The Outsider Ch. 02

Marie Ann went to the front of the room and opened up the book to the magnificent stained-glass window. Then the workers in the ward raised the golden cross; it took Marie Ann fifteen sketchbook pages to create it, five high and three across. It was breathtaking.

By now, Marie Ann's friends connected two laptops to Skype, one was to view the news report of the fire, and the other was to display the Children's cancer ward. In North America, they had a monitor to display the inferno and a twenty-foot screen to live stream Paris.

Marie Ann held Marie's hand, and they walked to the cross, knelt and crossed themselves before going into prayer. Marie Ann gave the nod and visions of the blaze appeared on the screens.

In Paris, Marie Ann's friends started a prayer circle, Marie was instantly recognizable on the screen, the group grew, the kids in the ward didn't understand the prayers, but they understood what was happening. Marie did not realize how badly she needed to grieve; she could barely stand.

Molly guided Marie to a row of chairs that had been draped in brown cloth, creating a pew in Notre Dame. Only then did Molly and Daisy find out how sensitive Marie was in their lives; it was time to return the favor. Daisy made a call to her pastor; she asked: "Please ring our bells and to pass the word on."

Soon every one of the carillons rang true.

"Molly put me on speakerphone!" Daisy held her phone out her window. "We have joint outdoor handbell concerts going on as well."

Molly was cradling a now incoherent Marie. Marie Ann came running to her, "Miss Molly, I need your help." Molly put Marie Ann's hands in Marie's hands. "Hold on tight child."

Daisy knew in an instant; Daisy typed out a short post, Marie Ann's friends could not believe their eyes. They ran as fast as they could to the Abbey, spreading the news as loud as they could along the way. When they got to the Abbey, the friends showed their phone to their priest.

The girls looked at their priest with high expectations, "Father, we want to, but don't know how."

After the priest's wife played the bells for thirty minutes, she came back to the kitchen to see both girls confessing their sins with a prayer candle in front of them. She took a series of photos as she knew that they would want Marie Ann to see.

Marie walked into the cancer ward and stopped dead in her tracks. The workers were finishing installing an organ for Notre Dame. Someone told the director of a local music conservancy that "We have an organ that has not been played in over thirty years," he insisted, "Notre Dame needs an organ."

Marie was almost in a trance. The organ could not compare to the pipes Notre Dame has, which Marie spent hours on end listening to while she was a child. Marie's hands glided over every inch of that wood. The director who was overseeing the installation stayed and watched the interaction. Molly picked up her guitar and played a single note, and the director instructed Marie, "Show us what Notre Dame sounded like when you were a child with dreams of playing in Notre Dame."

One of Marie Ann's friends said, "I would like to hear what it sounded like, even if it is just on my laptop." What Marie did not know was that the project in North America was of such interest; signs were saying what part of the construction was under construction, and if any were ready for completion. There were wireless hook-ups from one mega-screen to another stretching across Paris.

It had been nigh on a century since Marie had played. Marie settled herself on the bench, opened the keyboard cover. After inspecting the pulls and pedals, she seemed satisfied. Marie was soon going to know what Molly meant when she played; her eyes shut, and Marie played her recital from when she was twelve. Paris erupted; the last song was Ava Maria; Notre Dame was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

There was not a dry eye in all of Paris. After the concert, there was total silence in Paris for several minutes, as everyone was in prayer or deep self-introspection. Daisy had a feeling of dread; she made some phone calls and was encouraged by the positive response. Next, she called Marie. Marie had Louis overnight a package to her.

Molly and Marie would tradeoff who was playing music so each could rest. As Molly was fixing a drink, Marie was inserting a disc in the machine.

"Has anyone in this room heard of Disney?"

"Yes, Miss Molly knows a lot of their songs; I like singing with Miss Molly."

"I like to sing with Miss Molly also."

"Well, Disney has those kinds of places all over the world. I live in Paris, that is where they have Euro Disney, like Disney World, but in Europe." As the disc started to play, everyone could see the players tuning up their instruments. Fifteen minutes into the concert a little girl in the corner waved her hand, "Can you stop the concert Miss Marie, I have a question."

"What is your question?"

"Why is Miss Molly on stage, and why is she playing her guitar with her eyes closed?"

From the back of the room, someone said, "I noticed that also, what do you have to say for yourself, Miss Molly?"

Molly turned on her heel, "Mr. Conductor? Is that you? It has been so long." Molly took off at a dead run, giving Mr. Conductor a hug in the center of the floor.

Mr. Conductor said, "Miss Molly gained the title of a Disney Music ambassador while I watched her play at church, the Spirit-led that service. Miss Molly played two further songs. Later she gained guest performer status with Disney along with many other of her friends."

"I never opened my eyes to a concert, because I felt it was the Holy Spirit playing through me. I just sat on the chair." Molly was in a world of her own, quietly playing the concert until Francine's solo. Francine walked through the doors, gave Mr. Conductor a baton, and under his direction, she belted out her National Anthem like never before, Paris could only stand at attention. She grabbed the hand of Marie Ann and Marie and whispered into their ears. Marie started playing the organ while Marie Ann and Francine sang Ava Maria. They were in mourning, not only because of the fire but because France no longer has the tall timber needed for reconstruction.

"Francine!" Molly hugged her French friend

There were many reasons the director picked the Children's Cancer Ward for the project. What appealed to Marie Ann, on that the first day, was the vastness of the space. The room was four stories tall with glass from floor to ceiling on three sides; the glass was in a large "V" shape with curved glass at its tip.nThe ward was brand new and was far from capacity; this is also why some added features still had the room.

Marie Ann was in her element; she was a genius in showing how the kids could make a masterpiece. She called several appliance stores and asked for them to donate refrigerator cardboard boxes with the flaps cut off, and a slit down one side, so it lay flat. She worked exhaustedly; drawing a freeform pencil template on every table, and then numbering each small section.

The following day, after a forklift dropped off twenty boxes, Marie Ann exclaimed, "Hey kids, how many of you ever painted by numbers?" All kids raised their hands.

Marie Ann lowered the screen and put up a picture of Notre Dame before the fire.

"Marie Ann, I don't stay inside the lines very well," the girl was frowning at her weakness."

"So, what, these are stones, they come in all shapes and sizes. The people who crafted these stones you see, using a hammer and chisel, made all sorts of mistakes. They fit the next block in, and they used stuff to fill all the gaps. If you go outside the line, then the next block will be a perfect fit, won't it?" The little girl's face lit up with a mega-watt smile.

Mr. Conductor whispered into Molly's and Francine's ear. "Miss Marie Ann, I seem to hear a noise outside, that I just can't place right now, do you hear it, Francine?"

"I am not very sure, Mr. Conductor, it isn't deafening."

"I think it is the Disney marching song, Mr. Conductor." Molly picked up her guitar, and Francine began to sing.

"Miss Director, you need to sing the marching song loud, so people know you are working, don't you think we can sing louder than those people outside?"

"I do indeed, Mr. Conductor, let's show them how loud we can sing the marching song children. Marie, along with Miss Director, waved their arms to get the children to sing louder.

"LOUDER! SING LOUDER!"

Soon you could hear the singing from the outside, in the halls of the hospital.

"LOUDER! SING LOUDER!"

The kids were screaming now.

Miss Director playing her part, commented, "I have been louder on a roller coaster all by myself."

"LOUDER! SING LOUDER!"

At that, the doors banged open. A big banner filled the space.

"Mr. Conductor, The Euro Disney troupe, is reporting for duty."

Each came up and kissed Marie Ann once on each cheek. The kids were beside themselves; it was almost too much to take in.

In the back of the room, the door almost came off its hinges as the next troupe streamed in.

"Mr. Conductor, the Disney troupe from Disney World, is reporting for duty." The little girls were now swooning, as they were watching all their favorite princesses swaying in their ball gowns. The last group entered without noise; it didn't escape the attention of the kids.

Marie Ann, Francine, Marie, and a rotund Parisian matron huddled together while Marie Ann gathered her thoughts. Mr. Conductor took the microphone.

"Outstanding children, I think you won the contest."

"Adults, the children want to give a present from their heart to the people of Paris, France, and the rest of the world. Marie Ann said something about a painting by numbers; I am sure whatever she is planning will be easy for the kids to do. You will help with organization, advice, and doing some of the dangerous tasks."

As the adults were creating the framework for the columns, the kids were painting the stone facing. A few kids were helping Marie Ann to test how to add texture to the stone facing, so it looked and felt like real rock. The Painted paste facing was very popular

Marie Ann used twisting balloons, similar to balloon animals, only bigger, to form the base of the spire and a single giant balloon to form the top; the kids loved to apply the paper Mache. Then it would be painted and hung. Marie Ann wanted the children to be a part of the projects, the tactile mediums were fun to do, and the children now had an emotional relationship with them.

There was one job Marie Ann was saving for herself; this was part of her Spiritual Journey; the gold cross.

When the spire went up, the Parisians were in awe. Marie Ann was ahead of her time as far as her talent level should be.

Every Parisian was kept a close eye on the project; it was the talk of the town and every office. The director set up an appointment with the lead architect and his team who worked on the hospital.

"Marie Ann to see the lead architect for Saint Vincent's," she proclaimed to the receptionist.

"I don't see you on my list, Marie Ann," Marie Ann was almost in tears, she knew she had to see these people for her project to succeed.

Marie approached and commented, "Could you look up a different name? Could you please try..."

"Here we are, sorry for the mix-up Marie Ann, and I see you are here to talk about Notre Dame. I love the project. I see you are wearing your school uniform, an excellent choice, it shows you want to show the same respect to those you meet here as the schoolmasters you have at home."

"I try to respect everyone, ma'am."

"Excellent, are you two free for dinner?"

Soon, Marie Ann and Marie were greeting the lead architect. Marie Ann came laden with all her books and laptop.

"Get young David in here; I want to see him handle a project."

"I am here, Sir; did you want me?"

"Yes, David, how would you like to lead our team in Marie Ann's Notre Dame project?"

"Yes, Sir." David bowed to Marie Ann and Marie and gave his condolences in fluent French, with a sweeping arm gesture at the end."

"Thank you, young man, that was very kind of you, and very much appreciated."

"Sir, I passed along our condolences, and as they are a private thing, I thought to say them in French was only proper."

Marie Ann brought up the Rose stained glass window on her laptop. "Sir, I was happy to see how much area there is on the windows of the cancer ward. I thought acrylic plastic would be strong enough and the kids to use translucent paint, so the sun shines through. I have not figured out how to do the cement part of the window. I want to do a full-scale window; that would be what you would call forty-two feet. I am not sure how to support it."

"Sir, I think there is a way, but it would be tricky and complex."

"What's your idea, David?"

"Well, the doors are too small to carry this in as one piece. We could use several in a jigsaw interlocking method. The kids can paint them at this point. Miss Marie Ann didn't know how to do the cement, what if the customized molds have different thicknesses to correspond to the design of the window. For safety, we could use a band around it and attach it to the top. I would think we could have ways to magnify the light going through the window.

"We can't have anything to block the light from shining through, that is the whole point of stained-glass. Having the cement sections also clear and use translucent paint should make it brighter."

"How many sheets were you imagining?"

"I think you would need one-foot interlocks at least, so seven by seven; unless Miss Marie Ann would prefer four to four and a half foot pieces.

"Now that I think about it, three-D printing may work out better, and we can put the whole window on the computer, then cut the templates from that. We would control all the variables. The filament would need to be crystal clear."

That night, everyone went to a high-end French restaurant. Marie Ann noted, no one was drinking wine. "Would anyone mind if I ordered wine for them?" No one objected, and soon Marie Ann paired wine for each, to enhance their meal; being only a junior in high school, she was not yet the legal age for Canada, she ordered a green tea with lemon for herself. David sat next to Marie Ann, so he could continue to ask her questions about herself and the project, so he could better understand her.

The children were now interacting more with the people of Paris; the computers all had translators, and the laptop would simultaneously translate for them.

The kids were always painting, so everyone was given better face masks, and everyone had to take oxygen breaks to clear out their lungs from the fumes. The children smeared with whatever color of paint they were assigned to that day, had to hide what they were working. Marie and Francine were assigned face-painting duties to help disguise where the children were working.

Mrs. Marie and Molly were in charge of music, Francine sang, but more importantly, she taught the history and culture of the French to the kids. The kids soaked it up like a sponge. Everything was so crucial to the kids; they didn't show any after-effects from their chemo treatments.

"Children, this is Mr. David, he is going to help us with some special projects. They are so special you can't tell the people in Paris about them. I think I will cry as you work on them. It will take time; it could be months. Notre Dame was dedicated to Our Blessed Virgin Mary. How many of you think you can turn this," Marie Ann put a picture of a block of soapstone, "Into this," then the statue of the Virgin Mary with the Christ child appeared on a split-screen.

There was a loud gasp as the children saw the beauty of the statue; everyone shook their heads "No."

"I will look in my books to see if I can get more teams working. Mr. David is going to help us make this," Marie Ann put a picture of the rose window on the screen, "It will be the same size as the real one. Did you know the real one was hand-painted? You are going to use special paints to paint it; the hard part will be not to put a very thick coat on, we need to see the sun shine through. I do ask you one favor; there is one project I want to do on my own, my personal gift to God for all He gave up to save us." Marie Ann put an image if the golden cross on the screen.

"Remember, God said, for where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.

A little girl, named Beth, rummaged in her bag for a notebook and a pen; then grabbed her best friend's hand and walked up front, after they both wrote their names in the book the girl's turned around. Marie Ann looked at what they wrote and started crying.

"I want God to be here always; when we are sleeping, Miss Marie Ann's friends will be awake. We could make smaller and fewer teams to help Miss Marie Ann with the projects and make a huge prayer team, both here and in France."

She went to the laptop to make her plea. It didn't take long before notebooks started to fill with names to pray. It was a God-given idea. Beth took her book over to the boy with autism. "Did you want to pray with us?" He nodded; she helped him write his name in the book. "Now, you are an official prayer warrior for our group."

Marie Ann's friends put up a large sign outside the big tent they were allowed to have on the plaza. They saw, firsthand, how God was using prayer to guide the girls in ways they could not conceive.

Most of David's colleagues confided to him that his plan would not work; the mass was just too excessive. Simulation after simulation failed. "This has to work; it is just a matter of distribution of weight. What if I changed this to that and reshaped these?"

He depressed ENTER.

"Hey, Joe, can you check this simulation for me? I need a fresh set of eyes."

"You dog, you didn't need my help. It WORKS!"

That exclamation drew the attention of the senior partner.

"Is there something wrong, gentlemen?"

"No Sir, not at all, my boy did it, it works!"

" That is not possible; the mass is too immense."

David pressed ENTER again. The senior partner leaned forward.

"Oh my God, it works."

"Sir, nothing is impossible when you have God is on your side, I have to narrow the margin of error, but I am on the right track. Joe, you know this program better than me, what are your thoughts if we made the circumference in half-widths with solid bones, and the middle pieces, full-sized, with hollow bones."

"It depends, David, to make your hollow bones you will need an insert for the filament to cover it, it may be a tradeoff."

While David worked on his computer trying to make the numbers work, Marie Ann was in the Great Outdoors; her task was to select two great timbers for her cross. She studied ancient carpentry techniques. She was glad for modern transport.

Soon the trees were felled, and Marie Ann started to strip the tree of its limbs. It took all day, but the hard part was yet to come, to get them into the ward.

After a good sleep and a good breakfast, Marie Ann started her task; she had shown friends some books on what she was about to do; they were intrigued. The Disney troupes help move the logs into position, after affixing the cross beam, Marie Ann stated, "It is now time for the wood to dry, the sap will form a cement." She put a black cloth over the top.

The sculptor rolled in his soapstone, the children were afraid, this meant so much to their friends in Paris, they didn't want to do a poor job on it. Everyone on the project had to wear face masks. He showed them how easy it was to cut the stone with only a knife.

The children, using fine sandpaper, were sanding slowly, soon, you could start to see folds in the Virgin Mary's skirt.

The sculptor had always been the student, not the Master. He said to the cameras, "My greatest achievement was the sculpture I never worked on." To reveal it would take time for others to see it; the children need not wait; their love for strangers made it readily apparent to all who saw them.