Doorways to Infinity (53 page)

“Wait.” The girl from the school paper raised her hand. “Are you saying we can go through that thing up there?”

“That is exactly what I am saying. You can see with your own eyes what wonders lay beyond.”

“Excellent,” the Waynesville reporter said. “I’m game.”

He started to walk up the knoll but Eric and Terry moved to block him. Mr. Winston held up a small silver locket and said, “You must take one of these with you, first.”

“What’s that for?”

“It will enable me to find you if you get lost on one of the worlds you are about to explore. It is a safety precaution.”

“Sure, I’ll wear it. Where do I get one?”

John Paul held out a wooden box and opened the lid. The reporter reached inside and pulled out one of the cheap necklaces and fumbled with it for a moment before fastening it around his neck. Other people from the crowd quickly lined up behind him. The reporter turned to his cameraman and said, “Hurry up, Brian. Let’s be the first ones.”

While the other newsman struggled to get his necklace on, Uncle Charlie whispered to Jamie. “Is that the locket with the wood chips from your walking stick?”

“Yes. I thought it would ruin everything if somebody got lost today.”

Mr. Winston walked up the hill and waited beside the doorway for the Waynesville television crew, then escorted them through when they were ready. The rest of the people in the crowd pressed toward John Paul, clamoring for their lockets. The CNN people were stuck near the back of the line, and the reporter wore a sour look, obviously miffed at being behind by the Waynesville team.

Uncle Charlie, Momma Sue, and Mrs. Malley waited with Jamie and his friends for the crowd to file through the portal ahead of them, Momma Sue laughing like a little girl while she patted Mrs. Malley on the shoulder. “We’re going through a magic doorway to see some new planets, Bella,” she said. Then she winked at Jamie. “My, oh my, what will they think of next?”

Jamie laughed and Uncle Charlie said, “I’m surprised they came today. This is nothing new for them.”

Fred shrugged. “They think it’ll be fun.”

“Where are the three witches from the monastery?”

“They’re at Mrs. Malley’s house. They were a little leery about dealing with a mob of people and reporters and everything.”

“I can understand that. It’s a little overwhelming, even for old pros like us.”

They followed the excited crowd through the portal, and on the other side, they found themselves on a desert plain. They faced two rows of glowing doorways, fifty on each side, extending directly away from them in parallel lines that were thirty yards apart. The crowd stared at them in amazement, even most of Jamie’s track teammates and the scientists.

Allison approached Jamie and said, “This is awesome, dude!”

She raised her hand for a high five, but Jamie shook his head and touched a finger to his lips. “It’s Mr. Winston’s show, remember?”

“Oh yeah.” She winced and lowered her voice “Sorry about that. But it is pretty incredible, seeing all those doorways lined up like that. Where do they go?”

Jamie gestured at Mr. Winston, who was preparing to speak. “He’s fixing to explain.”

Mr. Winston waited with his back to the doorways, and he held both hands up until the gathering crowd quieted. Then he said, “Behind me are one hundred portals to one hundred worlds. You may investigate as many as you wish at your leisure, but make sure you have your locket.”

“How long do we have?” the school reporter asked.

“Three hours.”

“Is there free food?” the Waynesville cameraman said.

“No. But the wonders are free.”

The CNN crew seemed desperate to set up a shot, the reporter walking frantically about, trying to decide where to stand, and whether or not to ask for an interview or go through one of the portals. When the Waynesville team went through the nearest one, Bryce called to the CNN reporter, “Looks like you’re getting scooped.”

She turned and raced after them with her cameraman in tow.

Uncle Charlie chuckled as he watched them pass into another world. “No imagination. There are ninety-nine others, but she chose that one.” He turned to Jamie and said, “Where does that one go, by the way?”

“Another Earth-like world. They all do, but they’re a little different. None of them go to Rivershire, though. The last three on the right go to worlds that have two moons, and they’re full now. I thought that would be impressive.”

“I want to see those.” Nova grabbed Rollie by the arm. “Come on. You can be my escort.”

“I’ll go with them,” Fred said and kissed Jamie on the cheek and left. Bryce and Melanie had already gone somewhere, along with almost everyone else. The plain was nearly deserted now, except for Jamie and Uncle Charlie. With no one looking, Jamie turned and gestured at the doorway that led to the park, and it winked out.

“How will we get back?” Uncle Charlie said.

“I’ll make another one when it’s time to go. Fred will spin her Stupefyin’ necklace while I do it so one will realize what’s going on. Then when she ends the spell, Mr. Winston will take credit for the portal.”

“Smart. You’ve thought it all through, haven’t you?”

“I’ve spent a lot of time with my friends, planning this. It wasn’t easy.”

“I believe it. But that was a good idea, using Mr. Winston in this way. He will be known as the one with the magic, but he can’t get harassed by the press and government agents because he lives on another world.”

“I thought that was a good solution. It should buy me some time before somebody figures out that I’m a wizard, too. I hope by then the shock will have worn off and it won’t be such a big deal. I’d like to finish college, first.”

“I think you have learned something from your years of doing stage magic. Misdirection, right? No one will notice you because Mr. Winston will command the spotlight.”

“He really wanted to do this today, too. He enjoys being a showman.”

“I can see that.” Uncle Charlie angled his head toward the open doorways behind him. “Well, I think I’m going to do a little sight-seeing now.”

“Hey, um, that last portal on the left? It goes to a really nice world. It opens up right by a lake. It’s beautiful. I thought you might want to check it out, first.”

“Any particular reason?”

“You remember that deal I offered you? A trade? You serve as an advisor in exchange for something? Well, how about a whole world?”

Uncle Charlie arched one eyebrow. “You mean part-time service in exchange for a planet? That sounds like a good deal. Can I do whatever I please with it?”

“Sure, as long as you don’t allow mining on it.”

“Never. I wouldn’t want to spoil it.”

“Then it would be all yours. I thought you and your people might like to have a place like that. It looks almost exactly like western North Carolina. At least the part of it I saw did. I haven’t explored much of it, though. I figure you can do that. In fact, you should check out some more these worlds today, if you have time.”

“A whole world. That is a very generous offer. I am inclined to accept.”

“You haven’t seen the world, yet. But if you don’t like it, I can show you some others.”

“You sound like a real estate agent.”

“Hah! I guess I do.” Jamie grinned for a moment, then his face turned serious. “Uh, I want you know that….” He cleared his throat. “I’m not doing this ’cause, you know, uh—”

“I know. You are not doing it because of White Man’s Guilt. You are doing it because you are a good person.”

Jamie blinked twice and shook his head. “I’m doing it because you’re my friend.”

Uncle Charlie smiled gently at Jamie and rested one hand on Jamie’s shoulder for a long moment. Then he nodded toward the doorways. “Let’s go see this wonderful world. Care to give me a tour?”

They turned and walked down the left hand row of open doorways. Jamie heard excited voices from beyond the first three they passed. “You’ll love the lake, I bet.”

“Are there fish in it?”

“Yeah, I checked. I don’t know what kind, but there are lots of ’em.”

“How about game? Did you check the forest?”

“I don’t know what’s there. I don’t know how to look for signs.”

“I do. If I like this planet, would it be okay if I bring a few of my friends to explore it before I make my decision?”

“That’s fine. I’ll make a doorway for you whenever you need it. And Eric said he can get us a long-range drone with video capability. You can use that to check it out from the air and cover a lot more territory.”

“Good. We will probably bring horses, too. We know how to explore that way.”

“I guess you do.” Jamie wrinkled his brow as they neared the last doorway. “Do you think any of the other tribes would be interested in this same deal? The Iroquois or Lakota, or whoever? Even if we don’t need more advisors, they could offer some kind of assistance. There will be plenty to do.”

“In exchange for their own world? I’m sure they would. I can help you contact them, if you want.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. How many are there?”

“There are over five hundred indigenous nations, depending on who you ask. Are there enough worlds for all of them?”

“Oh yeah. Plenty.”

“How many, do you think?”

“An infinite number.”

“That should be enough.”

Chapter 25

Rachel recognized the music as soon as it flowed from the organ pipes at the back of the choir loft. Lisa, sitting on Rachel’s left, said, “Is that Bach?”

“Yes. It’s
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
.”

“It’s so lovely.” Lisa dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and sniffed. “And peaceful, too.”

“Didn’t you pick it out?”

“We just told the organist to play whatever was appropriate for a wedding.”

“It sounds nice,” Carl said, sitting on Rachel’s right, wearing a suit and tie. Next to him was Darla, and Pete sat by the aisle. On the other side of Lisa was Sammi, eleven years old now and growing fast, the top of her head already past Rachel’s shoulder. Her dark hair was long and silky, and she had become more beautiful as she’d grown older.

Next to Sammi sat Rachel’s mother, Evelyn, then Mrs. Tully and Aiven, Mrs. Tully in a new dress and Aiven wearing a suit for the first time, looking tall and proud. Aunt Connie, Uncle Ray, Cousin Gina and her young daughter sat past Aiven and filled out the pew. Rollie’s parents sat behind them with some other neighborhood friends.

Except for Rachel’s row, there was no seating plan whatsoever for the rest of the church, and it was packed on that Saturday in June. Rivershire people sat with Hendersonville locals. Former CIA agents mixed with Jamie’s former track teammates and Fred’s former tap dance students. Farmer families sat with scientists, and Mr. Winston and Uncle Charlie sat with Momma Sue and Mrs. Malley.

John Paul and Brinna were there, too, with their twin boys, as well as Coach Dave and Miss Duffy, who was no longer a Miss and no longer a Duffy. It seemed like everyone who had ever been acquainted with Jamie and Fred had come.

At the front of the sanctuary, standing on the left side of the dais were Jamie, Rollie, and Bryce, all wearing black tuxedos and looking handsome.
Especially Jamie
, Rachel thought. He’d grown into adulthood gracefully, still with his boyish smile and curly blond hair, but his face had lost all other traces of youth, and he had matured into a fine-looking man.

Opposite Jamie and his friends stood Melanie and Nova, wearing green taffeta dresses. Nova still had her dreadlocks, but she had taken out the bells and feathers and replaced them with matching tiny ribbons.

“Jamie looks absolutely gorgeous,” Lisa said. “All of the boys do.”

“And the girls are beautiful,” Rachel said. “I hope the photographer gets some nice pictures of them.”

“If they don’t melt, first.” Lisa waved her paper fan and panted. “Why is it so hot in here?”

Rachel realized that her back and underarms felt sticky, and that she was warm, too. “I think the air conditioner must be on the fritz again.”

“This is a bad day for that to happen.”

“Hold on. Maybe we can do something about it.” Rachel stared at Jamie until she caught his eye, and she fanned herself with her hand and mouthed the word
hot
. Jamie winked at her and nodded, then gestured slightly with one hand.

The temperature in the room immediately dropped, and Lisa sighed, “Ahhh. That’s more like it. Did Jamie do that?”

“He cast a spell, I think.”

“He’s such a handy guy. He’s going to make a great son-in-law.”

“And Fred is going to make a great daughter-in-law.”

Lisa smiled wistfully. “We always knew it was going to happen, didn’t we? We knew they were meant for each other.”

“Since before they were born,” Rachel said, finishing their ritual. She suddenly felt a strong, bittersweet pang in her heart as she thought about how many times she and Lisa had repeated those words together, at first as hopeful fantasy, then with certainty as their children had grown into their love. The pang grew stronger, with an overwhelming depth and sharpness that nearly caused her to cry out loud, and she had to fight back the tears that she knew were coming again. She had already visited the restroom once to fix her makeup, and Lisa had given up completely, her eyes rimmed with red and an ever-growing pile of tissues in her lap.

The organist started playing
The Bridal Chorus
, and Lisa gasped, “She’s coming!” Lisa grabbed Rachel’s hand as every head turned to look at the back of the sanctuary. The middle doors opened, and out stepped Fred and Larry, Larry in his black tuxedo and Fred in her bridal gown.

“Oh my God, Lisa,” Rachel said. “She’s so beautiful.”

Fred wore a strapless, short-sleeved, silky white dress with matching long gloves. Her veil was short so as not to cover her face, perfectly made up from a stylist that morning. Her red curls were held back with two silver clips, and she wore emerald earrings and a matching necklace. After a moment’s pause, she and her father began the traditional walk up the aisle, side-by-side, Fred looking graceful and confident, Larry looking like he was fighting back tears of his own. Rachel picked up her phone and snapped a picture when Fred neared, and Fred gave her the sweetest smile. “I just love that girl,” Rachel murmured.