ODDS OF LOVE SEASON TWELVE

Episode 108

Glory adjusted her facial mask as she sat on the park bench close to the sandbox where she had placed Miracle in to play with a couple of other babies. Well , none of the babies were so much playing or interacting with each other as merely sitting by the others while flinging up sand or occasionally beating on a tiny bucket with their hands like Miracle was happily doing at the moment. It was so adorable really that Glory amused herself by taking several pictures with her cell phone of Miracle's antics. She texted the pictures to Spencer, DuBuis , Andrew and Nigel. After all the stress and trauma of the past few months little Miracle was a welcome balm in all their lives really.

Glory's phone rang as she sent the last picture message. It was Dodie. Glory made a face before answering it. She loved her daughter but sometimes the woman could be so trying. Dodie was still trying to force every alternate treatment on her, saying that Western medicine was too hazardous to the human body and soul. Glory found that to be such bullshit. If it was not for health insurance that enabled her to get the Western medicine for her cancer she would probably be as dead as her own mother right now. Dodie was a good editor for The Aura but as far as common sense she had none.

" Yes , Dodie , what is it now ? ," she asked with what could only be called a long suffering sigh. She idly wondered how Andrew was doing at the lunch with Faith. She hoped that the young woman could talk more sense into him than she had been able to. They had a very strong pseudo father/ daughter relationship at times. Andrew genuinely cared for Faith and vice versa. She was happy he had Faith since his own daughter Lorraine was such a bitch to him.

" Momma , where are you at now? ," Dodie asked in a voice too whiny for a grown woman in her mid thirties. " I'm at your house. You nor Drew are here right now. Are you at the hospital? I told you that treatment is not good for you. It's way too toxic for a human system. I found the perfect....."

" Dodie , stop ," Glory snapped out in frustration. The woman could be as stubborn as her father Franco , she swore. " I'm fine. Andrew is out to lunch. I'm at the park with Spencer's little girl while he and DuBuis are at a funeral. I'm feeling fine actually. Thank you for asking, dear. "

" Momma , you don't have to be so rude about it. If it was Alfred expressing concerns you would tolerate that better. But you always did when it was him. Where is he anyway? Out with the Abominable Boyfriend? Are you really planning to allow him to move with that terrible old man ? They're not right for each other. You know that but whatever Alfred wants he always gets with you. "

" Dodie ! I'm not going to discuss this with you for the one million time. Alfred is a grown man. He is perfectly capable of running his own life. And Gerald is a perfectly nice man who......." Her voice trailed off as her irritated with her daughter  eyes drifted back over to the sandbox where she saw other children playing but no Miracle.

No Miracle.

Oh dear God in heaven......

Miracle......

She stood up with her heart suddenly beating in triple time, the phone still tightly gripped in her thin hand. Where was her grandchild !

" Momma ? Momma ! Are you still there ! What's going on? "

Glory didn't answer because she swiftly hung up on her daughter and began to run over to the sandbox screaming out Miracle's name over and over again.

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As the crowd of people began to drift back towards their cars at the cemetery where Diamond Dennis would rest for all eternity Zipp Dennis , with Ethan by his side , inquired of Flower's sister Teresa where Flower was.

" I think everyone is planning on going back to the church for refreshments," Zipp said. " I can't find Flower though. "

" You don't need to find her," Teresa snapped at him. " You've ruined her life enough. We all knew being involved with you would lead to nothing but trouble and heartache for her. She had a headache and decided to take a drive. Leave her alone. Your odd little relationship is over now. Now she can find a normal man. "

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DuBuis answered his ringing phone as they were all getting into Spencer's car.

" Hello , " he started to say but was interrupted by a panicked Glory blurting out," Oh dear God, DuBuis , I'm so sorry. I..... I don't know where Miracle is ! Miracle is missing ! "