I'm in the mood for a game. You want to
play Skip-Bo again?”

Adam – “Yeah, we could do that. Grace, do you have any other games?”

Grace – “Ah, well, we have UNO, regular playing cards, chess,
checkers, and…” She pauses for a minute, “Go fish.”

Joan – “You play chess?”

Grace – “No, my father does.”

Adam – “ Go fish?”

Grace – “I left it here years ago. You wanna play?”

Joan – “Excuse me.” She departs.

Luke – “Go fish?”

Grace decides not to wait for an answer, “I'll go get it.”

Joan – “Rabbi Polonsky?”

Rabbi Polonsky – “Yes Joan, what is it?”

Joan – “Grace tells me you play chess. Would you like to play a
game?”

Rabbi Polonsky – “Joan, you are full of surprises. You really play
chess?”

Joan – “I'm no master, but I play a pretty good game. I've had a good
teacher.”

Of course Rabbi Polonsky does not pick up on the significance of her
remark. He replies. “I'll go get it. It will be fun.”

Joan and Rabbi Polonsky are playing chess, while Sarah is reading,
and also watching the game. The others are playing ‘Go fish' when
Will and Helen arrive. Helen toots the horn as they come up the
drive. Joan jumps up, jarring the table and knocking over the chess
pieces, “Sorry, Rabbi Polonsky.”

Rabbi Polonsky – “That's okay, I was losing anyway.”

Joan darts out of the cottage to meet them, followed shortly by
everyone else, “Dad, are you all right?” She sees his bandaged hand,
“How bad is it?”

Joan was there even before the car stopped moving. Will gets out of
the car, “Joan, I'll be fine. It’s just a minor burn.”

Helen gives him a little eye, but decides not to correct his white
lie this time. She concurs, “The doctor says he will be fine.”

Joan – “I was so scared when Mrs. Polonsky told us about it. I'm so
glad you're here.”

Will – “That is why we decided to come. We knew you would be worried,
and we wanted you to know that I was okay.”

Luke – “It doesn't look too okay.”

Will – “I'm fine, really.”

Helen approaches Sarah, “You must be Sarah. It is great to finally
meet you.”

Sarah – “I have looked forward to it. Please come in.”

They gather around the kitchen table where Will and Helen recount the
evening of the Community Theater fire.

Helen – “They were all up there singing, and then the left part of
the stage just burst into flames. It was horrible!”

Will – “I got Helen to the exit and went to help the people on the
stage. I carried a girl out, and it turns out being Elizabeth
Goetzmann. Your mother tells me that she is a friend of yours.”

Joan – “Yeah, she is. We're not close, but I like her. She is really
nice once you get to know her. Was she hurt?”

Will – “A little, but she's at home now.”

Helen – “We are planning to have dinner with them this weekend. They
would like you to come.”

Joan – “Sure, okay.”

Luke – “Do they know how the fire started?”

Will – “It's still under investigation.”

Luke – “Come on, you were there, a guess?”

Will – “It was certainly no accident. Whoever did this knew what he
was doing. The explosion went off when most of the cast was on
stage.”

Adam – “Do you think it was the same guy who set the Synagogue fire?”

Will – “It might be, but it's too soon to tell.”

Joan – “Maybe for you.”

Helen – “Joan!”

Joan – “Sorry, Daddy.”Joan decides to change the subject, “I'm making
meatloaf for dinner tonight. Sound good?” Everyone says it does.

Helen – “I would like to help.”

Sarah – “I would like to help, too.”

Joan – “Okay, but I'm doing it.”

Joan, Helen, and Sarah get up from the table and Joan starts giving
instructions on what she would like them to do. Grace watches. She
and Sarah have never done this together. Okay, so it was her fault.
She refused Sarah's offers before, because she was always drunk when
she made them. However, since Sarah has been sober, the offer hasn't
been made again. Grace really would like to help, but she will not
ask.

Joan glances over toward Grace and sees her watching, “Come join us.
You'll have to learn how to cook some day.” This was just the excuse
Grace needed, “Sure, why not.”

Luke – “Looks like they have it covered. There is no need for us to
help.”

Will – “Adam and you will be doing the dishes. That is how you will
help. I have an excuse and I'm sure Rabbi Polonsky will also be
busy.”

Luke was hoping he was off the hook, but Will certainly put that to
rest. “Come on, Adam, let's go outside.”

Rabbi Polonsky – “Your daughter is very skilled at the game of chess.
She told me she had a good teacher. Would you like to play a game?”

Will – “Joan plays chess? And she's good? I didn't know that!”

Rabbi Polonsky – “Oh, I assumed she was referring to you as her
teacher. She is very good. If our game hadn't been interrupted, I'm
sure she would have won. She does seem to be full of surprises.”

Will – “I guess so.” He turns around to look at Joan then turns back,
“I haven't played chess in years, but yes, I would love to.”

Outside, Adam and Luke begin to talk, “Looks like we get the dishes
tonight.”

Luke – “I really didn't expect not to have to do them. I was just
hoping.”

Adam – “Are you ready for the big whatever tonight?”

Luke – “Whatever is right. I have no clue what Joan is going to say,
but whatever it is, I'm sure it will be funny.”

Adam – “It's not going to be funny. Joan has been hiding something
from all of us for years. I know it and Grace knows it. In fact, I
think Grace knows what it is, but she won't tell. I am hoping tonight
we will all finally learn what that is. You are her brother. She is
going to need your support.”

Luke is taken aback by what Adam has just said. He and Joan fight all
of the time, but that is just brother-sister stuff. This sounds like
it's crunch time, “Yeah, sure. I'm here.”

Dinner is in the oven and Joan decides she needs some time alone.
This is the last time she will have to think about what she plans to
do. She asks Helen to watch the things on the stove, “I'm going for a
walk. I'll be back in a few minutes.”

She walks down the road a little ways and stops to sit on a stump.
She's afraid. What if they don't believe her? If they don't, it's
Gentle Acres for sure! ‘I can't go back there, and I never want to
spend another minute with Dr. Dan!'

Voice – “But sweetheart, you don't have to do this.”

She looks and Old Lady God is sitting beside her, “If I don't, how am
I going to convince them to help me, your almightiness?”

God – “You know this will change your life forever.”

Joan – “Don't you think I know that! Why can't I just be normal?”

God – “Normal is a relative term, but you know you have always been
special.”

Joan – “Well I never asked for it. I don't want it.”

God – “That is always your choice, but every choice causes a ripple.
Some futures are opened while others are closed.”

Joan – “Like knitting my life?”

God – “Precisely.You are reading about the other Joan. She was a
peasant girl, younger than you, whose entire world was the village of
Domremy in the Meuse River Valley. You have already read enough to
know that she would have rather had stayed at home. However, like
you, she could see the ripples. She made the hard choices, and that
is what I am asking of you.”

Joan - “But which ripples do I choose?”

God – “You have already made your choices.”

Joan wonders for a moment, “The dreams?”

God – “Yes, follow your dreams. I have told you before that you have
everything you need. It's all within you. You just need to reach down
and bring it to the surface. Have confidence in yourself. I do.”

Joan – “So you think I should do this?”

God – “That's still up to you, but maybe you should reconsider your
analogy to The Matrix. Is your choice only to give them the red or
blue pill?”

Joan considers her question for a moment, “Give them half a pill?”

God – “You can always give the other half later if you choose.”

Joan gives God a hug, “Thank you for the advice. Well, at least I get
to have a last meal.”

Joan returns to the kitchen where Helen has been tending in her
absence, “Everything is ready. I put the rolls in, and they are ready
to come out. This is quite a meal you have prepared. Meatloaf, mashed
potatoes, mixed vegetables, and dinner rolls. Let's eat.”

Joan calls everyone to dinner. She, Helen, and Sarah bring the food
to the table. They all have a seat. Joan knows that Rabbi Polonsky
often begins a meal with a prayer, “Rabbi Polonsky?”

Rabbi Polonsky – “It is our custom to say grace after meals, but
sometimes it is appropriate to also say a prayer before the meal. Mr.
Girardi, would you do us the honor?”

Will is totally taken off guard. He thinks for a moment and recalls
the prayer Helen has said before meals. No, that won't do. That is
definitely a Christian prayer, and he is in a Jewish home. He digs
deeper and remembers a prayer he learned as a child, “Our Father, who
art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against
us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”

Rabbi Polonsky – “Thank you, Will.” He pauses for a moment, “This is
such a wonderful meal. Thank you, Joan.”

Joan – “You are welcome, Rabbi Polonsky.”

Helen – “You will all love the roasted garlic in the meatloaf.”

Joan smiles at the compliment. For the moment, Joan forgets about
what will come later and just enjoys the meal and being with her
friends and family. She looks at her mother and is thankful for the
closeness they have come to enjoy in recent weeks. Her father, whom
she loves dearly, and who she knows loves her. Grace, one of her best
friends ever! Adam, the hurt is there, but she remembers the love
they once shared. Luke, her sparring partner, but whom she loves
dearly. And Rabbi and Sarah Polonsky, who are such good people. She
wishes she could just put this in a bottle and keep it forever.

After dinner, while Luke and Adam do the dishes, the others pair off,
Helen and Sarah, Will and Jakob, and Grace and Joan.

Grace – “You said earlier that you were going to tell us something.
Are you still going to?”

Joan – “Yeah, unfortunately, I have to.”

Grace – “Joan, you don't have to say anything. I will be your friend
no matter what. You know that, right?”

Joan – “Yes, I know, and thank you. But things need to happen, and
for them to happen, I have to do this. I can see that now.”

Grace is once again baffled by Joan's cryptic remark, but has become
accustomed to them. She decides not to pursue it further. Adam and
Luke finish the dishes so Joan decides it is time, “Everyone, please
come sit at the table. I have something to tell you.”

Most of them know that Joan is about to tell them something
important, except for her parents. It is for them that she is most
worried, “There has been something happening to me, and it's been
going on for a long time. There is no easy way to say it, so here it
is: I have dreams. At first, I believed they were just that, but now
I know they are more, much more. They are images of things to come.”

Helen is amazed. She has never told Joan about her more recent
dreams. She has only told Will, “What are the dreams about?”

Joan – “I can't tell you. If I tell you, then they may not come true.
The future is not fixed. It can only be steered. That's why I need
you to trust me.” She pauses for a moment, “But there's more. Rocky
and Judith have been coming to visit. Rocky only a few times, but
Judith comes a lot, especially when I'm at home. They have told me
things, things about what has happened and what will happen. That is
why I need your help.”

Everyone is spellbound, but Helen is listening in awe. She told Lilly
about seeing Judith, but has never told anyone else.

“Rocky told me there's been a disturbance in my magnetic field. Then
Judith started talking about fragments of the electromagnetic
spectrum. I don't understand all of that science stuff, so I tried to
have Luke explain it to me. I still don't understand, but I know it
is not good. And I also know that it all centers around Ryan Hunter.”

They all begin to interrupt with questions. “Wait… wait… let me
finish!” She pauses for a moment, “Mom, you once told me that evil is
not ugly and grotesque, but charming and beautiful. This is Ryan
Hunter. He has everyone fooled. I know he vandalized St. Peter's and
set fire to the Synagogue. And I'll bet he had something to do with
this latest fire. He hates God and anything that represents God. And
he has only just begun. He has to be stopped!”

She stops talking and again, everyone starts asking questions at the
same time, “Hold it, one at a time!”

Rabbi Polonsky – “So, this Ryan Hunter, he hates Jews?”

Joan - “Jews, Christians, Muslims, it doesn't matter, he hates them
all.”

Will – “Okay, I can see your connection to the Catholic Church and
the Synagogue, but why the Community Theater?”

Helen – “Will, it was the play, Jesus Christ Superstar! You should
have seen that!”

Will – “Okay, you're right, but what am I supposed to do. I can't
arrest a man just because my wife and daughter have dreams!”

Joan asks her mother, “You have dreams?”

Helen – “Huh!Like mother like daughter. I've talked to your father
and Lilly about them, but I didn't want to bother you with my crazy
dreams. Why didn't you tell me about your dreams?”

Joan – “Crazy Camp!I didn't want to go back there.”

Helen – “Will, I never told you, but I have seen Judith, too! And
Joan, just yesterday, I had a dream about the Synagogue fire. I saw
Ryan setting it. It was as clear as I am sitting before you now.
Honey, I believe you.”

Will – “Even if all of this is true, Ryan or whoever is behind this
is a dangerous man. Joan, I don't want you to have anything to do
with this!”

Joan – “I'm already in it and Ryan knows it. The only choice I have
is to fight back.”

Helen – “What does Ryan know?”

Joan – “I can't tell you that, but there's more, a lot more. You just
have to trust that I know what I'm doing.”

Will – “This is police business. You need to let me handle it.”

Joan – “What do you know so far, nothing, right? Ryan is evil, but he
is very smart. You are not going to catch him without help. We are
going to be that help.”

Will – “We have leads we're working on. They are not much, but we
haven't given up.”

Joan – “I'll bet that all you have are little puzzle pieces, and
nothing seems to fit together. Am I right?”

Will – “No, we have letters…” Will trails off. He knows he shouldn't
be talking about this.”

Helen – “Tell her, Will!”

Will – “There were glass jars used in the Synagogue fire. They had
writing on them. Some of the letters survived. They were, ‘I', ‘V',
‘L', and ‘O'. We don't know the order or how many other letters might
be missing. I really shouldn't be telling you this.”

Joan considers the letters for a moment. She walks over to the
counter and writes on a napkin. She returns and hands it to her
father, “Elverson's Dairy. That's what it said. I saw it on a milk
bottle at the Finnegan house.”

Will – “The Finnegan house?”

Joan – “Michael McCauley's daughter, the former president of the
Arcadia Citizen's Watchdog Committee. See the connection?”

Will sits in stunned silence. He vaguely remembers Kevin's
conversation, “I assumed you were just pulling at straws! You really
think there is a connection?”

Joan – “I know what I know. You just have to figure out a way to
prove it. That's where the rest of you come in. We need a plan. We
need to create a watchdog committee to watch Ryan's watchdog
committee. He is planning more attacks, and we need to find a way to
stop him. Will you help me?”

Rabbi Polonsky – “Joan, it is amazing what you have told us, but I
will need some time to think. Let me tell you tomorrow.”

Grace – “I'm in, you know that.”

Luke – “This is all so weird, but you are my sister. I'm in.”

Joan looks at Adam awaiting his response, “I have to think. I will
tell you tomorrow with Rabbi Polonsky.” Joan is disappointed. She had
really hoped he would already be on her side. “Mom, Dad, you had
better leave. It's a long drive home.”

Helen – “I packed an overnight bag. We could stay.”

Joan – “No, Dad needs to get back to work, and both of you need time
alone to think about what I have told you. I'll see you in a few
days. I love both of you.” She gives them both a hug.

They all head out to the car and Luke says goodbye to his parents as
well. They all wave as Will and Helen pull out of the driveway. The
drive home is long and quiet. Both are thinking about what happened
and are trying to make sense of it. As they near home, Will breaks
the silence, “I will start checking into Ryan Hunter tomorrow. I
promise.”

The others return inside the cottage and Joan announces, “I think I
have said enough for one night. I'm going into the bedroom to read.
Goodnight.” She retires to the bed and continues reading Jeanne
d'Arc.

After Joan is asleep, Grace comes to bed, “Joan, are you awake?”

Joan is really not awake, but enough to respond, “Yeah, what do you
want?”

Grace – “Thank you for telling us what you did tonight.”

Joan – “You're welcome.”

Grace – “But that wasn't all of it, was it?”

Joan pauses for a moment, “I gave you half a red pill. Goodnight.”

At Home

The alarm goes off, and it's time for Will to get ready for work.
Helen removes his bandage, “I'll put a new one on after your shower.
I'll bring up some coffee in a few minutes.”

Will proceeds to get cleaned up, and Helen goes downstairs to make
the coffee. She finds Kevin is already in the kitchen, “Coffee's
ready, aren't I a good son?”

Helen – “You sure are. I'll be back in a minute.” She takes a cup up
to Will and returns. “Can I make you some breakfast?”

Kevin – “Sure, but just a small one. How about a couple of eggs and
some toast?”

Helen – “Okay, coming up.” She makes the meal and hears Will
finishing up in the shower. She goes back upstairs. “Ready for a new
bandage?”

Will sits down on the bed and Helen puts it on, “It still looks
pretty bad. Maybe you should stay home from work today?”

Will – “No, I have to go in, at least for a while. I need to get
things rolling. I'll come home early if it gets to hurting too bad.”

Helen – “I think we should wait to tell Kevin about Joan.”

Will – “I agree that she probably wants to keep it a secret, but
Kevin is her brother.”

Helen – “That's what I mean. I think she might want to tell him
herself. Let's just wait until she comes home, okay?”

Will – “Okay, we'll keep Kevin out of the loop for now.” He pauses
for a moment, “I want you to call around today and get the best deal
you can on an alarm system for the house. I want it in by the end of
the week.”

Helen – “You really thinks that’s necessary?”

Will – “I'm not taking any chances.”

They both go downstairs where Kevin is finishing his breakfast.

Will – “Kevin, I would like you to do me a favor.”

Kevin – “Sure, what is it?”

Will – “I would like you to search the newspaper database and copy
everything you find on Ryan Hunter. And I need you to do it quietly.
No one is to know.”

Kevin – “Sure, what is this about?”

Will – “I can't tell you yet. Will you do it anyway?”

Kevin – “Sure, I'll bring everything I find home tonight.”

Will – “Thank you.”

At the Cottage

Joan wakes up early, showers and dons her swimsuit. She makes herself
breakfast and heads out to the dock. While reading Jeanne d'Arc, she
sits in an inner tube and watches the sunrise.

A little later, Rabbi and Sarah Polonsky get up, followed by Grace,
“Have you seen Joan?”

Sarah – “She's out by the dock, reading. Can I make you some
breakfast?”

Grace – “Yeah, sure, that would be nice. I'll be back in a few
minutes.” She walks out to talk to Joan, “Hey, what are you doing?”

Joan – “Reading, watching the sunrise. I'm still on vacation. Aren't
you?”

Grace – “Yeah, but I thought…”

Joan interrupts, “Ryan Hunter can wait. We can talk later. Let's go
swimming.”

Grace – “Sure, let me get some breakfast, change, and I'll be back.”
She goes back inside.

Sarah – “What did she say?”

Grace – “She wants to go swimming. I will never figure her out.” She
goes to change into her swimsuit and returns.

Sarah – “Here is your breakfast. Joan was very brave to do what she
did last night, and now she wants to have fun. Can you blame her?”

Grace – “No, now that you have put it that way. All of that other
stuff can wait.”

Rabbi Polonsky – “Your mother and I have been talking about what Joan
told us last night. If it is true, it is very disturbing. She is your
friend. What can you tell us about her?”

Grace thinks for a while, “Joan is flighty on a lot of things, but
one thing has always remained consistent. She does not lie. I believe
what she has told us. And what is really frightening is that she has
only told us half of what she knows.” She pauses for a moment, “Dad,
think about what is written in the Torah. There were Sarah, Miriam,
Devorah, Esther, and many others. If you believe in them, then
believe in Joan.” She clears her plate and heads down to the dock.

Joan – “Ready?”

Grace – “Let's do the swing.”

Joan – “Yeah!”

At the Sheriff's Station

Will arrives and goes into his office. He writes a note and calls
Carlisle to come in.

Carlisle – “Yes, boss?”

He hands Carlisle the note. It reads, ‘I want this place swept for
bugs, now!’

Carlisle looks somewhat surprised at Will, “On it, boss.”

At the Cottage

Luke and Adam finally wake up. They come to the table and Sarah fixes
them breakfast. They can hear Joan and Grace laughing and splashing
outside. Luke comments, “Did last night not happen?”

Rabbi Polonsky – “You are still on vacation, are you not? Go have
fun! We'll talk about these other matters later.”

Luke goes down to the dock and joins Joan on the swing. Adam joins
Grace who has decided to float in the inner tube. Adam and Grace
float out onto the lake.

Grace – “So what are you going to do?”

Adam – “I really don't see Ryan Hunter the way Joan does.”

Grace – “Charming and beautiful?”

Adam – “Well, I wouldn't use those words, but yeah. He saved my life
and got me my job. Would someone Joan is describing do that?”

Grace – “Does he know how you feel about her?”

Adam – “Well yeah, we talked that night in the woods.”

Grace – “Then he's using you to get to her.”

Adam – “Maybe.”

Grace – “Joan has drawn a line in the sand. You know that, right?”

Adam – “Oh yeah, she has made that quite clear.”

Grace – “Then what's your problem?”

Adam – “Do you think I have a chance of ever winning her back?”

Grace – “You have none if you go against her on this.”

Adam – “Answer the question, please.”

Grace – “There's a chance, but it's not going to be easy.”

Adam – “Nothing is ever easy with Joan.” He pauses for a moment, “I
still love her. I'm in.”

Jakob and Sarah have decided to go for a walk. They have walked down
the road some distance from the cottage. The squirrels are at it
again, jumping from limb to limb, and the birds are again upset with
their presence. They are enjoying the show.

Sarah – “So, what do you think about what Joan has told us?”

Jakob – “I think I believe her, and it is not only due to her
performance last night. Grace, for as long as I can remember, has
always been against everything. She didn't want to do the studying
for her Bat Mitzvah. She didn't want to learn how to cook. When we
have talked about politics, she is against both parties. And there
are so many other things that she is just against. But this is the
first time I can recall her ever being for something. She believes in
Joan. I think that is significant.”

Sarah – “I see that, too. When do you plan to tell her?”

Jacob – “Today, sometime today.”

While they were talking, they have been strolling down the lane. They
come upon a ditch on the side of the road.

Sarah – “Oh, look! Look at all of the flowers. They are so beautiful.
There must be hundreds of them. This must be where Joan picked the
flowers the other day.”

Jakob – “Would you like me to pick some for you?”

Sarah – “No, Joan's flowers are still on the coffee table, maybe when
they begin to wilt.” They turn around and head back to the cabin.

At the Sheriff's Station

Carlisle – “We're clean. They found five bugs.”

Toni – “What made you think about checking?”

Will – “Toni, please close the door.” After it is closed, he
continues, “The bugs were just a hunch. Any idea where these bugs
came from?”

Carlisle – “Off the shelf hardware.Could have been bought at any
number of online spyware sites.”

Will – “Carlisle, what's on your schedule for tomorrow?”

Carlisle – “Just coming to work.”

Will – “Keep it open.” He pauses once again, “I have two sources that
have provided information that connects Ryan Hunter to the St.
Peter's vandalism, the Synagogue fire, and the Community Theater
fire.”

Toni – “What's the connection?”

Will – “God.”

Carlisle – “God is our perp?”

Will – “No, they all have something to do with God. The church and
the synagogue are places of worship and Jesus Christ Superstar was
playing at the community theater. Our perp hates God, and they tell
me so does Ryan Hunter.”

Carlisle – “That's pretty thin, boss.”

Will - “Thin, maybe, but wrong? I don't think so. Anyway, we are
going to find everything we can on Ryan Hunter and see where it
leads.” He pauses for a moment, “Have you two had a chance to read
Roebuck's report on the Synagogue fire?”

Toni – “Read it yesterday, the letters, ‘I', ‘V', ‘L', and ‘O'. I
love you. They could say I love you.”

Carlisle – “And there's also, ‘Vaseline', ‘volatile', ‘Ovaltine', and
‘jovial'.”

Will – “Those are good ones! Here is another possibility.” He hands
Toni the napkin Joan had given him, “Elverson's Dairy. Put them all
in the report.”

Toni, I want you and Carlisle to work together on this. Find out
everything you can on the Arcadia Citizen's Watchdog Committee and
Ryan Hunter's connection to it.

Carlisle, Ryan Hunter told me he was rich, something about stock
market investments. Find out where he gets his money, and what he's
doing with it. And both of you, do it quietly.”

When they leave, Will looks up the Millersville Police on his
computer. He goes through the menus until he finds him, ‘Detective
David Anderson.' He makes the call.

Receptionist – “Millersville Police, how may I direct your call?”

Will – “Detective Anderson, please.”

Receptionist – “One moment, please.”

After Detective Anderson answers and identifies himself, Will says,
“Hello, this is Will Girardi. I want to thank you for getting the
message to my children. It really helped.”

Detective Anderson – “No problem, glad I could help.”

Will – “The reason I am calling is because of a fire you had there a
few months back where Michael McCauley died. Are you familiar with
it?”

Detective Anderson – “Yes, I am in charge of the investigation.”

Will – “Is it still open?”

Detective Anderson – “Yes, why?”

Will – “We have had some fires in Arcadia that I believe might be
connected. I would like to send a detective with our files and have
you two compare notes. Would that be okay?”

Detective Anderson – “Sure, when do you want to get together?”

Will – “Tomorrow, if that's not too soon. Say, after lunch, about one
o'clock?”

Detective Anderson – “Okay, that will be fine.”

Will – “The detectives name is William Carlisle. I hope your meeting
is fruitful.”

Detective Anderson – “Me, too.”

Will calls Carlisle back to his office, “How would you like to drive
to Millersville tomorrow?”

Carlisle – “Puff duty, I like it.”

Will – “There was fire in Millersville a few months ago. Make copies
of the St. Peter's and Synagogue files and compare notes. Your
contact is Detective David Anderson. The meeting is set for one
o'clock. You can leave from home.”

Carlisle leaves and Will gets on the phone once again, “Victor! Will
Girardi. It's been a while. How have you been? …Great… great to hear
that. I have a favor to ask…”

At the Cottage

Sarah has fed them lunch, and they are all sitting at the table.
Rabbi Polonsky begins to speak, “Joan, Sarah and I have talked about
what you have told us. We believe you. We are willing to help. What
would you like us to do?”

Joan – “Thank you, Rabbi Polonsky.” She redirects, “Adam, have you
made your decision?”

Adam – “I'm still not sure you are right about Ryan, but I will help
you to find the truth. I'm with you.”

Joan smiles briefly, “Thank you, Adam. Rabbi Polonsky, we need to
learn more about Ryan. There are a lot of members of your Synagogue.
Can you ask them what they know about him?”

Rabbi Polonsky – “I can do that. I will let Grace know what I learn.”

Joan – “Again, thank you.” She pauses for a moment, “You know you
have to keep me a secret. I mean, I still want to go to school and
have friends and do everything a normal teenager does. If everyone
knows about my dreams, I won't be able to do that.”

Sarah – “We understand; we will keep your secret.”

Joan looks around at the others. They also agree. “Well, we have
three more days left, and I plan to enjoy it.”

Joan and Grace relax on the recliners while Adam and Luke continue to
have fun on the tire swing. Joan is sort of reading Jeanne d'Arc and
watching the boys.

Grace – “Do you still love him?”

Joan – “No… yes… maybe. I'm still mad at him.”

Grace – “I know that, but do you still love him?”

Joan - “I don't know.” She continues to watch Adam as he and Luke
horse around on the swing. A smile paints across her face as she
thinks to herself, ‘But my God, it's so beautiful when the boy
smiles.'