The Secret of the Scarlet Stone (A Gabby Girls Adventure Novel, Book One) (41 page)

The gigantic room had a large fireplace with a roaring fire, walls lined with photos
,
and burgundy plush chairs scattered throughout
.
There was also a large wooden table with books neatly piled on top
and
a small water fountain gurgling in the corner of the room with what seemed like a gazillion large white candles surrounding it
;
five golden cups
also
nestled near it.

Jessica licked her lips thirstily as she walked toward the fountain. She picked
up a golden cup, holding it under
the
fountain until it was filled to the rim with water. She drank
quickly;
droplets of water dotted her pale chin.

Cautiously
,
Gabrielle walked over to the wall, looking at the photos that lined it. She blinked in shock as she stared at a familiar photo. “What’s this photo doing here?” It was a photo of her and her mother, the same
one
that was on the piano at her Grandma Celeste’s house. Her lips parted as she started to call
Zora
over
,
but
she
stopped when she saw Rosalinda’s deathly pale face staring at a photo with wide
eyes. “What is it
,
Rosalinda?”

Silently, Rosalinda looked over at her
,
stunned.

Gabrielle walked over to her, abruptly stopping in her tracks when she saw the photo.

“It can’t be,” Jessica muttered softly as her gaze devoured the old photo of five girls wearing the exact same robes that they now had on.

Gabrielle looked at the photo with astonishment
.
“It’s a photo of our mothers when they were our age.
Zora
, quick, come over—” Her voice trail
ed
off when she saw
Zora’s
stunned face. Concerned, she quickly walked over to her. “What’s wrong
,
Zo
?”

With stiff fingers,
Zora
pointed to the open gold book nestled in her lap. “This book seems to be filled with names of girls that date all the way back to the
nineteen hundreds
.” With anxious eyes
,
she looked around the room for Jessica and Rosalinda. “Jessica, Rosalinda, I think you should hear this
,
too.”

They quickly walked over, sitting down in the cozy
,
overstuffed chairs beside her.
Zora
adjusted her glasses as she read aloud from the book
:

The understanding of your legacy is of great importance. So, we hope that this journey has strengthened your heart and has given you the will to make a new start. Your commitment is the key to keeping our Circle Sisterhood alive; signing your name is accepting the beginning of your new path and all of the beauty and legacy that it entails.

Porro
Ago the
Orbis

Zora
carefully flipped through the book
,
looking at the pages and pages of signatures. They devoured the pages of
names,
not recognizing any of them until
,
on the very last page
,
they saw something that caught their attention
;
it was signed
:

Jessica Parker

Hannah Smith

Rosalinda Diaz

Victoria Wilson

Olivia Long

“Does that say Jessica Parker? That’s my
m
other!” Jessica squealed with delight.

Gabrielle looked at them incredulously
.
“And Victoria Wilson is my mother’s name!”

Rosalinda looked at them with amazement
.
“And Rosalinda Diaz is my mother’s name.”

Zora
adjusted her glasses
.
“And Olivia Long is my mother. So, from what I gather so far, they have
all
been on the same adventure that we just went through.”

Rosalinda looked at her with wide eyes
.
“I don’t understand
.
W
hat is this all about?”

Startled, they jumped nervously at the sound of soft clicks.

Looking around happily, Gabrielle instantly recognized the familiar clicking sounds. Two figures mysteriously emerged from the shadows of the room. “Grandma Celeste!” She quickly jumped
up, ran over to her, and hugged her tightly.

Grandma Celeste softly touched her hair.

Jessica blinked with shock when she recognized the gr
a
y-haired woman
who
stood grinning from ear
to
ear in the center of the room. She squealed with sheer joy.

“Grandma Priscilla!” She quickly jumped
up and ran over to her, hugging her tightly
, too
.

Gabrielle looked
up at Grandma Celeste
,
her
eyes well
ing
with tears. “What’s going on? What is this all about
,
Grandma? What are you doing here?”

Grandma Celeste looked down at her proudly. “Wow! Slow down
,
young lady. Priscilla and I are here to reveal your wonderful and rich legacy. You see, Priscilla and I made this same journey long ago
,
and so did your mother.”

Grandma Priscilla smiled proudly at Jessica
.
“And so did your mother
,
Jessica.” She looked over proudly at
Zora
and Rosalinda. “In fact, all of your mothers made this same journey as young girls.”

Gabrielle looked at her with shock
.
“But why didn’t you tell me?”

“Gabrielle, this was not something I could just tell you
…
it’s something that you had to experience. Besides, if I told you, you just would not have been able to wrap your mind around the importance of it all,” Grandma Celeste responded softly.

“She’s right; this was something that you all had to experience to fully understand the importance of what you all must undertake,” Grandma Priscilla said.

Grandma Celeste looked over happily at Jessica, Rosalinda, and
Zora
, leaning heavily on her cane. She softly touched Jessica’s hair
.
“So, we finally meet
.
Y
our grandmother told me all about you. And she’s right; you do look so much like your mother. I want you to know that she would be very proud of you if she were here.”

“Shucks, she would be happy as a gopher in soft dirt,” Grandma Priscilla said loudly
and
chuckled
.
“And
,
Zora
,
y
ou
’
re
as
cute as a possum. I just knew that you would be able to decipher the symbols
,
just like your mother did years ago.”

Grandma Celeste softly touched Rosalinda’s hair
.
“And
,
Rosalinda, what a beautiful and smart young woman you are
;
your mother would also be very proud.”

Rosalinda looked at Grandma Celeste and Grandma Priscilla with utter amazement. “You knew our mothers?”

“Yes, we knew your mothers very well. In fact, we greeted them in this very room many years ago when they safely made this same journey,” Grandma Celeste said happily as she walked over to a chair and sat down. “
Zora
, pass me that book that you were just reading.”

Zora
quickly handed over the book.

Grandma Priscilla sat down next to Grandma Celeste with a sparkle in her sky
-
blue eyes as she chuckled huskily. “Well, what are you all waiting for? I know you’re just busting at the seams to finally hear what this big brew-ha-ha adventure was all about. Come on
,
y
’
all! Gather around
. T
here’s a lot to tell and we don’t have all day.”

They quickly scrambled in front of Grandma Celeste and Grandma Priscilla, sitting down eagerly.

Grandma Priscilla’s eyes sparkled mysteriously as she chuckled. “That’s more like it.”

Grandma Celeste’s fingers slowly opened the book, flipping to the back and pulling out a gold folded piece of paper. “Rosalinda, why don’t you read it for me?” she asked as she carefully handed the piece of paper over to her.

Grandma Priscilla clapped her hands with glee as she looked on expectantly. “Gosh
d
arn! I just love this part. I’m as excited as a June bride on a feather bed.”

Grandma Celeste poked her playfully with her elbow
.
“Cut it out
,
Priscilla,” she said softly.

Grandma Priscilla rubbed her side playfully
.
“Ouch! Will you quit poking me with those boney elbows?”

Rosalinda’s fingers shook nervously as she unfolded the paper and read it aloud
:

To our daughters, the next generation of the Circle Sisters:

Just by the fact that you are reading this note, we know that our fates were sealed in the everlasting embrace of the Circle Sisterhood. We are deeply sad that we are not there to greet you after all that you have endured
,
but we know that you have been greeted by the next best thing, our mothers and Circle Sisters.