Page 39 of Their Little Foursome

“You’re not listening to me!” Lori screamed, fear stripping every bit of decorum from her. “He’s not here! We’ve looked everywhere and he’s not here! Blake is gone and we have to find him now!”

Her shout had everyone in the room go silent, but the fear in her voice was tangible.

“When was the last time anyone saw Blake?” Gordon asked.

“I talked to him a little while ago,” Miss Price said. “I told him that I’d rescued his drawing from the floor of the hall and couldn’t wait to watch him color it.”

Lori felt a flash of hope. “Is he coloring it now?”

“I wouldn’t think so,” the preschool teacher said. “I offered to go back with him whenever he was ready, but he never came to ask for me to go.”

“But you’re not sure,” Beverly said. “That’s fine, we’ll just go look.” She took Lori’s hand and then turned back to Gordon. “Can you check the bathroom? Oh, and the rooms up here? Sometimes when he’s feeling a little overwhelmed, he likes to be alone to… to… think.” Her voice broke on the last word.

Gordon pulled both her and Lori into a hug. “Don’t cry. We will all look for him. We’re going to find him.”

“How?” Lori wailed. “This lodge has a zillion rooms and lots and lots of other buildings. This Ranch is huge. He could be anywhere. He could be lost. He’s out there all alone!”

“Hey, calm down, darlin’,” Master Derek said as he squatted down to look her in the eyes. “I know you’re worried and scared, and I know this Ranch is pretty darn big, but you know what else I know?”

Lori didn’t but just the sound of his voice broke through the panic that was threatening to consume her. “Wh-what?”

“I know that there is no way your new brother is going to step off this Ranch. Remember, you found him before. And now, we not only have a bunch of people who will go out to find him, but we have security cameras and a big gate. I promise you, we will find him, okay?”

Lori nodded warily. “Can you start looking for him now?”

Master Derek chuckled and nodded. “Absolutely. You go with your Mommy and leave the rest to us.”

The room that had been swarming with people only a minute earlier cleared as the owner of Rawhide started handing outassignments. Lori watched as half the group followed after her Daddy, and the other half took off to look wherever Derek sent them. Soon it was only her Mommy and Sadie left with her.

“Daddy said I can help you look, okay?”

Lori knew Sadie had stayed to offer her support and she gladly accepted it. “Thank you. Can you take me to the Butterfly Room?”

The trio left the family room and were soon crossing over the threshold where wood became marble. Lori remembered how excited she’d been the first time she’d walked down this hall. That excitement had been replaced by shock at looking into the face of a man she’d never believed she’d find. Now, shock had become fear as they came to a door decorated with colorful butterflies. Before Sadie had a chance to reassure her they’d find Blake inside coloring, the door opened to reveal Miss Price.

“He’s not here,” she said. “None of the Littles have seen him.”

“Did you check the Caterpillar Room?” her Mommy asked.

“Yes, Nanny J and I both did. We talked to Luna and Carrie, the service submissives, who took over our classes when we went to look for Blake the first time,” Miss Price said. “We even checked across the hall. None of the teachers or their students knew he was even missing.”

Lori could sense Beverly’s growing concern. She’d been Blake’s Mommy longer than she’d been Lori’s Auntie. Squeezing her hand, she said, “Don’t worry, we’re gonna find him. Master Derek promised we would.”

“And my Daddy never breaks a promise,” Sadie assured her.

As if needing to check for herself, Beverly opened every door in the Littles’ Wing and looked inside. Lori saw far more Littles than she’d expected and on every face, she saw the concern they had for a missing friend. It was evident that Blake was very much loved by so many people.

A thought occurred to her and she let her hand slip free of her Mommy’s as Beverly took a second look into a bathroom attached to what she’d called a timeout room.

“What’s the matter?” Sadie asked.

“Maybe… maybe he left because of-of me.”

“Why would you even think that? We saw you two in the woods and sitting in the room upstairs. You were always holding hands and?—”

“Maybe he was just being nice. You know, he didn’t want to hurt my feelings. I-I justtoldhim he was my brother. I-I didn’t even ask!” Lori felt the burning of unshed tears filling her eyes. “And I-I stole his Mommy!” With that, she burst into sobs, burying her face in her hands.

“Oh, Lori, no,” Sadie said. “Blake isn’t like that?—”

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