One firm tug on that last shoestring to get her new shoes secured. School today. Alice's bag overwhelms her. She didn't need one so big. One day she'll fill it to bursting. She's excited to play with the other kids.
Gunshots and car accidents with a bit of alien testing on the side fill her primary school years. Lucia, now 'Mary', asks me not to come around as often. I post my check instead.
Tenth birthday and something's wrong. I had been in Lebanon and was a day late to post her check. The front door was open and they were gone.
The phone rang. Alex hated personal calls during work time; especially when there was a hostage situation going on. They were safe and home. It was just a scare. Melissa Alice was fine. Italy was lovely.
We hide in the shed. I tell her it's a game.
A little girl and her baby brother's corpses silence the warm Hub. I call, but they're having tea. Apparently now's not the time.
Lucia's going gray. She frets over it and says she's going to dye it. She stands in the mirror and lets me hold her close. The phone rings.