Excerpt: Georgie's Girl

Chapter 1, Scene 1
Out of sight, six-year-old Ellen Cox silently pressed her back against a large cold tombstone, her heart racing from the chase. Jesse can never find me here.

Ellen’s three Aunts, deep in conversation, hadn't noticed the small girl as she slipped into her hiding place behind them.

"Don't you find it strange that she chose that particular time to leave the house? It appears to me she might be guilty and wanted everyone to think she was not there when it happened," Marabelle leveled her eyes at her sisters. “I just have a strange feeling that it wasn’t a natural death.

"Oh, Marabelle, you've always had a suspicious mind!” It was an accident, as sure as I'm standing here," muttered Nancy shaking her head in rebuke. “Don’t go stirring up trouble.”

Hearing her aunt's conversation made playing Hide-and-Seek more interesting. Aunt Marabelle always told a good story. Quietly Ellen listened as she waited for her brother to find her. Contentedly, she settled into her hideaway. Maybe this hiding place was so good that Daddy would have to help Jesse find her. She stifled a giggle, thinking how Daddy always asks, “Whose girl are you?” She would always answer, “Georgie’s girl,” Family and friends called her that because of the closeness between George Cox, and his daughter.

"Come on, Hannah. Speak up," said Marabelle. "What do you think happened?"

There was a long pause. Hannah’s face betrayed her sadness. "It doesn't matter what any of us think. There is no way to change what happened. Not ever.” Hannah bit her lip and looked away.

Marabelle looked shocked. "So you do think she’s guilty?"

"I didn't say that. All I can tell you, is there are facts you don't know."

"And you do know?” Nancy leaned forward.

"George confided in me, and I can't betray his confidence.” Hannah hugged her arms tight against her chest.

Nancy sucked in her breath. "What? You know what happened to that baby and you won't tell your own sisters?"

"I can't, Marabelle. I promised. “Please, I can't talk about this anymore.” Hannah quickly walked toward the car.

Marabelle turned to Nancy. "Just as I thought. There is something to the story. George knows what happened to Debbie! It was no accident if you ask me!"

At the mention of her baby sister’s name, Ellen slid down the rough stone to a sitting position, with her knees against her chin. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she listened with all her might. The realization hit hard. The aunts are talking about how her baby sister died!

"I just had a terrible thought.” Marabelle shuddered. "Perhaps it wasn't Angelina's fault. Maybe she was out for a walk when it happened."

"Are you saying George would kill his own child?"

"No, I think it could have been an accident. Maybe he didn't mean for it to happen."

Marabelle twisted her hair through her fingers. "Oh God, I can't believe it. One of the two people who should have loved that baby most is responsible for her death. But which one?"

The two aunts followed Hannah to the car.

Ellen didn't move a muscle. How could the aunts think someone caused Debbie to die?

It was a long time ago, almost 4 years, but Ellen remembered her clearly. She missed Debbie, especially at bedtime, when the two of them giggled, then cuddled together as they fell asleep. She was a fun little sister.

Ellen squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she wondered. How do you get dead? Worse yet, how does someone make you get dead?

Mommy says my sister is under the ground. How do you get in the ground? Can I go there? It is too hard to understand. I want to see her, but I don't know how.

Until today, Ellen liked going to the cemetery with Jesse and Daddy. It was fun. They always placed flowers next to the little stone. Ellen liked to sit with Jesse on the cement bench across from Debbie’s grave and swing her legs. They picked dandelion puffs and blew them into the air. They played Hide-and-Seek and chased one another around the huge stones. Daddy smiled at their fun, but Ellen often saw tears in his eyes. He said it was from the sun, but Ellen knew he missed little Debbie.

Today changed everything, Ellen decided. This is not fun. There was a pain inside that Ellen had never felt before. She didn’t understand. Something bad happened to my sister. Someone made her die. I know one thing for sure. The aunts are wrong! My Daddy or Mommy would never do that! They loved Debbie. Ellen tightened her little hands into fists. I want to find that person and hit them. I’ll hit them harder and harder and harder! Tears began to spill down her cheeks and sobs tore their way out of her chest. It wasn’t fun anymore. Ellen clutches the doll to her chest and wonders why babies have to die.

Ellen heard Daddy call. She couldn’t answer. The words were there, screaming in her mind, but her sobs wouldn’t let the words out.

“Ellen, where are you?” Daddy’s footsteps came closer. She felt herself lifted into his arms. “Are you hurt, Honey?”

The sobs wouldn’t stop. Ellen clung to him as he rocked her gently, patted her back, and hummed a lullaby.

Jesse came running. “Are you OK? He reached up to touch Ellen’s leg. “I was about to find you. Don’t cry.”

Ellen began to relax and finally the tears stopped.

“What happened, baby? Were you lost? You know Daddy would never leave you behind.”

Ellen shook her head. She said nothing, but her mind was still full of words.