In my previous life, this was exactly when all the children came back.
All except my daughter.
This time, I'd prepared in advance. Would Maya come back with them?
Chatter erupted outside the door.
"See? The kids are back."
My mother-in-law hurried over with a steaming plate of fried food.
"Who wants fries? Come here! Who wants fried chicken drumsticks? Over here!"
A swarm of children bounced around her, hands grabbing, voices clamoring.
While the three Mason sisters were distracted, I slipped the phone from the table into my pocket and positioned myself in the doorway, scanning the path to the village entrance.
Before Maya left, I'd counted.
Including her, there were ten children.
Now, only nine crowded around my mother-in-law.
"Where's Maya? Why didn't she come back?"
Just like in my previous life, my daughter was nowhere.
I questioned the children one by one.
I gripped Tommy's shoulders—hard. The boy, mouth still stuffed with fries, burst into loud sobs.
"Mommy, Mommy, I'm scared..."
Daisy yanked him away from me, glaring.
"Zoey, what's wrong with you? Maya wanted to keep playing and didn't come back on her own—why are you scaring my son?"