Kristin Ashe: A Safe Place To Sleep Part 9

"Zelda, she calls herself Zelda now."

"All right!" Now I was pained. "What did Zelda have to say?"

"Well, first I asked about Destiny's father," Mich.e.l.le said eagerly, leaning over the table.

I moved my ice water out of the reach of her enthusiasm.

"And?"

"And she couldn't get a reading on him. It was extraordinary. There was absolutely no reading on him. No father figure in Destiny's life. No biological father anyway."

"That's strange." Despite myself, I was hooked on this crackpot's tips. According to Marie Kenwood, Destiny and her father were quite close. But of course, I reminded myself, this was a mother's opinion of her dead son. Perhaps I'd return and question her more closely.

"Isn't it? And her mother a" this is the best part a" she and Destiny are very close, even today. They always have been, except for some period that Zelda couldn't see very clearly. Since Destiny's mother is dead, she thinks Destiny and her mother must be spiritually connected. Isn't that exciting?" Mich.e.l.le bubbled.

"Very exciting," I said with absolutely no sarcasm in my voice. Then, my true feelings came out, "Did you pay good money for this vision?"

"Of course I did," Mich.e.l.le retorted. "She is a professional, you know. She advertises all over the community. She even has business cards."

"Business cards cost fifteen bucks, Mich.e.l.le," I felt compelled to point out.

"Still, it shows a commitment to her work."

"True," I gave in, not because I believed fifteen dollars was a serious commitment, but because I knew I couldn't win this argument. "What did the big Z have to say about you and Destiny? What's in your future?"

Mich.e.l.le grimaced. "She said 'Enjoy Destiny. She is a gift.'"

"That's all? What's that supposed to mean?"

"She wouldn't tell me anything more. You don't suppose it means we're going to break up, do you, Kris?"

I could no longer conceal my total exasperation.

"How am I supposed to know? I'm not psychic."

"I hope that's not what she meant. I'm crazy about Destiny. I'm not sure if she's crazy about me. I mean I know she likes me, but I don't know how much?"

"What's Destiny think about what the psychic said?"

"The part about us or about her family?"

"Both."

"She laughed at the part about us. She said she'd never thought of herself before as a gift."

"What about her family?"

"She said that was interesting, but it didn't seem to impress her," Mich.e.l.le said, sounding a little offended.

"It is a bit vague, Mich.e.l.le," I defended Destiny's skepticism because it mirrored my own.

At that moment, I had no way of knowing how prophetic the information would turn out to be.

"Not to a believer. A believer would understand its value," she said adamantly, pointing her finger.

"Maybe," I shrugged my shoulders.

That pretty much ended our talk about the psychic. We were at an impa.s.se as we'd been so many times in the past, both of us stubbornly believing our belief was the only one.

We moved on to safer subjects. Her work: She'd just been ranked the top salesperson in her medical equipment company. My work: I'd just hired another graphic artist. Gallagher: No, I hadn't heard from her and I had no plans to call her.

We ended the meal with our usual desert: one piece of black bottom pie, two forks.

Over the weekend, I did nothing except ride my bike and sleep a lot. I didn't work on Destiny's case. I needed a rest from it. She never called me. Maybe she needed a break from it, too.

On Monday, as I was reviewing logos for a chiropractor, Ann knocked on my door.

"Kris, there's a Marie Kenwood for you on line one."

Startled, I pushed my work aside and answered the phone.

"h.e.l.lo, Mrs. Kenwood, this is Kristin," I said cheerfully.

"Of course it's you, young lady, you're the one I asked for."

How was it that this woman I barely knew always managed, in ten seconds or less, to make me feel like a little kid?

"Can I help you with something?" I asked, trying to sound as adult-like as possible.

"Yes, you may. I want to see Destiny," she barked.

I should have expected it, I guess, but still, her request took me by surprise.

"You want to meet Destiny?"

"I've already met her. Now, I want to see her. Can you set up a time for us to get together?"

"Why me?"

"Because I don't have her phone number a""

"I could give it to you," I quickly interjected, thinking I'd have to get Destiny's permission first.

"a" and because I don't want to shock the poor girl as much as I'm obviously shocking you."

"This is a shock. It's been a lot of years. Why didn't you ask me the other day?"

"When you get to be my age, you don't do many things impetuously. I wanted to think about it before I asked. Now I've thought about it and I want to see her."

"Why haven't you contacted her before now?"

"I didn't want to upset her or myself. I've seen her on the news, but it seemed better to let the past be the past."

"Why now then?" I repeated.

"Because I miss the little one," she said, sadness replacing the brusqueness in her voice. "When Destiny was taken from me, I put her out of my mind and went on with my life. The pain never went away, but in time I was able to stop thinking about her and Peter. Then, all this time later, you come into my life asking questions. You reminded me that I care about her a" not the Destiny Greaves on the news, the Destiny Kenwood I used to hold in my arms. That's the Destiny I know. I want to see the Destiny I don't know. Do you think you can arrange it or not?"

I hesitated before answering her.

"I'll try."

"I'm not getting any younger, young lady."

"I know that, Mrs. Kenwood," I chuckled. "I'll talk to Destiny."

"She trusts you, doesn't she?"

"I hope so."

"I'd like to have her over for dinner some night this week. What night do you think would be good?"

"I don't know, Mrs. Kenwood. I really don't. I'll talk to Destiny. That's all I can do. The instant I know Destiny's answer, you'll know."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I haven't done anything."

"Don't be so modest. Of course you have, Kristin," she said, using my name for the first time. "Destiny's lucky to have a friend like you. By the way, you can come to dinner, too, if you'd like. Tomorrow night would be best for me."

With that, she hung up.

Immediately, I called Destiny at work. As I waited on hold while Destiny's a.s.sistant checked to see if she was in, I marveled at Mrs. Kenwood's request. The dinner invitation had really been more of an order. I wondered if people were born with that kind of gall, or if it came with age. As I was pondering this, the a.s.sistant came back on the line and told me Destiny was out of the office. I left a message, asked her to mark it "urgent," and then tried to get some work done. Every time the phone rang, I hoped it would be her.

I was gathering my things and getting ready to go home early when, much to my surprise, Destiny appeared in the flesh.

"Hi, Kris. I hope I'm not bothering you stopping in like this."

"Not at all. I left a message for you earlier."

"I know, I called in and got my messages. I had to come out this way anyway, so I thought I'd come see you in person."

"Great! Come on in, we can talk in my office."

"I'm sorry, I can't stay. I've just got a second. I've got to be to the Capitol in fifteen minutes. What's up?"

"You're never going to believe this!"

"What?"

"Your grandma wants to see you!" I presented the words to her like a gift, thinking she'd cross the room and joyfully hug me.

She didn't. She leaned against the door and quietly asked, "She does?" In those two words, I could hear confusion, nervousness, and fear.

"She called me this morning. She asked me to set up a time for the two of you to get together. You'll go, won't you?"

"You didn't call her, Kris? You didn't set this whole thing up?"

"No, of course not. I wouldn't go that far."

"Why does she want to see me?" Destiny asked, her voice full of suspicion.

"You're her only granddaughter."

"I always have been," she said curtly, sounding like her older relative. "Why now?"

"I asked her the same thing a" she wants to see you now because she misses you. Until I came into her life last week, she didn't remember how much she cares. Now she does."

"Huh," she grunted, folding her arms across her chest.

"Will you see her?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure I'm ready."

"She's not getting any younger, you know," I found myself parroting her grandmother's words.

"I take it you think I should do this." There was an edge to her voice, one that bordered on coldness.

"Is it that obvious?"

"No kidding!"

"I'm sorry. Maybe I'm carried away by the excitement of it all. I have this fantasy that you and your grandma will meet after all these years, hug each other, and live happily ever after, eternally grateful to me for bringing you together."

"It isn't that easy."

"I know," I said quietly, trying to hide my disappointment.

"Do you think she'll like me?"

"Oh, G.o.d, yes! What's not to like? You're a remarkable woman. She'll love you!"

"I'm also a lesbian."

"Destiny, you're the most famous lesbian in Denver. Your name's always in the news. She must know you're a lesbian. She told me she's followed your career. How could she not know?"

"I guess you're right."