Page 106 of Finding Amanda

"The girls must be scared. Can I talk to them?"

He hadn't seen that coming. "They're sleeping. I'll have them call you tomorrow."

"What do you mean, they're sleeping?"

"Um, I left them at my apartment."

"Alone! What are you thinking?"

"They're not alone. I asked Annalise to come over and stay with them. They won't even know I'm gone."

He waited through a long silence for her accusation.

“Annalise, huh?” Her tone was cold and impersonal. “That didn't take you very long."

"I just knocked on her door and asked her to come over while I was gone so I wouldn't have to wake them."

"Right."

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Amanda. You're divorcing me, remember? So I guess you're going to have to get used to it."

"You and Annalise? I guess so."

"Whatever. Good night." He hung up before she could respond.

When Mark wokeup the next morning, the first thing he saw was one bright blue eye staring at him from mere centimeters away.

Madi jumped on top of him, and Sophie jumped on her sister and screamed. "He's awake. He's awake."

He rewarded his daughters by tickling them until they begged for mercy, only stopping when the neighbor in the next apartment pounded on the wall. No surprise there—it was barely seven o'clock.

He settled them down. After bowls of cereal, they played hide-and-seek until they ran out of places to hide. It didn't takelong. Then he agreed to play Candy Land with them again. They were seated at the table, slogging their way over Gum Drop Mountain, when the phone rang.

"Hey, Chris. What's up?"

"You awake?"

He looked at the clock. It was almost ten-thirty. "No, I'm sound asleep, and this is a dream."

A half-hearted chuckle. "Can I stop by?"

"Sure. What time?"

"I'm in your parking lot right now."

Two minutes later Chris walked into the apartment carrying two Dunkin' Donuts coffees and a large box.

"Donuts!" Sophie yelled.

"Can we have one, Daddy? Please?" Madi asked.

Two sets of big, round, pleading eyes batted their lashes at him. Madi's lips puffed out in a perfect pout. His girls were so adorable, he was going to have to lock them up when they turned thirteen and keep them hidden until they were, oh, twenty. Maybe thirty. "One donut each," he said.

After setting the coffees and donuts on the table, Chris waited near the door, arms crossed, and seemed to hardly notice the girls. Sophie and Madi took their time picking out just the right donut. "Thank you, Uncle Chris," Sophie said. Madi echoed her big sister.

Mark watched Chris, anxiety burning his stomach. "Why don't you girls go watch cartoons?"

"Yay!" Madi said, and the two of them barreled into the living room, forgetting the game.

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