was not sitting on the stool behind the counter. This in itself was not unusual; Benny was like any five year old and had a hard time staying in one spot for long.
“Benny, where’d you go, champ?” There was no answer. Worrisome, but not more so than usual.
“Benjamin Grant, you come out here right now. No games. It’s time for me to start locking up. Do you want to lock the front door?” Still no answer. Benny loved being allowed to lock the front door.
At this point, Ben started searching around the store in earnest, opening chests and wardrobes, a soft fear catching in his chest and making his breath a little shorter and sharper. “This isn’t funny, young man. Stop hiding. Where are you? Don’t force me to call your mother.” When this threat failed to get the usual panicked response, Ben really started to worry. He went to the front door, but there wasn’t any sign of a boy, just a few shopkeepers on his small side street starting their own closing routines.
“Bernard! Did Benny come out here?”
The grocer across the way shrugged and shook his head. “Haven’t seen the little terror. Lose him?”
“He’s probably hiding someplace in here I just haven’t found yet, thanks.” There was no reason to panic anyone else yet, in fact there was probably no reason for him to panic. He was sure Benny must have just wandered upstairs or something. Please let it be something. Ben retreated into the store and went straight to the phone. He dialed the extension that rang the apartment upstairs while he continued to walk around looking in and behind things.
“What’s up?” Ben could hear the TV on in the background blasting one of her fitness workout tapes.
“Jeannie, did Benny come upstairs?” Jeannie either paused or muted the tape as the sound stopped abruptly.
She paused and Ben could almost see her scanning the apartment above. He prayed she would tell him yes, Benny was up there making fun of her again while she worked out. “No, I don’t think so. He wanted to help you close up tonight.”
Ben hesitated before admitting, “I can’t find him.”
“I’m sure he’s just hiding in the furniture again. Remember when he fell asleep in that wardrobe?” Of course he remembered. Benny had been three and Jeannie had panicked. They were about to call the police when Ben had opened the 1894 teak wardrobe and found his son curled up on a fur coat he had pulled off of a hanger.
“I’ve looked in everything. He’s not here.”
Jeannie hung up without answering and in a moment he could hear her clattering down the back stairs. She came out of the workroom and briskly started the same search, flipping open lids and doors around the perimeter of the store. Ben headed into the center of the storefront to see if Ben was just hiding under the desks and tables grouped there.
“Weren’t you watching him?” And there it was. He had wondered how long it would take her to come around to accusations. Less than a minute, record time.
Biting his lip to prevent a harsh comment, he responded, “I stepped in the back to repair that jewelry box—you know, those hinges? The one you asked me to fix because no one would buy it like it was.”
Jeannie turned from the tin sea trunk she was peering into. “You shouldn’t leave him out here by himself; you know how he gets into trouble.” She let the lid slam down and continued on to the 1920s pine dresser.
“It was just for a moment. I wanted to get the wood filler on it before we closed up for the night and there was no one here. Benny always listens to me when I tell him to stay put.”
Jeannie snorted but didn’t pursue the matter. “Did he go outside?”
“Bernard didn’t see him.” Ben slid the heavy oak chair back into the leg well of the desk he had been checking.
“That man is blind to anything beyond his awnings, you know that.” She opened and slammed every drawer in the dresser, even though they were entirely too small to fit a five
“Benny, where’d you go, champ?” There was no answer. Worrisome, but not more so than usual.
“Benjamin Grant, you come out here right now. No games. It’s time for me to start locking up. Do you want to lock the front door?” Still no answer. Benny loved being allowed to lock the front door.
At this point, Ben started searching around the store in earnest, opening chests and wardrobes, a soft fear catching in his chest and making his breath a little shorter and sharper. “This isn’t funny, young man. Stop hiding. Where are you? Don’t force me to call your mother.” When this threat failed to get the usual panicked response, Ben really started to worry. He went to the front door, but there wasn’t any sign of a boy, just a few shopkeepers on his small side street starting their own closing routines.
“Bernard! Did Benny come out here?”
The grocer across the way shrugged and shook his head. “Haven’t seen the little terror. Lose him?”
“He’s probably hiding someplace in here I just haven’t found yet, thanks.” There was no reason to panic anyone else yet, in fact there was probably no reason for him to panic. He was sure Benny must have just wandered upstairs or something. Please let it be something. Ben retreated into the store and went straight to the phone. He dialed the extension that rang the apartment upstairs while he continued to walk around looking in and behind things.
“What’s up?” Ben could hear the TV on in the background blasting one of her fitness workout tapes.
“Jeannie, did Benny come upstairs?” Jeannie either paused or muted the tape as the sound stopped abruptly.
She paused and Ben could almost see her scanning the apartment above. He prayed she would tell him yes, Benny was up there making fun of her again while she worked out. “No, I don’t think so. He wanted to help you close up tonight.”
Ben hesitated before admitting, “I can’t find him.”
“I’m sure he’s just hiding in the furniture again. Remember when he fell asleep in that wardrobe?” Of course he remembered. Benny had been three and Jeannie had panicked. They were about to call the police when Ben had opened the 1894 teak wardrobe and found his son curled up on a fur coat he had pulled off of a hanger.
“I’ve looked in everything. He’s not here.”
Jeannie hung up without answering and in a moment he could hear her clattering down the back stairs. She came out of the workroom and briskly started the same search, flipping open lids and doors around the perimeter of the store. Ben headed into the center of the storefront to see if Ben was just hiding under the desks and tables grouped there.
“Weren’t you watching him?” And there it was. He had wondered how long it would take her to come around to accusations. Less than a minute, record time.
Biting his lip to prevent a harsh comment, he responded, “I stepped in the back to repair that jewelry box—you know, those hinges? The one you asked me to fix because no one would buy it like it was.”
Jeannie turned from the tin sea trunk she was peering into. “You shouldn’t leave him out here by himself; you know how he gets into trouble.” She let the lid slam down and continued on to the 1920s pine dresser.
“It was just for a moment. I wanted to get the wood filler on it before we closed up for the night and there was no one here. Benny always listens to me when I tell him to stay put.”
Jeannie snorted but didn’t pursue the matter. “Did he go outside?”
“Bernard didn’t see him.” Ben slid the heavy oak chair back into the leg well of the desk he had been checking.
“That man is blind to anything beyond his awnings, you know that.” She opened and slammed every drawer in the dresser, even though they were entirely too small to fit a five
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