The Fight

Sophie

His tone grew harsh, frightening as he whispered,

“Little Robin Red Breast. Forget what you heard just now, alight? Forget it, do not say a word to anyone. Or sister Sondra will not be coming back ever again and your little halfwit monster will be taken away too.’

The line abruptly went dead.

*

Sophie sat up in bed now, holding her coppery curls in her hands, breathing hard. The morning sunlight was entering the room and the sounds of traffic and people in the apartments around were becoming distinct.

What had she done, she thought, agonizingly. What had she done?

*

Proserpina

When I came awake in the early hours of the morning with Claude beside me, I felt his forehead and sighed in relief. He was not burning up with fever any longer. The medicines I had given him had worked.

Smiling, I turned over and went through my itinerary for the day. I had two meetings scheduled for my team in Japan; the kids need to be taught for an hour; the lunch needed to be prepared; last-minute tou