Island of Lost Girls - Jennifer McMahon [89]
YOURE IT! THEsoft white paw of the rabbit lands on her shoulder, touching the red dress once more. Birdie looks up, laughs, and takes off through the headstones after Peter, who runs in slow motion, hip-hip-hopping until, at last, the little girl catches up, grabs hold of a leg, and pulls him down to the grass.
Shes perfected the trick and doesnt need the suit now. She has become Peter Rabbit.
The rabbit sits in a jail cell, waiting. People come and go. The public defender. Jim. They ask the same questions over and over. They want to talk about motive. About Birdie. About the little shoe they found tucked in a box in the bottom of the closet in Pats office. A shoe wrapped in white tissue paper, like a present Pat made herself unwrap each day, a blood-soaked reminder of what shed done. What shed failed to do.
They say the psychiatrist will come soon. An evaluation.
Peter Rabbit says nothing. Just nods, eyes focused on something no one else seems to see.
And when the rabbit sleeps, the dreams are good.
Peters on Rabbit Island and both his Birdies are there. He hop-hop-hops, chasing them in games of tag and hide-and-seek that go on for hours. And they laugh. God, how those little girls laugh.
When he catches them, he takes them both in his strong furry arms, and holds tight like hell never let go.
Theyre all safe. And theyre going to stay there forever. There on Rabbit Island.
JULY 5, 2006
DANIEL WAS BURIEDnext to his father in the St. Anne cemetery. Buried in the coffin hed built himself:Its better to burn out than to fade away
They had all gathered at Clems after the funeral, and were eating casseroles, drinking cocktails, and telling stories about Daniel. Daniel and the peanut cart. Daniel and his crazy ideas. Daniel the Easter Bunny.
Lizzy went to lie down. Everyone agreed it was a terrible strain on herback in town to bury her long lost father. Peter sat on the couch, while Tock stood behind him, massaging his shoulders. Justine picked at the remnants on her plate: bits of three-bean salad and cheeseburger casserole. Suzy and Kim were on the porch, playing Go Fish and drinking ginger ale with maraschino cherries.
Im gonna get another beer, Clem announced, standing. Anyone else need anything? Everyone shook their heads.
Rhonda stood up, stretched, and followed her father into the kitchen.
How are you doing? she asked.
He got that far-off look in his eyes. You know, for a couple of years, I didnt speak to Daniel. Right after I found out about him and Aggie and realized Peter was his son. I met your mother, tried to forget about everything that had happened before. Then, the fall after you were born, I was sitting right out there on the front porch and up he comes like some kind of phantom.
Clem looked longingly out the window, took a long sip from the bottle of beer he was holding.
Out on the porch, the girls giggled.
Clem continued. Daniel came sauntering up the brick walk-way, holding a six-pack of beer out in front of him like an offering. We sat and drank the six-pack, talking about our baby girls, about Peter. We just fell into our old rhythm. Like thered never been a breach in our friendship.
Rhonda nodded, thought about how good it felt to be talking to Peter again. How familiar and comfortable. Like going home.
After Daniel disappeared, I kept going out to the porch. Id sit there for hours some nights over the years, smoking, staring off down the road, waiting for him to show up with another six-pack. Now I know hes not going to. And I suppose theres some comfort in finally knowing, but it still doesnt seem fair.
Rhonda nodded. Her father teared up. Looked out the kitchen window onto the porch, like there was still hope his best friend would show up and say the whole thing was a hoax.
The girls outside giggled. Go fish! Suzy squealed.
THE POLICE SEEMEDto be going on the assumption that Daniel had