Consequences(95)

Young Claire stomped down the stairs. “Fine, I’m ready, but I called Amy, and now she can’t go. I don’t want to see A Bug’s Life with Emily. John will be there. He’ll think it’s stupid.”

“Let’s call Emily, and we’ll tell her Grandpa, you, and I are going to the movies.” As Claire watched she prayed her counterpart would accept Grandma’s offer. She also wondered her age, probably fourteen or fifteen-years-old. Then she remembered Grandpa died when she was fourteen-years-old, so if he was going to the movies she had to be younger. Teenage Claire made a face at her grandmother’s suggestion.

“Where are we going?” Grandpa’s green eyes shone and his voice boomed jovially as he joined them from the other room. Claire’s heart ached to see her grandparents, yet at the same time it swelled with affection.

“To the movies,” Grandma said, smiling at Grandpa. Her grandparents were having an entire conversation through their sparkling eyes and facial expressions. Young Claire didn’t notice—too self-absorbed.

Grandpa put his arm around Claire. “Great, I’ve been trying to get Grandma to go to the new Lethal Weapon. You know I love me some police drama.”

Grandma smiled at him. “Oh no, that’s rated R. Claire would rather see Ever After.”

They were doing it—pulling Claire out of her funk. She wasn’t budging willingly—but they were doing it.

“Oh, no, Grandma, I don’t want to see Ever After—it’s a Cinderella story—that’s stupid.” Grudgingly, smiling at Grandpa, she said, “I want to see Mel Gibson’s butt!”

Her grandparents smiled at one another and continued the amorous charade. “I don’t think Shirley and Jordan will approve”—Grandma said as she grabbed the newspaper—“Let me look at the movie times for Ever After.”

Teenage Claire looked over her grandma’s shoulder. “Grandpa, Lethal Weapon starts in twenty minutes. If we hurry we can make it.” Her sulking forgotten, she believed she’d just gotten her way.

Claire filled with warmth as she watched herself be lovingly manipulated.

Grandma next words surprised Claire. “Hey, I’m going too. I don’t want to miss Mel’s butt.”

Just before the scene began to fade, Claire saw Grandma winked at Grandpa. The last thing she saw was the three of them going out the door to the movie.

Claire wondered why she hadn’t remembered this before. Then she realized, it wasn’t unusual. She was raised by an amazing family with unconditional love and consideration. Somewhere along the way, she’d forgotten how that felt—a warmth which surrounded everyone within a happy aura. The darkness returned as Claire clung to the sense of serenity and warmth.


Gradually, the darkness intensified, and the warmth melted away. In the cool darkness she heard voices again. She waited.

“Claire, talk to us. Open your eyes.” It wasn’t a command. Tony’s desperate voice was requesting.

She didn’t want to open her eyes. She wanted to feel the warmth—to sleep.

“Ms. Nichols, Ms. Nichols.” The deep unfamiliar voice no longer spoke to her, but to someone else. “We’ll need to begin intravenous feeding if she doesn’t regain consciousness soon. The medicine to keep her unconscious should be out of her system. She’s responding to some commands, but we can’t be sure of her condition until she fully wakes. Sometimes the body will do this on its own—shut itself down to heal and to avoid the pain.” There were voices and then she heard the unfamiliar one speaking again. “Her pain seems to have subsided with the medication. It should help her wake.”