Toys

Chapter 34

That last thought reminded me of the girls-and suddenly I had another idea, probably my most constructive one so far.

Chloe and April both carried phones to school-and maybe, just maybe, I could talk to them now.

I dialed Chloe’s number first, then I couldn’t believe it when I actually heard her voice come on the line. Thank God, it was her!

“This is Chloe Baker,” she said. An odd first line, but it was definitely my baby.

“This is your daddy. Hello, Chloe Baker,” I said.

“Daddy, what happened to you? Mommy said you’re in trouble-bad trouble. Is that true? It couldn’t be, right?”

“Chloe, sweetie, it’s just a misunderstanding. I’ll be home soon.”

There was a silence, which I didn’t understand. Chloe tends to talk and talk.

“Chloe? Chloe? What’s the matter? Something is-I can tell-”

Chloe blurted out, “Daddy, the police are listening! The police are at my school!”

Then she clicked off the phone.

Talk about a heartbreaking call.

But why did I feel things so deeply?

Like a human would?