Chapter Five

Morning came without apology. Guin’s head lightly rung from a few too many tequilas the night before. Her nights away from Cheryl were normally spent this way. A bonus round of multiple crazed voice mails left by Beth the Attorney had Guin craving a simple kind of peace. She knew just where to find it.

Granny June could always be found in her picket-fenced idyllic yard. She had sowed her heart into every petal, her soul into every bloom, and was as much a part of that garden as the dirt she’d lovingly hand-packed all around her new bougainvillea. She lifted her eyes, squinted against the sun and greeted Guin.

“Well, good morning, Officer Marcus.”

“Good morning.”

Granny June peeled off her gloves, played the same game she always did whenever Guin would stop by in uniform. “And what can I do for you today?”

Guin’s lips twitched into a crooked smile. “I just came by to make sure you aren’t growing any controlled substances, ma’am.”

“Help me up, child.” Granny June extended her frail arm and Guin gently assisted her off her padded garden kneeler. She kissed Guin’s cheek and patted her shoulder lovingly. “Oh, my knees are gonna be screaming at me tonight.”

Guin swung into business mode, brushed her grandmother’s silver hair aside. “I’m more worried about that fall you took yesterday.” She lightly brushed her thumb along the small bruise on the old woman’s cheek. “How do you feel?”

Granny June removed her garden gloves, flipped them airily for effect, scoffed. “This old woman’s body has seen worse than that. I’ll be fine. Let’s sit.”

Guin followed Granny June to the old table and chair set next to the small pool. After settling into the vintage cushion, Granny looked at Guin and grinned.

“Relax child. I’m not going to break.” Then she looked more closely at Guin. “What is it? Work or love life?”

Guin felt her cheeks warm, smiled and looked away like a child. “Oh, you know. Both.”

“Tell Granny June about it.”

But Guin surprised both Granny June and herself by shifting the conversation to a topic Granny June was very familiar with. “My visions have been getting stronger, more frequent. They’re getting harder to combat.” She looked at her, frustrated.

Granny June leaned across the tiny table, took Guin’s hand in hers. Their hands were remarkably similar in bone structure, but the elder Marcus’s was age spotted, tanned and scarred from years of clashing with thorns.

“Don’t try so hard to combat the images. Let them exist.” Granny June nodded. “They happen for a reason. Ignoring them will just make you a frustrated old nag.”

Guin’s smile was fleeting. “But why do I get so much of the negative stuff? I feel like it’s poisoning me.”

“You have to take the good with the bad.” Granny looked thoughtful, shrugged her bony shoulders. “It doesn’t happen overnight. Took me years to understand it. But have faith, you’ll get there.”

“What if I don’t want to know everything?”

“The Good Spirit shows you exactly what’s intended for you to see. There’s a reason for everything. You’ve got a powerful gift, Guin. More powerful than I’ve ever known anyone to have.”

It seemed absurd that Granny June would know so many folks with the “gift,” but it did run strong through the women in their family. Guin’s own mother used to drunkenly joke that she understood why some animals kill their own offspring. She, for one, loathed her gift, and she didn’t care much for Guin as a result of hers, either. On the other hand, Granny June had made the very most of her abilities, honed her talents to an expert level. She considered her gift a blessing. Guin hated to admit that she could better understand her mother’s feelings about it than her grandmother’s.

“We’re supposed to help people,” Granny said, patting her hand again. “That’s what we’re here for.”

Guin roughly tousled Granny’s curls as she contemplated her words. “I just wish sometimes that I could change the channel, you know?”

“Oh, I do.” Granny nodded. “But you’ll learn to control it and do wonders with it. Give it time. Right now you’re still like…a puppy.”

Guin shot her a look, chuckled a little.

“Speaking of puppies...” Granny June stood and slowly made her way to a row of pots lined up outside the potting shed. She pulled out a tennis ball and held it out to Guin. Her granddaughter only stared at her with a bewildered expression.

“Have you taken up tennis, Granny?”

“I found it in the shed while I was cleaning up. Here, take it.”

With some reluctance, Guin accepted the ball and immediately closed her eyes. She could clearly see Tosha, her beloved terrier mutt, romping across the yard with the ball in tow, enticing Guin until she would give chase. Sounds of barking and her own childish laughter dissipated when she opened her eyes.

Guin smiled broadly. “I loved that dog.” She handed the ball back.

“Keep it. It’s yours now.” Granny June smiled at her. “Use it to clean up after the bad visions. It works every time.”

Guin smiled, squeezed the ball again. She set it in her lap. “Is that how you do it? Change channels?”

“Well, something like that. And I have my gardening.” Granny June breathed in deeply, raised her tanned face to bask in the sun. “I feel everything good around me. You will learn to as well, in your own time.”

The mention of time had Guin looking at her watch. She stood, kissed her grandmother on the cheek. “Thanks, Granny. I hate to cut this short, but I need to get back to work.”

Granny stood and hugged her again, more tightly this time. Then Granny June gasped. Guin pulled back slightly, concerned about the distress in her grandmother’s face.

“What is it?”

Granny June placed her hand over her heart, giving Guin a first-class scare. “Granny, what is it? Did you see something?”

“No, darling, it’s okay,” she said at last, slightly breathless. She patted her chest, smiled bravely.

“I don’t feel good about this.” Guin wasn’t reassured by her recovery performance. “I’m taking you to the doctor.”

“No, no, darlin’. I’m strong as an old ox and you know it.” When her words served to offer little comfort, Granny tried vehemence. “I said go, now. I’m fine.”

Guin inspected her. Granny actually seemed fine. A touch to her forehead and then neck confirmed she wasn’t clammy. Her pupils were fine. A mystery. “You’ll call me if you need anything? Anything at all, right?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got the number for your…modular phone.”

“My cellular phone, Granny.” Guin laughed softly, was somewhat comforted by the notion that her grandmother appeared normal and was back to screwing up the language of modern technology. It gave her confidence to leave her for the afternoon.

“Okay, I’m going. But call me if you need anything or if you’re feeling bad.”

“Sweetie, I’m fine.” Granny June hugged Guin to her. “Guin, honey. I want you to be safe today, you hear?”

Guin backed away, gauged her grandmother’s expression. She nodded at last. Her grandmother was always telling her that. “I will, Granny.”