Pegasus In Space

"Oh!" The odd distancing Kathleen experienced was obliterated by a sense of tremendous loss, the loss of Amariyah. "Oh, dear Lord, I don't think the child ever did wash her hands and face, or comb her hair. It's all full of dead leaves."

"Ah," and Kayankira smiled understandingly, as if she knew all about the garden and Amariyah's most uncharacteristic attack on Lila. "It is as nothing, for the essence of the child is known."

The two Sisters now hurriedly followed the others toward the tree. How had this Tirla seen Amariyah? She was on the far side of the thick tree trunk, not at all visible from the gate. Yet, as the visitors, the nuns in their wake, skirted the girls, Tirla had reached Amariyah. She hunkered down and began talking earnestly-in Bangla-to the blue-eyed orphan. The tall boy hovered behind Tirla as Ms. Stein joined them, the most beautiful smile on her face as she leaned down, touching Amariyah gently on the forehead.

"We have come for you, Amariyah Bantam. You will have a garden all to yourself and no one will defile it."

Those remarks stopped Sister Kathleen in her tracks, blinking in astonishment. Then it suddenly dawned on her that these people were psychics. They could read minds-and feelings. She hugged herself, even though she knew that the Church was tolerant of such phenomena, and worried about what her mind might have revealed to them.

Just then the squeal of brakes and the smell of petrol in the heavy air distracted her. Father Salih, too? Well, they had had the courtesy to inform him. That was correct. As if the photograph were not confirmation of her unusual waif's identity. But she must know more before she released the child to their care. Ms. Stein was not a relative; although she was dark, she bore no resemblance to Amariyah. The birth mother had the same black hair as her daughter, with glints of red. Both parents had intelligent blue eyes.

"I have come as fast as it is possible to travel," Father Salih was explaining as he joined those now observing Amariyah, Tirla, and Carmen Stein. The boy, Peter, still hovered, not intruding but very interested. Lance Baden and the Bureau Chief had stopped a distance from the trio, and now turned to shake hands with Father Salih. "Sister Kathleen, Sister Epiphania, it is all according to protocol. The bishop of Dhaka himself is reassuring me. He is calling me on the system." In excitement Father Salih often reverted to a purely Bangla cadence. "He is giving his approval for these good people to take our Amariyah with them. They are being most respectable folk, to guard, guide, and educate her. I am giving you reassurances on that head."

Father Salih tended to be overly courteous but Sister Kathleen thought he would bow himself off his hips any moment if he weren't careful. His eyes kept flicking to Amariyah, seated under the tree. She had ignored the approach of Tirla and Ms. Stein but when the woman had so gently touched her, she had begun to shake off her apathy, regarding them with gradually widening, surprised eyes.

"Oh, dear Lord," 'Phania murmured distractedly in Kathleen's ear, "just look at the state of her. Her hair," a little moan, "and she didn't really wash her face before supper."

"No one has noticed, nor is it important," Kathleen replied, sighing for the hole she knew would be Amariyah's absence from her life. But at least the mystery of the orphan from Sirajganj was solved. Her parents had been married; she had been loved and cared for as a child.

Lance Baden, whose accent she had now recognized as Australian, was addressing her. He was holding out official-looking documents, handing her his personal card. Blinking at it, she saw that he was from the Adelaide Center, not bureau, of the Parapsychic.

"Kayankira has been assisting us in finding young Amariyah. I knew her parents, Tony and Nadezhda Bantam. We met at area conferences, Sister Kathleen, so when he and his wife were listed as missing, I tried-unsuccessfully, I'm sorry to say-to locate them. We had assumed that Amariyah, here, had also perished. Carmen Stein," and he gestured to the woman who was now kneeling in front of Amariyah and gently holding her by the hand, "located her this morning."

"You are psychics, aren't you?" Sister Kathleen heard herself asking.

Lance gave her an understanding, kind smile. "We are."

"She loves things that grow," Kathleen said, and then pointed to the raked space by the outside fence. "Her garden! She could make anything grow, even in the dry season." Kathleen blinked, wondering why she should think that would interest this man. Absently she handed the documents to Father Salih, who had politely stretched out his hand for them.

"Really?" and the single word was imbued with keen interest, not bored inquiry. "We shall encourage it."

"She'll settle in better with you if she has a garden." Then Kathleen gave herself a stem shake. "Where are you taking her? Does she have family?"

"Yes. She will have family now."

"Blood kin?" Kathleen didn't know why she insisted.