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Chapter Eight "Where have you been?" Louise froze in the hall, her hand on her heart. "Daddy?" Try as he could, he couldn't help but flinch every time she called him that. "Um..." "Well?" Louise turned to face him and regretted it almost immediately. "So... Where have you been?" She sucked in a breath as she remembered the dress she had on under her coat. On loan from Rachelle it was much different from any of her other clothes, quickly drawing her coat tighter around her body. "At school?" "Until 10 o'clock?" "We - we have a project." "We?" He wasn't giving her a second to think. Louise was silently berating herself for being so unprepared. Louise blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "A project for Social Studies." He eyed her suspiciously, but allowed her to back up slowly toward the stairs, "I hope this won't be every night." "Well-" "Maybe I should have my driver-" "Oh no!" Louise felt her world falling down around her ears, "That's not needed, one of my classmates-" Louise went on to babble off an excuse. She knew even as it fell from her lips that it sounded implausible at best, ridiculous at the worst. "Are you done?" The chill in his voice reached down to her toes. Louise clamped her lips together and steadied herself for the blow, "Daddy?" "Are you done lying to me?" She gulped down her fear, "Well, I wouldn't call it ly-" "It doesn't matter and I don't have the time to worry about it. I just have one request-" Her voice was barely above a squeak, "Yes?" He turned away from her, picking up his paper off the hall table he called over his shoulder, "If you're going to whore yourself, at least make it with someone useful." She couldn't react. She wanted to melt in the floor, "Excuse me?" "You heard me. Think Louise, these are not the times to be indiscriminate with your 'charms'." Hot tears of shame broke onto her cheeks, "I never... I .. how could?" "Just be discreet." Then he was gone. ************************* "Where have you been?" Lisette dissolved into nervous laughter, "Me?" Her parents stood in the hallway, fear stretching their features, "Yes you! We've been worried sick." "I'm sorry mes chèrs parents." She used a calm melodic voice, to soothe their worries as she shook out her coat to hang it up. Making a deliberate show of unbuttoning a second coat, she hung it on the rack. She tried to hide the water drops that splattered the wall, Mama always kept her out of the rain. Her Mama shuffled the length of the hall, slippers scratching on the long strip of worn carpet beneath her feet. "Ma petite?" "Oh mama, don't fret. I was fine." Her father kept his voice low and calm, "You scared us half to death. We couldn't find you and the servants took apart the house top to - You know the cold air is not good for you!" He had managed to close the distance to his daughter and stared down at her with unabashed worry. She nodded and reached up to touch his face, "Papa, I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself." Lisette unwound the thick scarf at her neck and hung it on the rack. It started to slide off, but caught on a button at the neck of the jacket. Lisette fought the urge to set it right. She made a big show of unbuttoning not one, but two coats and hanging them on the rack. Her mother pushed closer and wrapped her arms around Lisette's neck, "All that weight? Are you trying to kill yourself? Don't you know what that would do to us?" "Mama! I'm not a little girl!" Backing up to look Lisette in the face she caught her daughter's face in her hands, "You must forgive me... I still remember how sick you were as a baby. You've my cadeau précieux, my precious gift! I thank God everyday that you survived." "I grew stronger everyday. Now, I don't need any help. None at all. That's why I'm going to help ... help others." Her father blanched at the thought, "Que veux-tu dire? What do you mean?" "I'm working at a shelter. As refugees come into the city, we provide them with blankets and other goods. They are so very appreciative... and I finally feel like I am doing something. We also roll bandages and sort mail for the soldiers-" The tiny blonde turned to her husband, "I do not like it Paul! The late hours, the cold-" "Mama! It's nearly spring! The weather will warm up soon enough..." "Tonight... tonight there was rain. I'm sure you're chilled to the bone; maybe I should call the doctor." Lisette stamped her foot on the floor to gain their attention, "I'm not giving this up. I'm doing this! You both will just have to understand." They had identical looks on their faces. Shock mixed with realization. "Are you sure?" Her mother cuffed him on the shoulder, "What are you saying Paul?" He leaned down towards his wife, "Marta? Let her do this, let her try." She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, "If you say so." Turning her focus to Lisette, she softened her look, "You go ahead, try this out. Do it if you must. Just know, that it's not a sin if you decide that.. that..." Lisette took her mother's little hands in her own, "I promise, if it's too much, I'll stop. Mama? It will be just fine, you'll see." She placed a delicate kiss on each of their cheeks and disappeared behind her bedroom door. Her parents held each other in silence for a moment until her father whispered, "She's a big girl." "Yes, but -" "Let her have her moment." Silently, her mother worried, "That's all she's likely to have." ************************ "Where have you been?" Throwing a derisive look at Ike, Jimmy tried to cut the interrogation short. "Out." "Now Jimmy, that ain't much of an answer is it?" When no answer was forthcoming, Teaspoon moved to the block the hall, "I'd like an answer." It didn't work and Jimmy stalked into the back room. "Yeah?" His mood had improved a little. "So?" Teaspoon wasn't going to let up. Looking over at Ike who stood arms folded like an avenging angel, Jimmy couldn't help but smile, "You're acting like a girl's overprotective papa. I don't need you to scold me." Another voice came from farther down the hall. "Like hell!" "Teaspoon?" "Yes and don't look so shocked! I may not be around everyday, but we've got rules boy. Rules like, 'NO unauthorized rides.' It's too damned dangerous-" Jimmy didn't like the tone and hated to be taken down a notch in front of anyone, "I can handle it. I brought the bike back safely didn't I?" Teaspoon rubbed his temples, "I didn't say anything about your skill Jimmy-" his eyes challenged the young man, "It's the simple issue of following rules. If you can't do that-" Anger flashed in Jimmy's eyes, 'I don't need this.' "Are you threatening me?" A jaunty smile, made to prick anyone's anger, covered his lips, "Threat? I don't make threats boy-" "Good, cause I can always go back where I was. I was three kills away from earning my status as an Ace." Teaspoon eyed the small crowd building in the hallway. He hefted his shoulders under his heavy coat and folded his arms under the oversized wool collar, "Oh? Well then, do tell us... tell us why you came here." Jimmy fought down the urge to shove everyone out of his way. He wasn't used to anyone questioning him either. "This ain't everyone else's business. What I do-" "What you do 'does' have to do with us," Teaspoon waved a hand at the other riders, "Them especially. For the time you're here, for the time you are ALL here, you are each others family." "It was just a ride." "If you get caught and something happens to the others, how would you live with yourself?" "Nothing will happen to them, I won't talk." The look on Teaspoon's face was gray at best, "You ain't seen what they can do, stories are already coming in from the other countries. Torture and death, stuff you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. It's all happening out there." Teaspoon looked them all over, "Soon enough it'll be in our backyard. God protect us and keep it from coming any closer." Teaspoon circled his arm around Jimmy's shoulders, "I ain't tryin' to ride you boy. I'm just tryin' to impress upon you the gravity of this situation." He stopped when Jimmy stared at him, "Now, don't you sass me - you've got a job. I know you can do it, you've just got to keep your head squarely on your shoulders." "I know-" "Just think about it... that's all I'm asking." "Alright Teaspoon...I'll think it over." He clasped a hand on Jimmy's shoulder, patting it with affection.
"Thanks son, I know you will."
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