Page 100 of The Night the Lights Went Out
The children burst out of the house wearing their dark blue school uniform rain jackets and carrying their backpacks and anything they needed for the weekend.
“I can’t find my rain boots,” said Lily with a frown. “I know I didn’t leave them at school, but they’re not in the closet.”
“I’ll look for them—they didn’t walk away on their own, so they must be here somewhere. Maybe by the time I find them, you’ll have grown two sizes and can fit into them.” They’d been another ill-fitting gift from Merilee’s parents, and if they were lost forever she’d be okay with that. Merilee knelt on the porch and opened her arms. “Come give me a hug—I won’t see you until Sunday.”
Lily hugged her first, as usual—because she was the oldest—then gave her mother a big kiss on the cheek and then a second hug. “What was that for?” Merilee asked.
“Just because. Jenna said that I need to be extra nice because you’re having a hard time.”
“And I already feel better because I got two of the greatest hugs from my best girl.”
Lily smiled, then pulled her favorite pen from her pocket. It wrote in four different colors, and when you pushed a button on the side, it lit up in rainbow colors. “In case you get scared at night in the storm and we’re not there to make you feel better.”
“Thanks, Lily. I’ll put it by my bed.”
Lily ran from the porch toward the car, her head low as the rain poured down in sheets. Merilee felt something being placed over her head and looked in surprise at Colin, who was adjusting his binoculars over her chest. “In case you need company,” he said, which didn’t make any sense but made Merilee smile anyway as she hugged her son.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. It’s supposed to rain all weekend. And Dad lives in a neighborhood with lots of houses so there aren’t a lot of birds and stuff. I’ll just wait until I get back. Take really good care of them or Sugar will be mad.”
“Will do,” she said, standing.
He ran to the top step, then ran back to give her another hug, holding on as he looked up at her. “If the lights go out, don’t be scared. Everything’s the same in the dark—if you close your eyes, you’ll remember what it looks like when the lights are on.”
“Thanks, sweetie,” she said, bending down to kiss the top of his head before he turned and sprinted to his dad’s car and shut the door.
Michael paused for a minute. “Call me if you need anything, all right? Anything.”
She nodded as he turned up the collar of his jacket and dashed to his car.
“Colin says those binoculars have magic powers, you know. And that he sees the white dog all the time.”
She turned, surprised to see Sugar standing in the doorway, her apron still tied around her waist. “Does he, now?”
“He’s got a bright imagination. You’ve raised two fine children, Merilee.”
She turned back around to face the empty drive, which was quickly turning into puddles. “By some miracle, I think you’re right.”
“It’s not an accident,” Sugar continued. “I think we become good parents by either copying what our parents did or doing the opposite. The trick is in deciding which way you want to go.”
Merilee stared out toward the car disappearing down the drive, the wind spritzing water over her face. “I’m scared. I’m really scared.”
“Good,” Sugar said, not unkindly. “Remember that feeling, because you’re going to need it.”
Merilee’s cell phone rang and she quickly looked at the screen. It was her attorney, Cynthia Turlington. She pictured the woman, with her no-nonsense haircut and crisp suit, imagined her walking in the rain and not getting wet, as if even water were afraid to touch her. Merilee let it ring a few more times before answering it, fairly confident that whatever Cynthia had to tell her wasn’t going to be something she wanted to hear.
Cynthia sounded out of breath. “Good, I’m glad I caught you. Either what they found at your house when they searched it was what they needed, or somebody’s putting a lot of pressure for an arrest to be made. Either way, there’s a warrant out for your arrest.”
Merilee stepped closer to the edge of the porch, welcoming the cold blast of rain as it hit her skin. “They’re going to arrest me?” She was amazed at how calm her voice sounded.
“Don’t panic, all right? Are you at home?”
“Yes. The kids just left for school, and I’ve decided I’m not going in to work today.”
“Good. I’m on my way to pick you up and take you to the police station so you can turn yourself in.”
“Turn myself in? But I haven’t done anything. Won’t that make me look guilty?”
