Fall 2009

After they returned home from ECM, Sara managed to make those banana pancakes for brunch. She also reprimanded Samara for wandering off. At the same time, she blamed herself for losing sight of her daughter in a large, crowded place. It all led to the "stranger danger" conversation. Later that night, Samara woke up crying. Her mother walked around the house, rocking her back and forth in her arms. This obviously didn't work as the wailing grew into loud screams. Sara had to think of something. It was an unlikely choice for her to sing "Golden Slumbers". It was a lullaby; the Beatles just weren't her usual flavor. Still, the fussy toddler ultimately fell back asleep. The peace she was feeling didn't last as this incident became more recurrent.

The Juilliard alumna received word that her initial payment to the movers came through. They would come from LIC to Englewood within a week. It was fortunate for her that she found employment at home as a proofreader six days after the ECM. On the other hand, she wouldn't get her first paycheck until next month. Sara couldn't leave Samara with neighbors like she did when she was working in LIC. The 21-month-old knew them, Zoe, and Franz well. In Englewood, only her occasionally visible grandfather and Derek who she met twice were recognizable. The latter bothered her mother the most since she already had problems without him. Especially with the sleepless nights, it was impossible to cope under these circumstances.

A copy of Samara's medical records was forwarded to her new pediatrician in August. Sara hadn't met Dr. Mavis Freeman before. She just knew that she was Dr. Elizabeth Bennett's ex-colleague who relocated to the South Side in 2007. The Johnsons entered the free clinic in late September. Its waiting room was the same as before: stuffy and overcrowded. A few disparaging glances from other visitors were shot in the single white mother's direction. She rolled her eyes and returned her attention to the babbling toddler on her lap.

Someone suddenly called, "Samara Angel Johnson?" Sara firmly held her daughter's hand as they walk to the far end of the room. Standing at the threshold was a woman with caramel brown skin, hazel eyes, and a black pixie cut. She impassively queried, "Is she Samara Johnson?"

"Yes, and I'm her mother."

The doctor seemed to be uninterested in learning this. For her, it was a regular day with a patient. "Right this way." They enter an unoccupied consultation room. Samara was situated on the examination couch, though it took Sara to keep her sitting still. Dr. Freeman reviewed the files she had in hand before she spoke to the Juilliard alumna. "It says here your daughter's well-child checkup isn't for another two months."

"Yeah, but I don't know who else to talk to." She divulged in detail about Samara having nightmares. "Last night, she wasn't fully asleep until three in the morning."

"I see. Did Samara exhibit this kind of behavior before?"

"No; she was mostly sleeping well."

"Have you changed her sleep schedule?"

"No. It has been the same."

This piqued Dr. Freeman's interest a bit. "Do you remember when this all started?"

"It was 12 days ago after I nearly lost her at the ECM, but I think it was just because she's still adjusted to being in a new state."

"Was there any reason for her to have separation anxiety?"

Sara grimaced at her question. She knew her answer could bite her hard in the ass. "When we were still living in New York, I had asked one of my neighbors to watch her while I went to work." The single mother noticed the doctor scribbling something on her notepad. "What are you writing down?"

"Calm down, nosey. I'm just taking notes. How does Samara respond to anyone other than you?"

"She usually likes engaging with people. I don't think there's one person she doesn't like."

Dr. Freeman stood up and looked her in the eye. "Miss Johnson, I believe your daughter's nightmares are brought up by a traumatic event."

"Trauma? How…"

She led them back to the waiting room. "Look out for possible triggers, keep tracking her sleeping patterns, and have her to communicate with you if she has another one. You can update me on your findings in December."

Mid-Fall 2009

The movers arrived several days after Samara turned 22 months old. Sara only allowed a certain amount of their belongings into the house. Anything that would clash with Roy's style were placed in storage. The single mother sold the unnecessary items in a rummage sale. She reserved the earnings for the mortgage payment due this year. Sara paid off some of her father's debts with the refunded security deposit. She took a big risk when she decided to give Samara her old bedroom. She refashioned a vacant space down the hall as her own, leaving Roy's room untouched.

"You've been very busy this week," Zoe commented one day over the phone.

"You're telling me. How's Franz?"

"He came back from Brooklyn three weeks ago. We're going out tonight after rehearsals. So, what's Mara doing?"

"She's watching T.V. in the living room." Although Sara followed Dr. Freeman's instructions, she hadn't uncovered anything that could be traumatic. She gave Samara paper and a box of crayons for her to draw. While her doodles didn't provide any clues, they were hung on her bedroom walls and the refrigerator.

"How does she like her new room?"

"She's still adjusting to it; she's happier to have all her toys here." Suddenly, Samara's loud cry pulled Sara away from their conversation. "Zoe, I'm gonna have to call you later." She hung up and ran to her daughter's side. Her landing on the floor was awkward at best. "Samara? What's wrong?" The single mother looked over at the television box. A man with a battered face was featured on a news report.

"The victim, Harvey Donaldson, was allegedly leaving with a child at Lily Gardens Park before a group of eyewitnesses assaulted him," the newscaster announced. "Police are looking to press charges against those involved. There are ongoing claims that the youth Donaldson almost left with wasn't his. If confirmed, this would've been the 8th in a growing list of child kidnappings."

Sara turned off the television afterwards. She reassured the screaming toddler with a hug. Samara had her snack a while later. It was before naptime an uncomfortable conversation was born. "Sweetie, did you see that scary man on the T.V. before?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Where?"

"Mart." That word alone clicked inside Sara's head. She didn't know where Samara was or what happened that day at the ECM. Yet she knew one other person who had the whole story.

A/N: I pray you'll see this amid the Type 1 Error situation.