Fairchild's 7 Daughters-The 12: Book One

7. Days Pass After

            Heloise's sides were aching by the time she reached Primrose Road. The large dark houses were outlined faintly by the glow of the silver moon, but finding the Calico's house was easy. She once played there as a small child with the Calico's daughter who for whatever reason had adored her. She had since married and moved away, but the Fairchilds were at the wedding and Heloise even got to be in it.

She fell against the black door of the house and knocked. Her heart was pounding so fast she could barley breath. "Mr. Calico," she called through the door. "Mr. Calico' it's me, Heloise." Her name escaped in a wheeze and her knees gave up supporting her. Slumping against the door she closed her eyes. "Please God, protect my mama and papa."

The clicking of the lock made her open her eyes. She staggered to her feet as it opened and she was greeted by sweet smelling air.

"Heloise?" Mr. Calico gasped. He fumbled for his glasses and put them on his face.

"Who is it, Frank?" Mrs. Calico said. She came down the stairs tying on her house robe. He long golden hair was loose and flowed freely around her.

"Heloise," Mr. Calico said helping the girl inside.

Mrs. Calico rushed over to them. "Oh my, God." She took Heloise in her arms and helped her stand. "What happened?"

"Papa, murder, arrested," Heloise said.

"Darling you're not making any sense," Mrs. Calico said looking at her husband for understanding.

Mr. Calico came to their side and looked Heloise in her eyes with his bright blue ones. "Heloise, what happened?"

"I'll get her some water," Mrs. Calico said and hurried into the kitchen.

Heloise took three deep breaths. "My father was arrested. Officers came to our house and said he murdered Mr. Callaway."

"Calvin Callaway?" Mr. Calico frowned.

Heloise nodded as Mrs. Calico came back into the room and gave her a glass of water. "We need your help, Mr. Calico. I know my father is innocent. We don't know where they've taken him and Mama or what they'll do with them."

Mr. Calico looked at his wife. "I'm not sure what I can do," he said.

"Frank," Mrs. Calico stepped up. "Perhaps she and her sisters should stay here tonight."

Mr. Calico looked at his wife then at Heloise. "All right," he said. "I'll go over in the motor car and get them."

/

Heloise waited in the parlor after Mr. Calico left for her sisters to arrive. Mrs. Calico paced the room and kept asking questions that she didn't know the answers to. When the six sisters arrived they hugged Heloise as if she had already been gone for days and a night. They were given a room upstairs together and sat up late trying to make sense of what had happened.

"What happens tomorrow?" Hannah asked. "Is Mr. Calico going to help us? Where are Ma and Pa?"

"Quiet, Hannah," Miriam said.

"But what will we do?" Taitiann worried. "I've never been without Mama or Papa."

Miriam stood up from the bed. "Girls." She got their attention. "We aren't babies. Now Mr. Calico has agreed to find out where they have taken Mama and Papa. That's asking a lot considering the circumstances."

Alifair pounded the bed. "It's not fair," she said. "Mama and Papa didn't do anything wrong and how dare those men march in and ruin their party?"

The sister all began to talk at once and Miriam silenced them. "Quiet, all of you. Tomorrow we will get up the same as we do every Tuesday."