Can you guess what I am?
Order Up! Person, Place or Thing?
A. The movie Love Story is a hit at the box offi ce
B. Nintendo releases the Super Mario Bros. video
game in the U.S.
C. The miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man premieresCan you guess which
happened fi rst, second
and third?S
ay cheese!”
Gina tapped
her phone, cap-
turing her daughter’s
grin along with the
frozen bucktooth smile
of an overgrown rabbit,
then helped Maisy from
the creature’s furry lap.
Adult costumes gave her the
creeps, but her kid couldn’t get
enough. Santa Claus, the Jack-
O’-Lantern Prince, the Easter
Bunny—Maisy loved them all.
“Take care, Maisy,” the
bunny said through unmoving
lips as he handed the little girl a
pink plastic egg. Gina frowned.
He must’ve heard her say her
daughter’s name as they waited.
Gina’s phone vibrated. She
glanced at the screen. Lauren
needed to talk, saying that it
was serious. Her heart
sank. She tucked the
phone into her pocket,
hoping her best friend
was okay.
“Want to go play with
Jaycee?”
“Yes!” Maisy smiled,
chocolate coating her front
teeth. “I can give her some
of my candy.”
An excited little face
poked through the cur-
tains as Gina pulled into
Lauren’s driveway.“There’s Jaycee.”
She barely got the car in park
before Maisy jumped from the
back seat. The girls squealed
and embraced on the front
porch. Maisy gave Jaycee what
was left of her melting choco-
late, and they disappeared into
the house.
“Knock, knock,” Gina called
as she stepped through the
door. It was worse than she
feared. On the couch, a nest of
crumpled tissue surrounded a
lump of blankets she assumed
was Lauren.
“What’s wrong?” Gina nes-
tled in beside the cocoon.
“Peter didn’t come home
after his shift again today.”
Gina tugged the blan-
ket down, revealing one
watery eye.“He went to his other
home—the one where she
lives.” Lauren pulled free from
the covers and curled up next
to her friend, resting her head
on her shoulder.
Gina stroked Lauren’s hair.
“There is no other woman.
You’re jumping to conclusions.
There has to be a rational
explanation.”
“There’s nothing rational
about it. The factory’s had him
on graveyard shift for the past
two weeks—midnight to 8 am.
Gina, he doesn’t come home
until two in the afternoon.
W hat could he possibly be
doing for six hours?”
“Have you asked him?”
“‘You’ll see,’ he says.” Lauren
rubbed her eyes. “I see, all
right. I see him coming home
every afternoon all sweaty with
wrinkled clothing and messy
hair saying he needs a shower.
And that woman he’s with
sure treats him right in the
k itchen. He smells like vanilla
and chocolate. Peter’s always
been a sucker for confections.”
Fresh tears washed down
her cheeks.
“Momma!” Jaycee called
from the ha llway. “Can me
and Maisy go outside and
jump on the trampoline?
We’ll stay away from the rip.”“No, it’s too dangerous.”
“We can fix the hole with
tape,” Jaycee reasoned.
“Tape’s not strong enough.
Daddy’s saving up to buy you a
new trampoline, and then we’ll
have Maisy over to jump. Show
Maisy your new Easter dress.
You can let her try it on.”
Giggles rang out, followed
by the slam of Jaycee’s bed-
room door.
Lauren shook her head.
“Peter wants to get her one of
those fancy in-ground trampo-
lines. Costs four times as much
as the regular kind. I told him
he’d have to pick up a second
shift at the factory to afford
it.” Her voice shook. “He won’t
have time for extra shifts now,
since he spends all his time with
some other Suzy Homemaker.”
Gina stared at Lauren.
Suddenly, like the two halves
of a plastic Easter egg, every-
thing fit together. She smiled, a
chuckle bursting from her lips.
“What’s so funny?” Lauren
snapped.
Gina hugged her friend.
“Time to stop chasing rabbits.
Peter’s not hopping out on
you.” —Anna Kittrell
Q: What does Gina
know about Peter?
A : Turn to pg 49Sweet suspicions
Q I’ve never seen a plane, but
sometimes I fl y
Q I can eat plants or meat
Q I walk on two feet or four
Q Some say I’m cold-blooded
Q I can be both hunter and huntedQ I’m extinct
Q My babies hatched from eggs
Q I put the fossil in fossil fuels
Q Jurassic Park is one of my
favorite fl icks
Q Fred and Wilma know me1985. 1976 B. 1970 C. A! Order Up Person, Place or Thing? I am a dinosaur“