Lost and Found (17 page)

Alan and his family entered the house at about six that evening. Kelly immediately ran to hug Noelle before approaching her aunt and uncles. Keren held back with her mother while Alan said his hellos. He beckoned to his wife. “Maggie, this is Noelle.”

“Pleased to meet you, ma'am. I’m sorry about your stomach. Do you want me to fix it?”

“What are you talking about?” Maggie looked confused.

“You have something in your stomach. It’s not supposed to be there.”

“I… uh… Lance?” Maggie looked at him helplessly. “What is she talking about?”

“We’ll explain later. Meanwhile, it couldn’t hurt for me to feel around. Lay down on the couch. Tell me if anything bothers you. Where is it, Noelle?” he asked suspiciously, eying his brother’s worried face. She pointed to the lower right quadrant. Gently, he pressed. No reaction.

That is, until he released the pressure. Maggie yelped painfully.

“Great. You still have your appendix, don’t you?”

“Yes, but nothing’s been bothering me… OW. Stop it, Lance.”

“Noelle? Can you really fix this?” he asked, looking at her. She nodded with a smile, touching Maggie’s stomach gently.

“You’re better. No more hurt,” Noelle announced, picking up her bunny and stepping back. Lance confirmed the absence of the rebound pain and stared at his sister-in-law. “Noelle might have just saved your life, Maggie. It could have ruptured without you even knowing it would happen,” he said quietly.

“How can this be? I don’t understand,” Maggie said, sitting up and looking at the quiet girl on the couch. She still had a little smile on her face.

“We don’t quite know. What are you smiling about? You look like the cat who just swallowed the canary, young lady,” Lance asked, eyeing her. Noelle stood up on the couch to whisper something into his ear. His eyes widened. “No way! Really? Maggie? Did you know you are pregnant?”

“What?!” everyone in the room exclaimed.

Maggie blushed, nodding. “I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure. Surprise?” Alan rushed her, covering her with kisses. “Oh, baby. Why didn’t you tell me? Can I get you anything?”

“I’m fine. I’m better than fine,” Maggie eyed her husband. He bit his lip. Noelle had also healed her bruises.

“Maybe you’ll get a boy this time, big brother. Congratulations,” Kathy said, genuinely happy for him. Noelle whispered something else in Lance’s ear, making him laugh.

“Now what?” Alan asked.

Lance hugged his brother tightly and whispered, “Try TWO boys.”

“Another set of twins? Oh God… I’m too old for this,” Alan groaned, making his family laugh. The first set had him going around the clock and exhausted him.

“Kathy? Can we talk? Alone?” Maggie asked, touching the younger woman’s arm.

Kathy nodded, trying not to show her feelings regarding her sister-in-law or the disappointment that it was not her receiving the blessing. Maggie took her hand and led her into Lance’s office, closing the door.

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry. I misjudged you. I’ve been horrid to you and have no excuse except for jealousy. Please forgive me.”

“Jealous of what? You have everything a woman could ever want, plus two more children on the way. I don’t understand.”

“Alan raised you to be the perfect, submissive wife and I felt like I could never live up to his expectations. He never asked me to be you, but I assumed that was what he wanted because of how he brought you up. It was my insecurities that started this mess between us.”

“Alan saw my strengths and just encouraged them. That’s all. I’m not as submissive as you might think. He’s broken plenty of spoons paddling my behind every time I defied him.

Believe me, I did that plenty. I still do,” Kathy giggled, seeing Maggie’s surprise. “Do you think he was coming over here to just hang out all the time? No, he was coming over to spank the daylights out of me…”

“He was? I had no idea. But Todd…”

“My wonderful brothers talked Todd into doing it now, too,” Kathy groaned. “You have no inkling as to how much trouble I get into. That is, until we got Noelle. She’s a special little lady, that one.”

“She is. So, are we ok?” Maggie asked timidly.

Kathy embraced her. “More than ok, mama. We’re sisters.” Todd elbowed the other two men as the women emerged from the study. “It looks like Noelle heals more than just the body. She also heals the heart.”

“I’ll give her partial credit for that. The other half is the power of a good spanking,” Alan grumped, hiding his joy.

The family sat happily around the dining table. Except for Keren. She looked angrier than ever and fidgeted uncomfortably on the hard chair.

“Keren? Aren’t you going to eat?” Alan asked.

“I’m not hungry, Dad.”

“I can fix you, Keren,” Noelle offered.

“Ok…”

“No. Noelle, you are not to fix anything that was put there on purpose unless one of the adults here specifically tells you to, understand? And spankings are never to be fixed. Ever.” Lance ordered.

“But Daddy, what if it’s one of the adults?” Noelle looked confused, eyeing Maggie.

“No. Spankings are supposed to hurt for a while, otherwise they won’t do any good.” Keren blushed, sinking in her chair as Noelle looked at her.

“Yes, Daddy. I’m sorry, Keren.”

“Noelle? Couldn’t you make a little bit of the hurt go away?” Kathy asked, her eyes pleading with her brother, “It’s a happy occasion, Alan. I want Keren to enjoy it with us.”

“No. She was punished and now she needs to deal with it.”

“I’m sorry, Aunt Kathy, but I can’t go against what Daddy says. Not with fixing things.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Todd asked with curiosity.

“I can’t. If he tells me no, I’m turned off.”

“You aren’t a machine, honey. What do you mean, turned off?” Todd leaned forward.

“I wonder…” Alan pondered, “Maybe it’s Lance’s orders that neutralize her. Lance?”

“What, Alan?” Lance asked, lovingly studying the beautiful girl across from him.

“Give her an order to fix Keren.”

“Fine. Noelle, you can fix Keren.”

“No, Daddy. I can’t. Not anymore.”

“It’s ok. Fix Keren.”

“I’m sorry, Lance, but no. I cannot,” Noelle said firmly, tossing Bunny on the floor under the table. She looked angry. “You told me not to!”

“Leave her alone. You are confusing the child,” Maggie scolded.

“I’m sorry, darling, I… excuse me, I have to get this.” Lance said, his cell phone ringing.

His brow wrinkled into a heavy frown as he listened to the caller, then his face paled as he looked at Noelle. She was still scowling with her arms crossed, looking down at her lap.

“Certainly, Lou… ok, thanks for calling. Bye.”

Lance sat down slowly in his chair, staring at Noelle. Kathy grabbed his arm. “Lance?

What’s wrong?”

“That was Lou Black from the hospital. Stuart Hart is dead.” Chapter Ten

“Did you hurt Dr. Hart, Noelle?” Lance forced out. Noelle didn’t answer. “Noelle! Did you hurt Stuart Hart?!” Lance shouted, his low voice reverberating through the kitchen.

Noelle’s eyes teared as she slowly looked up at Lance, her lower lips trembling fearfully.

She tried to reach down for Bunny but couldn’t break from his stare.

“Damnit, Noelle! Answer me!!!!” Lance slammed the table with his hand as he stood, leaning across it to stare in her face. Noelle burst into tears, too frightened to say anything. She broke away and sprinted up to her room, sobbing loudly. The rest of the family was silent as the upstairs bedroom door slammed.

“Lance, calm down! You’re terrifying the children!” Kathy scolded.

“Uncle Lance, Noelle wouldn’t hurt anyone! How could you be so mean?” Kelly yelled as tears spouted from her eyes. Kathy pulled her niece onto her lap to sooth her.

“Lance, you need to think this out. Everyone she’s healed, she had to physically touch.

The only thing she killed was that rose, and she even had to touch that. What was the cause of death? Did he say?” Todd asked, squeezing Keren’s hand.

“No. How could I be so stupid? I put my whole family at risk because I was lonely. I’m sorry,” Lance muttered unhappily, sitting back in his chair and holding his head in his hands. He felt his heart breaking all over again.

“Little brother, I’ve never known you to give up on someone so quickly. Todd’s right.

She has to touch the individual. I think it was this stupid thing,” Alan held up the bunny, “that may have been her way to keep from touching.”

“Big brother, that woman has been the best thing that’s happened to you and this family in a long time. You deserve her! Don’t screw this up because you’re jumping to conclusions,” Kathy reproached him.

“Uncle Lance? I like her. Please don’t let her go away,” Keren said quietly, leaning against Todd’s shoulder.

“The votes are in, “ Alan said firmly. “None of us want to lose her after we all just found her. Don’t do this to yourself, or us. You need her as much as she needs you. She’s everything you’ve ever wanted and more.”

“Dad? Noelle can’t hurt herself, can she? Uncle Lance didn’t tell her she wasn’t allowed to do that,” Kelly said with concern.

“Shit, she’s right! Excuse me,” Lance said in a panic, rushing from the table in fear that his precious little girl might have caused herself harm because of him.

“Mom, Uncle Lance said a bad word,” Keren whispered, stunned.

“Shhh, he’s scared. Sometimes grown-ups say and do things that we shouldn’t because we don’t have moms and dads to go to for help,” Maggie explained sadly, watching as Alan and Todd ran after the man, Bunny in hand.

They skidded to a halt at Noelle’s door. Lance stood, staring at the window. “She’s gone,” he said numbly, blankly gazing at the back yard and the starlit sky.

“Gone? It’s freezing out there! Hurry and get your jacket. I think I know where she might be,” Todd ordered, yanking Lance to follow and grabbing a blanket. The three ran to the jogging path and started climbing the steep incline.

“I can’t believe you run this trail every day,” Todd panted, tripping on a rock.

“I am so out of shape,” Alan complained, unable to keep up with Lance.

“Noelle? Oh Lord, Noelle! Please answer me, baby. I’m sorry,” Lance hollered as he ran up the path.

“Is she up there?” Alan yelled.

“I don’t see her. NOELLE! Answer me! I love you, baby. Please, forgive me,” Lance called frantically, his heart pounding.

“I didn’t hurt him, Lance,” came a quiet, weak voice to his left. Noelle was curled up into a ball next to a boulder, shivering with cold.

Lance dropped to his knees and pulled her close to him. “I’m so sorry, my love. I should not have acted that way. I was scared.”

“I can’t hurt anyone without touching them. And you told me that you would get hurt if I did try to hurt somebody. I can’t hurt you,” Noelle tried desperately to explain.

Trying to catch his breath, Alan leaned over and handed her the Bunny. “Do you need Bunny to keep you from touching people?” he asked, sitting on the ground next to his brother.

“No, Uncle Alan. Daddy? Hold me. I’m so cold.”

“Guys? It’s not the toy, it’s where the toy puts her. Look, she’s a child again.” Todd observed, joining them on the hard ground and wrapping the blanket around her shoulders.

“Fascinating. Ok, let’s get home and figure out our battle strategy. I want to make sure this little girl doesn’t end up back in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory,” Alan commented, standing.

He tucked the blanket securely around the girl held safely in Lance’s arms and the four of them headed back to the house.

*

*

*

Lance paced nervously in Alan’s office the next morning as they waited on the arrival of Dr. Hoffner. At Alan’s insistence, Noelle was dressed in her youngest looking outfit, hair in two ponytails and holding her ever-present Bunny. He wanted to make sure there were no accidents.

He even suggested her wearing a diaper, but was quickly voted down.

“Daddy? Can I sit on your lap? I need hugs,” Noelle asked, watching him march restlessly.

Lance paused and nodded, pulling her onto his lap and sweetly kissing her neck. “I love you, baby girl. You’re mine forever, right?”

“Yes, Lance. Through and through,” came the adult response, despite the attire and the toy. Both Todd and Alan gulped. The false sense of protection from her ‘gift’ was gone.

“Promise me that you will not hurt anyone unless you or one of your family is in danger.

I don’t want you to hurt this man unless I tell you to, ok? I don’t trust him.”

“I promise, Lance. Do you want a big girl or a little girl right now?”

“I need my little girl.”

“I need my Daddy,” little-girl Noelle said. Lance tightened his hold on her when the knock came to the door.

“Come on in, Dr. Hoffner. This is my brother-in-law, Todd Makin and my brother, Lance Callahan. You know Noelle, of course.”

“Noelle? What happened to you?” the man stood, falling to the ground and placing his hands on her arms as he stared at her. “My God, you’re beautiful.” Dr. Hoffner looked at her, marveling at the change in her appearance. When he had last seen her, she was a pruney, little waif with stringy white hair and over-sized pale blue eyes.

“I’m supposed to call you Grandfather, aren’t I?” Noelle asked, holding her bunny, “I’m not leaving Daddy. I’m all his now.”

“You certainly are. I can see that. You remember me?”

“I remember your voice and your face. You hurt me.”

“I know I did, I’m sorry. I really was trying to help you. Do you know what happened after I saw you last?”

“I woke up on the ground in the sun and two men shot at me,” Noelle answered, chin held high as the violet eyes stared directly, and fearlessly, at him.

“I can’t get over the changes in her. She is completely unrecognizable. This is your doing, Dr. Callahan. The clone has definitely imprinted with you. Amazing!”