Page 46 of The Prodigal Prince

“The kids here all call their mamas mummy.” His defensive tone came out.

Pressing a kiss to his head, Fiona tried to reassure him. “I don’t mind if you call me Mummy. I just didn’t know you knew the word.”

“I always knew the word, Mummy.” Even though she couldn’t see his face, Fiona could almost hear his eye roll. “Mummies are wrapped in paper and walk like this.” He wiggled away from her and took a few stiff steps with his arms stretched out in front of him.

Fiona laughed again. “Of course. How could I forget?”

“What’s to eat, Mummy?” Gray Wasn’t going to miss a chance to use his new favorite word. He dropped his mummy act and hurried to Mac’s side.

Mac lifted one of the domes. “It looks like we have some fruit and bagels and maybe a dessert of some kind. Did you already eat?”

Gray shrugged. “We ate after we played. Then we played more in the garden. They wouldn’t let me go in the maze.” He turned back to Fiona. “Can we go in the maze, Mummy?”

“What kind of maze is it?” She picked up one of the empty plates to put a bit of food on for herself.

“I dunno, but they said I’d get lost. I won’t get lost.” He reached for a grape and ate it. “Pwease, mumm?”

The request made with his mouth full was met with a stern look from Fiona.

Her son swallowed then repeated his statement. “Please, Mummy?”

“We’ll see. I’ll talk to someone and make sure it’s okay. If it is, we’ll go tomorrow.”

He grabbed another grape. “The kids aren’t gonna be here tomorrow. They’re leaving.”

Good to know. “As long as we don’t have other things to do, I would imagine we’ll be able to. I’ll check with someone in the morning.”

Gray nodded his agreement then picked three or four grapes off the stem and went to explore the suite.

“I don’t know about you,” Mac said, standing up. “But I think I’m ready to turn in. It’s been a very long day - starting with the news about my forthcoming half-sibling and ending here.” He nodded toward one of the doors. “Unless you object, I’ll take that room.”

“That’s fine with me.” Fiona would take one of the others. Gray would likely join her, though he’d probably want a pallet on the floor. These days, he only crawled in bed with her when he was sick or scared.

When she woke the next morning, she found her son and his bear sprawled across the other half of the large mattress. Had he been scared in the middle of the night? She didn’t remember waking up, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d joined her without her noticing.

Light mist for most of the morning kept them from going outside to check out the maze. Gray hadn’t been entirely correct about everyone else’s plans for the day. They wouldn’t be leaving until much later. The children all played games in the ball room then settled in to watch a movie until lunch.

When lunch came, they dispersed to their own quarters. Fiona, Mac, and Gray had a light lunch then Gray laid down for a bit of rest time. Fiona dove back into her book while Mac did work of some kind.

A few hours later, after they ate an early dinner, they ventured outside and into the maze.

Mac had been in similar ones before and led the way to the center of the maze, showing Gray what to look for and how to navigate using the clues placed there to help people - if they knew what to look for.

Gray was determined to lead them out of the maze.

He spent long minutes studying each twist and turn before deciding which way to go.

And quickly led them into two dead ends.

Then they came to a third, this one along the wall of the house.

Gray blew out a puff of air. “I can do it, Mummy.”

“I know you can, Buddy.” She smiled at him and hugged him to her leg as they stood with their backs to the house and looked out at the maze. “We have plenty of time. You’ll get it. We’ll follow you out.” Fiona needed to distract him. “Why don’t we take a few pictures before we try again?”

The three of them took several pictures and selfies together before turning back the way they became.

A noise behind her caught Fiona off-guard and before she realized what was happening, they were through a door and into a dark corridor beyond.

---