Be Still My Banshee Heart

Chapter 7

The first rays of light were peaking through the window telling of a new day.

Samuel lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling as the light bought the old wood chip paper into view.

Once again sleep had eluded him, unlike Jess who was currently snoring at the foot of the bed. His mind kept replaying over and over the events of the previous night, maybe he had been a little harsh, heaven only knew what a mother was capable of when her child was threatened.

Thoughts of his own mother entered his mind, smiling, he realized she would have ploughed through anything or anyone that had threatened her boy.

Aye, he thought guiltily, maybe I was a little harsh.

"Ring a Ring o Roses,"

"A pocket full of posies,"

The soft singing cut through the quiet.

Oh lord, here we go again, he thought.

Tiptoeing out of the bed he slowly made his way to the window, pulling back the thick curtains he peered outside.

"A-tishoo!, A-tishoo!"

"We all fall down."

Samuel watched in amazement as the little girl dramatically fell to the ground at the end of her rhyme, giggling she would then climb to her feet to start her rhyme again, skipping in circles as the first rays of light bounced of her blond curls.

Samuel gently let the curtain fall back closed, pulling on his dressing gown he made his way to the back door. As quietly as possible he cracked the back door ajar and tiptoed outside not wanting to startle her.

"A-tishoo! A-tishoo!"

She stopped her singing and slowly turned towards him.

Samuel gasped as the small image of Mary stared back at him.

"Have you seen my mama?" she whispered, "I can't find my mama."

Samuel slowly inched forward stopped a few feet from her then crouched down to her level so as not to scare her, "who is your mama?" he gently asked.

"My mama's, my mama, silly," she giggled.

Blowing out a breath, Samuel wondered how best to handle this, he was no expert with children, only having been round Shamis's boys a handful of times since being back.

"Aye, I know your mama's, your mama, how about you tell me your name then?"

The little girl frowned, "mama say's not to be talking to strangers."

"And that is very true, but you started talking to me first and you are in my garden."

"Am not, silly, this is my grandpa's farm."

Samuel pretended to be shocked, "oh my, I am on your grandpa's farm in my dressing gown, whatever shall I do?"

Giggling the little girl asked, "have you lost you mama to?"

"Aye, I have, tell you what why don't I tell you my name and you can tell me yours then we will see if we can find them together."

"I'm Samuel, you can call me Sammy if you like," he said holding out his hand,

"How do you do?"

"Hello Sammy, I'm Elizabeth Marie McCarthy, you can call me Bethy if you like," she shyly replied shaking his hand.

"There now, you see, we are no longer strangers," he said, hoping that parents taught their children better than to be falling for that.

"I suppose," she answered causing Samuel to shake his head, he would be having words with little Bethys mama, "now then, do you remember where you lost your mama?"