Lucy had been daydreaming for some time, so when she glanced up at the alarm clock on the dresser next to her bed, she was surprised to see that it was now after six and well past the time when her mom should be home. A slight chill caused her arms to break out in goose bumps, but she brushed them vigorously with her hands and they melted into her arms. She bounded down the stairs taking two at a time and peered out the front door before she picked up the phone in the hallway. She dialed her mom’s cell phone and waited for the phone to start ringing. When a man picked up, Lucy hung on the phone for a brief second before quickly clicking the off button. Her brain began going through the options searching for an answer. Lucy wondered if she had dialed wrong. Should she try the number again? Was her mom with a man? Why had he picked up her mom’s phone? But before she could come to a conclusion, the phone in front of her rang. She could see her mom’s cell phone number flash in the screen identifying the caller, but Lucy was too paralyzed to answer it. After the third ring the call switched over to the answering machine and Lucy listened to the deep voice of a male caller.

“I’m trying to reach someone at the home of Marilyn Wright. Hello? Is anyone there?” There was a brief pause before he continued. “If you’re there, will you please pick up.”

Someone else was controlling Lucy’s arm when she turned the phone over and pressed the button to accept the call.

“Hello?” she said tentatively into the phone.

“This is . . .” he stopped suddenly before continuing. “Who am I talking to?”

Lucy’s first instinct was not to tell him. That is what she had been told by her mom over and over, the stuff about strangers. This man was a stranger but he had her mom’s cell phone and he knew her mom’s name. Lucy couldn’t decide whether that was good or bad. The silence hung in the air as she tried to make herself do the right thing. Finally, when she didn’t answer, the man on the phone continued.

“Are you Marilyn Wright’s daughter?” he asked.

This time she hesitated only a moment before saying, “Yes.”

“Is there anyone else in the house with you? Is your father there?” the man continued.

This man was definitely asking questions she had been told not to answer and she was feeling uneasy and frightened. The thoughts inside her head were beginning to spin. She tried to push the anxious feelings away. When she didn’t answer again, the man continued. This time his voice was very soft.

“Please don’t be afraid. I’m going to send someone you know over to see you. Can you give me the name of a relative or friend?”

Lucy thought for a moment and decided that someone she knew would be OK. In fact the more she thought about it, that was actually what she needed, at least until her mom came home.
“Carol lives next door,” Lucy said.

“Do you have Carol’s phone number?” the man asked continuing to talk to her in this kinder voice.

Lucy knew the number by heart. It was one of the numbers her mom had made her memorize. Besides, Carol was her mom’s best friend and Lucy liked Carol. Carol was definitely who she needed to help her with this man since her mom wasn’t home. She gave the man the phone number.

“Is my mom there?” Lucy asked remembering that he had called on her mom’s cell phone. “Can I talk to her?”

“I’ll ask Carol to come right over,” the man replied. “Please wait right there for her. Will you wait right there for her?”

After Lucy answered that she would, he hung up and Lucy was left holding the receiver in her hand trying to piece together the last few minutes. She tried not to cry but the tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped them away with her sleeve. She didn’t know what was happening. Lucy wanted to talk to her mom. She really needed her right now. Lucy placed the phone back in its cradle and walked to the front door and looked out expectant, willing her mom to appear and wave at her signaling that she would be right in. But no one was there. A car drove by in the street in front of the house but kept going. A dog barked somewhere and the wind encouraged colored leaves on the huge oak tree in the yard to dance back and forth like a ballerina perfecting a move. Lucy’s mind had gone to a place of her own making. The scene reminded her of the Halloween she had just shared with her mom. They had both dressed up like black cats with pipe cleaner whiskers and long thick black rope for tails. Their ears were fashioned with black velvet and her mom had used more pipe cleaners to bend the ears in unnatural positions. In the darkness of the event it was easy to be crazy with her mom without being seen by anyone who might hold the scene against her at some future time. Lucy was deep in thought when Carol appeared at the door in front of her. Lucy jumped, her breath catching in her throat.

“Lucy, honey, let me in please,” Carol called from the other side of the door.

Lucy opened the door and Carol grabbed her and held her tight.

“Oh, honey,” Carol whispered trying to control the tears that were now running down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”