Rosetta signaled for the driver to pull out. She turned back to them with these final words: "Soon, all of your wishes will come true."
Week Eight
46. Singing and Dancing on a School Night
Kate was flying.
She took off straight up, secured by a bodice and a thin wire, as the audience in the Lincoln Middle School auditorium gasped in wonder and delight.
She hovered above the stage and sang "I'm Flying" dressed in the long Victorian nightclothes of Wently Darling, the eldest of the Darling children, and the possible love interest of Peter Pan.
Peter Pan was flying, too. He soared above and around her, sprinkling Wently and her two brothers with fairy dust, urging them to think beautiful thoughts and to rise up into the air. Derek Arroyo flew awkwardly as big brother John, while a diminutive sixth grader flitted through the air as Michael.
Below them all, behind the stage curtain, LoriBeth Sommers was running back and forth with a wire tied around her waist. The wire ran through a series of pulleys to the Velcro harness wrapped around Peter Pan.
LoriBeth strained to keep up with Peter's moves while avoiding collisions with the other stagecraft students. Among these backstage helpers was LoriBeth's hero, William Anderson. Although she still could not speak following her trauma at the Whittaker Building, LoriBeth's jaws had closed, and she was otherwise healthy. She had insisted on joining the backstage crew to be near William.
During three intense weeks of rehearsals, LoriBeth had spent every spare moment with her head cradled in William's shoulder. William, for his part, did not mind at all, and he ceaselessly reassured her with a litany of "There, theres" and "Now, nows."
At this moment, however, both LoriBeth and William were totally focused on the task at hand. They and the other "ballast" students were providing the backstage magic to keep Lincoln Middle School's production of Peter Pan soaring. And it had indeed soared, all week long, thanks to the virtuoso performance of its star, George Melvil.
For it was George who was currenty gliding through the air, dressed in green tights and singing lustily in the lead role of the boy who never grew up.
George had surprised everyone by trying out for the role of Peter Pan and bowling over the director, Mr. Kagoshima, with his powerful voice, smooth dancing skills, and superb comic timing.
Kate didn't mind losing the part to George at all, especially since she got to do scenes with Derek Arroyo. Kate and Molly spent hours discussing the ramifications: Here, Kate was playing a scene with the boy she loved, who was pretending to be her brother, while her character was in love with Peter Pan, who in real life was her uncle.
As Kate's ballast, her slight uncle had been replaced by the sturdy William Anderson. He ran beneath her during the rehearsals and the shows, serving Kate as dutifully as LoriBeth served George.
Now, on the fifth and final night of sold-out, wildly successful shows, Kate was very sorry to see it all end. But she was overjoyed to be back at Lincoln Middle School. And her performance as Wently Darling was universally acclaimed as a triumph, second only to the performance of the remarkable sixth grader who played Peter Pan.
At a backstage celebration, Mr. Kagoshima congratulated Kate and George heartily. Then he said, "Kate, I have to get used to your new name. What is it again?"
"Melvil, Mr. Kagoshima. I'm Kate Melvil now."
"I'm happy to get you back from that crazy Whittaker School, no matter what your name is. And you and George are finally getting some color back in your faces."
June appeared behind them with Molly and Mrs. Brennan. Mr. Kagoshima included them in the conversation. "I was very pleased when the County Commission decided to change the school district lines. We gained some excellent musicians. I bet the commission would not have done that if Susan Singer-Wright hadn't left the country. I hope she stays in Korea, or wherever she is, for a long, long time."
Kate, George, June, Molly, and Mrs. Brennan exchanged furtive looks.
After the celebration at school, June invited Molly and her grandmother back to the house. The children rode with June in her new Honda Accord, while Mrs. Brennan and Molly followed. They pulled up in tandem before the freshly painted duplex.
June had repainted the exterior, choosing a snowy white for the shingles and royal blue for the trim, porch, and railing. The house cheerily reflected the light of a full moon on this cold October night.
The group gathered on couches in the living room as June served mugs of hot cider. She told Mrs. Brennan, "I am sorry that we haven't gotten together in so long."
Mrs. Brennan waved away the apology. "I can see how busy you've been, June. The house has been transformed! It's lovely."
"Thank you."
"I've been doing some remodeling myself, you know. Evenings and weekends, down at the Palace Theatre."
June sat between Kate and George. "We've been anxious to hear about that. And about any news you can share from the library."
Mrs. Brennan sipped the cider. "All right. Let's see. Pogo is my new head librarian. She supervises two others, mostly through example." Mrs. Brennan looked right at June. "And you know that I hired Charley Peters, too."
June answered civilly. "Yes. I know. He told Kate, during our last visit there."
George quickly changed the subject. "So what about the president's visit? What's the news there?"
"Believe it or not, the president of the United States is coming tomorrow, October thirty-first."
"On Halloween!"
"Yes. Although that appears to be just a coincidence of scheduling. We have more Secret Service agents in our stacks now than we have book browsers."
Kate asked, "So what's left of the school, Mrs. Brennan, after the redistricting?"
Mrs. Brennan set down her cup. "Officially, twenty-eight children, when given the opportunity, transferred out of the Whittaker Magnet School. This was despite Dr. Austin's warnings to their parents that the children would never get into an Ivy League college."
"Dr. Austin is still rising, though?"
Mrs. Brennan glanced at June. "If you want to call it that. Dr. Austin is now actually living in his office. His own home is under quarantine by Dr. Cavendar to assure that Cornelia, Whit, and Heidi do not appear in public during the president's visit.
"Dr. Austin has been rehearsing for his big Story Time every day. He will perform the p sound for the president."
George said, "I heard a news commentator say that the president is coming here 'to lay to rest the crazy rumors surrounding the First Lady's visit.'"
Kate snorted. But then she added, sadly, "I just wish we could tell people the truth."
George warned her. "No way. That Rosetta Turner lady will undo everything, with a wave of her WebWizard X."
"He's right, I'm afraid," Mrs. Brennan said. "The Palace Theatre would be the Paintball Palace overnight."
"And she'd have the Coast Guard recapture Orchid the Orca," George added.
Kate clenched her jaws in utter frustration.
June spoke to her daughter. "Still, Kate, the truth has a way of coming out. Even if you have to wait for years." Then she and Mrs. Brennan exchanged another deadly serious look.
47. A Favorite Book
The following day, the day of the president's visit, saw the King's County Library Building once again surrounded by the flashing lights of police cars and the satellite trucks of the news media.
Far away from the tumult, one mile to the west, June was parking her Accord in the lot of the King's County Savings and Loan Building.
She had just taken Kate and George out for a Saturday-morning pancake breakfast. Both were enjoying the new car's roominess and its CD player; neither thought twice about this unannounced stop on the way home. All June said to them was, "Come inside with me. I have some old business to take care of."
Kate and George walked into the cool darkness of the marble lobby. The only sound was the echo made by their own feet. Kate said, "Listen to the acoustics in here. It's
better than the Lincoln auditorium. Come on, Uncle George."
George smiled and joined her in an a cappella duet of "Never Never Land."
One weekend teller and one security guard looked up from their posts outside the safe-deposit boxes. June produced a key and two forms of identification. Then she and the children followed the teller into a vaultlike room lined with rectangular faceplates.
They stopped at a faceplate bearing the number that matched June's key. The teller unlocked the faceplate; June reached in and slid out a long, low box.
June then led Kate and George to a countertop against the back wall. She said, with utter seriousness, "I want to show you something, Kate. But to see it, you have to close your eyes."
Kate squeezed her eyes shut. June took Kate's hand and placed it on a document. "Feel this. And tell me what it is."
Kate smiled. "I don't know. Is it paper?"
"That's right. That's exactly what it is. And that's all it is."
Kate opened her eyes and beheld a document. It read CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE.
"It is paper. Nothing more. There is nothing magic about it. If you want it to be more, Kate, you have to supply the magic yourself."
June then looked at George. "It's like a book. What is that made of?"
George answered, "Paper."
"That's right. That's all it is. But if you sit down with a book and you supply your imagination, it can become something more. It's like anything in life, you two. You get back what you put in."
Kate stared hard at the Certificate of Marriage. She thought about the father who had reappeared in her life. She thought about a frail, beaten man, so different from the one in her photos. She thought about their two awkward meetings together in the Whittaker Library lobby. They had sat and talked quietly, or not at all, for thirty minutes each time, while June stood at a distance and watched them.
June returned the Certificate of Marriage to the box. She then pulled out two manila envelopes—one large and one small—and slid them into her carry bag. She closed the safe-deposit box, returned it to its slot, and locked it with the key.
They left as they came in, tramping noisily through the corridor. But this time, Kate did not feel like singing. Her mood began to lighten, though, when they got into the sunshine and settled back into the comforts of the car.
"Today is the day!" June reminded them. "The president of the United States will be in our Utile town. Isn't that wonderful?"
"He's just coming to make Dr. Austin look good," Kate said. "How's that wonderful?"
June replied cryptically. "I don't know for sure. But I know this: A lot of surprising things have happened at the Whittaker Building."
As they drove east into the sun, the mood got lighter still. George announced, with mock sentimentality, "You know, I really miss the Whittakers. And the Austins. And the Whittaker-Austins."
Kate scoffed. "Yeah. Right."
"I miss Heidi. She was so gifted. And I miss Whit. He was like a brother to me."
"Please. You're bringing up my pancakes."
"And I miss CorneUa. I miss her kind words, and her generosity. Remember when she offered to give you those used milkmaid dresses?"
"I mean it, Uncle George. I'm going to hurl."
Kate and George laughed. Neither gave a thought to the items in June's bag, not even when she made a second unannounced stop.
June parked at the bottom of the hill, along the river, farther away than usual because of the crush of presidential onlookers. She hopped out quickly, waved for Kate and George to follow, and led them along the sidewalk of the River Road.
They reached an initial checkpoint, a set of red-and-white barricades manned by Secret Service agents. Kate and George recognized one agent right away. She was the woman who had walked the First Lady out of the secret room and helped load her into the helicopter.
June reached into her bag and pulled out three badges. Each said, SECURITY CLEARANCE, LEVEL I, followed by one of their names.
June showed the badges to the agent, who studied them and said, "I'll need to see a driver's license for you."
June complied.
The agent informed her, "I'll need to see official IDs for the kids."
June reached into her bag again, pulled out the small manila envelope, and proffered two documents with raised seals. "Here are their birth certificates."
The agent checked the names versus the names on the badges. She pointed out, "The girl's badge has a different name."
June said, "Sorry, I forgot." She dug out another document. "This is the court order to change her name. Peters was my married name; Melvil is my maiden name. Kate changed her name to match mine."
The agent studied the document. She told Kate, "That's nice."
Then she told June, "You have to wear these badges at all times. These are Level One badges, entitling you to be on the street, but not in the building. Do you understand?"
They all answered, "Yes."
The agent stood aside and let them enter the cordoned-off street.
The first thing Kate, George, and June saw was a group of reporters clustered around Dr. Austin. They listened to him say, "We need tougher assessment standards nationwide."
But June would not let them stand there for long. She guided Kate and George over the thick wires of the TV trucks toward a second security checkpoint.
June found an opening in the crowd and waved to a figure in a high window of the Whittaker Building.
The figure waved back. It was Mrs. Brennan, the director of Library Services. On this special day, she was dressed all in black—black shoes, black stockings, and black dress. It was an outfit that a Story Time witch might wear beneath a black pointed hat.
Mrs. Brennan exited the building a minute later carrying a manila envelope under her arm. She walked up to the security checkpoint and stood before the agent in charge for the day, Agent McCoy himself.
He looked at her Level 2 security badge and then at his clipboard. "What is your name?"
"I'm Mary Brennan, the director of Library Services for King's County."
"And what is your function here today?"
Mrs. Brennan beamed with pride. "I shall have the privilege of assisting Dr. Austin in his Story Time performance. I will be passing out phonics worksheets."
McCoy looked from the clipboard to his timetable. Satisfied that she was telling the truth, he turned his attention to her envelope. "May I see that?"
"Certainly."
Agent McCoy took the manila envelope, opened it, and removed its contents. It was a children's book, the Little Golden Book version of Walt Disney's Peter Pan.
Mrs. Brennan informed him, "This is the book that Dr. Austin will use."
Agent McCoy answered curtly. "I am aware of that, ma'am. He is doing the p sound in Peter Pan." Then he softened his tone and added confidentially, "No more m sounds. Right?"
Mrs. Brennan's hand shot to her mouth. "Oh heavens no!"
Charley and Pogo emerged through the doors together and joined her. They also wore Level 2 security badges.
Agent McCoy asked, "Who are these two? And what are their functions today?"
"They work for me. They are full-time employees of the library. The lady is Miss Pogorzelski, and the gentleman is Mr. Peters. They will be serving refreshments after Dr. Austin's Story Time performance."
Agent McCoy found the names on his list. "All right."
Mrs. Brennan smiled her most grandmotherly smile at him. She inquired, softly and sweetly, "May we step out into the street for a moment?"
Agent McCoy's attention was already elsewhere. He muttered, "What for?"
"We want to see some of the excitement out here! The TV reporters and all."
"Yes, you can do that. But you will have to pass through the metal detectors again."
"All right. Thank you."
Mrs. Brennan indicated to Pogo and Charley that they should follow her. She walked across the street toward the reporters, but then she veered of
f to the right and headed straight to June.
When she got to within ten feet, Pogo stopped, bobbed, and waved brightly to Kate, who waved back. Charley Peters stopped, too, but he kept his eyes fixed on the ground.
Mrs. Brennan greeted June with a big hug. Then, in the blink of an eye, like a team of magicians, they switched their manila envelopes. They did it so deftly that no one, not even Kate and George, noticed. June casually slid her new envelope back into her bag.
Mrs. Brennan held her new envelope out at arm's length, like a sacred object. She asked June, "Is it in here? Is this the one?"
"Yes. That's the one. I'm afraid it's long overdue. I'll bet I owe hundreds of dollars in fines."
Mrs. Brennan looked at her kindly. "Do you remember what I told you about Library Forgiveness Days?"
"Yes. I think so."
"They're not about money. They're not about collecting exactly what is due you. "You may never collect exactly what is due you, June. I think you know that. But you will reach a point where that doesn't matter."
June nodded nervously.
"Forgiveness Days are about leaving the past behind and moving on to the future."
Mrs. Brennan turned herself so that June could see the forlorn man standing in her wake. Charley shifted his weight uncomfortably.
Mrs. Brennan whispered, "Come on, June. No questions asked, no punishments meted out. This is a Forgiveness Day."
June put her head down. She squeezed her eyes tightly. Then she took a deep breath, raised up her head, and walked over to Charley.
Charley could not bear to meet her gaze.
June waited patiently until Charley stole a quick glance upward. Then she told him simply, "I forgive you, Charley. You've been punished, severely, for anything you've done wrong. I was the last to see that, but I see it now.
"I forgive you, Charley. I have no more bad thoughts about you. And I hope you will feel the same way about me."
Charley's eyes filled with tears. He croaked out, "Thank you so much, June. I've got no bad thoughts about you. I never had. Just crazy thoughts. I was the crazy one to think anything bad about you."