Listen Between the Lines - A Gallagher Girls Story

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face. Somehow, everything seemed to be where it was supposed to be.

We took our COW final and then had the rest of the day to pack up our things. The smell of the holidays floated through the air as Alice, Blair, and I walked through the hallways. Downstairs, the kitchen staff was preparing a grand farewell feast. Chef Louis was always in a good mood around this time of year, not just because his kitchen constantly smelled of gingerbread, but because soon he would go from cooking for a whole hall of us to just a table. "I love cooking," he'd say to the few of us who stayed in the mansion over break. "And I love cooking for you girls." Then he'd wink at us and hand out balls of cookie dough. "But I do not mind having to cook for a few less of you girls."

But the few of us who did stay were spoiled with cookies and pies. It was the only time of year that Chef Louis felt justified in making holiday foods and so he went on a baking spree. Mostly it was just the international girls who stayed. People like Blair who couldn't make the trip home or people like me whose parents were in the middle of an op. It worked out well for me though because Grandma and I always got to spend the holidays together. Plus, since I had been let in on the whole Blackthorne secret, Grandpa Joe and Matt had made the trip down to visit us this year and were currently hiding out, waiting for any curious eyes to go home for the holidays.

I caught myself wishing that Mom and Dad were coming too, but I knew to appreciate the family I had.

"I can't wait to get a slice of Chef's pumpkin pie," Alice said, taking a nice long sniff at the air.

"His is the only fruitcake I'll eat," Blair chimed in.

As we walked through the Hall of History, I took a moment to admire Gilly's sword. Then I glanced at the picture of my mom and smiled back at her, knowing that she'd be proud.

"Maggie?" I heard someone call, but it wasn't either of my roommates. I looked behind me and saw my grandmother leaning out of her office doorway. "Ladies, could you excuse Maggie for a moment? I need to speak with her."

Each of them shot me a look that a second grader might give to a friend who had just been called to the principal's office. "Yes, Headmistress," they both said as I started towards Grandma.

As I had come to expect, Grandpa Joe was also in Grandma's office, lounging on the couch. The person I hadn't expected, though, was the woman leaning against the table in the center of the room, hands in her leather pockets. "Goode. Just the girl I wanted to see."

"Professor," I greeted back, hyperaware of Grandma closing the door behind me.

As always, Charlotte Woods didn't waste any time. She unfolded a piece of paper and tossed it onto the table between us. I felt all of my confidence leave me. "Found this on the floor last night," she said. My checkoff slip. I must've dropped it when the grab team came for me. "Funny thing is, it's got your name on it. All your information. It just seems to be missing one little thing."

I slid it closer to me, feeling all of the wrinkles and creases. I had been so nervous about this little piece of paper. I had folded it a thousand different ways. I'd even crumpled it up a couple of times, but still, the two boxes remained, empty and taunting. Covert Operations and Research and Development. I'd half hoped that someone would steal my slip in the dark of the night and check off one of the boxes for me, but it hadn't happened. "Thing is," Woods continued. "It's the end of the semester and I need an answer."

I had to take a seat, my eyes not leaving the paper. "I don't suppose this is the sort of thing you can take and IOU on?"

She tsked like she wished she could, pulling out the chair opposite me and gracefully crossing her combat boots over the tabletop.