The Siren of Paris by David Leroy

father.” She walked into the main foyer outside the lounge and spotted David coming in from the promenade deck.
    “David, have you seen Larry?” she asked him, looking around.
    “Yes, he is on the other side, through those doors.” He pointed to the starboard side doors from the foyer.
    “Can you go sit with the kids for a minute? They are getting antsy. I need to get Larry,” she asked. David went back into the lounge.
    As David sat on his cot, Robert said, “
The Tale of Tom Kitten
. Look, Maji, see the kitten with the blue shorts and jacket?” She looked at the front of the book and smiled.
    Outside on the deck, Margarette looked up and down for any sign of her husband. She then recognized his jacket from behind as he leaned over the rail.
    “Larry, can you take Majdouline for a walk?” she asked.
    “Why, what is wrong?” he looked through the windows of the lounge.
    “She just needs to get out a bit and I think she will calm down with you taking her,” she continued.
    “Is she upset?”
    “Yes, she is picking up on how tense everyone is waiting here. I think if you take her, she will do better.”
    The afternoon sun filled the large lounge. Most of the chairs and tables had been moved to the sides of the room. Passengers sat in small groups talking or playing cards. Life jackets served as pillows on most of the cots.
    “See, Tom Kitten is too fat for his suit and needs more buttons,” Robert said. His little sister laughed.
    “Read me more, Robert,” she asked him, seeming relaxed.
    “I will be right in. Let me finish my smoke,” Larry said, looking down the deck where the officers had entered just a moment prior.
    “Mr. Drake Puddle-duck has Tom’s clothes, Maji. See?” Robert said as she giggled.
    Margarette stepped back into the lounge through the doors of the foyer. David rose from the cot and walked over to meet her.
    “How is she doing?” Margarette asked.
    “Fine, fine. They have been reading and she is laughing. You worry too much. Did you sleep well last night?”
    “No, of course not. Did you?” she asked.
    “Well, not exactly, but tonight should be better,” David answered, looking out through the windows.
    Robert paged through the book, carefully showing each small illustration to his sister.
    “See, look, Maji,” Robert said. Robert then turned to the last page of the book.
    “The clothes all came off directly in the pond, because there were no buttons, and Mr. Drake Puddle-duck and Jemima and Rebeccah have been looking for them ever since. See, look, Maji.” He held up the book for his sister. Her smile fell away and she stared intensely at the page. She started to cry and then took the life jacket from underneath her cot and started to put it on.
    “What are you doing?” Robert asked.
    “What’s wrong?” Margarette demanded as she rushed over from the doors. “Majdouline, what is wrong?”
    “I am not stupid. I am not going to lose my clothes,” she cried as she struggled with the jacket.
    “What did you say to her?” Margarette turned to Robert.
    “Nothing, I just read her the book. See?” He turned the pages.
    “Majdouline, dear, no one is going to lose their clothes. Calm down, please, for mommy,” Margarette pleaded, trying not to be overheard.
    “What is wrong with that little girl over there?” a man turned to the woman sitting next to her on a cot.
    “I don’t know, but she is upset,” the woman peered over.
    “Are they putting on their life jackets?” he asked as he took his vest from the front of his cot.
    “I bet they have seen a U-boat. You know, I saw one myself this morning,” the woman said, pulling her jacket out from under the cot.
    “Good idea,” another woman said as she pulled on her vest.
    “Maji, nothing is wrong. Calm down, please,” Robert pleaded quietly and looked through the room. He then whispered, “You are frightening the others. Please behave.”
    “Daddy is going to take you for a walk,” Margarette said,