Chapter 4
*****************
Christine was right on schedule that night, her first cries
coming only an hour after Sam had put her to bed. He walked
upstairs and flipped on the light, and was surprised to find
Christine, up in bed, scared still, yet looking calmer. As soon
as he flipped on the light she looked right at him.
"Shes gonna come back, you know," the little girl
said. "Daddy said she never would. Grandma said that, too.
But shell be back."
He knew who she was talking about but asked the girl anyway.
"Whos going to come back?"
She just shook her head. "Promise me youll change
things. I like the way it is. I dont want Mommy to come
back." Her eyes were filled with tears. Sam swallowed the
lump in his throat and sat down next to her.
"Why dont you want her to come back?"
Christines tears just grew worse. " Cause,"
she answered and then buried her face in her blankets.
Even after he had calmed her down, Sam wondered what exactly what
she meant. He walked out of her room, and came back into it twice
more to calm her cries that night, but couldnt get the girl
to tell him anything else. It seemed as if something had happened
between mother and daughter. He was going to find out what.
*********************
Morning came too quickly for Sam, who had stayed up, not able to
fall asleep because of Christine and the questions behind her
nightmares. He was running around the house looking for
Christines favorite hair bow when Linda walked in.
"Scott?" Sam looked up from his position on the floor
at her. "What are you doing?"
"Hair bow," he said simply. "Pink one."
Linda smiled and nodded. "You mean that one right under the
coffee table?"
Sure enough when he looked there, he found it.
"Thanks," he mumbled as he picked it up off the floor.
Linda shook her head. "You look terrible," she said as
he straightened up. "You know, you could call into work sick
today, and while you sleep, Ill take care of
Christine."
As tempting as the offer sounded, Sam knew he couldnt take
it. "Ill be okay."
Linda just eyed him. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked,
her voice serious and concerned. "You have been looking
worse than usual these last couple of days."
Sam sighed. "Im fine," he protested as she shoved
him down onto the couch and placed her hand across his forehead.
She frowned.
"You feel warm," she muttered.
"Do I really?" He didnt have time for this. It
was 7:30 and he had to get to work and stop his -Scotts-
death. He had to find Cara before she found him.
"Stay put," Linda told him as she scurried off into the
other room, past Christine.
"Lindas going to watch me today?" Christine said
with a delighted squeal.
"Yes, I am," Linda answered as she reentered the room,
holding something in her
hand.
"Im running late," he started and began to get
up, but Linda shoved him back down.
"I told you to stay put," she said and he saw the item
in her hand was a thermometer.
"Linda," he started, trying to plead with the woman he
barely knew, but she only took the opportunity to shove the
instrument into his mouth.
Christine looked at him, her little face frowning. "Is Sam
sick?" she asked.
Linda gave Sam a warning glance as she turned to Christine.
"Whos Sam, honey?"
Christine looked confused, but then remembered.
"Pretend," she said to herself. "I mean Daddy. Is
Daddy sick?"
"Maybe," Linda told her as she took the thermometer
out. "101.1, Scott."
"What? No." He couldnt be sick. He was just
tired. Linda handed him the thermometer to see for himself. Sure
enough it read 101.1.
"Ill call work if youd like," she offered
and took the hair bow out of Sams hands and handed it to
Christine.
"No, thats okay," he said, pushing himself up.
"Ill just go into work."
Linda sighed. "You are sick, Scott. Fevers dont just
show up just because they want to. God, why do you have to be so
stubborn?"
He just ignored her as he walked into the kitchen. Truth was he
would love to stay home from work. He had a headache and would
give anything for another hour of sleep. He probably
shouldnt be surprised that he had a fever. He sighed and
poured himself a cup of coffee. He almost jumped when he saw a
hand place a couple of pills on the counter beside his cup.
"If you are going to go into work, which I know you are, at
least take these." He heard Lindas tone and swallowed
the pills with a gulp of coffee.
"Im going to be late," he said when he placed the
cup back down.
He heard Linda just sigh behind him. "Then you better get
going. Heres your keys." She placed the keys on the
counter as well. "Just try to get home early, Scott.
Id hate to see you at the hospital as a patient instead of
a doctor."
Sam just simply nodded, gulped down the rest of his coffee, and
headed out to the car.
********************
She was in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch when she heard
something fall. Loudly. She rushed to the living room, where the
sound had come from and found Christine standing in the middle of
the room, shaking. The coffee table was tipped over; it seemed
almost as if Christine had tripped and taken it with her.
"Christine?" The girl didnt answer, she just
stared. Linda followed the little girls gaze and caught it,
barely out of the corner of her eye. A black-haired woman was
ducking out of sight before Linda could even give her a second
glance.
She didnt know why the women gave her a chill, but she did.
As if on autopilot, Linda grabbed Christine and stuck her into
her car, driving them both down to the hospital.