Chapter 3:
"You guys need to get some sleep," Chris commented over breakfast the next morning. It was obvious they hadn't slept a wink the previous night and were staring bleary eyed over their scrambled eggs.
"Finding the twins comes before sleep." Rae said. She dropped her fork onto her plate with a loud clang. "I can't eat either."
Spot reached over and handed her the fork again. "Eat," he ordered simply.
"I can't," she said, pushing the plate toward him. "I'm too worried."
"I know you are... So am I. But you have to eat."
She turned and glared at him. "They are out there without any food. I'm not eating until we find them."
"You're not going to be able to find them without food or sleep! Get one of them!" he ordered, matching her glare. She stood and walked from the room. Rising to his feet, he followed her. He caught her in the hall and pulled her into the study.
"Rae, I don't want to get into yet another fight with you, but you HAVE to do something for yourself... Sleep, eat, SOMETHING to keep you going..."
"Spot, they are out there lost, cold, starving and scared to death. I can't go sleep in that nice warm bed, or eat that food. If I try I see their little faces."
"Don't you think the same thing happens to me, Rae? You're just going to have to force yourself to do it."
"How could we let this happen, Spot?" she asked, burying her face in her hands and sobbing.
He squeezed her tight. "We didn't let it happen, it just did... We didn't know it COULD happen."
She wrapped her arms around him and continued to sob. "Maybe we can't do this. Maybe we should just take Kendra to an orphanage."
"No way missy. You wanted to keep this baby, and we're going to keep her and raise her right. And we're going to find Ann and Andy," he assured her.
"What if we don't? What if they aren't even..."
He kissed her quickly to shut her up. "Don't even think it."
She buried her head in his chest and continued to cry. "It's all I can think about, Spot."
"Shh," he hushed soothingly, stroking her hair.
He led her over to the couch and sat her down beside him. "It's going to be alright. We'll find them. I promise." he whispered.
She just hung onto him, crying.
"Take a nap," he suggested. "You're tired. Chris and Julie and I will go out and look for them."
"Kendra going to wake up hungry soon. I have to stay awake to take care of her."
He kissed her forehead. "Leave that to me... I'll let Julie stay and take care of her. She did a wonderful job when we were all sick... I'm sure she'll do just fine now. Now go to sleep before I knock you out myself."
"Spot, will you hold me until I fall asleep?"
"Of course." He put his arms around her and scooted to the end of the couch so she was lying out.
"I love you, Spot," she said with a yawn.
"I love you too Rae... Now get some sleep." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She snuggled closer to him and was instantly asleep. Spot held onto Rae for a few minutes longer, deeply worried the twins. Where WERE they?
* * *
Ann woke slowly and rolled over to move closer to Julie for warmth, but ending up on the floor. She sat up suddenly. Where was she? Where was Julie? Who were all this strange people? Where were Miss Rae and Mr. Spot? Ann whimpered and began to cry loudly. Slowly, the people around her woke up. Young girls like her looked at her sleepily. Some began to cry as well. Some of the older girls began to laugh at her, which only made her cry harder. "I want my Momma and Daddy," she whimpered, as huge tears rolled down her cheeks.
"You ain't got a momma and daddy, that's why you're here," one of the older girls replied.
"But I do got a Momma and a Daddy. Miss Rae and Mr. Spot are my momma and daddy. Where am I?" she whimpered.
"This is an orphanage kiddo," one of the nicer older girls replied. "And you're only here if you don't got parents."
Ann wiped away her tears. "Where's Andy?"
"Who's that?"
"Her boyfriend?"
"She's too little to have a boyfriend, you dolt!"
Ann sniffled and wiped her nose. "Andy's my brother."
"Oh, he's probably in the boys' room," the nice girl explained.
"Can I go see him?" Ann asked.
The girl shook her head. "I'm sorry, kid, we ain't allowed to see the boys."
"But... but how will he know I'm safe?... I want to see Andy!"
"You can't. We get a beating if we go over there."
She stared at the girl fearfully. "Why do they do that?"
"Because it's against the rules."
"But... but..."
"Get up off the floor, get dressed and make your bed. They'll be coming in for inspection soon."
She stared at the girl, terrified and confused.
"Do you want a beating?" the girl asked.
"No!" she squeaked, jumping to her feet.
"Then put that uniform on," she said, pointing to the gray dress hanging on the end of the bed, "and make your bed."
Scrambling over to the dress, still completely terrified, Ann wriggled into the dress and made her bed.
The older girl came back over and tucked the old gray woolen blanket a little bit tighter. She held out her hand to Ann, "Come on, we have to go downstairs for inspection and if we are late we won't get any breakfast."
She latched tightly onto the girl's hand and followed her down the stairs.
* * *
"Wake up, kid!"
Andy woke to the harsh voice of someone who was roughly shaking him.
With a startled cry, Andy began struggling against whoever was shaking him. "Lemme go! Lemme go, muttonhead!" he yelled, borrowing a term he had heard Chris and Julie exchange frequently.
"Get up and get dressed." the voice said, roughly.
His eyes popped open and he was looking at a boy around Julie's age, with a mop of red hair and bitter green eyes. "Who... who are you?"
"Pat. Unless you like getting beat, then I suggest you get out of bed and get dressed."
Andy quickly scrambled into action, looking around uncertainly. "What is this place? That man in the carriage said he was taking me and Ann back home... and this isn't home..."
"It's the Pleasant Valley Orphanage, kid. Welcome to your new home."
He stared at Pat. "O... Orphanage?.... But Ann and I have a mommy and daddy..."
"Not if you're here."
"But... but!" he scowled. "Stupid Ann! I TOLD her we shouldn't ride with that man."
Pat looked at him, questioningly. "Who's Ann?"
"My sister.... we're twins."
Pat nodded. "Well, you can just forget about her. You won't be seeing her again."
He gave him a startled look. "Why not? She's my sister... Why can't I see her?"
"We boys are in one building and the girls are in another."
"But she's gonna be scared! She gets scared a lot, you know... I have to protect her!"
"There is nothing you can do, kid. Let's go or we'll be late."
Andy frowned deeply and followed Pat.
* * *
Chris followed Spot as they searched the woods surrounding the house again. "Where could they be?" Chris asked.
"I don't know... I have no idea... I mean, how far could two five year olds get in a day?"
"We've searched the woods in all directions half a mile from the house. They aren't here, Spot."
"I KNOW that," he snapped. "What I'm trying to figure out is WHERE they could have gone, and I don't know!" He stomped his foot in frustration and sat on a tree stump.
"I want to know whose bright idea it was to leave."
"Who knows..." He shrugged. "Who cares? I just want those kids standing right here before me, right now."
"It's starting to get dark, Spot. We need to head back. What's Rae gonna say when we don't have them with us?"
"I don't know what she's going to say... There are a million things she could say..."
Chris sighed. "Tonight is going to be an unpleasant one."
Spot nodded in agreement. "If that ain't the truth..." He sighed and stood up. "Come on... let's go back."
Chris sent him a look, "Do we HAVE to go back?"
"Yes... Do you realize what Rae would do if WE didn't go back as well?"
Chris sighed. "I guess you're right. Let's go."
Spot motioned for him to come along and together they returned to the house.
Rae was pacing the porch with a Kendra, who was tightly bundled in a blanket to keep away the cool night air. Where were they? Shouldn't they be back by now? So help her, if they turned up missing, she'd kill Spot! Kendra whimpered and Rae shifted the baby. "It's alright sweetheart." Movement across the grass, near the edge of the woods caught her attention and she stared at it until she could make out two forms crossing towards the house. As quickly as she could, she gave Kendra to Julie, who was sitting at her side, and ran across the yard to meet them.
"Did you find them?" she asked, as she ran toward them.
Slowly, Spot shook his head, holding up his hands to catch her before she plowed into them. "No... no, we didn't."
"How far did you look? Spot, they have to be out there somewhere. Children just don't disappear."
"We looked about as far as we assumed two children could get during a day. All through the woods... up and down the road in either direction... they weren't found..." Before she could say anything he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Chris groaned and went to join Julie on the porch.
Taking a deep breath, Rae began crying, beating him on the chest with her fist. "Find them, find them, find them!"
He pulled her closer so that she couldn't move. "I'm trying, Darling, I'm trying."
"Well you're not trying hard enough! They're out there, they have to be!" She rested her head on his shoulder, slipping her arms around his neck. "Why us? Why them?"
"I don't know, Rae," he said, stroking her hair. "But we WILL find them."
"I want them back now," she sniffled.
"I know, Baby, I want them back now too. I would give anything to have them back with us."
"What are we going to do? Where else is there to look?"
"I have no idea."
After a long pause, she asked, "You... don't think they somehow got to town, do you?"
"Unless they got a ride, I doubt it. Ann's pretty scared of strangers."
"Ann's scared of everything, but they managed to runaway-.... Spot... what if they left because they didn't like us? I mean... I spanked Ann a couple of times and she was almost afraid of me... Do they hate us? Do they hate me?"
"Shh. They don't hate us. They don't hate you. Ann wasn't afraid of you, remember those nights she woke up screaming for you?"
"But there has to be a reason they left. What else could there be?"
"Who knows, Rae. But once we find them, we'll find out."
"IF we find them," she murmured.
He tilted her head so that she was looking him in the eye. "We WILL find them."
She looked at him for a moment longer and then shifted her weight. "We'd better get back inside. It's cold and you, Chris, and Julie must be hungry..."
He made her look at him again, "Did you eat anything today?" he asked, sternly.
"I slept. You said one or the other."
"I want you to eat something now."
She frowned. "You should talk... you didn't sleep either and I don't think you ate much of anything."
"I'm going to go eat right now. And you are going to eat too, if I have to feed you myself."
With a sigh, she nodded her consent. "All right... I'll try to eat something... It may not be much, but it'll be something."
He wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you."
"Spot?" she asked, as he buried his face in her hair.
"Hmm?" He arched his brows inquisitively and looked at her.
"Kendra's sick. I think it's the cow's milk. She's been spitting it up all day and she's been cranky."
"I thought babies drank milk.... What's the difference?"
"I don't know. I guess the cow's milk is too strong for her stomach."
Spot frowned. "Well.... what are we going to do? I mean... if we can't feed her the milk... and I don't think babies eat anything else, do they?"
She shook her head. "I don't know what to do, Spot."
His frown deepened. "Well.... we may as well keep giving her the milk because we can't starve her to death..."
"She's not drinking any of it, Spot. She spits all right back up. I think we should take her to the doctor in the morning."
He nodded, leading her into the house. "That we shall... or one of us should while the other one continues the search."
Rae took the baby from Julie, who scampered off to go set the table.
Spot touched the miserable infant's cheek. "If only your stupid mother hadn't run off..."
Rae looked up at him, "Spot, please don't talk about Molly like that in front of her. We may not be happy with Molly, but Kendra will never know that if I can help it."
"She doesn't even understand what I'm saying."
She gave him a look.
"All right, all right.."
She placed her free hand gently on his scarred cheek, "Thank you." He grumbled but gave her a half smile. She leaned up and gently kissed him. "Come on, we are going to feed you and then you are going to bed, mister."
"Me? YOU'RE the one who needs to eat some." But he followed her anyway because his stomach was growling viciously.
"Where's Chris?" Rae asked as they walked into the kitchen.
"He went to milk the cow." Julie answered.
Spot smiled. "He's turning out okay after all."
"Sit," Rae ordered. "I'll fix you something to eat."
"Mm, no... I want to be in there, watching- and helping. I want to see you snacking on little bits of dinner before you eat."
"I wanted you to hold Kendra, while I fixed your dinner."
"Oh, I'll hold her... I'm just going to watch and be your peanut gallery." He smiled.
"Fine," she smiled, carefully handing the baby to him.
Spot shifted Kendra in his arms carefully and followed Rae into the kitchen.
"We need to find another cradle," Rae said, while fixing dinner. "That way we can have one for down here and leave the other one up in our room."
"Maybe Chris the carpenter can build us one."
She smiled at him over her shoulder, "Maybe you can help him."
"Mm, maybe... I almost smashed my thumb off helping him build that tree house back on who-knows-where island."
She laughed, "Wish I could have been there to see that. Bet you were cursing up a storm."
He smiled. "Then it's a good thing you weren't, because you wouldn't have been pleased to hear me say all of it."
"It's not like I haven't heard you say stuff like that before."
"Oh, but you haven't." He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "So, what's for dinner tonight?"
"Just some sandwiches. I didn't think anyone would want a lot to eat."
He managed to laugh briefly. "Safe choice, my dear."
The back door flew open and Chris came stumbling in. "There's.....there's...there's a....."
"A what?" Rae asked.
"Another cow?" Spot only half-kidded.
"No.... a... a.. girl! A girl! In the barn! And... and... she's..." He made a face. "She's really sick... I mean... really...." He made retching motions.
Spot handed the baby to Julie and took off running out the door, Rae close on his heels.
"Is there something about us that just attracts strangers to us?" he asked, entering the barn. He stopped short when he saw the girl in the barn. "You!"
Rae gasped at the sight of the girl who had caused them so much trouble in the last few days. She pushed Spot aside and knelt next to Molly. "How long have you been here?" she asked, pulling the ill girl up to a sitting position.
She winced.
Molly groaned and her head rolled to the side as sweat dripped down her face.
"Is she having another baby?" Chris asked.
"No," Rae answered, "She shouldn't have tried to run away so soon after having Kendra. She shouldn't have even gotten out of bed for a few more days."
Molly moaned and threw up a little in the hay. Chris made a face and retreated. "I'm outta here."
Rae turned to Spot, "Carry her inside for me. We can't leave her out here any longer."
Spot scowled very slightly and scooped the girl up. "If you weren't sick little girl, I'd soak you," he muttered, though it was likely Molly didn't hear him.
He followed Rae into the house and up the stairs. He set her on the bed in the spare room.
Molly groaned and rolled onto her side, curling up tightly and shivering.
Rae turned to Spot, "Go get one of my nightgowns and some more quilts."
He nodded and disappeared from the room.
Rae sat on the edge of the bed, "Why did you leave, Molly?"
She turned her bleary eyes on Rae. "I can't stay," she croaked.
"You have to Molly. You can barely hold your head up right now. Besides there is a newborn baby downstairs who needs you."
She shook her head slowly, murmuring "no, no... no baby... they'll be mad... no baby..."
"Shh! Molly, you have no choice. You are the only one who can feed that baby."
She tossed her head back and forth a few more times before slipping into a restless sleep.
There was a soft knock at the door as Spot entered the room.
"How's our new, particularly infuriating patient?" he asked, handing Rae the nightgown and setting the blankets at the foot of the bed.
"Sleeping right now," Rae said, "She's got a pretty high fever."
"How long do you think she was there?"
"I'm hoping that she's been there since she took off, but I don't think that's the case. She probably tried to make it back into town, but got turned around and ended up back in our barn."
"Do you think she could have seen the twins?"
"It's a possibility," Rae said. She turned to him, "Go get something to eat and then get some sleep. You were up all night last night."
"So were you. I'm not going to sleep until I see you eat something."
"I've got to stay here with Molly."
"Then I'm bringing you something. And you WILL eat it."
"Fine. Now get," she said, pushing him toward the door, "I have to get Molly out of those filthy clothes."
He nodded. "I'll be back in a few."
She kissed his scarred cheek. "I love you."
"That's no way to kiss me." He tilted her chin and kissed her lips. "I love you too... and I'll love you more when you eat." He smiled and headed off to the kitchen. She smiled and shook her head as she turned back to Molly. She changed Molly out of her clothes and into the nightgown, before tucking the extra quilts around her. One good way to get rid of a fever was to sweat it out.
She sat next to the bed, waiting for Spot, wondering what possessed this girl to behave in the odd ways she was behaving. Spot returned several minutes later with two sandwiches.
"Don't trust me, Conlon?" Rae asked with a grin.
"Not quite," he teased, kissing her cheek and placing a sandwich in her hand.
She took a bite as he pulled a chair over beside the bed.
"So, do you think I ought to run for a doctor?" He nodded towards Molly.
"Not right away. If she gets any worse, I'll let you go."
Nodding, Spot took a huge bite from his sandwich.
"Spot, why do you think she ran?"
He took a moment to swallow and shrugged. "From us you mean?"
"Yes."
"I don't know... Maybe there's a deeper reason why she didn't want Kendra... or maybe she thought we would turn her in to ... whoever she was hiding from."
"I just wish I knew."
"We'll ask once she's feeling better."
Rae nodded. "I'm going to sit up with her tonight, but I'm going to leave Kendra in our room, just in case Molly has something that she can catch."
Spot nodded. "All right. I guess that's my cue to leave. Love you... try to get a little sleep tonight, okay?"
She stood and followed him to the door. "I love you, Spot."
He hugged her. "Don't make YOURSELF sick, okay? Sleep tight...."
He turned to leave, but she caught his arm, "You aren't going to get off that easy, mister."
He smiled. "And what does that mean?"
"I expect a good-night kiss."
"Is that so?"
She nodded. "That IS so."
He chuckled and gave her a warm kiss. "Goodnight sweetheart."
"Goodnight, love."
He left the room and went to bed.
Rae sighed and walked back over to Molly. "First you disappear, then the twins, then you show up again sick. Nothing better happen to those two."
* * *
The next morning, Spot woke up to the sounds of nothing. Sitting up slowly, he glanced over to find Kendra peacefully asleep- something he didn't expect, but grateful for it. Stifling a yawn, he climbed out of bed and headed upstairs to where Rae and Molly were. Rae was curled up in a wing-backed chair beside the bed, sound asleep, a book about to fall from the hand that was hanging over the edge of the chair. He smiled, pleased that she had actually slept, and went over to take the book from her hand, kissing her forehead gently. She stirred slightly and nearly tumbled from the chair.
Catching her arm, he helped steady her. "Easy, easy."
"What time is it?" she whispered, settling herself back in the chair.
"It's about 8:30," he whispered in reply, setting her book aside.
She nodded and then grinned up at him, "How about holding me while no one is awake to protest?"
He laughed quietly, sitting next to her and slipping his arms around her waist. "I think I can do that. We need more time like this, don't you think?"
"Yep."
"How did everything go last night?"
"I had to wake her up a couple of times to feed Kendra, but for the most part she slept. I think her fever broke early this morning."
"That's my little doctor," he said with a smile, kissing her.
She smiled, "That was nice. How about another one?"
"Can't argue with that... doctor's orders," he teased, kissing her again.
"Hmm....I may have to order that more often," she said, leaning to kiss him.
"Maybe you will."
She snuggled up in his arms. "I miss them, Spot," she whispered, as tears filled her eyes.
"Shh," he whispered, stroking her hair gently. "I know you do. I do too."
"Do you think we'll ever find them? Honestly?"
He nodded. "Yes. Honestly. There isn't far two five year olds could go. They have to be somewhere in this town. No train would ever let them board by themselves.... and I doubt they'd think to jump one either." Her shoulders began to shake as tears silently rolled down her cheeks. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back soothingly. "Everything will be fine," he whispered.
"I want to believe you, Spot, I really do, I just can't."
"I know... it's okay."
"Spot, I know you told me not to think about it, but what if something did happen to them?"
"Then we'll just have to pray we'll find them before something worse happens."
"I don't know what I would do if we lost them forever."
He hugged her tightly. "Don't think of it."
She sighed and buried her head in the fabric of his shirt. He kissed the top of her head and remained silent. They heard the faint sound of Kendra's crying from their room across the hall.
"So much for quiet," Rae muttered, as she stood.
Spot smiled. "It's okay. It's what we're gonna have to get used to.. and learn to take advantage of the quiet time when we have it."
She bent down and gave him another quick kiss. "If you go get Kendra, I'll wake Molly."
"Sounds like a plan."
Rae walked over to the bed, "Come on, Molly," she said, gently shaking the girl. "It's time to feed Kendra again."
"Uzzah...." Molly rolled over to face Rae with a groan. "Can't I sleep?" she murmured, struggling to sit up.
"Nope, you are the only one who can feed that baby."
Molly groaned again. "This ain't fair... I'm so tired..."
"It's your own fault, Molly girl. You shouldn't have run off so soon after Kendra was born."
Molly wrinkled her nose and pushed herself further up as Spot brought Kendra in. "Who is he?" she asked, sending Spot an uneasy look.
"He's my husband... don't you be looking at him that way girlie, or.... or you'll be sorry."
"He's too ugly anyway," Molly muttered, taking the baby from him.
Spot shot her a glare. "I'll have you know, I-"
Rae rested a hand on his arm. "Spot... not now..."
"And what kind of name is Spot?" Molly demanded.
He scowled at her and opened his mouth to reply. Immediately, Rae pushed him from the room, before he lost his temper and shut the door behind them. She looked up at Spot, "Don't argue with her."
"She called me ugly!"
She slipped her arms around him. "Who cares what she thinks?"
He grumbled under his breath for a moment longer, still annoyed that this girl called him ugly, but finally sighed and nodded. "So long as she doesn't say it again."
"I'll talk to her," Rae said. She looked up at him, "I don't think you're ugly."
He smiled, kissing her. "Thank you."
"I love you," she whispered, before kissing him back.
"Love you too... I'll be downstairs taking care of breakfast. Want me to bring you and that brat anything?"
"Please. I don't want to leave her alone with Kendra for more than a minute."
"Will do. Be back in a few."
She sighed as she watched him head toward the stairs, before she went back into Molly's room.
The girl was studying the baby in her arms without expression on her face. When she heard the door enter, she looked up and silently watched Rae walk in.
"We are going to have a talk, young lady, so get comfortable," Rae said, sitting on the bed in front of Molly.
Molly watched her and frowned, scooting over some so Rae could sit comfortably.
"First, you will watch the walk you talk to Spot. If he hadn't been here, you would probably be out in the barn, dead."
She swallowed hard and glanced away.
"Now, you are the only one who can feed that baby, and you are going to do it. If I hear anymore complaining, we will take you into town and turn you over to the police for breaking and entering, and for stealing from us."
"Well YOU broke in too. This isn't YOUR house..."
"And how would you know that?" Rae snapped.
"Because this is the KRINGLE'S house, and all the Kringle kids were grown up... way older than you two."
"So you ARE from around here."
"Yeah...."
"You wouldn't happen to know any hiding places where our twins could be, would you?"
She gave Rae a puzzled look. "Twins?"
"Yes... one of them was the girl you threatened to hurt if she mentioned you.... which, by the way, I will NOT tolerate."
Molly frowned. "I..... I think... I saw.... them... talking to a man..."
"What man? Where? Did they go somewhere with him?"
She looked taken aback by Rae's influx in questioning. "I... I don't know.. I don't remember... I barely remember seeing them. I was sick, okay?"
"Please, try to remember," Rae pleaded
Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head. "I don't know.... It was a man with a curly moustache... I think it was Mr. Anderson, but I'm not sure...."
"Who's Mr. Anderson?"
"He's a grouchy man.... I think he works for the orphanage.... keeps trying to send me there..."
"Why?"
"Because my father is a fisherman and he isn't home much and mama died a few years ago.... My father has some sort of problem with Mr. Anderson, so he doesn't like me either."
"Why would he take the twins? Why wouldn't he just bring them to us?"
"'Cause he's a mean man, that's why.... and he probably doesn't know they belong to you."
"Where is the orphanage?"
"Um.. The corner of Baker Street and Magnolia Drive, I think..."
There was a knock at the door. "Rae," Spot called from the hall, "I've got breakfast."
Quickly, she rushed out the door. "I think I know where the twins might be!"
"Where?" he asked. "Just come on!" she said grabbing his hand and pulled him toward the stairs. As they reached the top of the stairs, the front door flew open and the twins came running in.