path: root/20-ADarkNightofGrace.rst

Episode 3.20, A Dark Night of Grace
-----------------------------------

Joan once again makes snow angels, but this time she is lying in bed.
It will be nice having the whole bed again, but it will also be
lonely. She has gotten used to having Grace sleeping beside her. Oh,
but the song of saws will not be missed. Mixed feelings, but she
realized that Grace needs her father. That’s why she made the call.
Although she refused to tell him why, Rabbi Polonsky knew that Joan
would not have called if it wasn’t necessary. He returned to Arcadia
this evening.

Rabbi Polonsky had plans to come home anyway, just not this soon.
Sarah is progressing better than expected, and her release is already
scheduled. Next Sunday is the big day. Grace and her father will
travel to Baltimore and return once again as a family.

Although Joan, Luke, and Adam all try to be supportive, Grace refuses
to talk about it. Instead, she diligently works to finish the second
bootie. Joan joins her and by late afternoon, both sets of booties
are finished.

Grace – “Can you get these to Mrs. Finnegan?”

Joan – “We can give them to Sister Sarah tomorrow.”

Grace – “No, I can’t, you have to do it for us.”

When Joan returns from work, Grace is gone. A somber day fades as
Joan
joins\ `Annie <http://dc19.4shared.com/download/12577456/e6e81f74/Heart%20-%20Dreamboat%20Annie.mp3>`__\ on
her ship of dreams.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At School

Joan – “Hey.”

Grace – “Hey.”

Joan – “How’s your father?”

Grace – “He’s fine; why did you call him?”

Joan – “Because I thought you needed him.”

Grace – “Well, now there’s this thing hanging out there. What am I
supposed to say to him? ‘Dad, I accidentally got pregnant, I decided
I wanted to keep the baby, and then I lost it.’ Which revelation do
you think my father, the rabbi, would understand?”

Joan – “All of them, because he is a rabbi, and mostly because he is
your father.”

Grace – “Yes, he’s my father, which is why he won’t understand any of
it.”

Joan – “So, you didn’t tell him? What about your mom?”

Grace – “She has her own problems to deal with.”

Joan – “Grace, you have to talk to somebody about this. Will you talk
to Luke?”

Grace – “Hey, I already have El Shaddai’s ear, and I’m not finished
cussing at him yet. Just drop it!” She turns and darts off in the
other direction.

Joan calls after her, “Grace, wait! Who?”

Luke walks up as Grace leaves, “What did she say?”

Joan – “I’m not sure… something about yelling at some Spanish guy.”

At 570 Elcaro Street

Lilly – “Does that look clean to you? Never mind, it probably does.
Listen up dregs, the new owners will be moving in tomorrow. This
place must be clean before we leave, and I have plans for this
evening. Get to work.”

Homeless Man – “I’ve made some coffee. Would you like a cup?”

Lilly – “It’s about time you learned how to make it. I don’t suppose
you saved me any donuts.”

He walks over to a toolbox and retrieves two donuts, “I hid some in
there for you.”

Lilly – “Thank God, I’m starving!”

Homeless Man – “You’re welcome.” He lets Lilly enjoy her donuts, and
then he continues, “Do you know who the new owners are?”

Lilly – “I don’t have anything to do with that. I just make sure
everything is repaired and ready to go. All I know is that this will
be a store and four families will live in the apartments upstairs.”

Homeless Man – “Urban renewal and you are an urban legend.”

Lilly – “Yeah, right.If you ever decide you no longer want to be
homeless, let me know. I know someone who will be needing a
roommate.”

Homeless Man – “No, thank you, I prefer to live everywhere.”

At School

Teacher – “Class, we have a new student today. Her name
is\ `Fatimah <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzD_A1TK-sRLeXVVNXBmRjJhU1U/edit?usp=sharing>`__\ Fakiri.”
Fatimah whispers in the teacher’s ear, and then the teacher
continues, “But apparently I have mispronounced her name. Would you
say your name for us?”

Fatimah –
“\ \ `Fatimah <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzD_A1TK-sRLYjNIQXlNY29RT2c/edit?usp=sharing>`__\ ,
but I prefer to be called Tima.”

Teacher – “Thank you, Tima. Please give her a warm welcome.”

When the class claps, Tima shyly smiles. The teacher directs her to
an empty seat next to Alice.

Alice – “That’s a pretty scarf you’re wearing. I thought Muslim women
were supposed to be plainly dressed.”

Tima– “Oh, thank you, my mother made this for me. It’s called a
khimar. We are required to conceal our beauty, but we are permitted
to wear attractive clothing.”

At the Police Station

Jeanne – “Will, a Mr. Farrell from the ACLU would like to speak with
you.”

Will – “What does he want?”

Jeanne – “He wouldn’t say. Shall I send him in?”

Will – “Sure, why not?” Jeanne brings him in and Will greets him,
“Hello Mr. Farrell. How can I help you?”

Mr. Farrell – “Hello Chief Girardi. I’d like to speak with you about
your association with Brother Jimi’s committee.”

Will – “What is it you would like to know?”

Mr. Farrell – “We have concerns that all of its members are
affiliated with religious organizations.”

Will – “Brother Jimi solicited the membership of his committee. A
majority of the citizens of Arcadia belong to some religious
organization. It is an efficient means to solicit input from our
citizens.”

Mr. Farrell – “His committee only represents citizens who are
affiliated with religious organizations.”

Will – “The committee is neither a religious nor a political
organization. It provides a forum to present recommendations to the
police department regarding how we can better serve the entire
community.”

Mr. Farrell – “Again, he only represents those citizens who have
religious beliefs. This is a clear endorsement of religion and a
violation of the separation of church and state. I must protest this
association.”

Will – “The last time I checked, people with religious beliefs are
not barred from participating in civic activities. Would you like to
recommend a representative from the Arcadia Association of Atheists?”

Mr. Farrell gets angry, “There is no such organization. If you insist
on continuing this association, we will file suit.”
Will – “Well, Mr. Farrell, I guess we will see each other in court.
Good day.”
At School

Just before the bell rings, the teacher asks the class, “Who has AP
Calculus next?”

Grace looks for someone else to respond, then slowly raises her hand.

Teacher – “Good, please show Tima her way to class.”

Grace gives the teacher a dumbfounded look, and then looks at Tima.
“Sure, why not, just don’t talk to me.” Tima quietly follows.

On the way, they meet Luke, “Who’s your friend?”

Grace – “An acquaintance, Tima, Luke; Luke, Tima.”

Tima– “Luke, it’s nice to meet you.”

Luke – “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

Grace – “Okay, this is the classroom.”

Timathanks her and enters the room.

Luke – “We need to talk.”

Grace – “About what?”

Luke – “You know what.”

Grace – “Oh, about me leading Tima to the Promised Land? It wasn’t my
idea.”

Luke – “Huh?”

The bell rings, and Grace says, “Never mind” as they enter the
classroom.

At The Herald

Rebecca – “Here are five stories I want you to check, and I e-mailed
links for three more.”

Kevin – “Why didn’t you just e-mail links for all of them.”

Rebecca – “I can’t go cold turkey. Deal with it.”

Kevin – “No problem.Accept the good stuff and move on. That’s my
motto.”

Rebecca – “So, what are you going to write for your class tonight?”

Kevin – “How did you know about that?”

Rebecca – “Lilly and I are getting together tonight. We talked
earlier.”
Kevin – “Oh, it’s almost done. I call it ‘Floating Effortlessly Above
the Masses’. Do you think the title’s too long?”

Rebecca – “Yeah, it’s a little wordy. It sounds more like a title for
one of your legal papers. Why don’t you try something shorter?”

Kevin – “Any suggestions?”

Rebecca thinks for a moment, “How about ‘Crowd Surfing’?”

At School

Ms. Lischak – “Greetings, hormonal units. This week we will be
discussing human reproduction.”

As the class grows silent, Grace whispers, “Just what I need!”

Ms. Lischak continues, “You have all had how-to instruction in health
class. We will be discussing the physical, chemical, and biological
processes involved in reproduction.”

Darlene raises her hand, “So, we’re not going to talk about
premarital sex?”

Ms. Lischak – “We will be discussing the hardware. For software
support, please seek advice from your parents. Pay attention, because
we will be going into great detail.” She flips a quarter in the air,
“Lukey G., call it.”

Luke – “Heads.”

Ms. Lischak catches the quarter, “Tails, you lose. The hormone
released by the area of the brain known as the hypothalamus begins at
the onset of sexual maturity…”

At 570 Elcaro Street

Lilly – “No, get in here! You are not ‘Robin the Graff Wonder’ here.
The last thing that I need is a mess to clean up on the sidewalk.”

She closes the window and then releases two latches at the top of the
windowpane, “See, they fold in, so you don’t have to hang out of the
window to clean it.”

Robin gives her a ‘who-cares’ look and returns to cleaning the
window. She sprays the window with cleaner.

Lilly – “No, not that one!” Lilly rummages through the supplies and
finds a bottle of Windex, “Use this one. Scrubbing Bubbles is for the
bathroom.”

The homeless man calls from the doorway, “There’s a problem with the
toilet on the fourth floor. It won’t flush.”

Lilly – “Wonderful, and when did you learn that it didn’t work?”

Homeless Man – “Well…”

Lilly doesn’t wait for him to finish. She grabs a plunger and heads
for the doorway. As she passes through, she gives him a tart smile
and says, “Holy crap, Batman!”

As Lilly disappears downstairs, the homeless man smiles and whispers
to himself, “Batman?”

At School

After biology class, Glynis comments, “I think it’s fascinating.
Human reproduction is an incredible process. It’s very important that
we know how our bodies work.”

Grace – “I think that health class was enough.”

Joan – “It’s a miracle, that’s all I need to know.”

Luke – “That really wasn’t as embarrassing as I thought it would be.
Ms. Lischak is actually explaining how everything works. It’s
science.”

Adam – “Well, I really felt uncomfortable. Why couldn’t they separate
us into classes for boys and girls? The stress has given me a
headache.”

Glynischuckles, “Hey, that’s my line.”

Friedman glares at Glynis and then looks back to the others, “Glynis
has a point. It’s important for each of us to know how our body
works, and how the body of the opposite sex works. Do you think Ms.
Lischak would give extra credit if…?”

Grace interrupts, “I don’t think she’d even want to know what you
have in mind.”

Joan – “Am I the only one who noticed something different about Ms.
Lischak today?”

Luke – “She didn’t seem different to me.”

Joan – “That’s because you’re not a woman.”

Glynis– “Hey, I’m a woman, what did I miss?”

Grace – “The rock on her finger the size of Texas.”

At the Police Station

Will – “Good, I just wanted to make sure we had all of our ducks in a
row.”

Mimi – “Well, I’m glad you came to me when you first decided to deal
with Brother Jimi’s committee. The City Charter gives you the
authority to determine which civic organizations are associated with
the police department. And as you stated, the fact that the members
of the committee are also religious leaders is irrelevant, since the
committee is neither religious nor politically affiliated. Do you
know Mike Trimble?”

Will – “We’ve met on a few occasions.”

Mimi – “He’s going to handle the case. He’ll be by tomorrow at nine
o’clock.”

Will – “Don’t you think we’re jumping the gun a bit? The ACLU hasn’t
filed suit yet.”

Mimi – “Oh, but they will. They’ll sue even if they don’t think they
can win. They win most of their cases out of court. People just can’t
afford the legal fees involved, so even if they feel they are right,
many agree to settle. They claim to be defenders of the Bill of
Rights, but when it comes to the First Amendment, they choose to read
it as freedom from religion. They want every aspect of religion
removed from the public arena, especially when it comes to
Christianity. It’s better for us to prepare now.”

Will – “Thanks for your help.”

At School

Joan leaves French class looking at a photograph and talking to
herself, “Est-ce le chemin vers l’église de Saint ‘Remy?Quand
est-elle l’entrée permitted? Est-ce que je peux être seul dans
l’église?”

Grace approaches and asks, “What’s that?”

Joan shows her
the\ `photograph <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/St-1.jpg>`__\ ,
“It’s Joan of Arc’s church in Domremy-la-Pucelle. I’ll be visiting it
during spring break.”

Grace – “Right, the French class trip. Has Adam said anything to you
about it?”

Joan – “Just that he’s happy for me.”

Grace – “Don’t you think he would like to go, too? He would have a
riot at the art museums.”

Joan – “Yes, but I’m sure he doesn’t have the money. I wouldn’t be
going if it wasn’t for Kevin. I don’t want to make him feel any worse
than he already does.”

Grace – “Ask him. Let him decline the offer.”

Joan – “Maybe you’re right. How is it that you can see that I should
talk to Adam, but you can’t see that you need to talk to someone,
anyone?”

Grace – “Maybe I’ll take Mr. Dingle for a spin during study hall.”

Joan – “Come on, you know that’s pointless. He’s a moron with a PhD.
You don’t have to go through this alone. Let us help you.”

Grace – “Gotta go.” Grace turns and walks the other way. As she does,
she begins to sing, “Dingle bells, dingle bells, dingle all the way…”

At St. Michael’s Episcopal Church

Brother Jimi – “Thanks for coming. I believe you know Father Mallory
and Rabbi Polonsky.” They acknowledge one another. “Let me introduce
the other members of the committee.”

After Brother Jimi introduces the others, Will comments, “It’s nice
to meet all of you. Reverend Sharpton, I have heard of you. Wayne and
June Goetzmann speak highly of you.”

Reverend Sharpton – “Thank you, I’m glad to hear that. Reverend
Yardley was loved and respected by our congregation. His shoes have
been difficult to fill.”

Brother Jimi – “Well, let’s get down to business. We really
appreciate the extra security that you provided for the Beachland
Ballroom during our last fundraiser. We wanted everyone who attended
to know they would be safe during the event.”

Will – “You’re welcome, and thank you for the surprise.”

Brother Jimi – “Well, we all felt that you and the Arcadia Police
deserved recognition for a job well done. We are planning another
event for New Years Eve. Do you think you could help us out again
with security?”

Will – “That may be possible, but I’ll have to wait until we are
closer to New Years to know if I can commit the resources.”

Brother Jimi – “Fair enough. We have received some complaints about
the situation at Meadow Park. Many of the residents are concerned
about the number of people who hang around all night long. They
believe drug deals are being made. They would like the ten o’clock
curfew enforced.”

Will – “We already have regular patrols through that area, but curfew
enforcement is not something we are tasked to enforce. If the
citizens can assist us with information on actual criminal activity
going on, then I could justify doing a sweep of the park.”

Reverend Sharpton – “I might be able to help you with that. I’ll call
you later.” He pauses before he continues, “On another matter, one of
our parishioner’s works for the zoning commission. She approached me
with a concern. Are you aware that a mosque is opening on Elcaro
Street?”

Will – “No, this is the first I have heard of it.”

Reverend Sharpton – “This city is still recovering from the attacks
of Ryan Hunter and his group. Her concern is that this may mark the
beginning of another wave of attacks.”

Will – “We don’t know that! It’s only a small percentage of Muslims
who are involved in terrorism.”

Reverend Sharpton – “Yes, I know, but she came prepared with an
alarming statistic. The fundamentalist Muslims, about five percent,
are the ones who support the kind of terrorist acts of September
11th. If only five percent of American Muslims are Fundamentalists,
then America has 300 thousand potential terrorists living within our
mists.”

Will – “Well, I don’t know about those figures, but even if they are
correct, it doesn’t mean these people are terrorists.”

Reverend Sharpton – “I’m just relaying what she told me. I agree with
you, but when the news of this becomes more widely known, people are
going to start asking questions, legitimate questions. I’m only
bringing it up to make you aware.”

Will – “Has anyone talked to them?”

Father Mallory – “A few of us are planning a visit. Their imam’s name
is Fakiri. We were wondering if you would like to join us.”

Will – “I don’t feel having the Chief of Police show up is a good
idea. You should make your visit without me. As long as they are not
breaking any laws, I have no reason to become involved.”

Brother Jimi – “Well, I’m glad that’s out of the way. We have only
two more issues to discuss…”

At School

Adam – “Hey, you want to go to the library and look up that hormone
for biology?”

Grace – “I already know the answer; it’s what is detected by a
pregnancy test.”

Adam – “Okay, but is that enough of an answer for Ms. Lischak? I have
dance tonight, so I need to look it up now. I just thought we could
do it together.”

Grace – “This is just another ploy to get me to talk, isn’t it? Don’t
you guys get it? I just want to be left alone!”

Adam – “Friends don’t leave friends alone.”

Grace glares at Adam and leaves without making a further comment.

At The Herald

Kevin goes to Rebecca’s desk, “Why do you have ‘Dar al-Islam’ circled
in this story?”

Rebecca – “That’s the name of the new mosque on Elcaro Street. Imam
Fakiri wants to announce the opening and to invite everyone to noon
prayer on Friday. Make sure it’s spelled correctly and find out what
it means.”

Kevin – “Is ‘Iman’ his name or should it be ‘Imam’ his title?”

Rebecca wonders for a moment, “I don’t know, I didn’t take the call.
It could be a typo. Find out and maybe you should insert his name
somewhere in the text.”

Kevin goes back to his desk and does several searches. He finds a
variety of spellings, but the one provided seems to be the most
common. It means, ‘House of Peace’. The task of clarifying whether to
use ‘Iman’ or ‘Imam’ will require more research.

At the Polonsky Residence

Grace enjoys dinner with her father. While staying with the
Girardi’s, she learned how to make one of his favorite pasta dishes.
After dinner, she watches a little TV, and then finishes her
homework. She looks up ‘human chorionic gonadotropin’ on her
computer. She finds a website that confirms what she already knows.
She then reads the following:

‘\ HCG may also be produced abnormally by certain tumors. HCG levels
may be elevated in women who have cancer of the ovaries…\ ’

Grace wonders, ‘Could it be that she was never really pregnant?’ She
cradles her head in her hands, “Okay, calm down and just breathe.”

At Home

Joan returns from dance class, “Mom, what did we have for dinner?”

Helen – “I made a roast. I’ll fix you a plate. How was class?”

Joan – “Great! We started learning the rumba, and Sister Sarah loved
the booties Grace and I made for her sister.”

Helen – “That was really nice of you two to make them for her.”

Joan sits quietly at the table while Helen finishes warming her
dinner. When it’s ready, Helen sits beside her.

Joan – “Mom, I need some advice.”

Helen – “About Grace?”

Joan is astounded, “How’d you know?”

Helen – “It’s a mom thing.” She pauses, cherishing Joan’s expression,
and then she continues, “Actually, your father had a chat with Rabbi
Polonsky today. He asked if we knew what was bothering her.”

Joan – “Well, I know, but I can’t say. The problem is that she
refuses talk to anyone about it.”

Helen – “Does this involve Luke?”

Joan – “He’s involved, but it’s not about him. How can you help
someone when they won’t let you?”

Helen answers with a question, “If this were one of God’s requests,
what would you do?”

Joan – “Ahhh, fail, fail, fail.”

Helen – “No you wouldn’t. Remember the story you told me about
Ramsey? Even though you thought you failed, it turned out that you
didn’t. Maybe if we put our heads together, we can figure something
out.”

Joan – “If we put our heads together, you’ll just hear a hollow
noise.”

Helen – “Oh honey, just give it a little more time.”

At School

Joan – “Hey, where have you been?”

Grace – “I had a thing with my uncle, and then I had to give blood.”

Joan smiles, “Your uncle is a vampire?”

Grace – “Did you know that you aren’t supposed to eat garlic
twenty-four hours prior to giving blood?”

Joan becomes perplexed, not knowing what to say. Is she serious? She
decides to give Grace a tart smile and change the subject, “Which
would you rather have, creamed chicken ala mush or a roast beef
sandwich?”

Grace – “We have a choice?”

Joan – “You and I do. Come on, let’s go up to the roof and have
lunch.” After they settle in, Joan says, “I know you don’t want to
talk about what happened, so I’ve decided I won’t bother you
anymore.”
Grace – “Well, it’s about time someone decided to respect my
privacy.”

Joan adds, “But, I want you to know that I’m here for you if you
change your mind.”

Joan and Grace eat quietly for a while, and then Grace breaks the
silence, “You know my mother’s coming home on Sunday.”

Joan – “Yeah, your dad told me.”

Grace – “Well, that means we won’t see each other. What are you doing
on Saturday morning?”

Joan – “Nothing, I guess.”

Grace – “Good, I’ll pick you up at eight.”

Joan – “Where are we going?”

Grace – “I just have a thing to do. I’ll tell you then.”

A heat exchanger that had been running turns off. The sound of
someone talking softly becomes apparent, and they realize they are
not alone. As they quietly peer around a roof vent, they observe Tima
kneeling on a prayer carpet, reciting her prayers. After a few
moments, Grace gestures. They quietly go back down into the school.

Joan – “Do you know her?”

Grace – “Her name is Tima. She started here yesterday.”

Joan – “She’s Muslim, right?”

Grace asks sarcastically, “What, did the scarf give it away? Yeah,
she’s Muslim.”

Joan – “I’ve never met a Muslim.”

Grace – “And you still haven’t. You’re better off staying away from
her.”

Joan – “Why?”

Grace – “Because she’s probably praying that her suicide bomber vest
arrives before Christmas.”

Joan – “Grace, that’s not fair!”

Grace – “Fair? Tell that to my Aunt Tirza. Thanks for lunch.” She
darts off, ending the conversation.

At The Herald

Rebecca – “Hey, that was a nice touch adding that ‘Dar al-Islam’
means ‘House of Peace’.”

Kevin – “Thanks. I couldn’t find out Imam Fakiri’s first name, so I
stopped by there after work. His first name is Iman! Imam Iman
Fakiri, now that’s a tongue twister. At least his last name isn’t
Saad! I put ‘Imam Fakiri’ in the story.”

Rebecca smiles, “Saad, that’s the best you could come up with?”

Kevin returns the smile, “Actually, I came up with a few more.”

Rebecca – “Iman Woman.”

Kevin – “Iman Uglay.”

Rebecca – “Iman bin Laden.”

Kevin – “Iman Assaf.”

With this last one, they both start laughing. Rebecca regains her
composure first, “Ahhh, okay, that’s enough. We really shouldn’t be
doing this.”

Kevin – “Yeah, I know, but it is funny!”

Rebecca – “I’m sure that Mr. Fakiri is a very nice man.”

They look at each other and begin to laugh again. Rebecca returns to
her desk, but she’s still carrying a smile. She chuckles as she hears
Kevin continue to rattle off names, “Iman Idiata, Iman Oaf, Iman
Evill, Iman Yosles…”

At the Police Station

Carlisle – “Hey boss, have you read this morning’s paper?”

Will – “No, I haven’t had time. Where have you been?”

Carlisle – “One of my snitches called with some interesting
information. Did you hear a mosque is opening on Elcaro Street?”

Will – “Yeah, I’ve heard about it.”

Carlisle – “Well, he overheard some guys talking in the bathroom
about making trouble. I went to grill him for more information.”

Will – “Do you have any IDs on them, what they’re planning to do?”

Carlisle – “No, he didn’t see them, and they didn’t give specifics.”

Will – “Can you trust this guy?”

Carlisle – “I suppose it could be a stall tale, but he’s been pretty
reliable in the past.”

Will smiles at Carlisle’s bit of humor and then continues, “Okay,
have everyone get the word out. I want to know if there is any new
information.”

Carlisle leaves and Will gets on the phone, “Brother Jimi, I’m glad I
caught you. Have you met yet with the Imam on Elcaro Street?”

Brother Jimi – “No, we plan to meet in the morning.”

Will – “Good, I would like to come with you.”

At School

Adam – “Hey, Mrs. G., I’ve finished my distortion project. What do
you think?”

Helen – “It looks,” she pauses wondering, “interesting. I’ll let you
explain it when the class begins.”

While the other students continue to come in, Adam notices
a\ `painting <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/catseye_hst_ripple10-Canvas.jpg>`__\ against
the wall, “Whose is this?”

Helen – “Oh, it’s Tima Fakiri’s. She painted it last summer. Isn’t it
beautiful?”

Adam – “Yeah, it’s like, I don’t know, a stellar rose.”

Helen – “She does call it, ‘The Rose’. It’s her distortion of the
cat’s eye nebula. She’s added more ripples to it. The
original\ `picture <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/catseye_hst.jpg>`__\ is
taped to the back of the canvas.”

Adam pulls the picture off and compares it to the painting. As he
returns it, he notices writing on the back, “When the sky
disintegrates, and turns rose colored like paint.”

Adam – “Tima’s in my AP Calc class. I didn’t know that she took art.
She’s really good!”

Helen – “She told me she’s been painting since she was very young.
She is talented.”

Adam – “She blew us all away yesterday when she went up to the board
and solved a problem using Euler’s method. She solved it, but she
added some strange calculations. Even Luke was scratching his head
trying to understand her solution. And then, she just walked back to
her seat like nothing happened.”

Helen – “Today was only her second day in class, but I can tell that
she’s very smart. I’m going to have fun with her. Now, go to your
seat.”

At Home

Helen – “Here’s your dinner. How was work?”

Joan – “The same. Actually, it was pretty quiet tonight. I’ve been
thinking about Grace. She really doesn’t like this new Muslim girl,
and she doesn’t even know her.”

Helen – “She seems really sweet, but the Jews and Muslims have a long
and violent history. If everyone could just respect each other's
right to believe as they choose, the world would be a much better
place.”

Joan – “I don’t think her religion is the issue. Maybe it’s part of
it. I think Grace is angry and she’s taking it out on Tima.”

Helen – “Perhaps you could find a way to show Grace that Tima is
really a nice girl.”

Joan – “Hah!Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to
change Grace’s mind.”

Helen – “Okay, it will be a challenge, but you can find a way.”

Joan – “That’s what you said yesterday. I still have no idea of what
to do.”

Will comes into the kitchen and gives Joan a kiss, “How was your
day?”

Joan – “Fine, just more double, double, toil and trouble.”

Helen – “Oh, Macbeth!”

Joan – “No, Harry Potter.How was your day, Daddy?”

Will – “‘Fire burn and cauldron bubble! Something wicked this way
comes!’ Hogwarts, right?”

Joan – “Yeah, I’m surprised you remember.”

Will – “Well, you did sing that song for weeks after we watched the
movie.”

Helen, talking aloud to herself, “Great, now I have my example of
alternative education for the meeting!”

Joan – “What meeting?”

Helen – “Never mind.”

Joan returns to her conversation with her father, “So, you had a bad
day?”

Will – “No, not really. I’m just trying to prevent problems when the
new mosque opens on Friday. There’s supposed to be an article in the
newspaper about it.”

Joan – “Oh, I’d like to read that.”

Helen – “The paper’s in the living room.”

At School

Joan – “Hey, I got a B on my calculus test. Thanks for your help.”

Grace – “No problem.Did you find the answer for Ms. Lischak’s
prostate question?”

Joan – “Yeah, it’s ‘prostate specific antigen’, PSA. Just remember
‘public service announcement’.”

Grace smiles, “Or ‘Partido Socialista Auténtico’.”

Joan – “What?”

Grace – “Never mind, did you bring a lunch again today?”

Joan – “No, I’m going to brave the mystery meat.” She smiles and
adds, “I just hope it doesn’t have a collar.”

Grace – “Good one, Girardi! I prefer to think of it as viscera-lite.”

Joan – “Eeeuw, I think I lost my appetite.”

Grace – “Oh, get over it.” They get their trays and sit down at a
table.

Joan – “Will you go with me on a little excursion during lunch this
Friday?”

Grace – “And to where would that be?”

Joan – “Uh-uh, you don’t get to find out until we get there.”

Grace gives her a disgruntled look. Joan isn’t supposed to play this
game. Her initial impulse is to refuse; however, she agrees, because
she really wants Joan to go with her on Saturday, “Yeah, okay, but
only if we can be late getting back from lunch.”

Joan – “I have it planned so we won’t, but perhaps I can oblige.”

Adam joins them, “Hey, what is this stuff?”

Joan – “Entrailles de chien, bon appétit!”

Adam – “Wow, sounds good, thanks.”

At The Herald

Rebecca – “Hey, thanks for letting me have Lilly for the last few
nights. We’ve been having a lot of fun.”

Kevin – “And what have you two been up to?”

Rebecca – “Oh no, don’t go there. Lilly made me promise that I
wouldn’t tell. It’s a surprise.”

Kevin – “Is this about Christmas?”

Rebecca just ignores him and smiles, “Check your inbox. I sent you
some more stories.”

Kevin takes the hint, “I was wondering about the new mosque opening
on Friday. Is anyone planning to be there?”

Rebecca is startled by his question and pauses before responding, “I
wasn’t going to say anything, but Iman Fakiri called. He was furious!
He didn’t want his name put in the story.”

Kevin – “Do you want me to call him?”

Rebecca – “No, I’ve already apologized. What more could I do? We
can’t unpublish the newspaper, and a retraction would just attract
more attention to it.” She pauses and then continues, “Anyway, we
don’t plan to have anyone at the mosque on Friday. It’s not the type
of event we typically cover.”

Kevin – “I would like to go to the noon prayers. I think there may be
a story.”

Rebecca – “Do you know Arabic?”

Kevin – “No, but I have a tape recorder, and I’ve found a professor
at Dawson State who will translate it for me.”

Rebecca – “Okay, go for it, but if there’s a story, you’re working
this weekend. I’ll want it for the Sunday addition.”

Kevin – “Will I get overtime?”

Rebecca – “Don’t push it! We’re still just barely keeping it in the
black. Maybe I’ll give you a byline and a day off.”

Kevin accepts the compromise and returns to work.

At 570 Elcaro Street

Imam Fakiri – “That’s why we are having an open house, so people can
come to see that Islam is a religion of peace.”

Rabbi Polonsky – “But most people don’t speak Arabic. They won’t know
what you are saying.”

Imam Fakiri – “The prayers must be spoken in the language of Allah.
During your services, you recite the Torah in Hebrew. Do people
accuse you of hiding a terrorist agenda?”

Reverend Sharpton – “Jews and Christian’s have not been flying planes
into buildings. They haven’t been blowing up passenger trains. And,
in case you haven’t been paying attention, more Muslims are being
killed by other Muslims than by anyone else.”

Imam Fakiri – “But we don’t have anything to do with that! That’s why
we moved here.”

Father Malloy – “What do you mean?”

Imam Fakiri becomes noticeably uncomfortable, “Never mind.”

There is a short silence while the others wonder what he meant, but
then Will continues, “It’s really not unfair for people to have
trouble believing that Islam is a religion of peace, when all the
evidence seems to point to the contrary.”

Reverend Sharpton interjects, “Pay no attention to that man behind
the curtain, Dorothy.”

Imam Fakiri – “Okay, I see your point, but how can you prove a
negative?” When no one answers, he continues, “Perhaps since this is
an open house, we can make an exception. I will speak to my daughter
when she comes home from school.”

Will – “We have received unconfirmed threats against your mosque. I
feel it would be prudent to have a police presence here on Friday.”

Imam Fakiri – “No, that would not be acceptable. Who would people
think you were protecting? And from whom?”

Will – “The purpose is to protect all who attend. I think it is a
wise precaution.”

Imam Fakiri thinks for a few moments, “Okay, but plain clothes
officers only, and I don’t want anyone to know they are here.”

At School

Leaving biology class, Glynis comments, “That picture of
a\ `fetus <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/Fetus.jpg>`__\ was
so cute.”

Joan – “I wish you wouldn’t use that word!”

Adam – “Chill, Jane!She didn’t mean anything by it.”

Grace – “I’ve seen it before. They use ultrasound and a technique
called 3D surface rendering. Can we talk about something else now?”

Friedman – “Her discussion of brain development will probably be a
test question… starts between the eight and fourteenth weeks, got
it.”

Grace – “That’s a statistical average. In your case, pick ‘none of
the above’.”

Friedman ignores her comment and continues, “Ms. Lischak said that on
Friday, we will finish with what happens during birth. That’ll be
cool.”

Glynis– “My mom told me that I was an easy childbirth, just a few
hours of labor, and then boink, there I was.”

Grace – “Boink? Isn’t that what started it all? Never mind, why did I
sear that image on my brain?”

Friedman – “Touchy today, are we? That time of the month?” All the
girls slap him.

Grace – “Friedman, have you heard of the term, ‘retroactive
abortion’?”

Friedman retorts, “Of course, that was the final solution to ‘\ The
Butterfly Effect\ ’. Unbirth. To be, or not to be: that is the
question. My name is I was, not I am. O, doth thou summon me to your
temporal orb…”

Grace interrupts, “Enough, already! When I was born, I was so
surprised that I didn’t talk for a year and a half. Maybe you should
try it!”

Grace darts down the hall. Luke looks at Friedman and asks, “Why did
you do that?”

Friedman – “Hey, I promised I wouldn’t call her ‘Marg’ anymore. I
never said anything about not pushing her buttons.”

Luke hears Joan giggling, “What’s with you? You know why she’s
upset.”

Joan – “I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. What Grace said is actually
kind of funny.”

At the Police Station

Will ponders the conversation with Imam Fakiri. ‘That’s why we moved
here.’ It was obviously a slip, but what did he mean? Is he a
law-abiding citizen who just happens to be a Muslim, or has a
terrorist cell actually moved into Arcadia? What is he hiding?

Carlisle – “Hey boss, you wanted to see me?”

Will – “Yeah. I want you and Sgt. Collins to attend the open house at
the Elcaro Street mosque on Friday. Wear plain clothes, but something
appropriate for church.”

Carlisle – “We haven’t heard anything further about the threat to the
mosque. This may not be necessary.”

Will – “It’s just a precaution. Watch everybody.”

Carlisle – “Will do.”

Carlisle leaves and Will gets on the phone. It rings for a long time,
but just as he thinks it’s going into voice mail, Victor picks up,
“Will, how have you been?”

Will – “Hi Victor, how did you know it was me?”

Victor – “Caller ID, it’s a great tool. What’s up?”

Will – “Well, it may be something or it may be nothing, but I would
like you to get some information for me. A man named Iman Fakiri…”

At 570 Elcaro Street

Kevin – “Hello, my name is Kevin Girardi. I’m with The Arcadia
Herald. Is Iman Fakiri at home?”

Tima– “My father is working and cannot be disturbed. Did you say
Girardi?”

Kevin – “Yes, with *The* Arcadia Herald.”

Tima– “Do you have a brother named Luke?”

Kevin – “Yeah, do you know him?”

Tima– “No, not really, but I have met him. What is it that you want
with my father?”

Kevin – “I just wanted to get some more information about the open
house you have planned at your mosque.”

Tima– “My father doesn’t talk to reporters, and he has asked me not
to either. Just come on Friday and you can see for yourself.”

Kevin – “May I ask just one question? Where did you live before
moving here?”

Timaignores the question, “I have to go. I’ll walk you out.”

When the elevator stops at the first floor, it suddenly drops another
foot. Tima looses her balance and falls against Kevin’s chair,
spilling some of the contents of her purse. The elevator then slowly
rises up to the threshold and the door opens.

Tima– “This has gotten a lot worse. I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”

Kevin – “I’m fine. Are you okay?”

Timarubs her arm, “Yeah, I’ll be okay. I wish they would come and fix
this. My mom is getting tired of calling them.”

Kevin – “I know someone who can help.”

Kevin collects her things and Tima puts them back into her purse,
“Thank you. Good night.”

At School

A strange girl dressed like a Carollesque dormouse is reciting poetry
in the foyer. Singing poetry, actually. She seems oblivious to
everyone around her, but more bizarre is that everyone seems
oblivious of her. Joan probably would have passed her by as well, but
her voice is alluring. Joan stops to listen.

*Dancing madly backwards
Memories racing forward
Tinsel showers from rainbow skies
Protect the rose of vision
Thought turns inward on a journey
*To* see God in the mind’s eye*

Girl – “What do you think? Am I real or am I Memorex?”

Joan – “Surreal is more like it.”

Girl – “Sir Real, I like that, Joan.”

Joan – “Oh God!Where have you been? You know that I worry when you
don’t come around. Have I done something wrong?”

God – “I’m always here, in everything you see and everyone you meet,
and no, you are doing just fine. However, I do have a suggestion.”

Joan – “A suggestion?”

God – “Today is half price day at the thrift store. You should go buy
a couple scarves.”

Joan – “I don’t need scarves! I’m all about scarves. I have tons of
them.”

God – “Head scarves. You and Grace will need them.”

Joan – “Oh, I didn’t think about that. Thanks. Am I doing the right
thing?”

God – “You will have an effect.”

Joan – “Come on God, a little guidance would help here.”

God – “Hints, Joan, I leave hints everywhere. You should go or you’ll
be late.”

The bell rings so Joan rushes off to class.

At The Herald

Kevin – “I tried to get an interview with Iman Fakiri last night, but
his daughter wouldn’t let me talk to him.”

Rebecca – “You’re really into this story. I hope it’s worth your
time.”

Kevin – “Have you ever heard of an organization called Coexist?”

Rebecca – “Not an organization, but a cause. Bono of U2 is big into
it. It’s a plea for the people of the world’s three major religions
to stop killing one another.”

Kevin – “Yeah, I’ve heard some of Bono’s quotes, ‘Jesus, Jew,
Mohammed, it’s true… all sons of Abraham,’ but is there actually an
organization?”

Rebecca – “I don’t think so, at least not on a national or
international scale. I have heard of some small groups on college
campuses. Some clothing manufacture has grabbed the patent on the
logo. Does this have something to do with Imam Fakiri, or did we
change the subject?”

Kevin – “I came across a variation of the more common logo and I was
just wondering about it. It’s nothing.”

At the Police Station

Will is watching the morning news and reviewing the logs from last
evening with Sgt. Williams.

TV reporter – “An Akron, Ohio, man has been arrested for plotting to
stage a terrorist attack. He planned to place grenades inside
trashcans at a local suburban shopping mall. The suspect also made a
videotape in preparation for the attack.

In other news…”

Will looks at Toni, maintaining a serious expression, “I’ll bet he’s
a Methodist. Those Methodists are always causing trouble.”

Toni looks at him in disbelief, and then smirks, “Come on, Will, you
know what he is.”

Will smiles, “Of course I know. Why do they do that? Do they think
we’re that stupid?”

Toni – “Apparently so.A lot of the news outlets are doing it.”

Will returns to reviewing the ledger, “Do we have an ID on the
Liqueur Mart robber?”

Toni – “Armond Washington. We have him on the security camera. We’ve
put an APB out for him.”

Will – “Wasn’t he a suspect in the Quickie Mart robbery? Black male,
wears his hair in dreadlocks, right?”

Toni – “Yeah, he’s out on bail.”

The news once again catches Will’s attention.

TV reporter – “In local news, the Liqueur Mart on 5th street was
robbed again last night. The police have identified the suspect as
Armond Washington. He is six feet tall and wears a beard. The police
have asked for the public’s help in locating him.”

Will looks at the television in disbelief and then looks back at
Toni, “I’m not going to say it.” He returns to the ledger, “What
about the mosque threat, anything new?”

Toni – “Not a peep.Carlisle thinks it may have just been some guys
blowing hot air.”

Will – “Well, I’m still going to have him and Sgt. Collins on the
inside.” He looks at his watch, “I have to go. I have an appointment
with Mike Trimble. I can’t miss it again. I’ll be back after lunch.”

At School

Luke – “Come on Grace, you’ve barely talked to me all week. We can’t
go on like this.”

Grace – “I told you, I don’t want to talk about it. It’s all I can do
just to sit through biology class every day. ‘Doth God pervert
judgment? Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?’”

Luke – “You’ve been reading the Torah?”

Grace – “I memorized it, remember?”

Luke – “So, you believe what happened is some kind of punishment?”

Grace – “‘For we are consumed in Thine anger, and by Thy wrath are we
hurried away.’ You don’t want to be near me, dude.”

Luke – “Memorizing something and understanding it are two different
things. I don’t know much about God, but I don’t think he goes around
punishing people. People do that well enough on their own. You should
talk to your father.”

Grace – “My father will never know about this. Ever!”

At The Herald

Rebecca – “Is it all right if I borrow Lilly again tonight.”

Kevin – “You’ll have to ask her.”

Rebecca – “I already have. I just want to make sure it’s okay with
you.”

Kevin – “I have some class work I can do tonight. I’m actually
surprised that you and Lilly have become such good friends, but I’m
glad, too. She doesn’t allow many people to get close to her. Just
let me have her once in a while.”

Rebecca – “Come on, we don’t spend that much time together.”

Kevin – “I was just kidding. It’s fine.”

Rebecca – “I need to talk to Dan, but why don’t we all do something
together this weekend.”

Kevin – “Sure, that sounds good.”

At School

Joan arrives for biology class a little early and approaches Ms.
Lischak at her desk, “May I ask you a personal question?”

Ms. Lischak – “You know I don’t discuss my personal life with
students.”

Joan – “Yeah, but I was just wondering about your ring.”

Ms. Lischak looks at her hand, “Carbon in transparent form, created
under pressure, a girl’s best friend.”

Joan – “Pressure, that’s good. Who is your second best friend?”

Ms. Lischak pauses for a moment, just looking at Joan, “Will you be
attending the Mirror Ball?”

Joan – “Yeah, Adam is taking me.”

Ms. Lischak – “Sometimes the solution to mysteries just requires
being in the right place at the right time. Go to your seat, Ms.
Girardi.”

At the Police Station

Will is jotting down facts, working on a statement for Mike Trimble.
He’s detailing everything he can remember about the events that lead
to his association with Brother Jimi’s committee. His cell phone
rings, “Will Girardi.”

Victor – “Hi Will, I have some information for you…”

Will – “Uh-huh… yeah… yeah… really!”

At Home

Helen – “It’s nice to have everyone at dinner, well almost everyone.
Where is Lilly this evening?”

Kevin – “She and Rebecca are doing something. It’s a surprise.”

Helen – “Well, tell her we missed her. Luke, you haven’t said the
prayer in a while. Would you say one for us?”

Luke thinks for a moment, “Dear Lord, if I mix sodium with
concentrated nitric acid, and add to it Plutonium, would you take
care of me? Amen.”

Everyone smiles.

Joan – “You’re such a weirdo!”

Kevin – “After dinner, go to\ `The Darwin
Awards <http://www.darwinawards.com/>`__\ website. You’ll find your
answer there.”

Helen – “Ah hmm, well, it was a prayer. Let’s eat.”

They pass around the food and everyone enjoys the meal.

Kevin asks Luke, “Do you know a girl named Tima Fakiri?”

Will’s eyes widen momentarily, but he returns his expression back to
normal before anyone notices.

Luke – “Yeah, she’s in my AP Calculus class.”

Joan – “I know who she is, but we haven’t met.”

Kevin – “I talked to her last night. I found one of her cards in the
fold of my wheelchair this morning…”

Helen interrupts, “How did that happen?”

Kevin – “It’s a long story.” He hands the card to Luke, “Can you get
this back to her?”

Joan – “Let
me\ `see <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/Coexist.jpg>`__\ it.”

Kevin – “I looked up the area code. It’s the Buffalo, New York area.
I’m guessing that’s where they came from.”

Helen – “Tima is a very nice girl, and talented too. I have her in
one of my classes. I wish I could show you the painting she made.
It’s so beautiful. She calls it ‘The Rose’.”

Joan – “Adam mentioned seeing it. He said there was something strange
written on the back.”

Helen – “It’s only strange to us. It’s a quote from the Koran.”

Joan – “Grace and I saw her praying on the roof the other day. She
must be very religious.”

Luke – “What does this symbol mean?”

Helen – “See the cross, the Star of David, and the crescent moon and
star, they’re all religious symbols. It’s a desire, a hope, a vision
that someday all the worlds major religions will peacefully coexist.”

Will breaks his silence, “Why were you talking to Tima Fakiri?”

Kevin – “I was trying to talk to her father, but she wouldn’t let me.
I’m trying to get information for a story.”

Will – “Well, there’s a story all right, but it’s not one that should
be told, at least not in the newspaper. Do you remember Ben Pollack?”

Kevin – “Sure, but what does he have to do with this?”

Will – “Be careful what you write, son.”

Joan becomes frustrated, “What’s with this Illya and Napoleon
routine? Are you guys going to tell us what you’re talking about?”

Will ignores her, “This steak is nice and tender!”

Joan – “Dad!”

Will – “Let’s just say that Tima Fakiri is a very special young lady
and leave it at that.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joan awakens, refreshed from her pursuit of rabbits. She stretches,
yawns, and smiles at the new day. During her slumber, the
significance of subtleties coalesced, and clarity of mind is now
bestowed upon her. She speaks softly to herself, “Protect the rose of
vision.”

At School

Joan arrives at her locker, still a little dazzled, and somewhat
apprehensive. The whence, how, and what are still unknown. She finds
Adam talking with Elizabeth, “Hi.”

Adam – “Elizabeth wants me to help them finish the mirror ball.
They’re having trouble cutting the mirrors. We’re going to meet
tomorrow afternoon. Would you like to come?”

Joan – “Um, I don’t know. Who else will be there?”

Elizabeth – “There’ll be Glynis, Friedman, Alice, Adam, and me. Oh,
and Alice has invited Tima Fakiri, so that’s six so far. Come on,
it’ll be fun!”

Joan – “I haven’t had good experiences with mirrors.”

Elizabeth – “Oh, there’ll be other stuff to do. A lot of the
decorations still need to be finished.”

Joan – “Okay, I’ll come.” Elizabeth leaves, and Joan and Adam head to
class, “Are you working tonight?”

Adam – “No, I’ve finished the mural at the historical society and I’m
taking tonight off. What would you like to do?”

Joan – “I really don’t want to go anywhere, but I would like for us
to do something. Can you rent some movies and we can vegetate at my
house?”

Adam – “Yeah, sure, what do you want to see?”

Joan – “I want to see the ‘\ Bad News Bears\ ’ and ‘\ Must Love
Dogs\ ’. Can you get those?”

Adam – “It’s a date.”

At 570 Elcaro Street

Lilly comes out of the elevator and knocks on the door. A man
answers, and Lilly asks, “May I speak to Mrs. Fakiri?”

Man – “Whom may I say is calling?”

Lilly – “My name is Lilly Watters. I work for the Arcadia Urban
Renewal Project. It’s about the elevator.”

He shows her into the living room. After a few minutes, a woman in a
wheelchair comes out to greet her, “Hello, I’m Fatimah Fakiri.”

Lilly – “Hello, my name is Lilly Watters. I work for the Arcadia
Urban Renewal Project It’s nice to meet you. I just wanted to let you
know the elevator has been repaired. I’m sorry for the delay. I can
see now why its repair is so important to you. My fiancé uses a
wheelchair.”

Mrs. Fakiri – “Thank you for having the elevator repaired. I do like
to go outside. Is your fiancé the newspaper reporter who came by
yesterday?”

Lilly – “Yes, he called last night and I arranged for someone to be
here today to fix the elevator. Again, I’m sorry for the delay. It
was nice to meet you.”

Lilly gets up to leave and Mrs. Fakiri comments, “We will be having
our open house in a few hours. You are welcome to stay.”

Lilly – “No, thank you. I am a Catholic and I will always be a
Catholic.”

Mrs. Fakiri – “Of course we hope that some who visit will become
interested in Islam and decide to join us, but this is a gesture of
goodwill to the people of all faiths in the community.”

Lilly – “Again, thank you, but I really do have to get back to work.
I’m starting a new project today.”

At School

Joan – “Where were you earlier?”

Grace – “I overslept. My alarm went on strike. I didn’t miss
anything, did I?”

Joan – “No… oh, Adam and I are going to help with the decorations for
the Mirror Ball tomorrow. Do you want to come?”

Grace – “I don’t know. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

Grace notices Alice and Tima walking ahead of them, “Let’s slow down
a little. I don’t want to get too close.”

Joan – “Why do you dislike her so much? You don’t even know her.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. When will you see we’re made of the
same stuff?”

Grace – “Oh yeah, your zombie song. That was almost as touchy-feely
as ‘\ Give Peace a Chance’, but in the real world, it doesn’t work
that way. ‘Why don’t you let us share your life?’ Okay, let’s suppose
we agree to that. Who decides who must die in order for the undead to
live, because I haven’t heard of anyone who has survived having their
brain eaten?”
Joan – “It was just a play.”

Grace – “Words have power; we’ve been over this before. When good
negotiates with evil, who always compromises? How do you negotiate
with someone whose baseline for discussion is your death? The zombies
would take the brains that are given, steal more brains anyway, and
continue to demand more. No, in the real world, evil must be
confronted and defeated.”

Joan – “But zombies aren’t real, and people aren’t a bunch of bodies
sharing the same head. My dad says that Tima is a very special young
lady. I don’t know how he knows, but I know he wouldn’t say something
like that if it wasn’t true. Can you at least give her a chance?”

Grace – “See you at lunch.” Grace leaves, ending the conversation.

At 570 Elcaro Street

When the bus stops, Joan and Grace step off.Grace asks, “Now are you
going to tell me where we’re going?”

Joan points, “This way.” They begin to walk up the street and Joan
continues, “I read about this in the paper. They are having an open
house for noon prayers at the new mosque.”

Grace interrupts, “You are taking me to a mosque? Are you insane?
Don’t you listen to anything I say?”

Joan – “Yes, no, and yes. I’m just curious. I want to see what they
do, and I don’t want to go alone.”

Grace – “So you invited a Jew to come with you?”

Joan – “No, I invited my best friend. Come on, it won’t last long.
They are noon prayers.” Joan reaches into her purse and retrieves the
scarves she purchased, “Here, put this on.”

Grace looks at the scarf, “I’m not wearing that; everyone will think
I’m a Muslim.”

Joan – “I wore a Kippah at your bat mitzvah, and I’m not Jewish. It’s
just to show respect.”

Grace – “You owe me big time!”

Joan – “I’m already going with you tomorrow, remember?”

They enter the mosque to find that several rows of folding chairs
have been set up. Grace quickly pulls Joan into a seat in the last
row. She bows her head, “What is my father doing here?”

Joan looks and sees Rabbi Polonsky, Father Malloy, Brother Jimi, and
several other religious leaders sitting in the front row, “I guess
they were curious, too.”

Father Malloy notices Joan and waves. Joan waves back.

Grace – “What are you doing? I’m trying to be invisible here!”

Joan points to Grace and then puts her finger in front of her mouth,
“Shhhhh!” Father Malloy nods and gives the okay sign, “It’s cool, as
long as your father doesn’t turn around.”

Kevin comes up to them, “What are you two doing here?”

Joan – “I just wanted to come see. And you?”

Kevin – “I’m working.”

Grace – “Go work somewhere else. You’re attracting too much
attention.” Grace slouches down even further in her seat.

Joan – “Grace isn’t here, okay?”

Kevin – “Got it.” Kevin rolls a little farther toward the front of
the room.

Joan looks around the room and spots another familiar face. Carlisle
returns the recognition with a nod.

Joan whispers to Grace, “Hey, that guy is a cop. He works for my
dad.”

Grace quickly looks around the room, “He’s probably watching the guy
behind us.”

Joan turns around, looks, and then turns back, “What about him?”

Grace – “Haven’t you ever watched CSI? He’s the middle-aged white guy
with a ponytail.”

Imam Fakiri steps to the front of the room, which is good, because
Joan isn’t sure how to respond to Grace’s comment. He begins to
speak, “Thank all of you for coming today. Normally, we say our
prayers in Arabic, the language of Allah. We will do that today as
well, but my daughter will offer an English translation as we pray.”

He rolls out a prayer rug and joins the others in prayer. Tima steps
up to the front and the Muslims begin to pray. They pause while Tima
repeats the prayer in English. This continues until the prayers are
finished.

Tima– “Thank all of you for coming to our prayer service. I hope the
English translation helps you to better understand how we praise
Allah. If any of you would like to learn more about Islam, please
speak to my father.” She pauses, looks at her father, and then back
to the audience, “I truly believe the practice of Islam is the way
Allah wants all men to praise him. However, I also know that forced
belief does not persuade anyone to love Allah with all of their
heart. How one worships Allah must be freely chosen. Allah has given
humanity free will, with blessings and consequences for each choice
made, but reserves the ultimate judgment for Himself. May Allah bless
all of you.”

With that, Grace whispers to Joan, “I’m out of here. Meet me in the
parking lot.” She darts out of the room.

Timawalks from the front and briefly stops to talk to Kevin. Then she
continues and stops in front of Joan, “I’m surprise to see you here,
Joan, but I’m glad you came.”

Joan – “How did you know my name?”

Tima– “I saw you talking to Luke and I asked who you were. Didn’t I
see Grace with you?”

Joan – “Yeah, she’s waiting outside. I really have to go. We need to
catch the bus.”

Timajingles her keys, “I have my dad’s car. Let me give you a ride.”

Joan – “Um, yeah sure, thanks.”

Outside, Grace is standing, waiting for Joan. A van pulls up and a
man steps out, “Hey, can you tell me where Green Street is from
here?”

Grace – “I don’t know. I don’t live here.”

The man continues to approach, holding his hand up to his ear as if
he didn’t hear her, “I’m supposed to make a delivery on Green Street.
It’s near here. Do you know where it is?”

Grace – “I said I don’t know.”

Suddenly, he grabs her, covering her mouth and pinching her nose with
his hand. She struggles, but she can’t break free. As Joan and Tima
come around the side of the building, Tima sees what is happening.
She screams, “No!” and begins to run toward them. Joan quickly
follows.

Timajumps on his back. She begins to gouge his eyes and bite his
neck. He throws her off. Joan then jabs him in the larynx, knocking
the wind out of him briefly, but he knocks her down. Tima begins to
drag Grace from the van, but he grabs her. He slams her head against
the side of van and she falls limp.

Until now, Joan had forgotten her training, at least the part where
she must become vicious. Seeing what he did to Tima changed that.
Within a few moments, the man was on the ground, moaning in pain.
Joan then walks over to Grace and Tima, her skin blood red and still
breathing heavily.

Grace – “Whoa Joan, think Bruce Banner. How the hell did you do
that?”

Joan is still too upset to talk. She begins to pace while she
struggles to calm down. She looks up to see the pony tailed
middle-aged white guy standing in front of her. She begins to attack
him.

Ponytail Man – “Hold it, wait, I’m a police officer. Sgt. James
Collins. What happened here?”

At Home

Joan – “Mom, I’ve already told you, we were just going to watch them
pray and go back to school. How could we know this would happen?”

Will – “When we gave you your privacy back, that didn’t mean that you
weren’t to tell us anything. You should have told us you were
planning to go there.”

Joan – “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

Helen – “Tima’s in the hospital, and you and Grace have cuts and
scrapes everywhere. Thank God it wasn’t worse!”

Joan – “Yeah, Tima’s in the hospital. I told you I would fail!”

Helen can see that Joan is uncomfortable with her outburst. She
replies, “We’ll talk about this later.”

Will – “Well, at least we have that pervert behind bars. We’ve been
trying to catch him for months.”

Kevin – “Changing the decals on his van was kind of clever.”

Luke has been listening to the exchange, and he finally asks, “I want
to know is how you took that guy out? He was twice your size!”

Joan – “I just learned how to sing.”

Kevin – “You sang him into a puddle of moaning flesh?”

Joan – “I learned it watching ‘\ Miss Congeniality\ ’. Solar plexus,
Instep, Nose, Groin! S-I-N-G!”

Luke – “Very funny.”

Joan – “Nobody at school knows what happened, right?”

Kevin – “There will be a story in tomorrow’s paper, but I said the
names of the girls involve were being withheld at the request of
their parents.”

Will – “I’ve arranged for all your identities to remain anonymous,
since two of you are still minors.”

Helen – “I talked to Principal Chadwich. He will not mention why you
missed school this afternoon, but you have detention until your class
work is made up.”

Joan – “Okay.” The doorbell rings. “Oh, I invited Adam over to watch
movies. Not a word, okay?”

She answers the door and lets Adam in, “Where were you this
afternoon?”

Joan – “It’s a long story and I just want to forget about it. Did you
get the movies?”

Adam – “The ‘\ Bad News Bears\ ’ was all checked out, and ‘\ Must
Love Dogs\ ’ doesn’t come out until next week. I thought that maybe
we could watch TV.”

Joan is disappointed, but she agrees, “Okay, what’s on?”

Adam – “I don’t know, but I’m sure we can find something.”

Joan selects the television schedule channel and they watch as the
programs scroll by.

Adam – “Have you ever watched, ‘\ Spook Speaker\ ’?”

Joan – “No, I haven’t watched TV in a long time. It really broke my
heart when they canceled ‘\ Made of Lo Mein\ ’. How could the MED
channel cancel such a wonderful show? Anyway, I just stopped watching
TV altogether.”

Adam – “Yeah, I liked that show, too.” He goes back to reading from
the screen, “‘\ Zombie Humorist\ ’, can we watch it?”

Joan gives Adam a nod and a tart smile, “Sure.” They begin to watch
the program, but soon, Joan loses interest. She quietly begins to
read, letting Adam continue to watch the show. During a commercial
break, Adam notices that Joan is reading, “Don’t you like the show?”

Joan – “It was interesting for about ten seconds.”

Adam – “But it’s about ghosts, I thought that you would like it.”

Joan – “Not ghosts like that! I like Judith, Rocky, and Casper.”

Adam – “You’ve seen Karen Casper?”

Joan smiles, “No silly, Casper the Friendly Ghost!You can watch the
show. I’ll just read and watch occasionally.”

Adam – “What are you reading?”

Joan turns the book over and shows him, “\ The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Magician’s Nephew.” I thought that we could go to a matinee on
Sunday and see the movie about the next book. What do you think?”

Adam – “Sure, we can go, the preview looked awesome.”

The commercial ends, so Adam returns to watching the program. Joan
reads, watches the show, but mostly watches Adam. She smiles and
giggles occasionally. Adam notices, but he assumes that she is
enjoying her book.

There is another commercial break, so Adam returns his attention to
Joan. She’s wearing a Cheshire cat grin that just barely hides the
canary feathers. Adam becomes puzzled, “What?”

Joan – “I can see why you enjoy this show.” She pauses, making Adam
even more confused, “You’re counting the number of wardrobe changes
made by Ms. Cleavage.”

Adam begins to blush, “Me? No, I just like the show. It’s…”

Joan interrupts, “The red top was very good. Now we know that ruffles
do have ridges, but I think the best one was the black top. You know,
the one she was wearing when she knelt down to clean up the coffee.
That one was especially revealing.”

Adam is now beet red. He takes the remote control to search for
another program.

Joan – “Oh, ‘\ The American President\ ’ is on at nine! I love that
movie. I’ll go make popcorn.”

At the University Medical Center

Grace picks up Joan right on time. Initially she is quiet, but then
she asks, “How did it go with your parents?”

Joan – “Pretty good, actually, but we all have detention next week.”

Grace – “I’m grounded until Wednesday, but it’s really not a
punishment. I had planned to stay home with my mom anyway.”

When Grace pulls into the hospital parking lot, Joan asks, “Why are
we here?”

Grace – “I have an appointment.”

Joan – “At the hospital?”

Grace – “No, at the clinic in the building next door. Just come with
me.”

They go up to a suite on the fourth floor. Joan notices the sign on
the door as they enter, ‘Field & Katz OB/GYN’.

Grace walks up to the receptionist’s window, “I’m Grace Polk. I have
an appointment with Dr. Katz.”

The receptionist finds Grace’s folder and reads from it for a few
moments, “Looks like we have everything we need. The nurse will call
you in a few minutes.”

Joan – “When are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Grace – “You’ll figure it out. Just be here.” Joan is surprised when
Grace reaches over and takes her hand.

A nurse calls from the doorway, “Ms. Polk, will you come with me?”

Grace stands up, still holding Joan’s hand.

Nurse – “Just you.”

Grace – “But, I want her to come with me.”

Nurse – “We have some things to take care of first.” She looks at
Joan, “I’ll be back for you.”

Grace goes with the nurse and Joan sits back down. A very pregnant
woman comes out and sits down beside her. She looks at Joan and
comments, “It’s like carrying a ten pound basketball.”

Joan looks at her and replies, “Ah, well, I wouldn’t know, but I
guess so.”

Woman – “You’ll know someday, Joan.”

Joan – “Oh God!I’m so sorry I messed everything up. I really tried.”

God – “What makes you think you messed up?”

Joan – “I figured out the hint, ‘Protect the rose of vision’. Some
protector I was! She’s in the hospital.”

God – “Oh, but you did protect her.” Joan looks at God, wondering how
that could possibly be true. God continues, “If you and Grace hadn’t
gone to the prayer service, Tima would have been in that parking lot
alone.”

Joan wonders for a moment, and then she asks, “What’s wrong with
Grace?”

God – “Just be here for her.”

The nurse calls from the doorway, “You can come in now, Ms. Girardi.”
Joan looks at God and then she follows the nurse. The nurse leads her
to a small room where Grace is lying on a gurney, “The sonographer
will be with you in a few minutes.”

Grace – “But I thought Dr. Katz was going to do the examination.”

Nurse – “Dr. Katz had to deliver a baby this morning. He’s on his way
and will be back before your exam is finished.”

The nurse leaves and the sonographer enters, “Hello, my name is
Julianne Marsh. I will be performing the exam. Has Dr. Katz talked to
you about what will happen?”

Grace – “Just that he was going to look at my ovaries.”

Ms. Marsh – “Yes, the exam is in two parts…”

At Home

Luke goes shopping with his mother, and Will is at the kitchen table
paying bills. Kevin comes in to talk, “Before Tima left the building
yesterday, she asked me, begged me actually, not to tell anyone about
the card. She said that she was supposed to have destroyed it. So, I
took your hint and limited what I said about her. In fact, I didn’t
even mention her at all. Now will you tell me why I passed up such a
great story?”

Will – “Just know that you did the right thing.”

Kevin – “Dad, I want to know.”

Will looks at him for a few minutes, making up his mind, “Okay, but
this goes nowhere, got it?”

Kevin – “I promise, I won’t tell anyone.”

After a few moments, Will begins to tell the story, “Do you remember
hearing about those terrorists who were arrested in New York some
years back? The press called them the Buffalo Six.”

Kevin – “Yeah, I remember. They were actually from Lakawanna, a
suburb of Buffalo. Was she one of them?”

Will – “No, but do you remember what the most important piece of
evidence was?”

Kevin thinks for a few moments, “Something about e-mails.”

Will – “Right. The FBI was already investigating them, but it was the
e-mails that solved their case. Tima is the one who told the FBI
about them.”

Kevin – “That was really courageous. You’d think that she would want
everyone to know.”

Will – “Well, she didn’t. She only provided the information with a
guarantee of anonymity. It makes sense if you think about it.”

Kevin – “How?”

Will – “Who has more to fear from radical Islamists, the infidels or
a Muslim who turns in their own?”

Kevin – “I see your point.”

Will – “There’s more. Earlier this year, Mrs. Fakiri was shot. The
shooter was never caught, but the FBI and the family believes the
bullet was meant for Tima. It is unfortunate for Mrs. Fakiri that she
and her daughter share the same name. Now do you understand why they
don’t want their names in the newspaper?”

Kevin – “They just want to live in peace.”

At the University Medical Center

After the exam, Joan and Grace return to the waiting area. The nurse
calls from the doorway, “Dr. Katz will see you now.”

The nurse guides them to an exam room, and Dr. Katz comes in shortly
thereafter.

Grace – “You told me you would do the examination.”

Dr. Katz – “No, I said that I would examine your ovaries. I never
said that I would actually perform the procedure. I would rather not
have that kind of intimate knowledge about my niece.”

Grace tenses up and takes Joan’s hand once again, “Okay, so what’s
the verdict?”

Dr. Katz – “You’re fine. I have reviewed the images and there are no
signs of tumors, cancerous or otherwise. The only odd result was your
blood test. Are you sure you did the pregnancy test correctly?”

Grace – “I did it three times. They all said I was pregnant.”

Dr. Katz – “If you had actually been pregnant, your hCG levels would
still be elevated. They are normal.”

Grace – “Well, then it’s a miracle, because I know what I saw.”

Dr. Katz smiles, “Miracles are good. Go home, you’re fine.”

Grace begins to cry. She stands up and gives him a hug, “Thank you,
Uncle Hiram.”

They leave the doctor’s office and enter the elevator. Joan asks,
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

Grace, still drying her eyes, says, “I really thought that I was
being punished. I didn’t want to drag you down with me.”

Joan – “Grace, you should have told me.”

Grace acquires a crooked smile, “I’m sorry.”

Joan – “Well, don’t be mad, but as long as we’re here, I want to
visit Tima.”

Grace – “I thought you had to work on the Mirror Ball.”

Joan – “It can wait.”

They leave the elevator and walk through the corridor to the
hospital. They stop at the information desk and Joan asks, “We would
like to visit Tima Fakiri, what room is she in?”

The attendant looks at his computer, “We don’t have a patient by that
name. I’m sorry.”

Joan – “What does that mean? She’s supposed to be here.”

Attendant – “I’m sorry, she’s not here. That’s all I can tell you.”

Grace drives Joan home. When they arrive, Adam is waiting on the
curb. After talking for a few minutes, Grace decides she will go with
them.

At School

Joan, Adam, and Grace enter the art room. They approach Elizabeth,
Friedman, and Glynis, who are working cutting mirrors.

Adam – “Hi, sorry we’re a little late.”

Elizabeth – “That’s okay, at least you’re here. We can’t figure out
how to get this stupid glass-cutting tool to work. It keeps breaking
the mirrors.”

Adam – “I’ve used one like that. The trick is to…”

Joan interrupts, “What would you like us to do?”

Elizabeth – “Why don’t you go help Alice and Tima with the
decorations?”

Hearing her name, Alice pops her head above the table, “Over here.”
They walk over, and Joan and Grace are both pleased to see the two of
them working on the floor.

Joan asks, “Tima, how are you?”

Timalooks up, “I’m fine. How are you?”

Grace – “We’re fine. We didn’t think you would be here after what
happened yesterday.”

Tima– “I promised Alice that I would come. I only have a slight
headache. I’m okay.”

Joan – “How can we help?”

Alice – “We’re cutting out figures of dancing boys and girls. We’re
also going to have some stars and other figures. Tima is painting the
trim with phosphorescent paint, and then we will glue mirror
fragments in various places. They will sparkle when they reflect the
light from the mirror ball.”

Timastands up to face Joan and Grace. “I brought some sweet tea.
Would you like some?”

Joan and Grace agree, so Tima prepares three cups of tea. Grace
observes the cups and their contents, “Oh, I get it. We’re supposed
to wonder if the cup is half full or half empty.”

Timaresponds, “There is another way to see it. We can be thankful
that we each have a cup.”

Timaraises her cup, and Grace and Joan follow suit. They click them
together, each offering a toast: “Fee sahitkum; L’chaim; À votre
santé!”