TUS NUA - ch 30

TUS NUA – ch 30

New Beginnings – Mia and Midnight

(*)(*)(*)

Luna sensed the activity behind the infirmary door and decided to see for herself what the commotion was about.

She saw the two little girls sitting beside each other and asked, “What’s this? Who’s hurt these precious little ones?”

Finola answered, “That’s what we’re trying to find out but so far all we’ve learned is that for years, and before you ask, no we don’t know how many, they lived in the old orphanage in Glasnevin.”

Before she could continue, Luna spoke, “Uh, well, I was going to ask how on earth did these little ones survive but as you said, you’re still learning what happened. Can I sit in and perhaps give my two cents here or there?”

“Yes, of course, but you haven't lived in Ireland for, what is it now, almost ten years? But, who knows, you might have an idea or two that we haven’t thought about.”

Ana volunteered, “Luna, first of all, I’m the one you came for. But under the present circumstance, my trip to New York will have to be put on hold. These girls are deaf and for some reason, I remembered that I knew sign language. It’s a bit complicated since I somehow knew the ASL, American Sign Language and the older girl, Carolina knows the Irish Sign Language. It’s a good thing whoever taught her, used many American words. I’d be lost if they spoke all Gaelic.”

“Are they sisters? The look related.” Luna wondered.

“Haven’t gotten there yet but she called the younger one, Jennie, her friend. But, you have a point.”

Ana walked over the young girls and asked, “Carolina, is Jennie your sister?”

Carolina looked very puzzled.

Luna almost shouted, “Alistar, Evie, we need you, now!”

In a flash, Alistar’s wife, Evangeline appeared though a portal.

“Well, if it isn’t my long-lost cousin! Are you still lost? Or have you decided to pay us a long-awaited visit?”

Luna ignored the sarcasm and said, “Evie, we’ll speak later. Right now, we need you. These little babes are deaf and probably speak more Gaelic than English. Wasn’t a cousin on your mother’s side deaf? Can you help us?”

Finola offered, “I tried a self-spell to teach myself but to be honest, Evie, I’ve been concentrating more with Morena to help with the girls’ injuries. At first, I tried entering their thoughts. Either they don’t remember, or were too frightened and buried more than they remember.”

Before Evie approached the girls, she demanded, “Give me a quick background on what you know so far.”

As Luna leaned against the wall with her arms folded across her chest, Finola told her what Ana was able to discern.

“Hmm. Okay allow my, uh, witchy expertise to interfere.” First, she slowly fisted her hands, then opened them to reveal a piece of chocolate. “I haven’t met a female, no matter the age who can resist chocolate.”

She approached the girls with open hands and the eyes of Carolina and Jennie opened wide. Hesitantly, looking into Evie’s eyes that held a special kind of kindness, each girl reached out and slowly took the candy, each taking tiny bites of the delicious treat.

Evie said to her group, “Please keep in mind, I haven’t had reason to use my sign language is many years. First of all, cousin Evan left us many years ago. It’s been almost ten years. My sign language is probably very rusty but I’ll try.”

She waited for the girls to finish their chocolate, then touched the hand of Carolina.

As she signed, she spoke so everyone could hear.

“Carolina, can you tell me your last name?”

“Quinn.”

“Is Jennie your sister?”

“She’s my friend, oh, ah, maybe.”

“Do you remember your ma?”

“Sorta.”

“What was her name?”

“We called her Ma.”

“When did you meet Jennie?”

“A long time ago. She called my ma, ma, too. Maybe she is my sister. Don’t really remember.”

“Let’s try this. What’s Jennie’s last name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you know your da?”

“No.”

Turning to Jennie, Evie gently touched the little girl’s hand before she began signing.

“Jennie, do you know who your ma is?”

“No.”

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“Don’t think so.”

Turning back to Carolina, she asked, “Carolina, do you remember any brothers or sisters?”

Carolina face frowned a bit. “There was a boy who took care of us for a while, but then he left.”

“Do you remember his name?”

“Kevin.”

“Was he older than you?”

“Uh, I think so. I know he was bigger.”

Alistar, who, although was in the next room was listening and upon hearing the conversation, began a search for Kevin Quinn. Neil said, “Alistar, my boy, do you have any idea how many Kevin Quinns there are in Ireland?”

Alistar laughed but continued his search as his fingers flew across the keyboard of his laptop. “I’m narrowing it down, first to possible ages. I’m concentrating on ages between thirteen and twenty. Carolina said she’s seven and he was bigger so I’m going to assume by height, that he was in his early teens or a bit older. Once I get this list, I’ll narrow it a bit more, hopefully, anyway, to the areas around the orphanage. It won’t be much but if I could get a few images, maybe I can print them and perhaps Carolina will recognize him.”

“Good luck with that, my boy, but you’re right, it’s a beginning.”

As Alistar searched on the internet, Evie kept gently nudging Carolina for information.

“Carolina, you’ve many bruises. Are you hurting much?”

“Un-huh. My back and shoulders mostly.”

Morena nodded. “When I examined the girls, it appears that Carolina received the worst. I’m going to assume that she sheltered Jennie with her own body, since I didn’t see the same amount of harm done to her.”

Evie asked and Carolina answered. “She’s only little. I tried. I really tried.” Then she began to cry. “I really, really tried but the big men still kept hitting us. Is Jennie ok?”

Ana, although had the beginning of tears in her own eyes, commented, “At least she’s speaking, ah I mean signing. Darn it! She’s communicating! That’s a great beginning.”

Evie asked “Carolina, can Jennie speak or sign?”

“She can’t speak or hear, just like me, but she can sign a little.”

At the tap on the younger girl's shoulder, Jennie turned and looked at Evie. “Are you ok?” she asked.

Looking at the kind eyes, little Jennie began to weep.