Disclaimer: Spelling Productions owns 7th Heaven. I am making no money off this story. When I wrote this story I did not realize the show had done an episode on this type of subject.
Noses
By: SparksJSH
"I need a favor."
Lucy and Mary Camden looked up as their older brother Matt burst into their bedroom. Mary frowned. "Haven't you heard of knocking? This isn't your room anymore."
Matt shrugged. "Like either of you ever knocked when it was my room. Come on, I really need your help."
Lucy set the magazine she'd been reading aside. "Whatcha need, Matt?"
He held out two bottles of perfume. "Tell me which of these smells better."
As Lucy reached out to take the bottles from him, Mary looked at Matt confused. "What do you care about perfume? Are you sending Shana a gift?"
"No, a friend at school told me about a part time job at the mall offering perfume samples to customers. He said I could have my choice of perfumes so I want to make sure I have the best one."
Lucy handed the bottles to Mary. "I thought you had a job at the hospital. What happened to that?"
"Nothing. I still have that job but this would be a good chance for extra income. So?"
"I like Field of Strawberries better than Bouquet of Flowers."
Mary shook her head and handed him back the bottles. "I don't like either of them. And believe me nobody likes those people who chase after them wanting to spray them with perfume."
"That's not true." Lucy objected. "Not if you are polite and ask before you spray. Just remember some people are allergic to certain fragrances so don't be pushy if they say no. I still say go with the strawberry. More people like fruity smells than flowery ones."
Matt smiled and hugged his sister. "Thanks, Luce. I'll bring you samples if I can."
As Matt left as quickly as he came, Mary shook her head and laughed. Lucy gave her sister an odd look. "What so funny?"
"I'm just trying to picture Matt going up to people asking them if he can spray them with perfume. That is going to be some sight."
Lucy had to laugh at the image as well.
*****
"That was such a cool party." Simon and Nigel entered the kitchen door of the Camden house.
"Yeah, especially when Davey started playing with the helium tank. I never knew his voice could get so high." Nigel laughed.
Annie Camden entered the kitchen and smiled at the two boys. "Simon, Nigel, how was the party?"
"It was great, Mom. You know, you and Dad should think about getting a helium tank for Ruthie's birthday party.'
Annie gave Simon a look. "I don't think we can afford that expense. Why would you want a helium tank?"
Simon shrugged. "I just know how much Ruthie likes helium balloons. Come on, Nigel, let's go to my room."
As the two boys ran upstairs, Annie watched them, concern etched in her face. She was still watching their retreating figures when Eric came into the house a moment later. He set his briefcase on the counter and tried to follow her gaze. "What's wrong?"
"I think Simon and Nigel were inhaling helium at the party they attended this afternoon."
Eric sighed. "They know better than to do something so stupid. Maybe they just saw someone else at the party do it."
Annie nodded. "Maybe but it has got them thinking it would be cool to do it as well. Simon just suggested we get a helium tank for Ruthie's birthday party. We have to talk to them about how dangerous inhaling anything can be."
"Mom, Dad, I'm on my way to the community center. I'll be home by eight." Mary came through the kitchen and kissed both parents lightly on the cheek. Annie nodded absently.
"Be careful, Honey, and have fun. Where are your sisters?"
"Lucy is in the living room playing with the twins. I think Ruthie is upstairs in her room working on some sort of art project. She came to me earlier asking for glue."
************
"Simon, Nigel, we need to talk to you." Annie and Eric stood in the doorway to Simon's room. Neither was real sure how to begin but they both felt an urgent need to talk to the boys right away.
"Sure, Mom, Dad, come in." Simon offered but exchanged a concerned glance with his best friend.
Before Annie or Eric could enter they heard Ruthie giggling in her room. It sounded strange enough to make them decide to investigate. Opening her bedroom door, they were just in time to see her sniffing glue. Horrified and outraged, Annie rushed into the room and snatched he bottle of glue away from her youngest daughter.
"Ruthie, what do you think you are doing?"
"Hi Mommy."
*************
"What has gotten into our kids?" Annie paced back and forth in her bedroom. Eric stood staring out the window. They had retreated here to regroup after assuring themselves that Ruthie was okay. They had deposited Ruthie in Simon's room with a firm admonition that none of the three were to leave the room.
"Mom? Dad?" Lucy stood in the doorway juggling both twins in her arms.
"Luce, I'm sorry but your father and I are in the middle of something right now."
"I know; we heard you downstairs. I just thought that maybe I should take the boys for a stroll or something. They are picking up on the tension and getting fussy."
Eric touched Annie's arm before hugging Lucy and kissing both toddlers. "That would be great, Luce. Your mother and I would appreciate that very much." He reached in his pocket and handed her the keys to the mini-van. "Why don't you take them down the Promenade and stroll them there. Give us about an hour?''
Lucy smiled and nodded. "Sounds great. Don't worry about a thing."
**********
"Why are Mommy and Daddy so mad?" Ruthie rested her head on her hands and looked at her brother and Nigel."
"You were sniffing glue. How stupid can you be?"
"What's wrong with that? People use glue on everything so why is it so bad to smell it?"
"Because it messes up your brain and can kill you." Simon shook his head in disbelief.
"Helium is no better, Simon." Annie spoke up from the door. Eric was right behind her. They entered the bedroom and sat on the bed opposite the three kids. Simon and Nigel looked at each other; they knew they were in for it as much as Ruthie was. This was not going to be fun.
**********
Lucy checked to make sure the twins were securely strapped in to their double stroller before she started to push them around. As she started toward the Promenade from the parking lot, she well remembered the reaction she had gotten from passersby the last time she took the twins strolling. People had believed that they were her children rather than her brothers and were very condescending toward her. But she resolved not to let people get to her this time.
"They are so cute. How old are they?" A woman in a business suit smiled at the twins.
Lucy smiled as well. "Thanks. My brothers just turned a year old on Valentine's Day."
"They really are adorable. Your parents must be so proud of them and of you for taking the time to take them strolling. I was hoping you could help me out. My company has me out here all day testing a new perfume they are wanting to market. All you would have to do is smell the perfume and fill out a small survey. It won't take long and it would help me out a bunch. You see, I get paid by the number of surveys I turn in. So, will you help me?"
Lucy thought of Matt's new job and felt a stab of sympathy for both Matt and this woman. It couldn't be an easy job. "Sure, why not."
She held out her arm for the woman to spray her wrist. At first she couldn't smell anything so she took a longer deeper whiff. Instantly, Lucy realized something was wrong. She became lightheaded and darkness clouded her vision. The last things she was aware of before she passed out were the twins crying and someone grabbing her purse.
**********
"Ruthie, why were you sniffing glue?" Eric asked gently.
"Because I thought it would be fun."
"Where did you get the idea that it would be fun?" Annie asked next.
Ruthie sighed. She still didn't understand what the big deal was or why her parents were so upset. "A friend of mine at school was telling us the other day that he saw his sister and her friends smelling glue and spray paint and other things. He said they were acting all silly. I just wanted to see what it was like. It made me feel funny."
Annie pulled Ruthie into her lap and hugged her tightly. "Which friend, Sweetheart?"
Ruthie shook her head. "No way, I know you two. If I tell you who it was you're going to call his parents and squeal on him and his sister. I'm no tattletale."
Eric frowned. "Yes, Ruthie, we are going to call his parents. And you are not being a tattletale. What his sister and her friends are doing is very dangerous. What they are sniffing could kill them. It's extremely dangerous, not to mention illegal."
"But glue isn't illegal." Simon protested.
"No, but sniffing it is." Annie explained. "Every year thousands of young people die or suffer brain damage because they are looking for a cheap high from sniffing ordinary objects. That's why some stores have a policy now where they will not sell glue, liquid paper or spray paint to minors."
Ruthie's eyes widened. "I didn't know I was breaking the law. I'm sorry, Mommy, Daddy. I won't ever do it again. Besides I have a headache now."
"That's because you robbed your brain of oxygen. Our noses are great. They were made to help us breathe and for us to smell cookies baking in the oven, flowers blooming in the spring…"
"Sam and David's dirty diapers." Ruthie added with a disgusted look on her face.
Annie and Eric laughed before Annie continued. "Yes, even dirty diapers. Those things are okay to smell – even if we really don't want to smell them. But anytime you smell something or inhale something just because it makes you feel funny or talk funny then you are killing brain cells. And I happen to think all of three of you have brains too precious to lose brain cells over something so stupid."
Simon looked down. "But Mom, everyone inhales helium. All it does is change your voice."
Eric nodded. "Yes a lot of people do inhale helium and no it's not as dangerous as some other things but you know as well as I do that anything you take into your body winds up going to your brain. Drinking or inhaling helium may seem like a fun party trick but that doesn't mean it's safe."
Before anyone could reply the phone rang. With a look to his parents, Simon, who was closest to the phone, picked up the receiver. He frowned before handing the phone to Eric. "It's Sgt. Michaels."
Ruthie looked up at Annie. "Did you and Daddy call the police on me?"
Annie held Ruthie closer as she watched Eric. "No of course not."
"WHAT? Are they okay?" Eric grew pale. "We'll be right there." He hung up the phone and returned it to Simon. "It's Lucy. She was mugged at the Promenade."
**********************
Eric parked as close to the police cars and ambulance as he could. Annie was out of the vehicle as soon as it came to a stop. Without looking around to the crowd gathered, she ran to the ambulance where she could see Lucy and the stroller. "Lucy?"
Her middle daughter was lying on a raised stretcher with an oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose. The twins were in their stroller next to her. The teen pushed the oxygen mask away when she saw Annie approaching. She hugged her mother tightly. "Oh, Mom, I'm so sorry."
Annie returned the hug but then pulled back to check Lucy over. The teen was extremely pale. "Sorry? What are you sorry for? Honey, you were mugged; you don't have to apologize for that. Are you okay? Were you or the twins hurt?"
"Annie, the babies are fine. Lucy will be too once the ether wears off." Sgt. Michaels approached with Eric.
"Ether? They knocked you out?" Horrified, Annie turned back to once again give Lucy a close once over.
"It was supposed to be perfumed. She said she got paid by the number of surveys completed. I trusted her."
Confused, Annie looked back to Sgt. Michaels. "Perfume? Surveys? What is she talking about?"
"It's the newest thing. People hang around parking lots with perfume bottles. They tell women that they are testing response to a new perfume, only it's ether instead of perfume. They knock the woman out and steal their purses and valuables. The people who do this are usually well dressed, respectable looking people. There would be no reason for you not to trust them. His radio squawked and Sgt. Michaels paused to listen. "I've got to go. We've got a report that someone is trying this same thing at the mall. Take Lucy home and let her get her strength back. Tomorrow, after she's fully recovered bring her to the station to make her statement. We'll let you know if we discover anything.'
Eric looked at the paramedic as his police friend left. "You agree with him?"
The medic smiled. "Your daughter is one lucky girl. She was awake and worried about the babies by the time we got here. That's a real good sign. We gave her oxygen and wiped her wrist well with alcohol to remove any lingering trace of ether. She'll be lightheaded for a while and maybe a little sick to her stomach. But with bed rest and light food, she'll be fine in a few hours."
"Thank you." Annie turned to Lucy. "Can you walk to the car?"
Lucy nodded and started to stand. But as soon as she moved, the world spun and her stomach lurched. Lucy sat back down. Eric frowned. "I'll go get the car and bring it closer. I'll be right back."
"But the mini-van…" Lucy protested.
"I'll drive it home with the twins. You can ride with Daddy in the car." Annie watched him leave and then looked at Lucy. The teen was crying and shaking slightly.
"I told you not to worry about us and then I let this happen. Some big sister I am."
Annie hugged her again. "Oh Sweetheart, you are safe now; the boys are safe. That's all that matters. And don't ever think that you aren't a great big sister."
"Fifteen dollars. All I had in my purse was maybe fifteen dollars. Anything could have happened to David and Sam while I was lying their unconscious. I can't believe I trusted her. She just seemed so nice."
Eric pulled up with the car and got out. "Let's go home."
***
Simon, Nigel and Ruthie were sitting at the kitchen table when Eric and Annie returned with Lucy and the twins. Lucy was walking by herself but it was obvious that she wasn't steady on her feet. She sank into a kitchen seat and rested her head on the table.
Ruthie came over to her older sister and hugged her. Lucy only barely managed to put an arm around her. Simon looked to his parents who were each carrying a baby. Both twins looked fine. "What happened?"
"Yeah, did they hit you over the head? Hold a gun on you? Tell us everything."
Raising her head slightly Lucy glared at her brother and Nigel but said nothing. Annie handed David to Eric and put her hand on Lucy's back. "Come on, Sweetheart, you should be in bed. I'll help you. Ruthie, can you pour me a glass of ginger ale and bring it up to Lucy's room for me?"
"Sure, Mommy. Is Lucy okay?"
"She'll be fine, Ruthie."
Simon rose to help Eric with the twins. He took David and placed him in the high chair and strapped him in. He waited to speak until Annie and Lucy were out of sight. "Dad, is she really okay? Because she didn't look okay to me."
Eric sighed as he settled Sam into the other high chair. "That's because the person who mugged her sprayed her with ether to knock her out. It's the same kind of drug a doctor uses to put someone to sleep before surgery."
Nigel shook his head. "I don't understand, Reverend Camden. Lucy would never let a strange guy get that close to her."
"It wasn't a guy. It was a woman pretending to promote perfume. Lucy smelled what she thought was a new fragrance but it was ether instead. Once she was out, the woman stole her purse."
None of they guys saw Ruthie leave the room with the glass of ginger ale and none of them realized the young girl was crying. Simon shook his head. "Poor Lucy. That must have been horrible."
"Yeah," Nigel agreed. "I'm sorry about what I said when you first came in."
Eric nodded. "I know. Will the two of you feed the boys while I go up and check on her?"
******
"I can't believe what I did, Mom. I basically knocked myself out. If anything had happened to Sam and David while I was unconscious, I would never have been able to forgive myself."
Annie brushed Lucy's hair away from her face. Unshed tears filled her eyes. "Lucy, quit blaming yourself. The boys are fine. You're only crime was being too trusting and in my book that's no crime."
"I kept thinking about Matt and his new job. I just wanted to help her out. She seemed so nice. She went on and on about how cute the twins are."
"It was my fault, wasn't it? Ruthie climbed up on the bed next to Lucy and handed her the glass of ginger ale. Tears streaked the young girl's face. "You took the twins for a stroll because Mom and Dad were mad at me for smelling glue."
Lucy set the glass on the nightstand and hugged Ruthie. "No, Ruthie it wasn't your fault. I was the one responsible…"
Annie reached out and touched both girls on the arm. "Both of you stop it. We could spend all night placing blame. We could spread it around enough that just about everyone in this family could have a piece of the blame but that wouldn't be fair to any of us. The only ones at blame here are the people who exploit people's trust the way that woman did. So I don't want to hear any more of this 'it's my fault' from either of you."
"Yes, mam." Ruthie promised. Lucy nodded sleepily.
Annie smiled and kissed Lucy's forehead. "You get some sleep. Come on Ruthie, let's let your sister rest."
"Can I stay with her in case she needs something? It's an awful long way downstairs and Lucy doesn't need to climb those stairs by herself."
Annie was about to say no. She appreciated Ruthie's gesture but wasn't sure if Lucy would get any sleep with the younger girl in the room. Lucy smiled and pulled Ruthie close. "It' okay, Mom. I don't mind if she stays. She has a point after all."
Annie kissed both girls and stood to go. She saw Eric standing in the doorway. He smiled at her as they started down the stairs. "I hope you are going to listen to your own advice about not blaming yourself."
Annie leaned against him. "You know me so well."
"Yes, I do, but I'm saying it because before I listened I was blaming myself for suggesting that she go to the Promenade."
********
"I still can't believe what happened. I always thought the Promenade was safe." Mary shook her head. She had just returned home and learned what had happened.
"I'm just thankful they are all okay."
"This has been the worst day of my life." Matt proclaimed as he entered the house. He sat at the table with Mary and his parents. "For one thing, standing around the mall all day is no fun. Nobody wants to be sprayed with perfume. There were twenty guys doing the same job so I go out to the parking lot to get a head start on all the customers. Everything is going fine until the police try to arrest me. They thought that I was trying to mug people. Can you believe that? Mug people with a perfume bottle as a weapon."
"It happens. It did happen. Your sister was mugged today by someone pretending to be a perfume sampler." Eric told him quietly.
Matt looked to Mary but it was obvious that she was fine. "Lucy? Is she okay?"
"She's fine. She's upstairs asleep." Annie assured him. "She was knocked out with ether. She had the twins with her but fortunately they are all okay."
"Here's what I don't understand. From what you said, the police knew about this scam. Why didn't we? It seems like if the news would have warned people what was going on they would be prepared and wouldn't fall for their tricks."
Annie nodded. "I agree, Mary. People should know what's happening before they learn the hard way. Knowledge sometimes our best defense."
"I'm making a warning announcement tomorrow in church. I called Nigel's parents and Reverend Hamilton is going to do the same at his church. Between us both I think we are going to make sure that every preacher in towns spreads the word. It's not a lot, but it's a start."
Annie squeezed Eric's hand. "It's a great start."
"Lucy would like some more ginger ale." Ruthie appeared at the foot of the stairs. "She said to tell you she's feeling a lot better but her stomach's still flip floppy."
Matt took the glass from his youngest sister. "I'll take it to her."
"Mommy, Daddy. I'm really sorry for what I did earlier and I'm sorry I didn't tell you before but it was Derrick Anderson's sister. Please help her. I don't want anything to happen to her."
Annie hugged her tightly and Eric ruffled her hair. "I'll do everything I can, Ruthie; I promise you that."
*****************
"Here ya go, Luce." Matt set the glass on the nightstand and hugged his sister tightly. "Mom and Dad told me what happened. I'm sorry. I feel responsible."
"Don't. Mom says we can't blame ourselves and she's right. You have a legitimate job to do. We can't hold ourselves responsible if there are sickos out there who will use things like that to rob people. Just do me a favor."
"Anything. Just name it and I'll do it." Matt promised.
"Don't bring me home any perfume samples any time soon."
Matt laughed; glad to see Lucy really was going to be okay. "Don't worry. I lost my job anyway."
"Why?"
"Because I almost got arrested for being a mugger. I went out to the parking lot and I guess somebody got the wrong idea. As soon as they realized I really had perfume they let me go but my boss fired me anyway."
Lucy's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Matt."
"Don't be. I hated the job and after learning what happened to you I wouldn't have wanted to keep the job anyway. And it's not like it's the first job I've been fired from. Now drink that ginger ale so your stomach can stop doing flip flops."
Lucy smiled. "Thanks, Matt."
THE END