Midnight in Suburbia

NaNoWriMo Day 16: Chapter 16 - Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Chapter 16: On the Afternoon
of Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Hearing a siren behind her, George's wife turned on her right turn signal, and pulled off to the side. As the firetruck passed, a chill ran up Daniella's spine, she shivered, but said nothing. After the truck passed, Jane switched on the left turn signal, pulled into the driving lane, and. going well below the speed limit, followed the truck down the street. About five minutes later, they pulled up in front of Amity's house.

Amity stood in the yard, sobbing as the fire department personnel dragging a large hose, rushed through the broken in door. George's wife brought the car to a stopped at the curb and ten feet behind the firetruck. Daniella unfastening her seat belt, got out of the car, and ran to her mother's side.

"Mama," she put her arm around Amity, "what happened?"

"I don't know," she wept. "When I returned home a few minutes ago the house was on fire."

"Where'd you go, Mama?"

"Daniella," she sniffed, "I went to the grocery store because I was out of sage for the dressing. I couldn't put the turkey in the oven without the stuffing and..."

"Why were you cooking the turkey today," Daniella's brow wrinkled. "Tomorrow is Thanksgiving."

"Don't be silly, Daniella," Amity glared at her daughter. "Today is Thanksgiving and I wanted to have the turkey done when Ethan and you arrived."

"Mama, did you put the turkey on before you left the house?"

"Of course not!" Amity shouted, at the rudeness of the question. "I'm not that stupid. Besides," she sighed, "I couldn't put the turkey in the oven without the stuffing. I needed oysters to finish the dressing."

"Oysters," Daniella looked confused. "But you just said you needed sage."

"No! Daniella, don't be rude. I needed oysters because I had fresh sage from the garden."

"Oh," Daniella shook her head. She knew there was no use arguing with her mother when she thought someone was being rude. "Why don't we go sit in George's car, so we won't be in the fireman's way while their doing their job." She guided her mother toward the car, but when Amity saw George and his wife standing by the car she stopped and refused to go any further. "Mama, what's the matter?"

"I will not get in the car with the son of an arson!"

"Uh..." Daniella looked even more confused then before. "The son of an arson? Mother, what do you mean?"

"I mean," cried Amity, "that it was Dolly who started the fire!"

"In that case," she guided her mother toward Amity's red Ford, which was parked in front of the fire engine. "Why don't you sit in your car until I've had a chance to talk to the fire department personnel." She opened the front passenger side door, so her mother could sit down. "Where are your keys, Mom?"

"Right here," Amity opened her purse and began looking through it for her keys, while Daniella went around to the driver's side, opened the door, and removed the keys from the ignition.

"I have them here, Mom," she put the keys in her purse and walked back around the car to her mother. "Why don't you sit here until I've talked to whoever is in charge of this engine crew."

"Oh, all right, Daniella... But be quick about it because I have to put the turkey on to cook before your brother gets here."

Daniella smiled nervously and walked over to the captain of the fire engine crew. "What happened," she glanced at his name tag to determine his rank. "Caption Norton?"

"I'm still Calvin, Daniella," he smile giving his old high school sweet hear a hug. "I'm not sure at this point. A neighbor called and when we arrived you mother was attempting to open the front door, but her key wouldn't work so..."

"You had to break the font door in."

"Yes, when my crew entered the residence they found the kitchen on fire." He frowned, "Daniella, I think the fire started at the oven, but I won't be sure until I can get the fire completely out and begin an investigation."

"I understand, Calvin," she glance quickly at her mother who was still going through her purse. "I'll ask Aunt Emily if Mom and I can stay at her house. Do you need to ask Mom any questions?"

"Amity seems a bit confused," he said. "Why don't you take her to Emily's place and I'll give you a call there when you can come back to get her things."

"All right, Calvin." Daniella went over to George's car to get her suitcase.

"You're going to Emily's I presume," said George removing Daniella's suitcase from the trunk.

"Yes," together they walked to Amity's car, where Daniella opened the trunk. George put the suitcase in the trunk and closed it just as Amity got out of the car.

"Daniella," shouted Amity. "What's this person doing near my car?"

"George is putting my suitcase in the trunk, Mama," Daniella lowered her voice two decibles. "We're going to stay at Aunt Emily's."

"Don't be rediculess, Daniella. I am not leaving my house and you will stay her with me!"

"Mama," Daniella sighed. "We can't stay in the house because of the fire. The only other place is Aunt Emily's or a motel. Now where would you rather stay?"

"At Emily's of course," she glared at Daniella. "However, I think her daughter and grandchildren are staying with her."

"I'll give Aunt Emily a call, but you get back in the car."

"Oh, all right!" Amity walked to the driver's side, got in, and closed the door.

"I'll call you later, George," she said as she removed her cell phone from her purse. "And make sure your mother avoids both this house and my mother."

"I'll do my best, Cousin," he walked to his car and got in on the passenger side. His wife started the car and they drove off.

Dialing Emily number, Daniella waited while the call went through. "Hello, Aunt Emily, this is Daniella Coffey."

"There's been a kitchen fire at Mom's house and we need a place to stay."

"We can! Your daughter and grandchildren aren't staying there."

"Oh, they come at Christmas," Daniella sighed. "Mom said that..."

"Aunt Emily, I think confused is an under statement. I'm not sure that Mom knows what's going on."

"We'll be there in a few minutes."

Daniella closed her cell phone just as Amity got out of the car and walked to the trunk, where Daniella was standing. "Daniella," Amity said, "I can't find my keys. I think I left them in the house."

"No, Mama," Daniella replied guiding her mother to the passenger side of the car. "I have them right here in my purse." She opened the door, "Please, get in so that I can take us to Aunt Emily's."

"Why are we going to Emily's?"

"Because of the fire, we can't stay in the house, so we're staying at..."

"What fire," Amity looked toward the house as the fire engine crew was leaving.

"The kitchen fire, Mom," Daniella standing in front of her mother, held the car door open. "Please get into the car and I'll explain when we get to Aunt Emily's."

"All right," Amity glared. "I don't see why I can stay in my own house, but if you insist."

"I insist!" After Amity sit down in the seat, Daniella buckled her seat belt, pressed the door lock down, closed the door, and walked around to the driver's side.

"Daniella," said Amity after her daughter has started the car. "Ethan won't know where we are when he arrives."

"I'll give him a call as soon as we reach Emily's house." She drove east, turn right at the next corner, and drive down three houses before turning into the driveway of a two-story brick house.

Emily opened the front door, just as Daniella got out of the car. "Morning," she called descending the steps and hurrying to the passenger side of the car. "How'd the fire start, Daniella?"

"I don't know for sure, Aunt Emily," Daniella walked to the passenger side and unlocked the door. "Calvin Norton has to investigate the cause."

"Then you'll be staying until after December 1. What about Ethan?"

"Ethan is waiting at the airport for Alice's plane. I suppose they'll stay at a motel."

"Call Ethan, tell him to come here with is lady friend."

"All right," she laughed. "I'll do that, Aunt Emily." Daniella went to the trunk, unlocked it, removed her suitcase, and them followed her mother and Emily into the house.

"Daniella," said Emily. "There are two bedroom on this floor that share a bathroom. Would you and Amity like those or would you like to stay upstairs?"

"The two down here will be fine, Aunt Emily?. Making sure that her mother was sitting in the living room watching television, Daniella, carrying her suitcase followed Emily to the bedrooms. Taking the room with the canapy bed, she went in placing her suitcase and purse on the bed. She opened her purse, removed her cellphone and placed it in her jacket pocket. Then she and Emily went into the living room, where they found Amity channel surfing.

"Would you like a cup of coffee, Daniella," Emily ask as they stood in the door watching Amity.

"Yes," she said and then followed Emily to the kitchen. "Mind if I have some of this pumpkin bread," she sat down at the kitchen table.

"Help yourself," Emily poured two cups of coffee while Daniella cut a slice of the bread and placed it in a desert dish. Then she removed her phone from her pocket and dialed Ethan.

"Ethan," she said when his voice mail answered. "This is Daniella, please bring Alice to Aunt Emily's before you stop at Mom's."

"Apparently, Ethan still has his phone turned off," she closed her phone and took a sip of coffee. "He'll ought to remember to turn it on in a few minutes."

"How'd the fire start," Emily sit down and served herself a slice of the pumpkin bread.

"Calvin Norton said they think it started in the oven."

"I presume Amity's too confused to give any important information."

"I think so," Daniella sighed. "Mom seemed to think today is Thanksgiving, she said she went to the store for either sage or oysters for the stuffing."