The Great Escapee Series

Chapter 9

Nine

Bea played on the floor, dressing Dolly and undressing her. She popped her head up every once-in-a-while watching Mommy as she put on her makeup. Mommy fluttered her eyelids. Bea fluttered hers. When Mommy smacked her lips together, Bea smacked hers.

Mommy stood back, held her arms out in a ta-da, fingers holding the mascara wand. She wiped at the corner of each eye, patting at smudges. Sipping from the styrofoam cup, she sighed, looking in the dresser mirror, her hips swaying to music grinding from her phone.

"Aw, hell," she said and added more liner, smudging even more.

She posed her face, first left, then right, then adjusted the clip holding her long dark hair in a swoop.

Mommy leaned close to the mirror and looked directly into Bea's eyes. "What're you looking at?" Mommy's black eyes glared, reflecting back at Bea.

Something in Mommy's eyes flickered, snapped. Stirred fear in Bea. She shivered.

Mommy stepped back and stared at herself for a long time.

Quiet.

"Mommy? Mommy? Are you going out? Mommy?"

Mommy turned and rushed at Bea. "What?"

Nose to nose.

Mommy's eyes had turned dark. "Mommy—"

"Don't Mommy me."

"Your voice sounds funny." Bea's eyes filled with tears. "And your eyes look funny ... your eyes ... you're that other Mommy." Bea scooted back.

"What?" Mommy hesitated. "What?" she said again, her voice sounding more like Mommy's.

Bea hiccuped, swallowed, her chin quivered. She fought it. Held it in until her eyes spilled over, tears streamed down her cheeks. Her mouth clamped tight, her eyes on Mommy's.

Mommy groaned. "I don't have time for this."

Mommy's eyes changed again.

Bea was only four, but she knew her mommy. And right now, pure evil flashed from Mommy's eyes.

Then a flicker of ... Mommy sparked through.

Another change. Evil again.

Back came a twinkle ... of ... Mommy, until Mommy came through. But Bea knew the rage was there, just under the surface.

"Mommy?" Bea whimpered. She swallowed. "Are you going to leave me?"

Mommy gulped. "I'll just be gone for an hour or so." She glanced toward the TV. "I'll set you up with some movies." She smiled, fluttering her eyelids. "And I'll be back before the first movie is over. Okay?" She held out her pinky. "Promise."

Bea stared at Mommy's finger, then up to Mommy's face. What she saw there wasn't comforting, but she decided to play along, hoping against all past experience Mommy wasn't lying.

Again.

Bea hooked her little finger around Mommy's. "Promise." Her eyes searched Mommy's for a sign that this time—this time would be different.

Mommy smiled wide, red lipstick framing her teeth. Her eyes said she really believed she could come home before Bea's bedtime. That whatever she did out there, it wouldn't mean Bea fell asleep alone.

Again.

Bea's eyes pleaded that just this once, Mommy could do it. That she could come home when she said and make Bea feel safe.

"Mommy?" Bea gulped. "Mommy, could you stay home?"

"You don't think I'd put all this makeup on just for you, do you?"

Bea blinked.

Mommy reached for her drink and downed it, licking a last drop off her lips. She walked to the TV and shuffled through DVDs until she found one and set it up, starting the TV.

"There. Now there's only one movie in and you just watch your old mom." She shook her finger. "She'll ... I'll be home before this movie is over. You'll see." She posed herself in the full-length mirror. "Uh-huh. Now, don't I look smashing."

Bea just stood there. Mommy looked beautiful against the backdrop of cartoons already flashing from the TV. But she was going away again. Bea was scared to answer. She wanted Mommy to stay home, but Mommy never did. It didn't matter what Bea said, Mommy would still leave.

Mommy swooped down and breathed on Bea. "Don't I look pretty?"

Her mouth had that evil smell again.

Bea backed away.

"Don't I?"

"Yes, Mommy. You look pretty."

"That's what I thought."

Mommy blew a kiss and slammed the door on her way out.

The movie blared. The beginning exploded with color and excitement.

But Bea stared at the door.

All alone.

She crawled once again under the rocking chair, dragging her pillow and blanket along with her.