Chapter 2 - THE BALLOON
Rachel said:
“You invited her?”
Daniel immediately answered:
“No.”
Too fast.
Madison walked closer.
Then stopped when she saw Rachel.
Fake surprise.
“Daniel?”
Rachel laughed once.
“You’re both terrible actors.”
Emma tugged the balloon string.
“Ball! Ball!”
Rachel bent down.
“Stay with Daddy.”
Daniel barely heard.
Rachel needed distance before she screamed.
She walked toward the pharmacy across the plaza to buy water and call her attorney.
Daniel watched her leave.
Then Madison moved in.
“You said she was done.”
“She is.”
“She doesn’t look done.”
Daniel put one arm around Madison’s waist.
Emma wandered two steps away.
Still holding balloon.
A strong gust hit.
The string slipped from her fingers.
Red balloon flew.
Emma gasped.
“BALL!”
Then ran.
Short unstable steps.
Toward the street.
A car screeched.
Horn blasted.
Emma screamed and kept chasing.
“BALL! BALL!”
Daniel had his back turned.
Madison pulled his shirt.
“Forget her.”
Daniel smiled at Madison.
Emma disappeared into the crowd.
Rachel returned less than a minute later.
First she saw:
Daniel.
Madison.
His arm around her.
Then:
empty stroller.
No Emma.
Everything inside Rachel exploded.
She grabbed Daniel’s shirt.
“WHERE’S EMMA?!”
Daniel froze.
Turned.
Empty space.
His face went white.
“She was HERE!”
Rachel shoved him backward.
“YOU LOST HER!”
Madison stepped away immediately.
Across the plaza, Emma ran after the balloon.
Crying.
She caught the string near a row of parked vehicles.
Then stopped.
No Daddy.
No Mommy.
“Daddy…?”
A black SUV rolled to the curb.
Stopped.
Rear door opened.
Emma hugged the balloon.
A hand reached out.
Emma stared.
Then her crying stopped.
A soft female voice said:
“Hi, Bug.”
Emma’s eyes widened.
“Na-na?”
May you like
The woman inside the SUV went pale.
Because Emma was not supposed to know her.
