Second Chances(79)

He lowered his hand, tapped a finger to his ear and then swirled it around.

She nodded. He seemed to think the room might be wired for sound and she would not have been the least bit shocked if it was. Heck, she wondered if there were cameras hidden in the room.

"Now let's see. I need to find you a new shirt," she said out loud and hoped she sounded natural. She actually did go to his closet and pull out a shirt and a windbreaker. Jason moved to his nightstand and opened the top drawer.

She watched his movements, they weren't nearly as smooth as she had thought they were. She was just so used to him barely moving at all. He pulled out a small notebook the size of a paperback book, a small collection of photographs and a cigar box. He traded them to Julie for the shirt in her hands. She slipped the items into her purse. She was near tears watching him perform such a simple act as putting on his own shirt. Only days ago she'd believed that would have been near impossible.

She stood in front of him and straightened his collar slightly. He reached out and ran his hand over her cheek and then leaned in and kissed her. When he pulled back, tears were flooding from her eyes. He smiled and gently wiped at them. He whispered, "I love you."

She waved a hand in front of her face, trying to tell him no more. If he did anything more then she was going to completely lose it. He nodded, understanding her. He took the jacket from her and began working himself into it before once again sitting down in the wheelchair. She saw he was out of breath from the exertion.

She wiped her face again and checked how she looked in the mirror. Good enough she decided.

"Okay," she said as she pushed the wheelchair forward. "Let's roll."





CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT



He held the door for her and Paige reluctantly entered the library. She felt the butterflies doing kamikaze runs in her stomach.

"So what exactly do we think we can find here?"

Nathan turned to look at her.

"Answers."

"Yeah, well obviously that is what we want to find. But how? Do you think there is a big book of Paige Kendall secrets filed away on one of the shelves? Or maybe a book about the secret of the missing tree?" She knew she was talking a little too loud, a little too fast, but couldn't help it.

He moved next to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Maybe. We won't know until we look, will we?"

She laughed at first, but frowned we she saw he was serious.

"Come on there isn't going to be any..."

"No, no. Of course not. Not that blatant anyway, but there are likely some books here about the history of this place, right? We can at least find out if there was ever a tree there or..."

"Yearbooks," she blurted.

Nathan nodded.

"They have to have copies of the yearbooks. I can at least show you that I was actually a student here."

Nathan held back his comment and only nodded again. She took his hand and together they approached the front desk. An attractive brunette coed was sitting at the desk, an open book in front of her. She closed it as they approach and he saw it was a book on biochemistry.

"Can I help you?" she asked, directing her attention at Nathan, a big smile on her face. Paige felt a small twinge of jealousy.

"We are wondering if you might have copies of past yearbooks."

"Yeah, we must. I am not sure exactly where though. Give me one minute." She again flashed Nathan a smile. She straightened her sweater as she stood up and Paige thought she pulled it a little tight trying to accentuate her features. The young woman walked to a door behind the desk and opened it.

"Hey Terry, we keep old yearbooks, right?"

"Of course," said a male voice from in the room.

"Where are they?"

"Ummm," the voice said and then fell silent.

Paige squeezed Nathan's hand. He leaned close to her and said, "Relax, it's going to be okay."

"Third floor. The very far west wall. Special reference, special collection or school reference. Something like that, they can't be taken out. It's the same section that has all the books about Ochre Court, Vinland, Wakehurst and some of the other buildings as well as books on the Sisters of Mercy. "

"What the heck is Vinland?"

"That was the original name of McAuley Hall, I think."

"Really? Why'd they change it?"

Nathan tugged on Paige's arm, pulling her toward the stairs. "Thanks," he called back toward the young lady who was still standing half in the back room talking to Terry.

"Sisters of Mercy?" he asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Yeah they founded the school. Many of the teachers here are still nuns," Paige said.

"Really?" There was a slip of a smile on his lips.