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Church noticed the Pinquists’ expressions change as they both looked amazed at the ring and saw the name of its previous owner. Church prided himself on this deception and thought adding the Georg Jensen crest was a nice touch, although maybe putting the old queen consort of Denmark as the previous owner might have been overkill.
“How did Heidi get this?” Greta stammered.
“I don’t know.” said Church, “but you can see why I have to follow Heidi’s wishes; the item is of great value.”
Whilst still holding onto the document, Church could see Harold and Greta pondering, and Harold sighed and said, “Sharon has been sick for some time. The doctors say she has got adolescent schizophrenia, so she never leaves her room.”
“She gets violent,” interrupted Greta, sounding embarrassed, which got her an indignant stare from Harold, who continued, “It is a little difficult to see her now. She had a bad episode this morning, claiming the dead were talking to her again and ranting about a ghost called Jack.”
“We had to sedate her.” interrupted Greta.
Church sat back onto the sofa.
‘Grandpa Jack must have already contacted her. At least they are making my job easier,’ he thought. Church smiled and said, “I’ve had experience with these types of cases, which is why Denmark contacted my company and sent me along,” Church produced a business card from his top pocket and handed it to Harold.
“PATH,” said Harold, “What’s that?”
“I’ll explain later, but let me assure you I am only here to help you and Sharon. Now, if I could see her, I am sure I can help. I can give her the heirloom which she can sign over to you if she wishes.”
Church’s last sentence gave the Pinquists’ the incentive he had hoped, as Harold sighed and said, “Greta, go upstairs and see if Sharon is awake yet and tell her she has a visitor.”
Greta nodded, nervously got off the sofa, and went upstairs. Harold tried to engage Church in meaningless conversation, but Church’s thoughts and senses concentrated on what was going on upstairs. He had felt the presence of the gift from the moment he had entered, but could not detect any emotion from the gifted one, which surprised him. ‘She must be in a deep sleep.’ He thought.
A deep emotion hit him. Fear and confusion surged through his body, emotions that he hadn’t felt to this degree.
Although taken aback by the sudden surge, he remained calm.
He could hear Greta’s voice and then another voice yelling, “Fuck off, out of my room.”
Church heard Greta trying to calm Sharon down and obscenities went on for several minutes, until silence.
Greta came back downstairs and into the living room, shaking her head and looking bemused.
“What happened?” Church asked, seeing Greta shaken.
“I’m not sure,” said Greta. “One minute she was shouting and screaming as usual and then she went silent as if someone slapped her. She then smiled at me and said, “Please send Church up, Mother.”
“That’s an improvement already,” said Harold, who then asked, “Why do you have a stupid, bewildered look on your face Greta?”
Greta took a deep breath and said, “I didn’t tell her that she had a visitor, and I certainly never mentioned his name.”
Church then picked up another emotion coming from upstairs… Hope.
Church got off the sofa, putting the ring in his pocket, but leaving the valuation letter on the coffee table for the Pinquists to ponder over.
“I will go by myself to see Sharon if that’s okay with you,” he said.
“That’s fine. Go to the top of the stairs. It’s the first room on the right,” said Harold, putting his arm around his shaken wife’s shoulders.
Church looked at Harold consoling his wife and as he climbed the stair thought, ‘I bet that’s seldom witnessed in this house.’
He knocked on the door of the first room on the right.
“Come in, Church,” said Sharon, her voice sounding hoarse.
Church entered the room. His first impression was of a hospital ward. It looked clinical, with pill bottles and injection ampoules laid out on the top of a large white bedside cabinet, along with a carafe of water and a single glass. A yellow plastic box was on another table, used for sharps disposal.
Sharon lay in the bed. She looked groggy after her morning dose of sedative. She looked ashen, with her crimson aura dim. Church saw an empty ampoule of Midazolam, a strong sedative, on the cabinet top and an empty syringe.
Church noticed the teenager had the same wavy blonde hair like her mother, although matted and uncombed.
Sharon sat up in bed and swung her feet over the side, appearing to be in a trance.
‘Effects of the drugs,’ thought Church. He wondered why he hadn’t felt the ‘thunderbolt’ (Cupid’s arrow) like Granny Pearl said she had when she first met Jack. From what he knew about the Joining, it was what all Keeper and Guides experience when they meet their Chosen-one.
“Happy birthday Sharon, my name is Church.”
“I know,” said the girl. “I have been expecting you… Call me Pinky,” she said as she leaned over to the cabinet and took a tin from a drawer. “Are you my angel?” she asked, still trying to focus. “You are covered in a rainbow. Apart from Jack, the red angel I saw this morning, and I, everybody else I have seen was just white. Mind you, I thought Jack was my imagination until you arrived as he said you would. I have been hearing voices in my head for so long and getting blinding headaches.”
She opened the tin and pulled out a hand-rolled cigarette, which she lit and blew marijuana smoke around the room. Putting the joint in an ashtray, she filled a glass with water, opened a bottle of pills from the collection of neuroleptic medications, and swallowed a small yellow pill with the water.
“Clozaril,” she said, tapping the plastic bottle top. “New wonder drug for crackpots,” she chuckled and held out her arms and showed Church. “This is all over me; I am glowing red, that isn’t normal. I thought it was the drugs giving me hallucinations until I saw you.”
Church smiled and said, “For people like us that is normal and to answer your question, I am not an angel. What you see is my aura, the same as I can see yours, it’s not red, it is crimson. I am a Keeper, so mine is multi-coloured, and this morning my grandfather Jack’s spirit visited you. You aren’t crazy Pinky, just different,” said Church reassuringly. “We are special.”
Pinky closed her eyes as she was feeling high, but juddered awake and concentrated on Church.
“What about all the voices and headaches? Jack told me some crazy weird shit, saying you would explain everything,” she said, adding, “unless it was the drugs. None of this seems real.”
Church remembered his days of confusion and fear, so he could empathise with this young frightened woman.
“Jack told you that I would come, didn’t he?” Church asked.
“Yes,” said Pinky.
“And I am here,” said Church.
Pinky thought for a moment and slurred, “Yeah.”
“Therefore, everything Jack told you must be true… I will try to explain in more detail… but first” said Church, taking her hands. Pinky felt a strange power curse through her body, like a warm wave of electricity. Her aura now glowed and she felt clarity.
“Wow! What happened?” she asked, gazing around the room. “I feel great, drug-free.”
“As I said,” said Church, “We are special and help each other as well as lost souls.”
While Sharon smiled and looked at him, Church went over to the corner of the room and fetched over a small plastic chair.
“Jack told me that once you come, my headaches and different voices would stop pecking at my head. Is that true?” She asked, and said, “That would be my best birthday present.”
“Yes, they will stop now,” Church assured her as he sat and smiled at her, “Let me explain,”
Church spent the next hour or so explaining about the gift and their edict in life, and about her auntie Heidi. Although he never mentioned she was his chosen bride.
Greta then came into the room and asked. “Is everything okay? Have you taken your medication Sharon? Would you like a cup of tea Church?”
“No, thank you, I’m fine,” said Church.
“Isn’t it a lovely ring Sharon? Okay. I’ll leave you to it then. Shout if you need anything, and don’t forget to take your pills Sharon.”
Greta backed out of the door, closing it behind her.
“What was that stupid woman talking about?” Pinky asked.
Church had forgotten about the ring, with explaining to Pinky about the gift and the spirit world, so told her the ring was a ploy which they could use to their advantage.
Church told Pinky that she needed more time to learn about everything and experience things, so she could get a clearer understanding. He suggested that she came to his cottage.
This came as a shock to Pinky, but she felt relieved. Although everything Church had told her seemed unbelievable, she’d trusted Church from the moment she met him.
She glanced around her sparse unwelcoming room and said, “When do we leave?” She asked, smiled, and looked at Church who frowned and appeared nervous. “What’s wrong?” She asked
Church sighed, gazed into her blue eyes, and told her about the Chosen-ones joining.
Pinky grinned as she listened to Church’s voice get croakier. When he’d finished, Pinky smiled and put her hand on his thinning hairline and stroked the top of his head “So you and I are supposed to fall madly in love?” she whispered.
Church nodded.
Pinky chuckled, slapped his head, and said, “Bah, don’t talk shite! You look like Bob Hoskins, and I certainly wouldn’t go out with him, let alone marry him.”
They stared at each other for a moment, before bursting out laughing.
“These Spirits of yours must be as bonkers as I was, are they on drugs?” giggled Pinky.
“They certainly got it wrong this time,” chuckled Church, hoping that they had.
They laughed for several minutes before Pinky looked sullen and said, “My parents got money from the government for taking care of me, so they would never let me go.”
Church showed her the ring.
“Maybe they will with this,” he said and told her his plan.
Church went into the living room. Greta and Harold sat on the sofa pouring over pictures of new cars in magazines. Harold had never worked, and after they had spent the money that he’d inherited from his grandparents many years ago, they had lived off government benefits. Pinky, although an annoyance to them, served them well, with generous carers allowance payments.
“I need to take Pinky to the facility at my cottage for treatment; she needed more help which I can provide there,” said Church.
Harold and Greta looked at one another. “Will we get extra payments?” asked Harold.
Church shook his head and said, “No, but the treatment is free.”
The Pinquist’s mumbled and whispered to each other shaking their heads.
Church and Pinky knew they weren’t about to allow their golden goose to go anywhere without an incentive. Church took the letter from the table, folded it and added, “Oh, and Sharon told me she would give you the ring if you’d let me help her. But I understand if you aren’t happy to let her come.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Harold, looking as if someone had just taken away his favourite toy. “Let’s not be too hasty, Church.” he stammered, “If you think you can help her. Sharon already seems a lot better since you arrived.”
“Yes,” agreed Greta. “Maybe for a short while will be okay, she is eighteen now, so can make her own decisions.”
* * *
“Isn’t greed great?” said Church, driving along the motorway.
“Yeah, I knew those two greedy parents of mine would jump at the chance for the money. The only problem is, what happens when they find out the ring did not belong to the Queen of Denmark and isn’t worth that much?” enquired Pinky from the passenger seat.
“Oh, that,” smiled Church.
“The ring was one of my favourite rewards. I will explain how that works later, but it was given to me by…”
“Just get on with it,” Pinky interrupted and feigned a yawn.
Church smiled and continued,
“What I said about the ring was almost true. It was from the 19th century. However, it did not belong to Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwenn, nor was it made by Jensen. It’s a Sybil Dunlop ring and made for the wife of Logie Baird. I estimate the value to be around the same and knowing your parents, even for such a short period, I imagine they will not care about anything but its value.”
“Made for Yogi Bear’s wife, that’s cool,” Pinky chuckled.
“Logie Baird, not Yogi Bear,” Church continued, “He invented the television.” Church saw Pinky smirking and knew she was joking. He smiled as Pinky then asked,
“So why feed them all that rubbish about Denmark then smartarse, hmm?”
“Well, it would’ve sounded stupid saying Heidi had a ring from England when she’d never been away from Denmark in her life, wouldn’t it?” said Church, sounding smug.
“Hmm, I suppose so,” Pinky said, shrugging her shoulders.
“Besides, it made them feel guilty about not visiting Heidi,” said Church.
Pinky asked question after question during the ride to the cottage. Church told her he would explain later and relieved when he pulled up outside the front door of the cottage. Pinky felt happy; it was just as Church had described and how she had imagined.
“It looks like it’s had a woman’s touch,” she commented.
Church laughed and helped her unload her belongings from the car boot, went inside, and showed her to one of the upstairs rooms.
“This will be your room. Anything you need, just ask. You unpack, and I’ll cook us something to eat and show you around,” said Church, leaving Pinky to accustom herself to her new surroundings. For the first time in her life, she felt comfortable and had a sense of belonging.
* * *
Greta and Harold went upstairs to clean Pinky’s room after she and Church drove away. They felt delighted and had already picked out which model of Toyota they wanted.
They went inside the room and noticed how tidy Pinky had left it. Her medications and a tin of marijuana rolled cigarettes, arranged neatly on the bedside cabinet top, with a note leaning against the water carafe, which read:
