Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

9. Fill no Glass For Me

Lord of all to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise

Providence looked over her shoulder at the church door expecting her father to come in any moment. She turned back around when Ottaline tapped her on her shoulder. He hadn't come home and he hadn't come to Sunday service which was entirely unlike him.

In the churchyard she searched among the members for his face. She looked at the carriages where gentlemen helped their ladies into the seats then she looked at the lone automobile glimmering in the sun like a river rock. Esau, Ida and Jude Richmond were getting inside at that moment.

"Maybe we should ask them," Providence said.

"By we you mean me," Ottaline said. "Look, there are the Smiths." Hooking her Bible under her arms she hurriedly caught up to the family. "Mr. Franklin!" She called after Alice's brother who stopped and turned around.

"Ottaline?" he said and glanced in the directions of the Richmonds.

"Did my father come back to the house last night?" Ottaline asked. "He didn't come home after he left and as you can see he's not here this morning."

Franklin stepped away. "I haven't seen him," he said and without another word he caught up with his family.

"Well?" Providence asked having joined her sister.

"He hasn't seen him," Ottaline said. They returned to the church and sat on the steps. "Maybe...maybe if we wait here for a while he'll show up."

"But he's never late," Providence said stretching out her legs. She looked down the road toward the old church. "I'm worried, Ottaline."

Ottaline looked at her sister. She was worried too, but decided not to say so. "It will be all right. I promise, I'll do whatever it takes."

Hours ticked by as the girls waited and the sun began its afternoon decent. Finally Ottaline stood.

"Come on, we had better get home. Maybe he's already there waiting for us." She took her sister by the hand and they walked in the direction of their house as a train echoed through the mountains.

/

"Sheriff, I'd like to report a missing person."

Sheriff McAlister looked at her from behind his desk. "Ottaline Sabbath how many times do I have to tell you not to come in here with your silly games?"

Ottaline took a deep breath. "This is not a game, Sheriff."

"You had better not be crying wolf again," McAlister said picking up a pen and paper. "What will it be this time?"

Ottaline took a seat before his desk. "My father is missing," she said and both the sheriff and the deputy looked up.

"That's a new one," the deputy said with a snicker.

"Both of you were in church yesterday," Ottaline said. "Didn't you notice that he wasn't there?"

McAlister nodded. "And you haven't heard from him since then?"

"The last I saw him was Saturday night," Ottaline said. "I think I may have upset him."

"I see," the Sheriff said and now even the Deputy was interested. "Go on."