CHAPTER XII

True to her promise, Lucy Verner arrived at the Norris home in mid-afternoon.

“Nonsense!” she had said, in response to Connie’s offer to drive her down from her up-state home.

“I’m perfectly capable of driving down there, and I prefer my own car to that Behemoth of Alberta’s.” She was referring to the old classic Cadillac Alberta Norris still drove to the grocery store and doctor’s appointments.

“Besides. Who knows? We might have need of two cars while I’m there. Better be prepared for any eventuality. That’s my motto!”

Connie thanked her, but urged her to let him know immediately if she had any problem at all with planning for the trip.

“Money?” he queried. “I can give you a credit card number to use for any emergency. I have one put aside for you to use while you’re here….”

“Poppycock!” Lucy erupted. “You’ll do nothing of the kind. Alberta’s like a sister to me. There’s only the two of us left now, and I suppose between the two of us, we can cover anything that comes up. We’ll let you know if that changes. But for now…it would be just one more thing to worry about.”

“Well,” he said, a smile touching his lips. “I sure appreciate that Lucy. But Gail and I want you to know how very grateful we are for you stepping in like this. We’re going to try and get this whole situation resolved as soon as possible. But, frankly, we’re very concerned about the both of them.”

“I know.” Lucy said. She paused. “Alberta has done everything she can to make that boy’s life as good as it can be. I don’t know how anyone could have done more. But she’s run out of steam now. I could tell that the last time we talked. I should have come right down there then. But I didn’t.

“Now I need to make up for that. I’ve put my house in mothballs, so to speak. I have several friends and neighbors who will make certain everything is all right there. I’ve stopped my newspaper and I’ve arranged for my mail to be forwarded. I’ve got two suitcases packed in my car, and a tank full of gas. I’ve got my attitude in place, and my work clothes at the ready. I’m in for the long haul, Connie. You can count on me.”

“Thank you, Lucy. You are an answer to our prayers. As I said, we’re committed to getting all this resolved in the best way for everyone, just as quickly as we possibly can. But, in the meantime…well, just ‘Thank you,’ my dear. You are just what the doctor ordered.”

“Okey-dokey, then. I’m on my way. And don’t you worry about a thing. Alberta and I will do just fine.”

* * * *

Erle was not happy. After the first excitement of the ride home with Hugo, followed by Mother fussing over him, hot chocolate in front of the fire, and all the attention, reality had set in.

“Erle,” Gail said to him, with that funny, unhappy noise her voice made when she was talking to him about something he shouldn’t have done….

“Erle, I want you to try and remember why you decided to play such a naughty trick on Mother.”

He stamped his foot and crossed his arms, lips pouting.

“No. I don’t have to tell you nothin’ at all, Gail. You don’t care ’bout me anyhow. You never come to see me no more. Not ever!” He stamped his foot again in emphasis.

Gail was seated at the large table which served as desk and crafts station in Erle’s brightly-decorated suite of rooms. They were in the playroom, which opened on to the comfortable adjoining bedroom and bath. She took a different tack.

“Mother was very upset when she couldn’t find you,” she began.

“NO! NO! NO!” screamed Erle, putting his fingers in his ears. “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

“Very well,” Gail said quietly. “I’ll go away and leave you alone to think about all this. When you’re ready to talk about it in your ‘inside’ voice, I’ll come back and listen to what you have to tell me.”

She got up, shoved her chair back under the table and turned to walk out the door. As she suspected, Erle ran up and grabbed her hand.

“No, Gail,” he pleaded. “Sorry! I’m sorry! Don’t go away. Please don’t go!”

“All right,” she said. She took hold of his hand and patted it softly. “All right. Let’s go sit down and try again. I just want to help. If there is something wrong, it would be better if you tell me about it.”

Erle screwed up his face and great fat tears tumbled down his cheeks.

“Yes. I want to tell you. I’ve been a bad boy…I want to tell you….”

“Tell me what, Erle. I don’t think you’re a bad boy at all. But we all make mistakes. If you made a mistake, you must tell me about it so I can help you fix it…make it all better.”

“Waah!,” he groaned. “Very bad boy!”

“What did you do that was so very bad, Erle?”

“I’m not supposed to tell…but its okay if I tell you, isn’t it, Gail?”

“Yes. It is okay to tell me. I won’t hurt you, you know that. And if you are in trouble, I am the only one who can help make it better for you.”

He snuffled into the big white handkerchief she handed him and sat down across from her at his work table.

“Well, it’s about The Game…,” he began.

“Wait a minute. What game are you talking about? Whose game?”

“That’s the part I can’t tell. Said…she said…if I tell, then something really bad will happen. Someone’s going to get hurt really bad if I tell.”

He threw his head into his hands and burst into sobs once more.

And this time, nothing Gail could say or do convinced him that it really was okay to tell her what he had done that was so very bad.