It was the best pizza. At least to Grant, it was the best. Most of the stores in this chain were carry out only but, 'Italia Festa' was the Express Pizza's one and only restaurant. It was there that his dad promised to take him for his birthday this year. It had a very traditional decor. The dark velvet reds and ivory colors accented by Italian knock off statuary and other pieces gave the place enough of an atmosphere to satisfy most of their customers.

"So, have you made up your mind yet?" Ellie asked Grant as they sat at the table with Poppy and his father.

"About what, Grandma?" he replied.

"What you are going to study?" she asked.

"I don't know," he told her. "I want to wait until..."

"Until;" she asked him, "until what?"

"Grant," Paul told his son, "don't."

Ellie looked at her son, concerned. "Don't what?"

"I just don't know yet," Grant told her.

"Well you need to figure it out," Ellie said. "I know something you could try."

"Grandma I think being a doctor is great but..." Grant said.

"But what?" she asked.

"I can't do it," he said. "I don't like the idea of treating sick people"

"Well," Poppy told him, "Your father doesn't treat sick people and they let him call himself a doctor."

"Dad!" Paul exclaimed, shaking his head.

"Why don't you like helping people?" Ellie asked.

"I do," Grant insisted; "just not like that. There's other ways to help people."

The waitress came and brought their drinks. She was a pretty Italian girl with long dark hair, wearing a white blouse and dark slacks.

"Are we ready to order?" she asked them.

"I think we need a few minutes yet," Paul told her.

"Okay. I'll come back."

Ellie kept looking up from their conversation. Something was distracting her. When the waitress interrupted the conversation she took the opportunity to excuse herself for the restroom. She walked through the front foyer and past the restrooms into the other side where the carryout was and looked outside. She went out the door and down some sidewalk steps. It was cold and she had left her jacket inside. The sky was overcast but it was still bright out.

"Hello," someone said and she turned to see George Saunter.

"George," Ellie said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm picking up some pizza for dinner. We won't have a real break today with the festival."

"I see. Well what is it? I have to get back inside."

"I haven't had a chance to talk to you but I need to," he said. "You wanted me to keep an eye on her."

"And?" Ellie asked.

"She's been sleepwalking a lot more lately. The night she found June I was following her. But when she got close to the park I heard someone else nearby," George explained.

"Who was it?"

"I couldn't see them because it was dark; so later I thought it was probably Sable's niece before she died..."

"But?" Ellie asked.

"But now I don't think so," George told her. "She's been followed a lot and not just by me."

"Did you see who it is?" Ellie asked.

"I only saw them one more time from a distance but they move really fast. It's strange," he told her.

"So why do you say it's happening a lot?" Ellie asked.

"Mendalie," he said, "Runa tells her about feeling watched and seeing things. I overheard them talking."

"Has she been sleepwalking lately?"

"No. Not outside anyway," George said. "There's something else too. I saw her messing around with the cycle stone.  I don't know why she was curious about it. But she seemed really intrigued."

"Hmmm," Ellie said, "So am I."

Returning to the table Ellie said, "Did I miss anything?"

"Poppy was talking about when you two went to Vegas," Grant informed her.

"Oh not that again Paul," she said; "Just because you won a little money doesn't mean we should make a habit of it."

"I've got the luck, Merrie. I can't help it. You got to use it or lose it," Poppy told her.

"You won 300 dollars on blackjack. That is hardly a rousing endorsement for your luck," she huffed. "And don't call me that. You know I don't like my middle names."

"Mom; I ordered your Chicken Marsala," Paul Jr. told her.

"Thank you dear," she replied. "Now, Grant, tell me what your father said to never mind about."

Grant looked at his dad. Paul nodded at him that it was okay.

"Well Grams I just need to know what happened to her. I need to know if she's okay so I am planning to go and find her."

Ellie looked at him and then shook her head. "Well you have to do what you feel is best," Ellie said reservedly. Then she seemed to be shaken and said, "But SHE left you. Don't forget that."

"Mom," Paul said.

"Don't MOM me!" Ellie retorted. "If it wasn't for our dear Grant here, I'd still feel the whole thing was a mistake. Imagine someone with your talent and ability running off to China instead of going to school to become a real doctor," she told Paul. Then she turned to speak to Grant. "And now you want to follow in your father's missteps." She picked up a roll and started to put butter on it. A tear welled up in her eyes.

"Grandma," Grant began, "I'm sorry but she is my mom. I think I deserve a chance to see her, even once."

Ellie sniffed. "But can't you wait until you're done with school first?"

"Eleanor," Poppy said, "The boy just wants to see his mom. Can't you understand that?"

Ellie looked up toward the carryout room for a minute as a tear streamed down her cheek. Then she looked back at Poppy.

"Yes," she said. "Okay. I don't like it but, I understand."