A wave of despair crashed over Margo. She was angry at herself for leaving the children alone and angry she let her guard down. Margo was beating herself up with all the “what if’s.” What if I hadn’t published that paper? What if I hadn’t agreed to come to this convention?
She now knew she had fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the book. Get someone to think they won an award so they come to collect the prize, and whammo! Caught! She was feeling furious at herself for being so na?ve.
And that’s when she heard footsteps coming from down the hall. Her wrists burned with numbing pain as she redoubled her efforts.
Focus, Margo, she thought angrily to herself. It doesn’t matter how I got here. I’m getting my children, and I’m getting out!
Margo steeled herself with renewed determination. I will not give up my children, she silently screamed. One more agonizing twist and her right hand ripped free of its binds. As she shook the numbness out of her bloody and aching arms, a sense of calm enveloped her. Now she was ready. One more prayer and the door to her cell opened.
Chapter 16 Honey, I’m Home
Alik, Evan and I have tasted pizza before. I mean, we didn’t live in the Stone Age back at the ranch. It’s just, we’d never tasted this kind of pizza before.
The kind that showed up at your door carried by a kid wearing a uniform and a huge sign attached to his beat up car. The kind that came in a cardboard box that when opened, steamed hot juicy mouthwateringly scrumptious smells. The kind that when you lifted a slice from the others—strands of gooey cheese remained attached to the rest of the pizza, as if resisting your advances. The kind of pizza that when you took your first bite, you knew it wasn’t going to be your last. Red sauce dancing between the chewy dough and gooey cheese covered in crispy slices of salty pepperoni.
This was heaven-in-a-box good. This was eat-till-you-hurl good. This was the stuff that made us know our civilization was at the pinnacle of advancement. So even though I say we’ve had food that came in a frozen box labeled “pizza” before, I must confess, I had never had real pizza before tonight.
After dinner, Alik, Evan and Cole headed to the basement to watch a movie. You would never have believed they just met Cole that afternoon. They were like three peas in a pod laughing and joking around with each other as though they’d been friends for years. ‘Course, knowing my brothers, they were still just delirious with joy over the meal they devoured.
As for me, I was so full that all I could do was sit on the basement stairs and play with Maze. From that spot, I heard the garage door rumble open. I stopped and listened up the stairs. High heels clicking on concrete, pausing, door to the house opening…then closing. I heard keys jingle and more heels clicking before a few thuds. That was probably her purse or briefcase being set down heavily. “Honey,” she called. “Hun, are you upstairs? Theo?” Michelle was home.
Maze and I scooted up the steps a little more so we could hear.
“I’m here Michelle, in the kitchen.” Dr. Andrews responded. “I’m glad you’re home. I, um…we have guests.”
“The Winter children? They’re here? What are they like?” Michelle sounded anxious.
What the heck was she talking about? She was acting like she expected us to be freaks. Suddenly, my full stomach felt like revolting.
Ugh, why did I eat so much? I thought miserably.
The doctor responded in a whispered tone, probably trying to encourage Michelle to lower her voice. “They seem completely normal to me. Of course, I didn’t examine them or anything. Their mother kept them secluded from the world on their ranch so they seem fascinated at the most ordinary things.” I heard his voice smile as he said that last part. I’m sure he was thinking about Evan and the airport faucet.
“The oldest, Meg, has an unusual pet, though. A coyote she’s raised since he was a pup. She named it ‘Maze’.”
“A coyote for a pet? Well, that’s weird. Where did she leave it?”
“Leave it?”
“Yeah, where did she leave the coyote when she left to come here?”
All I could hear was silence.
“Wait a minute. She didn’t bring it with her, did she? Theo, you didn’t let her bring a coyote to our house, did you?”
There was a loud clanking noise, like a pot being slammed down on the stove. Then, what sounded like a cabinet door banged, then another.
Well isn’t this just wonderful, I thought to myself. “I feel so welcomed, how ‘bout you?” I whispered into Maze’s ear.
“What have you told them about their mother?”
“I’ve told them everything I know…just that their mom was known to exit her plane at LAX and that to keep them safe they needed to come home with me.”
Click, click. She was walking again.
“I’m going upstairs to change.”
Click, click—thump. Then silence.
Michelle’s voice had an edge to it. I didn’t get a good vibe from her at all. She certainly didn’t come rushing downstairs to meet us, or even to say hello to her stepson, Cole. Warm and fuzzy, she wasn’t. I wondered what else she wasn’t.
Chapter 17 Sleep