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Authors: Josie Brown
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banishment for such an egregious infraction.
Lorna tried to retrace her steps, but got lost when she came to the third turn. The others could hear her calling Lily’s name, and joined in, shouting “Lily! Wake up!” Soon they heard a shriek from within the maze. Lily’s voice, which sounded so small and scared, called back, “I’m over here, Aunt Lorna!”
“Hush!” Bettina roared to everyone else. “If they aren’t out of that maze in twenty minutes, I swear I’ll burn the damn thing to the ground to get them out!”
No one dared to tell her that doing so would likely defeat the purpose.
No one, that is, except the owner of the pumpkin field. “Lady, no way in hell will you torch my maze,” he growled.
“Oh no?” Bettina retorted. “If I don’t find my child, you better run for your life, because you’ll be what I set on fire next, Scarecrow, when I get through tying you to that pony post!”
The man withered when he saw the looks on the faces of the other women. They had no doubt she meant what she said. He’d seen it before, the wild-eyed anger of a mother who would do anything for her child.
Bettina’s attack had so upset him that the schematic of the maze, something he knew like the back of his hand, went right out of his brain.
He shut up and prayed that her girl would be found quickly.
***
After five minutes in the maze, Lorna realized she was lost. Not that she’d let either Bettina or Lily know that. Instead she shouted, “Lily, do me a favor and sing to me so I can find you.”
The little girl quit crying as she considered her aunt’s request. “What do you want me to sing?”
“How about The People on the Bus ?”
“No way! I’m not some little baby!”
“Then how about something from Justin Bieber?”
“You mean, like Boyfriend ?”
Lorna sighed. “Sure. Whatever.”
“Okay.” Lily sounded wary. “But just don’t tell Madame Irina. She thinks he’s vulgar.”
“I promise. Pinky swear.”
Lily’s voice was actually quite good. She seemed to understand the eloquence behind the lyrics about a guy who yearned to prove his puppy love.
Best yet, it allowed Lorna to approximate the section of the maze which held her niece. She beat the corn stalks as she walked. “Lily, if you see the corn move, it’s me. Just reach through it to grab my hand.”
It seemed like forever before a small hand popped out between two stalks. Lorna grabbed it and pulled the little girl through.
Lily hugged her aunt so tightly that Lorna couldn’t breathe. But she could cry, and did when Lily sobbed, “Oh, Aunt Lorna! I thought I was going to die in there! Thank you! Thank you!”
Lorna said the only thing she could, “Shhhhh….”
As they both wiped away their tears, Lily pulled Lorna down in order to cup her hand to her ear, and whispered, “Dante is so lucky. I wish you were my mother.”
Chapter 10
Wednesday, 21 November
9:46 a.m.
Brady was proud of the fact that Oliver’s hand/eye coordination was off the charts. Forget rolling a ball at him and praying that he could roll it back. He’d take the soft rubber ball and hurl it at Brady’s face.
More than likely, though, it hit his father’s crotch.
Brady was still contemplating his son’s future as a knuckleballer when he answered the doorbell.
Kimberley.
Brady glanced down the street. Jade had already taken off with a shopping list a mile long. She was more excited than he was about their Thanksgiving guests tomorrow. In fact, the dining room table had been set since yesterday. Half of her shopping list items were for a centerpiece that she’d found on the Martha Stewart site.
“Jillian is doing pies, Lorna is bringing the stuffing,” she sang as she put on her coat. “All I have to do is grab the biggest Butterball turkey I can find. Oh, and Ally is bringing a sweet potato dish, so we’re all set.”
He had turned away when she said Ally’s name. He didn’t want her to see the smile it brought to
Lorna tried to retrace her steps, but got lost when she came to the third turn. The others could hear her calling Lily’s name, and joined in, shouting “Lily! Wake up!” Soon they heard a shriek from within the maze. Lily’s voice, which sounded so small and scared, called back, “I’m over here, Aunt Lorna!”
“Hush!” Bettina roared to everyone else. “If they aren’t out of that maze in twenty minutes, I swear I’ll burn the damn thing to the ground to get them out!”
No one dared to tell her that doing so would likely defeat the purpose.
No one, that is, except the owner of the pumpkin field. “Lady, no way in hell will you torch my maze,” he growled.
“Oh no?” Bettina retorted. “If I don’t find my child, you better run for your life, because you’ll be what I set on fire next, Scarecrow, when I get through tying you to that pony post!”
The man withered when he saw the looks on the faces of the other women. They had no doubt she meant what she said. He’d seen it before, the wild-eyed anger of a mother who would do anything for her child.
Bettina’s attack had so upset him that the schematic of the maze, something he knew like the back of his hand, went right out of his brain.
He shut up and prayed that her girl would be found quickly.
***
After five minutes in the maze, Lorna realized she was lost. Not that she’d let either Bettina or Lily know that. Instead she shouted, “Lily, do me a favor and sing to me so I can find you.”
The little girl quit crying as she considered her aunt’s request. “What do you want me to sing?”
“How about The People on the Bus ?”
“No way! I’m not some little baby!”
“Then how about something from Justin Bieber?”
“You mean, like Boyfriend ?”
Lorna sighed. “Sure. Whatever.”
“Okay.” Lily sounded wary. “But just don’t tell Madame Irina. She thinks he’s vulgar.”
“I promise. Pinky swear.”
Lily’s voice was actually quite good. She seemed to understand the eloquence behind the lyrics about a guy who yearned to prove his puppy love.
Best yet, it allowed Lorna to approximate the section of the maze which held her niece. She beat the corn stalks as she walked. “Lily, if you see the corn move, it’s me. Just reach through it to grab my hand.”
It seemed like forever before a small hand popped out between two stalks. Lorna grabbed it and pulled the little girl through.
Lily hugged her aunt so tightly that Lorna couldn’t breathe. But she could cry, and did when Lily sobbed, “Oh, Aunt Lorna! I thought I was going to die in there! Thank you! Thank you!”
Lorna said the only thing she could, “Shhhhh….”
As they both wiped away their tears, Lily pulled Lorna down in order to cup her hand to her ear, and whispered, “Dante is so lucky. I wish you were my mother.”
Chapter 10
Wednesday, 21 November
9:46 a.m.
Brady was proud of the fact that Oliver’s hand/eye coordination was off the charts. Forget rolling a ball at him and praying that he could roll it back. He’d take the soft rubber ball and hurl it at Brady’s face.
More than likely, though, it hit his father’s crotch.
Brady was still contemplating his son’s future as a knuckleballer when he answered the doorbell.
Kimberley.
Brady glanced down the street. Jade had already taken off with a shopping list a mile long. She was more excited than he was about their Thanksgiving guests tomorrow. In fact, the dining room table had been set since yesterday. Half of her shopping list items were for a centerpiece that she’d found on the Martha Stewart site.
“Jillian is doing pies, Lorna is bringing the stuffing,” she sang as she put on her coat. “All I have to do is grab the biggest Butterball turkey I can find. Oh, and Ally is bringing a sweet potato dish, so we’re all set.”
He had turned away when she said Ally’s name. He didn’t want her to see the smile it brought to
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