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…and the baby an’ everything, and it was so warm in the stable when they came in.” She frowned. “Was it a dream?”
Tyne shook her head from side to side. “I’m sure it wasn’t a dream, sweetheart.”
For a moment Rachael looked away, then her soulful eyes sought Tyne’s face. “Auntie Tyne?”
“Yes, honey?”
“I lost Shirley. I’m sorry, I left her in the snow.”
Tyne frowned for a moment before she caught on. “Oh, your doll? Your Shirley Temple doll?”
Rachael sniffed as she nodded her head up and down. “An’ Bobby lost his truck. He musta dropped it somewhere.” She began to wail. “I’m sorry, Auntie Tyne. I didn’t wanna lose Shirley an’ she was hurt, she didn’t have eyes anymore.”
“Sweetie, don’t cry, you couldn’t help it if you had to leave her. But what do you mean – she didn’t have eyes anymore?”
“Cause Lyssa poked them out. That’s why I had to run away, Auntie Tyne. I couldn’t stay there anymore. Please don’t let them take us back, and don’t let them send us to an orphanage.”
“Orphanage? No one is going to send you to an orphanage. Why would you think that?”
“Cause Lyssa said they were goin’ to.”
“Oh, Rachael honey, never … never will anyone send you to an orphanage. And you’ll never go back to the Harrison’s either.”
As Tyne gathered the child into her arms again, she whispered a promise to herself. “I’ll go to prison first.”
Manolis Aligizakis 