10.

 

Marcus tore open the red-and-yellow wrapping paper as the other children looked on. Sadie sat at his side shoving stray paper into the trash can. Who would've thought that seven children could make so much noise?

Today Marcus turned six. He always had small parties. He was allowed to invite one child for every year of his life. This was Kevin's idea because that's the way his parents had handled his parties when he was a child. At first Sadie protested, but as the years went on she realized that he was right. Even though she loved seeing Marcus happy, these parties drained her, and she dreaded their growing size each year.

"A truck," Marcus yelled as he held up the smooth blue cardboard box. A yellow dump truck was visible through the plastic window on its front. "Thank you," he said dutifully, looking the child who had given it to him squarely in the eye.

The child smiled and nodded his curly blond head. "I have that one already," he said.

Kevin was in the kitchen putting candles on the cake and probably helping himself to a bowl of ice cream. Sadie had remained quiet about her growing concerns about Marcus. The fresh green leaves of the oak tree seemed to have wiped the events from Kevin's mind. He never once mentioned it again, even though sometimes Sadie would look out the kitchen window and see him standing in the yard examining the nub where the low branch had been. The spot had sealed over quickly and looked as if the branch had been cut off years ago.

Sadie never told him about the grasshopper. She wasn't sure what she would say. As time passed she doubted if she'd seen anything unusual on that day at all, but sometimes she got this strange feeling inside. It started as a knot in her stomach and would spread through her body. Just when it felt like it would consume her she'd rush from room to room in the house looking for Marcus, afraid he'd disappeared. She'd always find him, standing among the dresses and skirts in her closet, sitting on the floor of his bedroom playing with his toys, giggling under the kitchen table, ducking behind the couch, but she swore he had a new distant look in his eyes.

He had that look now as he set the dump truck on the table in front of him. He looked as if he were somewhere else just for a moment. Then the light returned to his face and he looked at Sadie. "Where's the cake, Mom?"

Before she could get up from the couch to retrieve him, Kevin appeared in the doorway with the cake. Six white candles glowed on top. They all began to sing.

 

Sadie sank into the couch next to Kevin. Worn out from the party, Marcus had gone to sleep almost an hour early with his new dump truck at the end of his bed.

The sitcom Kevin turned on was a rerun, but Kevin didn't remember seeing it before and laughed opened-mouthed at every tired joke. Sadie glanced at him occasionally and waited anxiously for a commercial break. When one finally started she muted the television.

"What's up?" Kevin asked, turning to her.

"Gloria called the other day."

Kevin frowned. "I haven't heard that name in a long time."

Sadie shifted in her seat. "I'm thinking about going up to see her for a few days."

Kevin crossed his arms and looked at the floor. "Are you leaving me again?"

Sadie knew this would happen. She hadn't been back to visit since the twins came along. Kevin had never forgiven Gloria for being a co-conspirator when she left him. "No. She's just been having some problems with her boy, and I thought I could go and help." Sadie paused and looked at the television screen. An ad for bathroom cleaner was playing. Animated bubbles zipped around a grimy shower, leaving it white and gleaming. "I might take Marcus."

"What about school? What about your work?" Kevin asked.

"It will only be for a few days. He'll miss two days of school at most, and I'll be able to get time off from work."

"I could get time off to go with you. We'll make it a family trip. It'll be good. I'll ask my supervisor tomorrow."

"Don't worry about it. You don't need to take time off from work."

"We haven't been on a family vacation in a long time. It'll be fun."

"I don't know how appropriate fun would be. Gloria is going through a bad time." Sadie could see the muscles in Kevin's face tightening.

"You said she was having trouble with her boy, right? A male influence could be good for him. I'm sure I could help straighten him out."

Sadie sighed. She had known he would make this hard. "Gloria wants to see me alone. We'll only be away for three days. That's all. Then we'll be back. I promise. Just let us go on our own. We'll be back." She reached out for his hand, but he pulled it away.

"Fine," he said, getting up from the couch. "I'm going to bed."

Sadie watched his wide back disappear down the hall. The anger in his footsteps made the floor beneath her feet vibrate.