CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
(part five)
Friday afternoon — 4:45 P.M.
19th Avenue Medical Building
“I told you, Nash! I’m going to have a sister,” Noelle’s loud voice echoed off the elevator.
“No!” Nash yelled back. “We just didn’t get to see. He’s shy. Like me!”
The kids had gone back and forth since they left the doctors office.
“You tell her Sandy. I’m right aren’t I?” Nash said.
Not wanting to get in between the arguing kids, Sandy put one hand on Noelle’s shoulder and the other on Nash’s shoulder.
“Sandy?” Noelle asked.
“I don’t know,” Sandy said. “I was so excited that the baby was healthy. Did you see its little fingers?”
“The baby was sucking his thumb,” Nash said.
“Her thumb, Nash,” Noelle said.
“I’m kind of glad we don’t know,” Sandy said. “Will you be terribly disappointed if she’s a girl, Nash? Will you be terribly disappointed if he’s a boy, Noelle?”
“No, but…” Nash said at the same time Noelle said, “I’m still right.”
“You are not!” Nash said.
“What if you’re both right?” Sandy asked. Laughing, she added, “What if it’s a girl AND a boy?”
“Ewwwww!” Nash said while Noelle screamed in horror.
Sandy laughed. The elevator came to a stop in the lobby.
“Can we get ice cream?” Noelle asked as they left the elevator.
“Of course,” Sandy said. “But not a lot. Just a single scoop. Ok. Remember we have a big dinner tonight?”
“Mrs. Valerie’s coming home and Mike too!” Noelle said.
“Mr. Mike?” Sandy asked.
“He just likes to be called Mike,” Nash said.
“Ok,” Sandy said. “Ice cream, then we get ready for our dinner party.”
The children burst from the building and ran to the car. Sandy trotted after them. Smiling, she drove to Liks for ice cream.
~~~~~~~~
Friday evening — 5:25 P.M.
The Castle
Valerie stopped walking when she reached the side door of the Castle. Tipping her head to the side, she puzzled. Mike came up behind her carrying their bags and his hockey gear.
“Would you like me to carry you over the threshold, my bride?” he asked. Setting their bags down, he moved to lift her into his arms.
“No,” Valerie said. Her hand touched the glass of the security door. “Something’s wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Mike asked.
“Delphie always meets me at the door. I’ve never come home and had her not open the door when I’m standing right here,” Valerie said. “Something’s very wrong. I can almost smell it.”
“She probably burned dinner,” Mike said. “Come on.”
Mike used his key to unlock the security door, then the original solid oak door underneath. He held the door for Valerie. Still unsure, Valerie hesitated. He gave her a little shove and she stepped inside. He set their bags next to the living room closet.
He followed Valerie as she meandered through the silent living room and into the kitchen. By the time he reached the kitchen door, Valerie had turned. She was shaking her head.
“No cheesecake? No dinner?” Valerie asked. “My heart is pounding. I’m terrified something awful has happened to Delphie.”
Mike spun in place. He took the stairs two at a time. Running down the hall, he burst into Delphie’s apartment.
Only settling dust and silence.
He was almost to the stairwell when he heard Valerie scream. He pounded down the stairwell to find Valerie slumped against the kitchen counter.
“Babies,” she gasped. “Contractions.”
Sensing movement, he turned to see a tall thin man dragging Delphie by her hair. He was ready to jump the scrawny man when Valerie screamed again.
“No, Mike! Don’t do it, Mike!” Delphie screamed. “Stay with Valerie! He will kill us all!”
Mike dropped to Valerie’s side. Valerie screamed again.
“NO Marlowe will survive this day,” the man said.
Denver Cereal continues tomorrow….