I learn something new every day.
Today, I paid for my iPod. I had it on a layaway program and decided I didn't want to wait for it. It was payday anyway.
Anyway, on top of picking up my iPod, I tried to buy myself another pay-as-you-go cell phone. Key word: Tried. I got the damn thing home, opened the package, and tried to get it activated.
Turns out the company has no service for Marion. Big surprise, really. The shocker, though? No service for Cadillac. I had to take it back and get a refund.
I bought stuff to make a pasta seafood salad for Thanksgiving next week instead of a new phone.
Anyway, after I got home the second time, I started to play some more with the iPod. It's currently hooked up to my computer, charging, and it's been a fun learning experience with it. (I didn't know it charged through the computer! And it automatically had the software to install in my computer in the iPod itself. That is really cool.)
I'm going to have fun with the iPod. -big grin-
--
More of The Science Fiction Project.
Warning! This chapter contains dialogue that not all readers will agree with and may find offensive. Please be warned because I'm not having people bitch at me for the way my characters have described themselves to me. Thanks and enjoy! (nolan-ash, please read this chapter and let me know what you think. It's another taste of Ryan and Torie O'Connell! :))
"Okay, girl. Spill it. What's bothering you?"
Jo paused, her coffee cup filled with homemade Chai Latte halfway to her mouth. Her grandmother stared at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. Brown eyes glittered with curiosity and knowing. It never ceased to amaze Jo at how well her grandmother could read people, and it was a bit unnerving at times, too.
"What makes you think there's something wrong?" she inquired, trying to be nonchalant. She figured there wasn't any sense in giving anything away if she could avoid it. Plus, she wanted to know how her grandmother had figured out that she was troubled by something.
"You've been quiet ever since your grandfather and I picked you up at the train station," her grandmother pointed out with a wink. "You're only quiet whenever you have a lot on your mind, and it's giving you trouble. That's what."
"Oh." Jo couldn't help but blink at her grandmother's response. It was so simple and so . . . observant. She hadn't thought about how different she acted when she had many things to think about. Apparently, her grandmother had.
"You sound surprised, Jo."
"I'm not . . ."
"You were," Torie murmured, chuckling. "What were you expecting me to say? That I use telepathy?"
Jo giggled at her grandmother's light tone. It only reaffirmed the knowledge that her grandmother loved to laugh.
"Seriously, though, child. What's bothering you?"
Her grandmother's eyes, though they sparkled with curiosity and knowing, were quite serious as she continued to gaze at Jo. There was no sense in denying things any further, and Jo desperately wanted and needed her grandmother's advice. She shrugged then took a sip of her drink.
"A few different things," she replied. Jo knew she was being vague in her response, but she didn't know how she should tell her grandma about what her friends had presented her with. She also didn't want to feel like she was betraying her friends by telling the older woman what they'd discussed on Thursday. Jo felt like they had confessed something very important about the Science Fiction Project, something no one else had the right to know. Her grandparents and her mother had been very adamant about things like confidentiality between family and friends, and keeping promises and secrets. Though she'd not promised anyone she wouldn't say what had been told her or been forced to make a vow, Jo couldn't help but feel she had.
Still, her grandmother knew something was bothering her. Jo's silence had given her away, and Torie had a knack for being unusually observant. The older woman was expecting a better answer than "a few different things." Jo just needed to decide on her approach.
They sat in silence for a few moments after Jo had given her grandmother her response. During that interlude, her grandmother waited patiently and sipped her Chai, and Jo tried to figure out her phrasing. Since blurting the words out was no longer an option for her, Jo was having a bit of difficulty deciding. Tact certainly was in order, and phrasing everything in a hypothetical way sounded very appearling to Jo.
"Well," Jo started to fidget a little as she started to speak, "something's kind of come up at school. I've received . . . an offer of sorts."
'That's just great,' she berated herself. 'So much for the hypothetical approach. What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I have to say it that way?'
"I see," her grandmother murmured. The older woman sat her coffee mug down on the counter. She folded her hands in front of her. "Must be quite an offer if you're seeking advice . . . That is you're looking for, correct?"
Jo nodded her head "yes" and quickly. Her grandmother had somehow managed to figure out what Jo needed without a lot of information from Jo herself. It was another thing that absolutely baffled Jo, but she was also grateful for her grandmother's intuitive nature. Jo also appreciated the fact her grandmother wouldn't ask for too many details, either, which helped Jo even more. She could get the advice she needed and wanted, and not feel like she was betraying her friends' trust in her at the same time. Torie continued to talk.
"Is it a once in a lifetime offer?"
"I'm not sure," Jo replied. It wasn't a lie on her part, either. Mel, Madison, and Aimee had asked her once, and had left it at that. If she refused, there was always the chance they could ask her again. The offer, though, did involve drastic changes. "It's definitely a life-altering one."
"Then be careful," her grandmother said. "Life-altering offers aren't always for the best. You need to weigh all of your options in a situation like this."
"Options? What options, Grandma?" Jo had a feeling she knew what her grandmother was hinting at, but she needed to hear the words come directly from the older woman's mouth. She needed that reassurance she'd made the right decision in refusing to give her friends an answer right away.
"Everything," her grandmother replied. "You need to weigh the benefits against the losses. If you stand to lose more than what you'll gain, it isn't worth it. However, if you'll gain more in the end and it'll help you to lead a happier, healthier life . . ."
"That's what I thought," Jo mumbled to herself. The advice had been given, and it was given to the best of her grandmother's ability, especially since the older woman had very little details about the offer. Then she noticed her grandmother's curious expression, and she smiled. "You've just given me a lot to think about, Grandma. That's all."
"Ah." Her grandmother smiled in return, the knowing look reflecting in her eyes.
They fell silent again, and Jo's thoughts started to wander. The events of Thursday and Friday started to play in her mind.
After Madison had confessed what the true purpose of the Science Fiction Project was, Jo had told her friends she needed some time to think about what they had told her. Mel, Madison, and Aimee had readily agreed to give her as much time as possible, and promised not to rush her into kind of a decision. Madison had admitted then that they were still working on details and the logistics behind everything anyway so it wasn't a problem for them to give Jo some space. Jo remaining with the Science Fiction Project had not come up again before she had left for home, which had suited her just fine. Her friends were good to her in that respect. RoseLynn Maybree of the Christian Revival Project had been another matter entirely.
Rumour had spread like an Internet virus throughout the university campus that Jo had finally had some kind of a disagreement with her like-minded friends. No one truly knew what the disagreement had been about or what had happpened to spark an argument, but then no one truly cared, either. Gossip was gossip, and everyone knew how the Science Fiction Project. They also knew how close the members were and how quickly Mel, Madison, Aimee, and Jo had become friends. A fight between the closest of friends, and in some cases, lovers, was big news. It felt more like high school than higher education, especially after RoseLynn had approached Jo Friday morning.
Now, for the most part, Jo did not mind religious people. Her grandparents were practicing Wiccans, and they lived in a multi-religious neighbourhood. Several of her grandparents' neighbours were Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, and few others that Jo couldn't even pronounce, and there were also a few Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists so she'd been exposed to many different religions since her birth. The Christians she'd grown up knowing had been nice to her, and there had been a few around her age that had often consulted her about which science fiction and fantasy books they might like. Granted, there had been a few people who had been a little over zealous. They'd preached about the sins of Harry Potter on the street corners where libraries and movie theaters were located, but the zealots had been few in numbers. Such people had also immediately backed off when it came to approaching the O'Connell clan. Her grandmother possessed a stubborn streak. It had shown when it had come to those individuals, and she'd had no problems telling them what exactly the First Amendment of the Constitution allowed her to have. Generally speaking, though, Jo didn't mind people who had found the religion that suited them, except for RoseLynn.
RoseLynn, for having recently turned twenty-one, had quickly become very set in her way of thinking and acting, and expected everyone to be just like her. She had a habit of getting into the faces of others to prove her point, and Jo detested the other girl's actions. In Jo's mind, it was one thing to display to the world how happy something made a person but completely different to try and force it onto the world around the individual. She just didn't know how to deal with RoseLynn. Jo had tried to be patient with the Christian Revival Project leader, even had told the girl how she'd been raised, but RoseLynn had been obstinate in what she wanted from Jo. RoseLynn kept pushing and pushing with her beliefs and ideals. She kept telling Jo what she needed and how to live a better life through God, and she kept insisting that Jo put all of the fantasy nonsense behind her. Jo now wanted to be rid of RoseLynn and her fanatical ways. Who better for Jo to ask than her grandmother?
"Grandma . . ."
"Yes, dear?"
"I need some help in dealing with someone . . ."
"Oh?" Her grandmother perked up some. "Is it a special someone?"
Jo giggled again, but shook her head "no." Her grandmother had a fascination for relationships. Why, no one had been able to sufficiently answer, but it was there. The dynamics between two people enthralled Torie O'Connell, and she'd sit and listen to her friends talk for hours about how their children and grandchildren were doing in their relationships. Jo knew she did. She'd heard her grandmother talk to her grandfather on many occasions about their friends and their extended families.
Her grandmother's curiosity was probably what kept the woman and her husband together, aside from the deep and true love the two of them shared. It was heartwarming for Jo to see, and it gave her hope that she, too, would find someone to share her life with.
"No, Grandma. This person isn't special. She's more like an annoyance," Jo answered, picking up her Chai. She'd set it down as she'd lost herself in thought.
"Oh? How so?"
"Well," Jo began, taking another drink of her homemade Chai, "she's like the president of this group. It's called the Christian Revival Project, and she's been bugging me for the last few days about leaving my one group of friends and joining them."
"Let me guess. She's of the mindset that science fiction and fantasy books are evil or something like that, right?"
"More like she believes that there is no such thing as magic, and creatures like dragons and unicorns should no be believed in. They haven't existed, anyway," Jo replied.
"I see," her grandmother murmured. The older woman then took a drink of her own Chai. "That is quite interesting, isn't it?"
"I guess so . . ."
Her grandmother laughed and set her coffee mug down. Again, Jo saw brown eyes sparkling, though this time it was with amusement.
"You know, the Bible doesn't say it's wrong to believe in dragons and unicorns," her grandmother said. "In fact, it doesn't say anywhere that it's wrong to have an imagination and to use it."
"I don't understand, Grandma. Is that supposed to help me somehow?"
"No, my dear. It is meant to reassure you," her grandmother replied, a warm smile on her face. "Though if you wish for her to leave you alone on the matter, there is a sure fire way to get her off your back. It's quite simple, too."
"Oh? How is that, Grandma?"
"Bring up her God," the older woman murmured. "Bring up her God, and the fact that she's alive and breathing."
"I still don't understand . . ." Jo shook her head. How would bringing up God and the fact someone was alive get RoseLynn to leave her alone?
Her grandmother laughed again, her fingers grasping her coffee mug. Then she said, "It's all about believing in things and people we can't see. Do you remember what Judy the Elf said to Scott in The Santa Clause? About the difference between children and adults?"
"That seeing is believing, and believing is seeing," Jo answered. "That children didn't have to see Santa or the North Pole to know that they existed. They knew it in their hearts."
"Exactly." Her grandmother winked. "We believe in people and things without asking for proof they exist. We trust in the intangible. You know what I heard your great aunt say one time about Santa Claus?"
Jo shook her head. She'd heard many stories about her grandmother's family, about how devout in their faith they were. She had met the people, had seen how true it was, but she knew she hadn't heard everything. She leaned in closer, her grandmother's words captivating.
"She said her daughter . . . this was when she only had one child . . . had asked if people like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were real. She'd almost said 'no,' that they weren't, but then she stopped and thought about it. Your great aunt had said she was asking her daughter to believe in God, an entity the child could not see, but was about to disavow the existence of another man who no one could see. It would have created a lot of questions in your cousin, and she'd have been asking your aunt about them. Children have a strange knack for questioning things like that."
"Like how can one being exist but not the other," Jo stated.
"Yes," her grandmother confirmed. "You can't ask someone to believe in one thing and not other. As I said, we trust in the intangible. Most of the time, it's for the better that we do."
"You can't believe in love then expect to find someone to spend the rest of your life with," a male voice commented. Jo turned her head to see her grandfather standing in the kitchen door. His blue eyes sparkled with life, and love, as he crossed the distance between himself and his wife. "It just doesn't work that way."
"No. It most certainly does not," her grandmother murmured, the adoration for her husband lighting her features. Their hands met, causing Jo to smile. Her grandfather continued speaking.
"I know many people who don't believe in magic or miracles, but they happen around us every day. Falling in love, having a baby . . . all of those things are magical in their own right. Wouldn't you agree, Joslyn?"
"I do agree, Grandpa."
And Jo did agree with his assessment. They were right, and she didn't even have to stop and think about what they were saying. Magic did happen every day. It just depended on what one defined as magic and as miraculous.
Her grandfather's arms slipped around her grandmother at that moment, and Jo felt like she was now invading on what was soon going to be a private moment between two adults. Her smile grew a little wider.
"I'll leave you two alone," Jo said, slipping out of her chair. She had her answers. The rest was now up to her.
Anyway, on top of picking up my iPod, I tried to buy myself another pay-as-you-go cell phone. Key word: Tried. I got the damn thing home, opened the package, and tried to get it activated.
Turns out the company has no service for Marion. Big surprise, really. The shocker, though? No service for Cadillac. I had to take it back and get a refund.
I bought stuff to make a pasta seafood salad for Thanksgiving next week instead of a new phone.
Anyway, after I got home the second time, I started to play some more with the iPod. It's currently hooked up to my computer, charging, and it's been a fun learning experience with it. (I didn't know it charged through the computer! And it automatically had the software to install in my computer in the iPod itself. That is really cool.)
I'm going to have fun with the iPod. -big grin-
--
More of The Science Fiction Project.
Warning! This chapter contains dialogue that not all readers will agree with and may find offensive. Please be warned because I'm not having people bitch at me for the way my characters have described themselves to me. Thanks and enjoy! (nolan-ash, please read this chapter and let me know what you think. It's another taste of Ryan and Torie O'Connell! :))
"Okay, girl. Spill it. What's bothering you?"
Jo paused, her coffee cup filled with homemade Chai Latte halfway to her mouth. Her grandmother stared at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. Brown eyes glittered with curiosity and knowing. It never ceased to amaze Jo at how well her grandmother could read people, and it was a bit unnerving at times, too.
"What makes you think there's something wrong?" she inquired, trying to be nonchalant. She figured there wasn't any sense in giving anything away if she could avoid it. Plus, she wanted to know how her grandmother had figured out that she was troubled by something.
"You've been quiet ever since your grandfather and I picked you up at the train station," her grandmother pointed out with a wink. "You're only quiet whenever you have a lot on your mind, and it's giving you trouble. That's what."
"Oh." Jo couldn't help but blink at her grandmother's response. It was so simple and so . . . observant. She hadn't thought about how different she acted when she had many things to think about. Apparently, her grandmother had.
"You sound surprised, Jo."
"I'm not . . ."
"You were," Torie murmured, chuckling. "What were you expecting me to say? That I use telepathy?"
Jo giggled at her grandmother's light tone. It only reaffirmed the knowledge that her grandmother loved to laugh.
"Seriously, though, child. What's bothering you?"
Her grandmother's eyes, though they sparkled with curiosity and knowing, were quite serious as she continued to gaze at Jo. There was no sense in denying things any further, and Jo desperately wanted and needed her grandmother's advice. She shrugged then took a sip of her drink.
"A few different things," she replied. Jo knew she was being vague in her response, but she didn't know how she should tell her grandma about what her friends had presented her with. She also didn't want to feel like she was betraying her friends by telling the older woman what they'd discussed on Thursday. Jo felt like they had confessed something very important about the Science Fiction Project, something no one else had the right to know. Her grandparents and her mother had been very adamant about things like confidentiality between family and friends, and keeping promises and secrets. Though she'd not promised anyone she wouldn't say what had been told her or been forced to make a vow, Jo couldn't help but feel she had.
Still, her grandmother knew something was bothering her. Jo's silence had given her away, and Torie had a knack for being unusually observant. The older woman was expecting a better answer than "a few different things." Jo just needed to decide on her approach.
They sat in silence for a few moments after Jo had given her grandmother her response. During that interlude, her grandmother waited patiently and sipped her Chai, and Jo tried to figure out her phrasing. Since blurting the words out was no longer an option for her, Jo was having a bit of difficulty deciding. Tact certainly was in order, and phrasing everything in a hypothetical way sounded very appearling to Jo.
"Well," Jo started to fidget a little as she started to speak, "something's kind of come up at school. I've received . . . an offer of sorts."
'That's just great,' she berated herself. 'So much for the hypothetical approach. What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I have to say it that way?'
"I see," her grandmother murmured. The older woman sat her coffee mug down on the counter. She folded her hands in front of her. "Must be quite an offer if you're seeking advice . . . That is you're looking for, correct?"
Jo nodded her head "yes" and quickly. Her grandmother had somehow managed to figure out what Jo needed without a lot of information from Jo herself. It was another thing that absolutely baffled Jo, but she was also grateful for her grandmother's intuitive nature. Jo also appreciated the fact her grandmother wouldn't ask for too many details, either, which helped Jo even more. She could get the advice she needed and wanted, and not feel like she was betraying her friends' trust in her at the same time. Torie continued to talk.
"Is it a once in a lifetime offer?"
"I'm not sure," Jo replied. It wasn't a lie on her part, either. Mel, Madison, and Aimee had asked her once, and had left it at that. If she refused, there was always the chance they could ask her again. The offer, though, did involve drastic changes. "It's definitely a life-altering one."
"Then be careful," her grandmother said. "Life-altering offers aren't always for the best. You need to weigh all of your options in a situation like this."
"Options? What options, Grandma?" Jo had a feeling she knew what her grandmother was hinting at, but she needed to hear the words come directly from the older woman's mouth. She needed that reassurance she'd made the right decision in refusing to give her friends an answer right away.
"Everything," her grandmother replied. "You need to weigh the benefits against the losses. If you stand to lose more than what you'll gain, it isn't worth it. However, if you'll gain more in the end and it'll help you to lead a happier, healthier life . . ."
"That's what I thought," Jo mumbled to herself. The advice had been given, and it was given to the best of her grandmother's ability, especially since the older woman had very little details about the offer. Then she noticed her grandmother's curious expression, and she smiled. "You've just given me a lot to think about, Grandma. That's all."
"Ah." Her grandmother smiled in return, the knowing look reflecting in her eyes.
They fell silent again, and Jo's thoughts started to wander. The events of Thursday and Friday started to play in her mind.
After Madison had confessed what the true purpose of the Science Fiction Project was, Jo had told her friends she needed some time to think about what they had told her. Mel, Madison, and Aimee had readily agreed to give her as much time as possible, and promised not to rush her into kind of a decision. Madison had admitted then that they were still working on details and the logistics behind everything anyway so it wasn't a problem for them to give Jo some space. Jo remaining with the Science Fiction Project had not come up again before she had left for home, which had suited her just fine. Her friends were good to her in that respect. RoseLynn Maybree of the Christian Revival Project had been another matter entirely.
Rumour had spread like an Internet virus throughout the university campus that Jo had finally had some kind of a disagreement with her like-minded friends. No one truly knew what the disagreement had been about or what had happpened to spark an argument, but then no one truly cared, either. Gossip was gossip, and everyone knew how the Science Fiction Project. They also knew how close the members were and how quickly Mel, Madison, Aimee, and Jo had become friends. A fight between the closest of friends, and in some cases, lovers, was big news. It felt more like high school than higher education, especially after RoseLynn had approached Jo Friday morning.
Now, for the most part, Jo did not mind religious people. Her grandparents were practicing Wiccans, and they lived in a multi-religious neighbourhood. Several of her grandparents' neighbours were Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, and few others that Jo couldn't even pronounce, and there were also a few Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists so she'd been exposed to many different religions since her birth. The Christians she'd grown up knowing had been nice to her, and there had been a few around her age that had often consulted her about which science fiction and fantasy books they might like. Granted, there had been a few people who had been a little over zealous. They'd preached about the sins of Harry Potter on the street corners where libraries and movie theaters were located, but the zealots had been few in numbers. Such people had also immediately backed off when it came to approaching the O'Connell clan. Her grandmother possessed a stubborn streak. It had shown when it had come to those individuals, and she'd had no problems telling them what exactly the First Amendment of the Constitution allowed her to have. Generally speaking, though, Jo didn't mind people who had found the religion that suited them, except for RoseLynn.
RoseLynn, for having recently turned twenty-one, had quickly become very set in her way of thinking and acting, and expected everyone to be just like her. She had a habit of getting into the faces of others to prove her point, and Jo detested the other girl's actions. In Jo's mind, it was one thing to display to the world how happy something made a person but completely different to try and force it onto the world around the individual. She just didn't know how to deal with RoseLynn. Jo had tried to be patient with the Christian Revival Project leader, even had told the girl how she'd been raised, but RoseLynn had been obstinate in what she wanted from Jo. RoseLynn kept pushing and pushing with her beliefs and ideals. She kept telling Jo what she needed and how to live a better life through God, and she kept insisting that Jo put all of the fantasy nonsense behind her. Jo now wanted to be rid of RoseLynn and her fanatical ways. Who better for Jo to ask than her grandmother?
"Grandma . . ."
"Yes, dear?"
"I need some help in dealing with someone . . ."
"Oh?" Her grandmother perked up some. "Is it a special someone?"
Jo giggled again, but shook her head "no." Her grandmother had a fascination for relationships. Why, no one had been able to sufficiently answer, but it was there. The dynamics between two people enthralled Torie O'Connell, and she'd sit and listen to her friends talk for hours about how their children and grandchildren were doing in their relationships. Jo knew she did. She'd heard her grandmother talk to her grandfather on many occasions about their friends and their extended families.
Her grandmother's curiosity was probably what kept the woman and her husband together, aside from the deep and true love the two of them shared. It was heartwarming for Jo to see, and it gave her hope that she, too, would find someone to share her life with.
"No, Grandma. This person isn't special. She's more like an annoyance," Jo answered, picking up her Chai. She'd set it down as she'd lost herself in thought.
"Oh? How so?"
"Well," Jo began, taking another drink of her homemade Chai, "she's like the president of this group. It's called the Christian Revival Project, and she's been bugging me for the last few days about leaving my one group of friends and joining them."
"Let me guess. She's of the mindset that science fiction and fantasy books are evil or something like that, right?"
"More like she believes that there is no such thing as magic, and creatures like dragons and unicorns should no be believed in. They haven't existed, anyway," Jo replied.
"I see," her grandmother murmured. The older woman then took a drink of her own Chai. "That is quite interesting, isn't it?"
"I guess so . . ."
Her grandmother laughed and set her coffee mug down. Again, Jo saw brown eyes sparkling, though this time it was with amusement.
"You know, the Bible doesn't say it's wrong to believe in dragons and unicorns," her grandmother said. "In fact, it doesn't say anywhere that it's wrong to have an imagination and to use it."
"I don't understand, Grandma. Is that supposed to help me somehow?"
"No, my dear. It is meant to reassure you," her grandmother replied, a warm smile on her face. "Though if you wish for her to leave you alone on the matter, there is a sure fire way to get her off your back. It's quite simple, too."
"Oh? How is that, Grandma?"
"Bring up her God," the older woman murmured. "Bring up her God, and the fact that she's alive and breathing."
"I still don't understand . . ." Jo shook her head. How would bringing up God and the fact someone was alive get RoseLynn to leave her alone?
Her grandmother laughed again, her fingers grasping her coffee mug. Then she said, "It's all about believing in things and people we can't see. Do you remember what Judy the Elf said to Scott in The Santa Clause? About the difference between children and adults?"
"That seeing is believing, and believing is seeing," Jo answered. "That children didn't have to see Santa or the North Pole to know that they existed. They knew it in their hearts."
"Exactly." Her grandmother winked. "We believe in people and things without asking for proof they exist. We trust in the intangible. You know what I heard your great aunt say one time about Santa Claus?"
Jo shook her head. She'd heard many stories about her grandmother's family, about how devout in their faith they were. She had met the people, had seen how true it was, but she knew she hadn't heard everything. She leaned in closer, her grandmother's words captivating.
"She said her daughter . . . this was when she only had one child . . . had asked if people like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were real. She'd almost said 'no,' that they weren't, but then she stopped and thought about it. Your great aunt had said she was asking her daughter to believe in God, an entity the child could not see, but was about to disavow the existence of another man who no one could see. It would have created a lot of questions in your cousin, and she'd have been asking your aunt about them. Children have a strange knack for questioning things like that."
"Like how can one being exist but not the other," Jo stated.
"Yes," her grandmother confirmed. "You can't ask someone to believe in one thing and not other. As I said, we trust in the intangible. Most of the time, it's for the better that we do."
"You can't believe in love then expect to find someone to spend the rest of your life with," a male voice commented. Jo turned her head to see her grandfather standing in the kitchen door. His blue eyes sparkled with life, and love, as he crossed the distance between himself and his wife. "It just doesn't work that way."
"No. It most certainly does not," her grandmother murmured, the adoration for her husband lighting her features. Their hands met, causing Jo to smile. Her grandfather continued speaking.
"I know many people who don't believe in magic or miracles, but they happen around us every day. Falling in love, having a baby . . . all of those things are magical in their own right. Wouldn't you agree, Joslyn?"
"I do agree, Grandpa."
And Jo did agree with his assessment. They were right, and she didn't even have to stop and think about what they were saying. Magic did happen every day. It just depended on what one defined as magic and as miraculous.
Her grandfather's arms slipped around her grandmother at that moment, and Jo felt like she was now invading on what was soon going to be a private moment between two adults. Her smile grew a little wider.
"I'll leave you two alone," Jo said, slipping out of her chair. She had her answers. The rest was now up to her.