THIS TIME REPORTS of her healing did make the front page, the local newspapers dubbing her ‘The Miracle Woman’. Martha reeled with absolute fury as Lara Chadwick’s article highlighted her meeting with Dan Kendrick and implied that he had given her some vast payment in return for a healing; it also mentioned a few of the people who had visited her home and whom she had successfully worked on.
‘What am I going to do?’ she wailed to Mike. ‘Why can’t she leave me alone! The people who come to me deserve their privacy: they’ve had enough bad things happen to them without seeing their names and faces plastered over the newspaper.’
‘I agree with you, honey, but I guess she’s just a journalist looking for a story or an angle.’
Two more newspapers phoned requesting interviews or a comment. While at first reluctant, Martha agreed with Mike that she would take their numbers and decide later about phoning them back.
Bobbie Meyer from Channel WBZ4 phoned again and asked her to do a spot on her weekend morning radio show, Faith and Hope.
‘I promise it won’t be too daunting,’ encouraged the highly respected journalist. ‘Just you and I having a little talk on a Sunday morning. You will have ample time to explain about your healing, clarify any misconceptions and I guarantee there will be total confidentiality with regard to those you have treated.’
After much discussion with Mike and the kids, she decided to brave the airways and try and clear up the rumours. Bobbie Meyers welcomed her to one of the East Coast’s favourite radio stations, and Martha was shaking like a leaf the minute she stepped into the studio. Her mouth dried up with nerves as Bobbie’s researcher kindly offered to fetch her a glass of water.
She had absolutely no memory of the interview afterwards, only that Evie had said she was a natural. Reading between the lines she guessed she had said far too much. The switchboard had been deluged with people phoning wanting to talk to her and looking for help with various complaints and illnesses. Martha tried to talk rationally and calmly to them, suggesting if possible they visit their local MD or nurse practitioner.
‘I think we’ll have to get you back for a phonein,’ smiled Bobbie, ‘as there’s been such a huge response.’
Evie and Kim had both called over to congratulate her, and she was grateful for the support of friends who just accepted her for who she was and weren’t being swept along in this torrent of change around her.
‘How is Mike taking it?’ Kim asked.
‘So-so. Mike is sceptical.’
‘Your husband is a born sceptic, Martha, he questions everything and believes nothing,’ jeered Evie. ‘I suppose it’s his science training.’
‘I’m worried about the kids, though. Patrick isn’t saying much, so God knows what he’s thinking. Alice is too young to really understand and Mary Rose is mad as hell that I’m not able to give her my undivided attention. She’s like Mike – she hates all that strangers at the door stuff.’
‘Poor you,’ smiled Kim.
‘Hopefully this will all die down and then I’ll get back to normal.’
‘Normal,’ sighed Evie ruefully. ‘I don’t think you realize the impact your healing is having. The chances of things returning to normal are very slim.’
‘Don’t say that,’ Martha begged. ‘Just don’t say that!’
Her sister-in-law Annie arrived just before they left, a whole pile of books under her arm.
‘I think you should read some of these,’ she suggested, dumping them on the coffee table.
Surveying them, Martha asked, ‘Annie, what did you do? Rob a library?’
‘Oh no. Some are my own or I borrowed them. I think they’ll help explain to you something of what you are doing, Martha. Reading about auras, and the chakras, and balancing out the mind and the body, is all so interesting.’
Annie was one of the most generous-spirited people she knew. Thanking her, Martha wondered when she was ever going to get the time to read even a quarter of the books.
Two days later she took her usual drive up to the Highlands Animal Shelter. Donna pulled in just ahead of her and Martha could hear the dogs yelping madly at the sound of their voices as they opened the entrance door. Passing by the noticeboard to see what jobs she’d been put down to do, Martha couldn’t find her name anywhere.
‘Got a Persian in yesterday evening that is seriously matted, take two pairs of hands to sort her out, and try to groom her,’ mentioned Donna.
‘Hey, my name’s not up there.’ Martha was puzzled.
‘Must be! Look, there’s me and you must be somewhere down . . .’
Both women looked up and down the list but there was absolutely no sign of Martha’s name up on the monthly roster of phone, walk, cleaning out, etc. duties.
‘Janet must have made a cock-up doing it,’ joked Donna.
‘I’d better go sort it out,’ said Martha. ‘I’ll just pop into the office and I’ll come back and give you a hand then, OK?’
‘Sure.’
Janet Rimaldi put down what she was doing the minute Martha entered the small cluttered office with its bags of cereal mixer and bulging file cabinets.
‘Janet, I think there’s been some mistake . . .’
‘Sit down please, Martha,’ gestured the fifty-year-old with her greying perm and plain face devoid of any trace of makeup.
‘My name’s not on the list!’
‘I know, I’m sorry.’
‘What?’
‘I couldn’t put you down on the monthly roster, Martha. In the last few weeks there has been a constant stream of calls from people wanting to talk to you, looking for the healer woman. The staff and I are wasting a huge amount of time just answering them.’
‘Listen, Janet, I don’t have to do phones, I won’t go on them at all, if that’s what you want.’
‘Martha, I don’t think you understand. These last few days, so many are phoning that our main helpline is almost constantly jammed. That means we can’t receive calls about animals that might need urgent rescuing or answer queries from anxious owners. The phone is our lifeline. You know that.’
‘I’m sorry if I’ve caused any of this, but maybe I could just walk the dogs and . . .’
‘Martha, you volunteering here is just not going to work any more. I’m sorry but I have no option but to take you off the volunteer roster for the moment. Honestly, I’m really sorry. When this hullabaloo dies down you are more than welcome to return, but for the moment I have to put the welfare of the animals first.’
Stunned, Martha went back outside. Donna had taken the Persian out of the wired cage and stood her on the table and was very gently trying to pull a wide-toothed comb through the mass of tangled pale grey fur.
‘Hey, come on!’
‘I’ve got to go home,’ said Martha, lifting her jacket. ‘I’m off the roster and the volunteer schedule, so I can’t stay.’
‘God, I’m sorry. But why?’
Upset, Martha explained the reason.
‘Listen, we’ll keep in touch,’ said Donna.
‘Promise?’
‘Yeah, promise.’
‘And you’ll keep an eye on Dollar for me.’
‘For sure.’
Driving back up along the highway she realized there was absolutely no point in being bitter or angry. Now her life was moving in a different direction, she must open her mind and heart to healing. Once she got home she would sit down and study some of those books. Annie had lent her and then everything else she could on the subject of healing, for it was high time she understood more about this gift she was supposed to have.