Zinnia's Zaniness (12 page)

On any other day, we might have doubted her certainty. But not on this one. We might have suggested going to the drawing room to look behind the loose stone so we could see if there was a new note there informing us that Zinnia's gift had arrived, congratulating her, and telling us all in general that there were now sixteen down and zero to go.

But we didn't need to do that. We knew what we were looking at.

We gathered closer around Zinnia to inspect the object she was holding in her hands. The way she held it, turning it this way and that—it was as though it weighed hardly anything at all. The object was a round glass ball sitting on a golden base. Attached to the top of the ball was a tiny circle, and attached to that was a metal hook.

"A Christmas ornament in the shape of a snow globe!" Zinnia said with glee. "I've always loved snow globes!"

It seemed an odd gift for a person to receive: a Christmas ornament in August.

But we didn't think any more of that as we gathered closer still, seeing what Zinnia was seeing: the pretty glass; the stone house within, which despite its miniature size somehow looked practically as big as a mansion but not quite and yet still slightly larger than our own home; the tower room, so similar to ours, jutting out from the top.

Zinnia shook the ornament then, making the glittery dust fly all around the sort-of mansion.

"Wait a second," Zinnia said, peering closer at the ornament. "It looks like there's a person waving his arms, leaning out of the tower window."'

Zinnia looked even closer.

We all did.

We
knew
that man, that tiny man who was waving his arms wildly at us.

"
Daddy?
" Zinnia said.