Chapter 10 In Camera
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: The title is Latin and can either mean "In a meeting" or "in the closet". In this case, it means both)
It took two weeks for Luke to work out the scheduling, but he finally determined a time at which he, Grace, and the biology closet were all free. As a result, he and Grace met in their favorite cubbyhole at 1:30 that Monday, and had fun.
Or at least Luke did. He sensed some underlying sadness on Grace's part, though he was probably the only mortal in the world who would have noticed it. "What's wrong?"
Grace sighed, "I think I'm in a rut."
"Tired of me?"
"No! Tired of - of me, basically. The problem started years ago. When I was born my parents named me Asenka, Hebrew for "the Graceful One". Grace was the English translation of the name. So when I decided to rebel against my parents, I decided to be as graceless as possible."
"You succeeded pretty well."
"Thanks a lot. But what's the point now? My mother's recovering, and our divine friend promised that she wouldn't relapse again. Just two days ago I had a chance to go horseback riding with a lot of girls, but by sheer habit I struck out on my own and found myself isolated."
"Some people are loners by nature, Grace."
"Yeah, but I want to give a try. I fibbed about my hair-do. Maggie talked me into trying to look more attractive."
"To do a new 'do or not to do a new 'do, that was the question."
Grace chortled, partly jollied out of her funk. "Say that fast three times."
KNOCKNOCK.
Grace and Luke stared at the door. Most people, finding a biology closet locked, would simply look for the key. Who would politely knock on the assumption that people were inside? Finally Luke answered the door while Grace pretended to scrutinize some gruesome specimen on the shelf.
It was Adam.
"Hi," he said. "Sorry to intrude on you guys -- don't let me interrupt -- but I need a place to hide."
"Hide from what?" Luke asked.
"The student body. Everybody knows now that I've got an expectant mother living with me, and they draw the obvious conclusion. The girls are contemptuous, and the boys are leering -- I don't know which is worse. Thank goodness Jane knows the truth."
"Can't Bonnie explain it?" suggested Grace.
"Yeah, she's trying, but that news is travelling slowly. At least I'll be gone a couple of days; I got permission to go down to the Baltimore Art Show where my picture is on display. Once I get back, it should have blown over, so I just need a few hours concealment."
KNOCKNOCK.
"Now what?" said Grace angrily. "Oh, it's you, Girardi. What is this, a double date or something? You guys find your own closet."
"It's not about that," said Joan. "Um, hi, Adam. There's been another case of religious sabotage."
"What is it?" said Grace, suddenly sobering as she remembered seeing her synagogue in flames.
"Maggie's Mosque. Somebody smashed a me-rabbit or something."
"Do you think it's -- the same person?" asked Luke.
It was very awkward. Three of them were thinking about Ryan Hunter, but they couldn't speak the name while Adam was there. Not only was Adam not in the secret, but he owed Hunter a favor for rescuing him from a storm back in the spring, and might feel obliged to defend him.
"I'm sure of it," said Joan. "I wish we could -- do something."
"I'm sure your father will nab him, Jane, now that he's foolish enough to come out of hiding," assured Adam innocently.
"I hope so, but something tells me that this guy's no fool," hedged Joan.
"Well, I gotta go to a class," said Luke, giving up. "See you at home, Joan?" He hoped that she got the hint: that they could talk then, maybe involving Grace, without Adam in the loop.
She watched Luke and Grace go, and was so intent on their plans that she started when Adam caressed her hair. She had forgotten that he was still behind her. Forgotten Adam! She covered by turning around and planting a lingering kiss on his lips. But privately she was thinking: we're weaving a web so mixed up that God Himself couldn't untangle it. Or maybe He just doesn't want to.
TBC