Vanish by Karen Spafford-Fitz

Author:Karen Spafford-Fitz
Language: eng, eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2013-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Mom beams as I get ready for Chloe’s birthday party on Sunday. She makes a big deal about me getting this job all by myself.

I glance at the clock. “Gotta run!”

When I get to Chloe’s house, I hang up some pony decorations. I also set out the party hats and plates and napkins. Chloe is dancing with excitement. I painther fingernails, and she introduces me to all of her stuffed toys. Her cake is supposed to be a surprise, but I let her peek into the box.

Her friends start to arrive. Every time the doorbell rings, I expect to hear Lily’s voice. But twenty minutes later, Lily is the only guest who is not here. Chloe’s mom looks nervously at her watch. With the living room full of bouncy kindergarten kids, she can’t hold off any longer. I listen for Lily as I lead the kids in a game of pass-the-parcel.

When everyone has a toy to play with, I slip into the kitchen to phone Lily. It sounds like somebody picks up the phone on the second ring. Then the phone goes dead.

“Simone,” Chloe’s mom says as she steps into the kitchen, “the kids want you to play hide-and-seek.”

They cheer as I step back into the room.

“Come hide with me, Simone,” Grace says.

“No, with me,” Yvette says.

“You guys all hide,” I say. “I’ll find you instead.”

As I count to twenty, I wonder again about Lily. Where is she? And why can’t Rachel afford a birthday gift? She can afford dozens of pink outfits for Lily.

I try to focus and do a good job. But thoughts of Lily keep creeping back in. As Mimi giggles from behind the television, I remember Lily telling me that she doesn’t have a television anymore. The week before that, she said her computer was gone.

“They weren’t even broken,” Lily had said. “But Mommy didn’t answer me when I asked about them.”

Once again, I realize that I am not doing my job.

“Come on.” Mimi tucks her hand into mine. “I can help you find the others.”

We head into the laundry room. I see someone wiggling underneath a bath towel in the laundry hamper.

“I see you!” Mimi pulls the towel off of Hannah. The two little girls squeal with laughter.

Some boxes rustle at the far end of the laundry room. I stand back as Mimi and Hannah rush in and find Chloe and Justine.

The little girls lead me upstairs to Chloe’s purple bedroom. I stand in the middle while they check under the bed. I try to pay attention to the game. But still, Hannah has to remind me that we’ve found everyone.

“Yippee! Time for presents!” Chloe calls out as we storm down the stairs behind her. “Presents next, right, Mommy?”

Chloe is soon ripping into her gifts. The mound of stuffed puppies and ponies, packages of markers, lip-gloss sets and books is growing at her feet.

Chloe’s mom motions to get my attention. “Simone, can you pour the juice?”

“Sure.” I step into the kitchen.

One of the moms is pouring a cup of coffee by the table.

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