A New Story

*13*

Maria excused herself momentarily from her meeting with her publisher and literary agent. The first time the phone had rung from the unknown number she ignored it. But when it rang again from the same number, a sense of dread settled over her and she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Yes, is this Mrs. Blakestone?"

"It is. Can I help you?"

"Yes, this is Officer Lewis from the New York Police Department. I'm here with your daughter and her friend, Ella Statten. Everything is okay now, Mrs. Blakestone, but your daughter is having a difficult time right now and I think it might be best if you or someone familiar to her could get here as soon as possible."

"Where are you? Where is she?" Maria said quickly and rather loudly, gathering the attention of both the other women in the room who were waiting at the conference table.

"Ms. Statten has helped me gather her ID and from what I see from your address, we're about a block from your home, on Manhattan. I would attempt to get her home for you, Mrs. Blakestone, but she's not wanting to move from where she's at on the sidewalk."

"I'm, um, I'm in a meeting across town, and my assistant is out of town this week. It would take me at least a half hour to get there. Let me make a phone call. I think I know who can come. Can I call you back on this number, Officer Lewis?"

"Yes, ma'am. Please do. I'll stay here to be sure she's safe."

"Thank you so much."

Moments later, she had dialed another number and prayed Daniel would pick up. The voice on the other line didn't even say hello, he went straight into details. "Ella's already called me. I'm walking out of the house right now. I'll be to her in less than five minutes. We'll get her back here to my house, and you can pick her up here."

"Oh, Daniel." Maria couldn't help it, she broke down immediately.

"I'll take care of her, sweetie. I promise. But, I need to get off the phone so I can run faster, okay?"

"Okay. I'm calling the police officer back to let her know you're on your way." A moment later she was calling her back. "Officer Lewis, Ella's father is on his way there, he lives just down the street. He'll be there in just a couple minutes. He knows how to take care of Anna and will get her back to his home. I'll be there as soon as I can."

**—**—**

Maria jumped out of the taxi after quickly paying the driver. She ran across the sidewalk and up the stairs. Just as she made it to the top, the door opened. Daniel had been waiting and opened it in time for her to launch herself through the door. "Where?" she asked quickly.

"Living room," he said, pointing the way.

She ran in and found her daughter curled up in the corner of the couch, a blanket wrapped around her. Her headphones were on and her phone was clenched in her hand. She gently rocked to the music that was beating through the headphones louder than normal. Maria gently sat down beside her and brushed the hair out of the young girl's face. She seemed to have calmed down, but didn't move at the touch of her mother. Maria sighed, and now knowing her daughter seemed to be okay, stood back up and walked back to the doorway where Daniel was leaned against the doorjamb watching her.

"What happened?" she whispered, her voice shaky with emotion.

Daniel motioned for her to follow him and he moved back into the main entryway, sitting on the stairs that led to the upper floor of his home. She sat down beside him and he wrapped one arm around her shoulder, and took her hand with his free one, gently stroking it with his thumb. "When I got there, she was curled up in a fetal position on the ground. The officer was nearby and Ella was sitting beside her, whispering calm words to her. As near as Ella can explain, Anna tripped and her headphones fell off her head and onto the sidewalk and broke. She went into something of a panic attack."