April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick Page B

and what unll you tell them --
    "I don't know," Belinda whispered to herself. "Oh, I don't know ... I don't know."
    She jerked open the front door and yelled back over her shoulder, "Mr. Cobbs, I'm leaving now!"
    And she was still looking back over her shoulder when she ran ftdl force into something on the porch, when a pair of arms went around her to keep her from falling.
    "Hey," a voice laughed, "where's the fire?"
    And Belinda stared up into soft hazel eyes, sun-bleached hair . . . and a teasing smile only inches away from her open mouth.

Chapter 7
    "One thing I like about coming home" -- the boy looked amused -- "I never know what surprises Til find."
    Behind her Belinda heard the perfectly measured steps of Cobbs approaching. She looked back and saw him there in the entryway, a suitcase in each hand.
    "Hi, Cobbs," the boy grinned.
    "Mister Noel," Cobbs nodded, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "Allowance running low again?"
    "Now what kind of a welcome is that?" Noel chided good-naturedly. "I like this one a lot better." He let go of Belinda's shoulders, and she blushed as he stepped past her into the hall. "So what's all this? Did you finally throw Mom out?"
    "Your mother's just leaving, sir. On business."
    "Great. This'd be a perfect time for you to make your escape --"
    "Noel!" The voice came from above and was so startled that they all looked up to the balcony. Mrs. Thome's face seemed to be making its usual struggle between civility and annoyance, but she came quickly down the stairs, her arms regally wide. "Darling -- what a surprise!"
    "Hi, Mom." Noel looked extremely embarrassed, and Cobbs tactfully redirected his gaze toward the ceiling.
    "Why are you here? What do you need? You should have told me you were coming." Her eyes raked him from head to foot, her mouth set in a tight smile. "If you came for Fred's sake, there's nothing you can do."
    "I finished up early at school." He shrugged. "And how is Fred? Any change?"
    "I'm afraid not. And you've wasted a perfectly good visit, too. I'm just now leaving." Mrs. Thome sighed. "New York, of all places. How long will you be here?"
    "I don't really know. Mom. I have a little time before my job starts so -- "
    "Oh, job!" she said scornfully. "As if you needed to work."
    "I like to work," he said firmly. He went over to Cobbs and offered his hand. "How've you been, Cobbs?"
    "Peachy."
    Noel grinned again and turned back to his mother. "So who's this frantic young lady, and why's she running away?"
    They all looked at her, and Belinda went even redder. Mrs. Thome gave an exasperated shrug, her bracelets ratthng in the direction of the upstairs hall.
    "Oh, it's probably Adam --"
    "Adam?" Noel looked surprised. "Is Adam here?"
    "Oh, really, it's most tragic!" Mrs. Thome jerked on her coat and gloves, tilted a hat onto her head. "He's staying here, of all things. I don't know for how long, either, but his mother sent him because of Fred and --"
    "She means the accident," Behnda spoke up, trying to control the anger in her voice. "She means the accident was the most tragic thing." As Mrs. Thorne looked taken aback, Cobbs flicked a look at Belinda and then onto his shoes.
    Mrs. Thome headed for the door. "Fred . . . this damn business . . . now Adam. . . . It's always something, Noel -- do I have an easy life?"
    Noel hid a smile and trailed behind her, stopping again as his mother let out a shriek. Belinda stepped out onto the porch just in time to see a brown blur leap from the red sportscar in the driveway.
    "What is that -- you didn^t -- oh, Noel, how could you --"
    "Relax, Mom, you won't even be here to notice her," Noel chuckled. There was a loud bark, and a moment later a huge dog bounded past her into the house. Belinda recognized it as the dog in Noel's photograph, and as Noel let out a sharp whistle, the dog loped out again and leaped back into his car. Cobbs sighed and started to put the luggage into the Mercedes, but Noel stopped him.
    "I can take