Saving Gracie by Terry Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

Self-Awareness” [ I don’t think so ]
    “Emotional Attachments” [ don’t see the point ]
    “Religion vs. Spirituality” [ not interested ]
    “Free Will” [ boring ]
    “Control and Other Issues” [ what’s that? ]
    “Objectivity vs. Subjectivity” [ can we get on with it? ]
    “Relationships, Forgiveness, Kindness, Love” [ know all about that ]
    “Innate vs. Learned Knowledge” [ where do they come up with this stuff? ]
    “Where Do We Go From Here?” [ whatever… ]
     
    Quinlan sighed. Nothing grabbed her attention. She flipped to the list of minors.
     
    “Herbs and Gardening” [ hmm…maybe ]
    “Painting: The Colors of the Spectrum” [ always wanted to learn how to paint ]
    “The Five Senses, What They Tell Us” [ wow, there’s five? ]
    “Communication Skills” [ I talk, others listen ]
    “Listening Skills” [ don’t understand topic ]
    “Bowling” [ bowling shirts, not my style ]
    “Cooking” [ been there, got a cookbook ]
    “Book of the Month Club” [ another possibility ]
     
    “Well, this is more like it.” Quinlan pulled out a pencil marking “Herbs & Gardening,” “Painting,” and “Book of the Month Club.”
    “Done,” feeling satisfied with her choices. She flipped back to the list of majors, running her finger down the list, stopping at the only possibility.
    “Where Do We Go From Here?” Quinlan read the title aloud, tapping her pencil on the brochure. “I wonder….”

CHAPTER 8
    QUINLAN
     
    “Geez, Louise.” A familiar voice boomed from the row of nearby computers.
    Quinlan turned to find Ruby sitting in one of the soft swivel chairs, her signature blue sunglasses pushed high on her forehead, her jaw working double-time on a wad of Juicy Fruit.
    Slipping out of her chair, Quinlan moved toward the row of computers. She raised her eyes to the header at the top of Ruby’s computer screen, and felt the air leave her lungs.
    “I don’t believe it,” she squealed.
    “Me neither…and after sweeping the dang Orioles.” Ruby turned her head and sucked in air, realizing Quinlan stood behind her. The hefty woman bolted to her feet, using her body to shield the screen.
    “You’re reading the Chicago Tribune .” Quinlan spat the words out, pointing to the monitor.
    “Am not.”
    “You are too. I saw you.” Quinlan felt her heart rate passing the speed limit. “You’re reading the sports page.”
    “Okay, okay, keep your shorts on.” Ruby glanced around the library. “And hold it down, will ya?”
    “How do you do that?” Quinlan asked. If she could squeeze this out of Ruby, she could check on Gracie.
    “Do what?”
    “You know. Find out what’s happening on….” Quinlan gestured a finger toward the screen.
    “Earth?”
    “Yes. You’ve got to tell me.” Quinlan tried not to sound as if she were begging, although she would if she had to. Stay calm, she warned herself.
    “Why do you wanna know?” Ruby’s eyes narrowed.
    “Because!” The word propelled out of Quinlan’s mouth before she could stop it. “I mean…it’s so….” She downshifted. “Interesting.”
    “Yeah. It’s cool.” Smack. Ruby moved to the side of the monitor.
    Teach me! Quinlan’s mind screamed. “So…can you…um…show me how it works?” She hoped whatever super Celestial powers Ruby possessed couldn’t hear her heart rattling in her rib cage.
    “Sure. But then I’d have to kill ya,” Ruby snorted.
    The color fell from Quinlan’s face. “Oh.”
    Ruby waved dismissal. “Sorry. Bad joke.”
    Quinlan’s heart rate picked back up. “So,” she said, tiptoeing through a mental mine field. “You could show me?” Short pause. “How to look up…things?”
    “What kind of things?” One of Ruby’s eyebrows shot upward.
    “Oh, you know.” Quinlan scrambled for a benign answer. “Recipes, crossword puzzles. That sort of thing. I used to do all that…back on…Earth.”
    “I would if I could, but I can’t so I won’t. No—can—do.” Ruby shook