by Mary Pearson
it looks.”
“I believe you, “ said Stacy. “I also have to make a white shield with a red cross.”
“That’s more your uncle’s department. I think he’s in the shop.”
After enlisting her uncle’s help as well, Stacy bought a believable-looking sword from a costume shop. Then she and grandma Annie laid the fabric out on the dining room table and carefully cut out the pattern pieces. They would begin sewing the thing Saturday morning.
Before they could begin sewing Junie called Stacy. She said she wanted to show her something. Could they get together…? Stacy arranged to meet the girl later in the afternoon. She would pick her up and they could catch a bite to eat—Stacy’s treat. That should give her enough time to complete the sewing project with her Grandmother. They headed up to Grandma Annie’s room where she kept her sewing machine.
“Ok, that should do it,” Grandma Annie bit off a loose thread and shook out the piece onto which they had just finished appliquéing a red cross. “Now we sew the rest of this undergarment. The hooded cape is done, except for the hem. Who will be wearing this?” she asked her granddaughter.
“Arthur,” Stacy said.
Grandma Annie nodded approval. “I’ll need him to try it on so I can get the hem right.”
“Maybe he’ll come here after the rosary tonight,” Stacy said.
“Let’s take a break.” Grandma Annie pushed the half-finished garment aside and stood up, stretching. “I could use a cup of tea.”
Stacy nodded. “You know I haven’t been inside your room for years,” she commented, looking around. “It’s pretty.” Her grandmother’s room was large and she had it painted a soothingly rich plum. There was a plush floral rug on the floor and a complimentary floral painting on the wall. Her grandmother opened the statuesque mahogany armoire in the corner to reveal some vintage dresses. “You know, not only has your mother hung onto some nice dresses in the hope that someday you or your sisters might like to use them, I’ve got a few myself. I don’t suppose there’s something in there that you might be interested in wearing, for example… to the prom.” She cast a coy look in her granddaughter’s direction.
“Oh, Grammy. I don’t feel like going to any more dances. Not after what happened with Darius.”
Grandma Annie took Stacy’s hand. “I wish you would consider it. Darling, I know what happened to you was painful,” she squeezed her hand, “but wouldn’t you like to make some good memories of your last year in high school. I think I know a very handsome young man who would be more than happy to escort you.”
Stacy half-heartedly sifted through the beautiful satin and chiffon dresses in her grandmother’s closet. They appeared to have been very well cared for. Her eyes lit upon an elaborately beaded green and white dress. “That was my wedding gown,” her grandmother answered her questioning look. “Back in the day, it was much more common to be married in a dress that wasn’t white, especially if you were a rebel, like me.”
Stacy smiled at her grandmother’s use of slang. The dress was spectacular. “Might I try it on?” Stacy asked her.
Her grandmother’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I would be proud to have someone like you wear this dress.” She gently laid it in her granddaughter’s arms.
Stacy disappeared behind a changing screen in the corner of her grandmother’s room. She needed her help to get it zipped up. It fit her as well as the red velvet one had. Twirling, she surveyed herself in the standing mirror. “Are you sure you don’t want to keep it and wear it someday for a special event?” Stacy asked her grandmother, doubting even as she spoke that there would ever be such an occasion in her grandmother’s future.
“Honey, I haven’t had a waist small enough to fit that dress in fifty years. If you don’t wear it now, I doubt it will ever be worn.” She looked her granddaughter over with approval. “You know what I wore with that one?” She opened her safe and pulled out the other necklace—the emerald one that was to go to her sister. “I’m sure the ruby necklace has some pretty bad memories for you, but not for Emily. I’ll bet your sister would switch with you. Anyways, green looks spectacular with auburn hair. I’ll ask her, if you like.”
Stacy sighed. Her grandmother was right. It would be nice to have some good memories from this year. And since Emily attended a different high school than she did, they could both wear each necklace, and no one would be the wiser. She nodded as she clasped the glittering strand around her neck.
Junie was fairly bursting with excitement when Stacy picked her up. She waited to tell her until they were seated in the booth of the pizza place where they had decided to eat. “It’s a girl! See, I’ve got pictures.” She passed the ultrasound photos across the table to Stacy, who studied them dubiously.
She couldn’t tell a baby head from a butt in these photos. “Are they sure?” she asked her companion.
“Ninety-nine percent,” Junie said. “Guess what else?”
Stacy raised a questioning brow.
“I’m naming the baby after you and your mother—Anastasia Rose—isn’t that beautiful? After all, she wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the two of you.” When Stacy didn’t immediately respond, she asked hesitantly, “That is ok with you—right?”
Stacy blinked back tears. “More than ok. I’d be so honored.” She sniffed and laughed. “I don’t know how Darius will feel about it, though—you naming his baby after a former girlfriend.”
“Who cares what he thinks!” Junie said glibly and she dug into their pepperoni and sausage pizza with gusto.
There were four members on the panel that would judge Stacy’s Grail speech: an older woman who was introduced to her as a member of the school board, two area business owners and a recruiting officer for the armed forces—the latter three were men. In addition to these four there was a faculty member from her school. In this case it was the French teacher, Mme Dupont. Stacy had never taken a class with her, but she was reputed to be strict.
Arthur was standing guard in full regalia when the panel trooped in. He uttered not a word throughout the speech, as he had been directed. Stacy began by introducing herself and then she gestured to Arthur. “And this is my assistant, a member of the Knights Templar, as you can see. He has been given the charge of guarding the true Grail—only there is a problem. From our vantage point two thousand years after the fact, it has become unclear which is the Grail he is commissioned to guard. Of the possible Grails we are about to consider, all three have four things in common: 1) Each has been presented as the True Grail, 2) Christ’s Blood was contained in them, 3) Joseph of Arimathea was connected somehow to each and 4) the Knights Templar have been connected with each. I present to you three possible Grails.” Arthur planted himself wordlessly in front of the projection screen, his shield held firmly in front of his white cloaked body. Then he stepped aside with a flourish to reveal the screen, which now displayed a photo of an agate chalice.
“The first is a cup, which Tradition tells us was the original chalice used by Jesus Christ Himself at the Last Supper. I will describe the history of this cup and why it is qualified to be the Grail of Legend. I will also ask if it is plausible that such an article would have inspired Crusades.”
Arthur once again placed himself between the audience and the screen and when he stepped aside there were two photos—one, a painting of the Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci, and the other the holy card portrayal of Mary Magdalene, complete with the signature, Saint Mary Magdalene—pray for us. “The second,” Stacy told her audience, “is a woman of whom we have read in the synoptic Gospels, but for the purpose of this lecture I will consider a different Gospel, one not contained in the regular Bible. It is referred to as a Gnostic Gospel and has been attributed to St. Thomas. Again I will describe the controversial history of Mary Magdalene, and why she is qualified to be the Grail of legend. I will also ask if such a Grail would have inspired Crusades.”
A third time Arthur placed himself in front of the screen. When he stepped aside this time, it was
to reveal the full image, front and back, of the Shroud of Turin. “The third is a burial garment, which tradition and science tell us is the one which was wrapped around the body of Jesus Christ after he was taken from the cross and before placing him in the empty tomb which belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. I will describe the convoluted history of this artifact, and why it, too, is qualified to be the Grail of legend. Again I will ask the question if such a Grail could have inspired Crusades.’
‘Now we begin!’
Arthur stepped aside, assuming an ‘at ease’ stance while Stacy launched into the body of her talk.
“In considering the first object, the Holy Chalice of Valencia, we will refer to it as the graal-a word meaning cup. I draw upon the work of a scholar named Janice Bennett. She has written a book, “Saint Laurence and the Holy Grail,” which deals with the credibility of this relic. For the purpose of clarification, the true Grail is said to have contained the blood of Jesus Christ. Earliest texts also contend that the true Grail contained Jesus’ sweat. Many Christians believe that at the moment of consecration, which first took place in the Upper Room on Holy Thursday before Jesus was condemned to death, the bread and wine which Jesus held when He said, “This is My Body… this is My Blood… truly became flesh and