Mirth

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Mrs. Hamilton walked away.

''Does she even have a daughter?'' Madelyn questioned.

''She's old enough to have one.'' answered Pearl.

''Does she have a husband?'' wondered Pamela.

''She might. She can't run all this by herself. Who pays for the food and clothes and electricity?'' Anatolia said.

''Let's investigate!'' suggested, no, ordered, Maya. Katanna asked how.

''Snooping, of course.'' Maya replied.

''You can if you want to, but I can bet on my best dress that she has a husband and a daughter.'' said Auda.

''And how do you know?'' Maya asked doubtfully.

''I've seen them before. Remember, Pearl? That little girl we used to play with when we were little. And that man who would always come tell us when playtime was over.''

''Oh my Lord, yes! Wasn't her name Bridget?'' Pearl smiled, remembering. Auda nodded.

''Then the quest to find Bridget Hamilton has begun!'' Savannah declared.

- - -

After hiding the book in their small treehouse, the girls chose who would do the snooping and who would keep guard. Maya appointed herself chief of the snoopers, and decided she would have Auda, Pearl, Stella, and Katanna with her.

The guards consisted of Savannah, Madelyn, Elysa, and Pamela.

''I don't want anything to do with this, I'm staying in my room.'' Anatolia announced. Naomi agreed and they went to Anatolia's room.

''What am I going to do?'' Amber asked quietly.

''Join whichever team you want.'' Maya said.

''Maybe there's an easy way to figure this out. Why don't we just ask Mrs. Hamilton?'' suggested Amber.

''But she said she wouldn't answer any questions about her story, plus, just asking ruins the whole fun of the quest.'' replied Maya.

''Well, too bad, I'm going to go ask her anyway.'' Amber said, marching off. Maya's frown deepened.

''She'll learn.'' she sneered.

- - -

''Mrs. Hamilton,'' Amber said softly, poking her head through the doorway of the lady's study.

''Yes, Amber?'' Mrs. Hamilton asked, intrigued. She had always thought of Amber as a very shy, quiet girl, until she saw her laughing so gleefully with the other girls this morning.

''I came here to ask you a few questions.''

''Ask away, darling.'' Mrs. Hamilton smiled. Amber stepped further into the room.

''Do you have a daughter?'' she inquired, somewhat nervous. Mrs. Hamilton was taken aback, not expecting such a question. Caught off guard, she quickly replied.

''Yes, Amber, I do have a daughter.''

''Can you tell me more about her?''

Uneasy, Mrs. Hamilton wasn't sure if she should reveal this information, but she decided she had kept her secrets long enough.

''Her name is Bridget Ann, and she is sixteen years old.''

''Where is she?'' Amber was on a roll now.

''She is living here, in the closed off wing of the house. That's an apartment where I, my husband, and Bridget live.''

''You just mentioned your husband. What's his name?''

''Ivan.'' Mrs. Hamilton answered simply.

''What's your first name?'' Amber was determined to know everything she possibly could.

''Beatrice.''

''Why have you kept these things a secret from us?'' asked Amber, moving closer to Mrs. Hamilton.

''I- I don't know, Amber. I should have really told you all much sooner.'' she answered, standing up. ''I'm going to have you girls meet Bridget and Ivan. Bridget has been watching you girls from the window upstairs ever since she was tall enough to look out of it. She yearns to meet you, day and night. She vaguely remembers Auda and Pearl though, they played together when Auda and Pearl arrived here.''

Amber smiled. Mission accomplished. Quest completed.

- - -

''Where is Mrs. Hamilton, anyway?'' Maya questioned her fellow snoopers. ''Amber should be with her by now.'' Maya, Auda, Pearl, Stella, and Katanna were standing in the dining room of The Little Green House. Stella peered out into the hallway.

''I see them, they're going upstairs.'' she said. Auda and Pearl looked at each other.

''Probably to get Bridget.'' Auda smiled.

''Let's get the others and meet at the stairs.'' Maya commanded.

Everyone met at the staircase landing, waiting for Mrs. Hamilton and Amber -and hopefully Bridget- to come down. Auda and Pearl were grinning, excited to see Bridget again.

Finally, they heard the footfalls. Some light, some heavy. Amber saw the girls first.

''Hey, what are you doing here? Already done your snooping?'' she teased Maya. Just as Maya was about to reply something nasty, Mrs. Hamilton cried:

''Girls, girls! How wonderful it is to have you all gathered here.'' she did a quick head count. ''Yes, you're all here, and that's great because I have a surprise for you.'' She made a beckoning motion to someone upstairs. ''Meet my daughter, Bridget, and my husband, Ivan. Amber convinced me to bring them to meet you.''

Bridget came running down the staircase, flying into Auda's and Pearl's outstreched arms. She then in turn hugged each girl. Bridget was a tall, brown haired girl, with sparkling blue eyes that were filled with enthusiasm.

''I was dying to meet you all!'' she cried happily. ''I can't wait to make friends!'' Maya stared in disbelief. Bridget looked just like Mrs. Hamilton. Maya didn't like her enthusiastic manner. She thought it was childish.

"How old are you?" Maya inquired.

"Oh, I'm sixteen years old. You're Maya, right?" replied Bridget, grinning from ear to ear. Maya simply nodded. Bridget was a year older than her.

"It's so great to see you all." piped up Ivan. He was also tall, slim, and muscular for his age, which the girls found out later was 58.

Everyone gathered in the living room and chatted on. Bridget, Auda, Pearl, Elysa, and Stella became friends quickly. Maya, Anatolia, and Naomi sat together in the corner, whispering among themselves.