Taken

by Virginia Rose Richter

  “This doesn’t look promising,” said Jessie. “Let’s go.”

  Outside, Jessie said, “So. Two unknown people—an older man and woman—came to buy baby stuff early today in the middle of a snowstorm.”

  “It looks good,” said Tina. “But at this rate, we aren’t going to find the baby before it’s walking around.”

  “Maybe we can speed it up,” said Jessie. “I’ve got an idea.”

  “I’m listening,” said Tina.

  Chapter Seven

  “What if we gather up some of our old baby stuff and post a ‘For Sale’ ad on the town bulletin board. These people might want to buy things that way so they don’t have to go into stores,” said Jessie.

  “What’ll you tell your mom, when people start calling or showing up at your house to look at baby stuff?” asked Tina.

  “I’ll say we’re having a sale to give money to the homeless shelter,” Jessie said. “She’ll think that’s good and we actually will give them any money we take in.”

  “Okay. That sounds great!” said Tina. “I’ll go home and start putting things together. We definitely have a bunch of kid supplies to get rid of. You should see our garage.”

  When Jessie got home, she found her mom in the kitchen fixing lunch for Phillip.

  “I saw the snowman in front,” Jessie said.

  Phillip beamed. “Looks good!”

  Jessie hugged him. “Yes it does!”

  “Mom,” said Jessie. “Is it okay with you if Tina and I have a garage sale with all our old baby stuff that we don’t need anymore?”

  “Jessie, it’s winter. Who will come?” Her mom arranged Phillip’s lunch on a plate and set it in front of him.

  “Well that’s just the point,” said Jessie. “It’s starting to get cold and we can sell Phillip’s old winter clothes to people who can’t afford new things.”

  “What will you do with the money you make?”

  Jessie could tell her mom was warming to the idea.

  “We thought we’d donate it to the homeless shelter. They always need money.” Jessie sat at the table next to Phillip and cut his sandwich into triangles. “That way two good things will happen. Little kids get nice warm clothes and the shelter’ll have cash for supplies.”

  “You’re good, Jessie. You’ve sold me,” laughed her mother. “I’ll go through some of his old baby stuff. Do you want toys too?”

  “That would be great, Mom!” Jessie headed for the phone. “I’ll call Tina and start cleaning up the garage.”

  When Tina answered the phone, Jessie said, “It’s all set. Mom’s on board.” She twirled the phone cord between her fingers. “Shall I go ahead and write the ad?”

  “That’ll help,” said Tina, “because Mom wants me to sort through the garage and box up baby things. She’s happy to get rid of all of it.”

  “Okay,” said Jessie. “I’ll write the ad and go to the town bulletin board and post it. Then I’ll come back and set up the garage.”

  “We’d better say it starts tomorrow,” said Tina. “Can we do it that fast?”

  “Sure,” said Jessie. “If your dad can bring your boxes after dinner, we can set it up and be ready to go in the morning. Tomorrow’s Sunday. Maybe people will stop by after church.”

  “Put your phone number in the ad,” said Tina. “That way people can call and arrange to come after school next week.”

  Jessie went to her bedroom and took a pen and paper from her desk drawer. She wrote:

  BABY GOODS GARAGE SALE—BARGAINS!

  GENTLY USED BABY CLOTHES AND FURNITURE—

  BABY CLOTHES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGES NEWBORN

  TO TWO YEAR SIZES; STROLLER, BABY BED, INFANT

  CAR SEATS, HIGHCHAIR, CRIB BEDDING AND A VARIETY

  OF BABY TOYS. ADDRESS: 620 WILLOW LANE SUNDAY

  BETWEEN 12 NOON AND 5PM WEEKDAYS 4PM TO 6PM OR

  BY APPOINTMENT: (CALL JESSIE AT 444-4343)

  Jessie checked her spelling then rewrote the ad on a large card in red marking pen. Next, she printed the ad on a white paper to copy and attach to light poles around town. Wearing her parka and gloves, she headed downstairs. From the desk in the kitchen, she grabbed a card of thumbtacks. “Bye, Mom,” she shouted. “I’m off to post the ad.”

  Down by the Town Square, Jessie tacked the card on the community bulletin board and headed for her dad’s office.

  Mr. Hanson’s practiced law on the second floor of a building across from the Court House. She climbed the inside stairway, cleaned snow from her boots on the rug by the frosted glass door and entered.

  Her father appeared from the inner office. “This is a nice surprise.” He looked suspicious. “What brings you here?” He reached down and kissed the top of Jessie’s head.

  “Tina and I are having a garage sale for baby stuff.”

  She pulled out the white sheet of paper. “I need to make copies of this ad to put around town. Okay to use your copier?”

  “Yes,” said her dad. “What brought this on? It seems sudden. Anything to do with the kidnapping?”

  What is it with Daddy? It’s as if he has x-ray eyes into my brain. “Well actually, we thought we’d try to raise some money for the homeless shelter. Getting rid of the baby stuff seemed like a good way to do it.”

  “Hmm…,” he said. “Well that doesn’t exactly answer my question, but I have to admit it would help declutter the house.” He gave her a stern look. “Careful, Jessie. Don’t go meddling into something that will get you into trouble.”

  “I won’t.” She walked to the inner office and began copying the big ad.

  On the way home, she tacked the ad copies to lampposts in the neighborhood.

  Back at the house, Jessie opened the garage door and surveyed the scene. We’ll have to leave the cars outside for a while. She swept the floor and then went inside for a bucket of soapy water and some rags. She removed various garden tools from the shelves and stacked them in a corner, then washed down the shelves.

  With clean white plastic bags and tape, Jessie covered the shelves to make a nice display for the clothes and toys.

  In the house, she found cards of stickers for pricing in the kitchen desk drawer. I’ll wait and ask Tina to help me with the stickers.

  She stepped back and checked out her work. It looks kind of plain. Jessie ran inside to the laundry room and pulled colorful rag rugs from an upper shelf. In the garage, she placed the rugs along the floor in front of the shelving.

  From a corner of the garage she picked up a small table that went onto the patio in the summer and set it near the shelves. She grabbed a cigar box from the workbench and put it on the table. That’s for the money. I’ll have to get some change. She stepped backed and studied her work. Very nice! She closed the garage door.

  Jessie ran inside and found her mother upstairs sorting through Phillip’s outgrown clothes.

  “I know this is a good idea, Jessie. But I’m getting teary-eyed going through these sweet things. Brings back nice memories of baby Phillip. And I keep thinking of Anna and little Andel.” Her mother dried her eyes with a tissue.

  “They’ve got to find him, Mom.” Jessie started looking through a box of toys. “It’s getting cold and he’s so small.” She lifted a wooden play phone from the box.

  “That’s my phone,” said Phillip. “Give it back.” He tried to pull it from Jessie’s hand.

  “Wouldn’t you like to give some of your old toys to children who have no toys?”

  He looked at her with big tears in his eyes. “NO!!”

  “But, Phillip,” Jessie said. “You don’t even play with these anymore.”

  He ran to his mother. “Make Jessie stop!”

  “Logic doesn’t work well with a two-and-a half-year-old, Jessie.” Her mom pulled Phillip close. “Let me handle this part.”

  “Sure. Okay,” Jessie said. “I want you to come and see the garage. I think it looks pretty good.”

  “We’ll be down in a few minutes,” said her mother
.

  Chapter Eight

  “Oh, this looks great!” Her mother held Phillip’s hand while they looked at the transformed garage. “See, Phillip,” she smiled down at him. “Some people are coming here to see if they want to buy our old stuff to give to their children.”

  Phillip looked suspicious. “My toys?”

  “Well maybe you can sell some things that you don’t use anymore and keep the money to buy some new toys.”

  He thought about that. “Maybe.”

  Amazing, thought Jessie. “Do you want to help me put the clothes on the shelves?” Jessie asked Phillip.

  He ran into the house. Jessie and her mom followed him up the stairs to the piles of clothes. Phillip began pulling toys from the box. “Help me, Jessie.” Jessie picked up the toys he’d chosen and carried them downstairs. Her mother followed with a pile of baby items.

  In the garage, Jessie said, “I suppose we should put the stuff in categories. This shelf can be for newborn clothes, and the next for one-year-olds.”

  “Let’s separate boys and girls in piles,” offered her mother. “And label them.”

  Phillip started to place toys on the bottom shelf.

  “That’s good, Phillip,” said Jessie. “Then if little kids come they can see them better.”

  Her mother went to the back of the garage, rolled out a stroller and went back for a crib. Then she stepped inside and brought out a bucket of sudsy water and rags. She began to wash down the baby equipment.

  “We should leave a couple of shelves for little baby stuff ’cause Tina’s folks are bringing boxes after dinner,” Jessie said.

  “This is so smart, Jessie,” said her mom. “We’ll have extra space in the garage and someone can really use these things.”

  “Can you and Daddy leave your cars outside for a few days so people have room to move around in here?”

  “For a few days,” said her mom.

  Outside, a car drove up. Jessie pushed the button to open the garage door. Her dad was shoveling the driveway. His car was parked at the curb. He walked in and admired the sale set-up. “Wow. You’ve gotten a lot done,” he said. He picked up Phillip and admired the shelves.

  “See,” said Phillip. “Old toys. Now I get new ones!”

  “A very good plan, Phillip!” laughed his father. We’ll go shopping after the sale.”

  Phillip laughed too. “Okay.”

  Mr. Hanson finished shoveling while Jessie and her mother tidied up the rest of the garage. “I’ll put my car outside tomorrow,” said her mom. They closed the garage door and went inside for dinner. “We’d better hurry up. Tina and her folks will be here soon.”

  * * *

  Tina and her dad arrived an hour later and carried in box after box of baby clothes, bedding, infant car seats and toys.

  “Oh, my gosh,” said Jessie. “This is great!” She rearranged the shelves so there was room for all of the twins’ outgrown baby stuff.

  Jessie’s mom came out to the garage to help the girls price the clothes. “Don’t ask too much. What you want to do is get rid of these things and put them into the hands of people who can really use them”. She carried some children’s hangers that they used to display little coats and snowsuits on hooks above the shelves.

  Together the three of them decided on prices for the items and wrote amounts on stickers. After everything was priced, they stood back and admired their little store.

  “I’m proud of you two,” said Jessie’s mom. “This looks so good and the prices will be hard to resist.”

  Mr. Hanson came into the garage carrying Phillip in his yellow footie pajamas and blue robe. He lifted a small space heater from a high shelf and set it by the entry. “Don’t want you to freeze while your business is open.” He took Phillip off to bed.

  As they closed the door and went inside, Jessie’s mother reminded them, “Be sure to keep the toy money separate. Phillip is going shopping.”

  Chapter Nine

  That night Jessie slept badly. Thoughts were whirling in her head. I have to watch who comes to the garage sale. Will I recognize suspicious people? She finally drifted off to sleep when she decided that anyone she didn’t recognize would be suspicious since she knew almost everyone in town.

  When she woke up, Phillip was standing by her bed. “Here.” He pushed a pile of toys onto her blanket. “But, Phillip,” Jessie said. “You still play with these toys. You might want to keep them.” She picked up a favorite Teddy Bear. “You shouldn’t give Teddy away. He’s your best friend.”

  He took the bear and hugged it. “Okay.”

  “I know. “We’ll have another garage sale next year and you can give away stuff you don’t want then.” She kissed him. “But never Teddy. Okay?”

  “Okay,” he said.

  Jessie hopped out of bed. “Help me make my bed and then we’ll get you dressed. We have some selling to do.”

  * * *

  After breakfast, Jessie checked out the garage display to make sure everything was ready. Oh no, we don’t have any money for change.

  Her mother was in the kitchen. “Mom, what should we do for change in the money box?”

  “I’ll drive to the grocery store and get change. You watch Phillip.” Her mother hurried out the front door.

  Jessie guided Phillip into the living room and settled him on the floor with a wood puzzle. “Can you be real quiet while I practice the piano?”

  He didn’t answer her.

  Jessie sat down at the piano and started playing scales. Mrs. Livingston, her teacher, was out of town for a week but Jessie had a lesson the following Saturday. If she didn’t practice every day, Mrs. Livingston would know right away. Her teacher always said, “Every day, Jessie. Not all at once the day before your lesson.”

  Jessie was making real progress on the keyboard. She could play all the scales quickly now and cover four octaves in each key. She finished the scales and opened a book to a piece she was working on. Phillip was still engrossed in his puzzle. This was her first music by Beethoven. I cannot believe I get to play Beethoven already. Even though it’s pretty simple and short. Her mother came in the front door and stamped snow off her boots. Both Jessie and Phillip jumped up and ran to her.

  She handed Jessie a brown paper bag. “Here’s thirty dollars in change.”

  Jessie took the bag to the garage. She opened the cigar box and arranged the bills in piles of like denominations. Then she went into the kitchen, took a plastic bowl from the cupboard, returned to the garage and placed the coins in it. Her mother had set a smaller box on the table and labeled it “Toy Money,” for Phillip’s sales.

  In the hallway by the door she found her father dressing Phillip in his leggings and parka.

  “Are you taking him somewhere?”

  “Yep,” said her dad. “We’re going sledding and then out to lunch. Right, Phillip?”

  “Okay. Sledding.” Phillip ran to the kitchen to kiss his mother goodbye.

  “Aren’t you going to be here for the sale?” asked Jessie.

  “Your mom and I decided this would be better. He might not like seeing someone with his toys.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” said Jessie. She went to the kitchen, took Phillip’s hand and led him to the door. “Let’s get your mittens on. It’s still cold outside.”

  With Phillip following, her dad stepped onto the front porch, picked up the big sled leaning against the rail and carried it down the stairs. Mr. Hanson sat Phillip on the sled and began pulling him through the snow in the yard. They were heading for the sledding hill a few blocks away. Phillip waved good-bye to Jessie on the porch.

  Jessie put on a warm parka, sat on the top porch step and waited for Tina. The sun was out and it felt good on her face.

  “Hi!” called Tina. She was hurrying up the sidewalk toward the Hanson house. She plopped down bedside Jessie. “Did you see the sign your dad put up by that bush in front?”

  “No. He didn’t even tell me.” Jessie ran to the sidewa
lk in front. The sign was big and said, “Baby Goods Garage Sale-11:00 to 5:00 today. All proceeds will be donated to the homeless shelter.”

  She returned to Tina. “It looks great!”

  Bryce and his sister were running across the snow-covered brick street. “We saw the sale sign. Do we get to help? I’m a pretty good salesman.” He was carrying a large plastic bag. His sister, Sunny, held a doll in the crook of each arm. She was eight years old and very pretty with shinny blonde curls that bounced as she hopped over the snowy tire tracks.

  “We brought some stuff for your sale,” Sunny said. “If that’s okay.”

  “Sure it’s okay!” said Jessie. “Let’s see.”

  The bag was full of children’s books and some outgrown clothes of Sunny’s. “These are perfect,” said Jessie. “And the baby dolls are beautiful. Are you sure you want to sell them?”

  “I’m sure,” said Sunny. “I’m too old for the books and clothes and I left my favorite doll at home.”

  They all went together to the open garage and set the books among the shelves of baby clothes. Jessie hung Sunny’s beautiful wool coats—one red, one navy blue—on hangers for display. They put the baby dolls in the infant car seats that were for sale. “What size are the coats?”

  Sunny was quiet a moment. “I wore them when we lived back east. I think I was about three years old.”

  Jessie pulled out the price stickers. “What do you think they should sell for?”

  “We don’t need them, Jessie. And it’s for a good cause,” said Bryce. “Price them low. Someone can use them this winter.”

  They were all back on the front porch steps, waiting for customers, when Mrs. Adams, Tina’s mom, trudged up the street pulling a child sled with the twins strapped in the little seats. Tori and Pam wore matching red snowsuits with red-and-white striped stocking hats tied under their chins.

  Sunny ran to the sled to admire the twins. Mrs. Adams put her hand to her lips and said to the babies, “Do you want a drink?” Then Sunny did the same thing. The twins touched their own lips. Mrs. Adams and Sunny laughed.

  “What the heck are they doing?” asked Bryce.