3.

Alice was quite bleary-eyed when she got up for school the next morning. She'd fallen asleep in the car on the way home from Mark's, and was glad it meant that she had avoided her Mom's questions. She went downstairs, and her Mom was in the kitchen drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Alice got a drink of juice, and then sat down.

"Tired sweetie?" Her Mom asked.

"A little yeah..." Alice admitted.

"So, tell me then, what scared you so much last night?" Her Mom asked, looking over her newspaper.

"Just some stupid idiot ringing me. At first he didn't say anything, just breathed loudly, and the second time I got angry and asked if he had anything to say? He said he wanted to tell me about the babysitter who got killed, and I hung up. And then a few hours later he called me back to tell me that twelve o'clock was the witching hour and that he was coming to get me then. And I fell asleep, and then I heard a noise-which was you and Mark but I thought about the call-and got scared." Alice explained. "But like I said I think it could have had something to do with being in a strange place and all. Because back home-ah, back in Donvale, if someone called me and played a stupid prank it didn't bother me in the least."

"Maybe." Her Mom replied thoughtfully. "Anyway; how was James?"

"Like I said last night as good as gold. He's a cute kid that one. Mom-do you know about his Mother?" Alice asked, remembering her mental note.

"A little. She and Mark didn't have a very happy marriage from what I gather. One night she just left. Mark picked James up from his daycare and dropped him off at his Grandparents for the night, because he and his wife were meant to be going out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary. He was making every effort to work things out-for James' sake mainly I think. Anyway, he got home and she was gone. She'd taken some of her things, her car, her money, and things. And she hasn't even called for James' birthdays since. Mark has no idea where she is, but he thinks maybe New York since she used to always say she'd love to go there!" Her Mom explained.

Alice shook her head. "James thinks she left because he was sick."

"That's an awful thing for a child to think!" Her Mom said angrily. "But she did used to get annoyed at all the trips to hospital. Maybe that's one of the reasons she left them?"

"Has Mark tried to track her down?I mean, do her family know where she is?"

"Her parents are dead and she was an only child. Of course he tried all her friends to find out if they knew anything but none did. That was three years ago now, and to Mark she may as well be dead." Her Mom said, and then she glanced at the time. "I'll be late for work if I don't run!"

"Okay, see you later then." Alice replied, and she hurried off to work, kissing her on her way past.

As she got ready for school she thought about what her Mom had told her; Personally she wouldn't like being married to Mark, but there was no way she'd leave her son behind and then not even speak to him in three years!

**********

Alice almost fell asleep in my history class, and it was only her friend Cloe's nudging which made her realise that the teacher had asked her a question.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch the question.." Alice said, red-faced, and the class laughed.

"I'm sure you didn't since you were almost asleep. I asked what the Boston Tea Party is?" The teacher repeated.

Alice wracked her brains trying to remember what it was. "Wasn't it some kind of dispute between the English and the Americans? And didn't they dump the tea into the water? And didn't-"

And then, like a miracle, the bell rang. The teacher sighed. "Well it looks like you were saved by the bell-but try and get some sleep before our next class alright?"

Alice nodded, and gathered up her books. Cloe smirked as they walked to their next class. "You're lucky she likes you. If that was me I'd still be there being lectured."

Alice had to admit it was true. Kevin, a guy from class, was walking nearby and he leant over "Yeah, but you would have told her it was some big picnic on the banks of the water!" He said.

Cloe made a face and grinned. Her smart mouth was well known and had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the past. But she was a great friend, and when Alice had arrived at the school a few months back she'd been the first to welcome her, and therefore had become her best friend! In the group they hung out with she was the unofficial leader, simply because she always said what she thought, and came up with some of the best plans ever!

Kevin walked off, and Alice told Cloe about the night before. And then she finished with telling her about how Mark's wife had just ran off with no prior warning, and how she must have been a cold-hearted bitch to not even say goodbye to her son, nor write or call him!

She frowned for a moment. "That doesn't sound right to me." She finally said.

"Right to you?" Alice repeated, a little confused.

"My Mom works as a secretary where Mark works. When I told her that your Mom was seeing Mark she mentioned his wife. She said it was a shock when she left because from what she saw they had a great marriage. And, according to Mom, she was so devoted to James it wasn't funny. Of course Mom did say that she and Mark could have been putting up a good front when it came to the marriage, but she said you can't fake devotion, and she'd seen Alicia, that was her name, in there with James, and she said she doted on him. Mark even complained to Mom once that Alicia spoilt him rotten. Doesn't sound like a cold-hearted bitch to me!" Cloe finished.

Alice frowned. "Then why would she just up and leave?"

"I don't know, I'm just telling you what Mom said." Cloe replied, a little huffily.

"Does your Mom like Mark?" Alice asked, as they went into the classroom for their math class.

"I don't know. She didn't say. Why?" Cloe asked.

"No reason really, it's just I don't know what, but there is something about him I don't like!" Alice explained, as they took their seats.

"Maybe it's the fact that he is dating your Mom?" Cloe suggested.

Alice laughed. "My brother said the same thing.." She admitted.

"Face it Alice, you don't like the idea of your Mom being with someone other than your Dad." Cloe said confidently. "And so you think that there is something wrong with him."

"Maybe." Alice replied, but she wasn't quite as confident as her friend was.