The Other Child (6 page)

Chairs were set up in rows at the side of the house. Karen took her place at the portable phonograph and blushed uncomfortably. She had heard Bud’s rude remark. Perhaps musical chairs was a little childish for this group, but the caterers had provided the chairs and it was an easy game to engineer. Musical chairs was a game she remembered from her own childhood.

She faced the group of assembled children. “There are twenty-six of you and twenty-five chairs. Form a line and parade around the chairs until the music stops. Then grab a chair. If you don’t get a chair, you’re out. At the end of the game, only one person will be left and there’s a special prize. All set? Let’s go!”

Leslie marched in a line with the rest of the children. She kept her eye on Bud Allen and Gary Wilson. They were whispering to each other about something and Leslie didn’t like the looks of it. She hoped they weren’t going to start any trouble. She didn’t trust either of them to act nice even at a party.

The music stopped and pandemonium reigned for a moment. There was a burst of laughter as the kids scrambled for seats.

“Ouch! Cut it out, Bud!” Susie gave a squeal as she landed on the grass. “That was my chair, you ape. You can’t pick it up when I’m already sitting in it!”

“Let’s be careful, boys,” Karen cautioned, starting the music again. The strains of a Sousa march floated across the lawn and the children dutifully paraded around the row of chairs again. Susie was glowering on the sidelines and Leslie felt sorry for her. Bud had been playing much too rough.

When the music stopped the second time, there was another scramble for seats, and this time Taffy was the victim.

“You cheated!” She stamped her foot hard on the ground and made a face at Gary Wilson. “You tipped me right out of my chair! Look . . . you got dirt on my best dress!”

“We’ll spot-clean it before you go home, honey.” Karen drew the angry redhead aside. Then she went over to Bud and Gary and took both smirking boys by the arms.

“Please try to be careful, boys. This is supposed to be a game, not a battle.”

“Sure enough, Mrs. Houston,” Bud replied, flashing her a grin. “Guess we just don’t know our own strength, huh, Gary?”

Karen sighed and walked back to the phonograph. Even though the boys had seemed agreeable enough, she sensed trouble. She’d be sure to keep her eye on them this round.

“Let’s get Leslie this time,” Bud whispered under his breath. “Don’t let anyone see you do it, though. We’ll pay her back for siccing Taffy on me that day at the vacant lot.”

Another chair was removed and the music started again. Leslie glanced around for Bud and Gary, but she didn’t see them in the crowd. Maybe the warning her mother had given them had done some good. At least they wouldn’t dare pick on her with Mom and Mike right here.

“Ouch!” Leslie gasped, tears springing quickly to her eyes. Someone had elbowed her in the back. A moment passed and another shove made her stumble. The kids were piling up at the end of the row chairs and she looked back to see Gary grinning at her. She was sure he was the one who had shoved her.

Leslie walked a little faster, attempting to put several other kids between Gary and herself, but he followed just as fast. She was getting a little frightened now. Bud Allen was there, too, right behind Gary.

Karen watched, but it was difficult to pick out Leslie in the crowd of laughing children. Perhaps her little talk with the boys had helped. They were apparently behaving themselves now.

Karen looked away for a moment to switch off the music. That was when it happened. She heard Leslie’s sharp cry; and when she looked up, her daughter was facedown on the grass, the sleeve of her birthday dress ripped at the seam.

“He pushed me!” Leslie accused, glaring at Bud. “Both of them did! Make them go home, Mike—they’re awful!”

“That’s enough, Leslie!” Mike’s voice was sharper than he had intended, but he didn’t want Leslie to make a scene. There was a sudden stillness as all the children stopped talking and waited to see what would happen.

“I’ll take care of it, Karen.” Mike helped Leslie to her feet. “You start a different game and I’ll see that Leslie gets cleaned up. Just go on playing, kids. Leslie’s not hurt.”

With a hand on her shoulder, Mike hurried Leslie toward the house. He heard Karen’s voice explaining the next game and the children laughed as they started to play. He was embarrassed at the scene Leslie had made. The boys were a little too rough, but that was natural for boys their age. Leslie had acted as if they’d personally attacked her. Taffy and Susie hadn’t made that much of a fuss when they were pushed down.

“Come on now, Leslie. It’s not that bad.” Mike shook his head as he opened the door for his stepdaughter. “Your mother can fix your dress and it was an accident.”

“It was on purpose!” Leslie’s voice was stubborn. “I’m not going back out there until they leave!”

“They’re guests, Leslie.” Mike’s voice was sharp. “It’s not polite to ask an invited guest to leave, you know that. You’ll never make any friends here if you do something like that!”

As he spoke, Mike ushered Leslie up the stairs and into her room. He smoothed her hair and wiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek.

“Now, put on another dress, honey.” He gave her a quick hug. “I know how you must feel, but you do have to go back to the party. You’re the birthday girl and you have an obligation to your guests.”

Leslie’s mouth dropped open in surprise as Mike spoke. The Cold Spring kids were more important to him than she was. It made her feel as if they were choosing up sides, and Mike was on theirs.

“Hurry up now, Leslie.” Mike’s voice was firm as he turned to leave. “We’re going to have lunch in a couple of minutes. After that you’ll cut the cake. Now, be a good sport and let everyone see you know how to act.”

As the door closed behind Mike, Leslie drew a deep breath and dried her eyes. There was no use arguing. She’d have to go back to the party, but she didn’t have to like it.

Scowling, Leslie dressed quickly in a silk blouse and a skirt. She glanced at her key on the dressing table and on an impulse dropped it into one of the deep pockets of her skirt. Maybe it would bring her luck. Somehow she had to get through the rest of this afternoon. If she didn’t go back out there with a smile on her face, Mike would be mad at her.

Several children stared at her when she reappeared, but no one spoke to her. Leslie calmly watched the game, fixing her face into a proper smile. If Mike wanted her to be a good sport, she’d do it, but she’d get even with Bud and Gary somehow. Maybe it wouldn’t be today, but she’d never forget how mean they’d been.

Leslie looked over to find that Bud and Gary were talking to Mike now—making up excuses, probably; she could tell from the relieved look on Mike’s face. All three of them headed her way. Leslie tried to duck into an opening in the crowd of children, but Mike put his hand on her arm.

“Leslie? Bud and Gary want to apologize for being so rough. They told me how sorry they are that you got hurt.”

Mike grinned down at the two boys. Then he tipped Leslie’s face up to look at him. “Now, what do you say, Leslie?”

All three of them were looking at her and Leslie felt hot and uncomfortable. Bud and Gary didn’t look sorry at all. They were almost smirking as they stared at her.

Mike was waiting. Leslie knew she was supposed to say something nice. The moment stretched, tense and silent, until she couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I . . . it’s all right,” Leslie managed to force out.

“Well, now that that’s settled”—Mike gave Leslie an approving nod—“let’s go get something to eat, guys. I think they’re bringing out the food right now.”

Leslie stood still and bit her lip. She was getting that bad feeling again. Mike was on their side and she just didn’t understand it. Somehow these Cold Spring kids had managed to fool Mike, but they didn’t fool her for one minute. They were still the meanest kids she’d ever met. It was just hidden underneath their phony party manners. And the girls were just as bad as the boys. She saw the way Taffy and Mary Ellen huddled on the edge of the games, looking at her. They’d poke Susie and whisper and then all three of them would giggle. All conversation stopped when she approached a group, and most of the kids, even the ones she didn’t know, looked uncomfortable. That proved they were all talking about her behind her back.

Leslie did her best to keep smiling, but her face felt as if it were cemented into place. Lunch was over quickly and it was time for the cake. Leslie swallowed nervously. She’d be the center of attention again and everyone would stare at her.

“Time for the birthday girl to blow out her candles!” Karen announced brightly, stepping out to the middle of the lawn with the cake. It was enormous, enough for seconds and even thirds, made of frosted ice cream in the shape of a clown.

Karen made her way through the crowd of whispering children and set the cake on the table draped with streamers. She was smiling gaily.

“Make a wish, darling, and blow out your candles. Then we can all have a piece of your yummy strawberry cake!”

Leslie made her way on stiff legs to the table. She felt hot and prickly all over and slightly dizzy. She knew everyone was watching her as she approached the huge cake and there was a smothered giggle from the children as she stumbled slightly on the uneven grass.

“Wish for something wonderful, honey,” Karen whispered in Leslie’s ear. “Birthday wishes always come true.”

The candles on the huge cake were flickering brightly and Leslie squinted as she took her place behind it. Moments before there hadn’t been a cloud in the sky, but suddenly the afternoon had turned overcast and gray. The pinpoints of flickering candlelight hurt her eyes and Leslie knew she had never felt so lonely. These kids didn’t want to be here at her birthday party. They didn’t like her at all. They had only come because their parents had told them to be polite.

“Shut your eyes and make a wish, honey!” Mike called out, his camera ready. “Everyone’s waiting.”

Leslie shut her eyes to block out the shimmering candles. Her mind was blank and she couldn’t think of anything to wish for. Instinctively, her fingers curled around the key in her pocket and she squeezed it tightly. At least one good thing had happened today. She had found the key, even though she hadn’t met Christopher yet.

Yes, you have.
The voice was faint and crackling, like that of someone talking over a telephone with a very bad connection.
I’m Christopher. Just hold the key and I’m with you.

Leslie opened her eyes, startled, but she knew that no one at the party had spoken. No one else had heard the voice, either. They were all standing there quietly, waiting for her to blow out the candles. The distant voice was inside her own head. She was imagining the whole thing. It was what her mother called wishful thinking.

“What’s taking her so long?” She heard Bud’s low voice.

“She’s so dumb, she can’t think of anything to wish for.” Gary laughed out loud as he replied.

It wasn’t true! Leslie shut her eyes and squeezed the key hard. Now she knew exactly what to wish. She’d wish that the party would end right now. And she’d wish that these horrid kids would feel just as miserable as she did.

“Blow all the candles out, honey!” Karen said, raising her voice. She couldn’t imagine what was the matter with Leslie. She was standing there, staring at the cake, stiff and still.

At last Leslie moved. The small golden-haired girl bent over and gazed at the top of the cake, where ten candles blazed brightly. Her eyes were half closed, as if the light hurt them. She stared for a moment, swaying slightly, and then she pursed her lips and blew a soft stream of air that was more like a sigh.

“Harder, darling!” Karen coached. As she watched, the candles wavered and grew brighter. Then they flickered out as if some unseen hand were snuffing them one by one.

Up here, Leslie . . . in the tree. I’ll make your birthday wish come true.

This time the voice didn’t startle her. It was as if she had been expecting it to continue. She raised her eyes and saw the old grayish-white hornets’ nest Mike had sprayed days ago. He had said it was empty, but he was taking no chances. A hornet’s sting was painful and they could sting you over and over again. It paid to be doubly careful when you were dealing with hornets.

Even though there was no noticeable breeze, the hornets’ nest swayed back and forth like a pendulum. As Leslie stared at it, the other children began to look up, too.

“Hey! Look at that!” Bud’s voice was a whisper, but everyone heard him in the sudden stillness.

“It’s moving! Get back, girls—I think it’s going to fall!” Karen pulled Susie and Mary Ellen back a few steps.

“Don’t worry about it, kids.” Mike’s voice was loud and reassuring. “I sprayed it last week and the hornets are dead. There’s nothing to worry about at all. It’s just the wind. Come on, Leslie—let’s cut the cake!”

Mike moved a few steps toward Leslie, but all eyes were on the swaying hornets’ nest. Leaves rustled as the branch swung harder and one of the children screamed. Then there was a sharp crack as the branch snapped and the cone fell, landing on the table only inches from the birthday cake.

“Too bad it didn’t fall right on the cake!” Gary remarked, laughing loudly. “Or maybe right on top of Leslie’s head.”

Leslie stood perfectly still, staring at the hornets’ nest intently. Her eyes were huge and dark. Through the buzzing in her ears, she heard the children’s laughter and she wished harder than ever. There should be hornets in the nest. Then they wouldn’t be laughing at her like this.

Her fingers gripped the key tightly; and as she wished, a low whine began to emanate from the nest. The sound rose in volume and pitch and one by one the children began to scream as fat, healthy hornets emerged from the paper cone with an angry buzz.

“Hornets! Let’s get out of here!” Bud’s voice was high and frightened. “Run, you guys!
Run!
”

They were running even before Bud’s urgent warning, pushing and shoving wildly to escape the menacing whine. Leslie watched them all panic, shoving and scrambling to get out of the way as the swarm of hornets descended. The crowd of angry insects was attacking now, chasing the children as they fled from the yard.