These Dreams of You

~ ~ ~

When they reach the hotel, the woman behind the front desk looks at Viv and asks to speak to James in private. “James,” Viv says a moment later, “what’s going on?”

Brow furrowed, James answers, “Alexander and your son checked out of the hotel four days ago.”

“Zan and Parker? What about Sheba?”

“Apparently,” James gestures toward the front desk and seems to choose his words as carefully as possible, “the girl went missing.”

Viv staggers a bit. “My daughter, James,” she says, flashing anger, “you keep saying ‘the girl.’ My daughter.”

“Sorry.”

She hardly can get out the words. “What do you mean missing?”

“With the nanny. Alexander was quite distraught, of course — she, uh,” indicating the front desk again, “this lady knows his books. . well, anyway, he left instructions before he and the boy. . your son. . ”

Viv sinks into a chair. Looking back and forth from Viv to James, the woman behind the front desk says, “Your husband and son left their bags here, with a number. Then when the woman and little girl came back, I tried calling but no one answered.”

There’s a pause and Viv and James turn to her. “Came back?” says James.

“The little girl and nanny.”

“Sheba came back?” says Viv, rising.

“Oh yes,” answers the woman. “They’re upstairs right now.”