And yet there Sam sat, waiting through connections, wondering why he was there. Until John Edward approached his section and spoke of things he understand too well. “Okay, I’m getting a female figure to the side - wife, friend, sister, cousin…something about red hair, either that she had red hair or maybe someone in the family or something Irish…And a very violent death. Homicide, possibly, suicide…Anyone understand this? Red hair, female, violent death…”
Sam couldn’t turst his voice, so he raised his hand.
“You understand what I’m talking about?” John asked him. He nodded and the microphone was sent up to him. “Is her father - or was her father - a very overprotective man?”
“Very,” Sam laughed weakly.
“Was there a time he wouldn’t let her go to the opera in…This is going to sound weird, but she’s telling me that he wouldn’t let her go to the opera in China, something about a birthday card…Do you know what that could be?” Sam nodded, smiling faintly. “Now it’s communicating to me that her father and another father figure of some sort, maybe an uncle or a family friend….and then a third man which she’s showing an extreme closeness to…that they all work in either law or politics…”
“Yes,” was all Sam could choke out.
“Have either of her parents passed?”
“No.”
“Are they divorced?”
“They were separated…”
“She wants me to pass along that she thinks it’s great they’re getting along better…are they getting back together?” Sam nodded. Leo and Jenny had been growing closer again since the loss of their daughter - maybe they’d finally realized that they needed each other more than they’d thought. “She also says - is her father by chance an alcoholic?”
“He was.”
“She says to watch out for that, so I’m not sure if he’s started drinking again or is about to…She also says - The father figure from before, in law or politics…Did you know who she meant?”
“Yeah.” He nodded…Had to be the President. The McGarrys and Bartlets had been very tightknit when Mallory had been growing up, like one family as corny as it sounded.
“Is he sick?”
“Not that I know of…”
“Keep it in mind, I don’t know what she means exactly it’s not incredibly clear, but it might become moreso later, so don’t just forget about it.” Sam nodded, and John paused. “She’s talking about a daughter figure - lots of children, but especially one little girl…did she have children?”
“No…she was a teacher…”
“The little girl’s coming through stronger, so I don’t know if maybe she was a sort of teachers pet or…”
“Yeah, she was a favorite…”
“Okay. Mostly she wants me to tell you to take care of this girl…And that she loves you and is okay.”
Sam nodded, tears clouding his eyes. I love you too, Mallory, he thought, willing her to hear him.
John stopped. “Now she’s saying one thing loud and clear…’Message received’…”
Sam smiled. “Good,” he said quietly. Surely enough, his Guardian Mallory was there. And, he suspected, she always would be.