Part III
You Are the Love of My Life
XXXII
Amanda Meets Anne
The alarm went off at 2230. Michael groaned and opened his eyes. He turned to the clock and turned the alarm off. He looked over to where Amanda had been sleeping. When he saw she wasn’t there, his eyes popped wide open. He threw the covers off and was about to jump out of the bed when he saw Amanda, fully clothed, sitting at the table.
“What are you doing sitting over there, Amanda?” He asked.
“I was watching you sleep. You sleep so peacefully. Did you know that?”
Michael smiled and said, “No. I’ve never had anybody sleep with me before this past week so nobody’s ever watched me sleep. What are you doing up so early?”
“I didn’t want to cause you any problems this morning. After all, we’ve got to get to the train station by 0200.”
Michael chuckled and said, “That’s true. I hope you’ve already packed all of your clothes.”
“Yes, Michael. I packed after I took my shower after we got back from St. Alsatian as you suggested.”
“Good. Well, let me change my clothes so we can eat breakfast before we leave.”
**********
Amanda brought her luggage to Michael’s room. They left the room, headed to the elevator, and called the elevator. When they reached the ground floor, Michael walked over to the registration desk. After he got the attention of the desk clerk, he said, “Could you send someone to room 1109 to get our luggage while we eat breakfast?”
The desk clerk, a Korat cat, said, “Yes, sir. Will you need to have anything left for your usage after you eat?”
“Yes, ma’am. Please leave the two small bags on the bed. We’ll bring that down ourselves.”
“Yes, sir. Enjoy your breakfast.”
“Thank you.”
Michael returned to Amanda, took her hand, and, together, they walked into the restaurant. The hostess asked if they wished to order from the menu or eat from the breakfast bar. After Michael said that they’d eat from the bar, she showed them to a small table and left. Michael and Amanda got a light breakfast from the bar, ate, and Michael paid for the meal, once again leaving a nice tip for the waitress even though all she did was bring them their drinks and made sure the glass stayed full.
Michael and Amanda returned to his room where they brushed their teeth. After they brushed their teeth, they put their toothbrushes into their toiletry bags, took one last look at the room where they had slept together for most of the last nine nights, walked out of the room, making certain the door was completely closed and headed to the elevators. Upon reaching the ground floor, Michael signed the receipt, accepted a copy to give to the finance department, and offered his arm to Amanda. They exited the hotel and gave the valet their parking ticket. After a few minutes, the valet returned with their rental car and helped Amanda into the car. Michael gave him a 50 Yenar bill, thanked him, got in, cranked the car, and left heading back toward the train station.
Their train wasn’t scheduled to leave the station until 0300 and they arrived at 0200. When Michael asked her what she wanted to do while they waited to board the train, Amanda said she’d just be happy sitting in the terminal with Michael.
“Well, come on. First, we need to get our seats. Then, we can sit and wait.”
They walked over to the ticket counter, showed the clerk their tickets, were assigned their seats, and walked to a couple of empty seats. Michael suggested getting something to drink, walked to a drink counter, bought each of them a drink, returned to the chairs, and saw Amanda was still standing. He started to ask her why she was still standing until he realized what she was waiting on. He smiled, sat down, and offered his lap to her. She sat in his lap, cuddled up against his chest, and hummed happily.
At 0245, an announcement was made stating that the train going to Catlanna had arrived and was now accepting passengers. Michael and Amanda got up and walked to the ticket taker. He looked at their tickets, removed a rope barrier, and allowed them to enter the train car. They found their seat and sat down with Amanda sitting next to the window. It was going to be an 8-hour trip and Michael didn’t want her to be bored. He figured she’d enjoy watching the country, especially the swamps of south Gargia, pass by.
0300 arrived, the doors to the train closed, and they slowly started pulling out of the station. In less than 5 minutes, the train was moving at full speed, about 45 mph. The train traveled northward until just north of Brantawick where it was switched to a northwestern line and followed the Owltamaha River, although he remembered it as the Altamaha. As the train made its way through the river swamps, Amanda kept her nose pressed against the windowpane and oohed and aahed at everything she could see. Every now and then, she’d turn to Michael as she smiled happily and ask him a question about something she saw.
Amanda pointed at a white area that stuck into the river, “Michael, what’s that?”
Michael looked and said, “It’s called a sandbar.”
“A sandbar?”
“Yes. The river picks up sand on its route down to the ocean. When the river makes a bend, it’ll drop some of the sand on that bend. As the sand builds up, it creates a bar. As the bar grows, it’ll force the river to change direction and cut into the far bank, creating a bluff. Eventually, the river will change direction completely, close off the old riverbed, and create a lake.”
Amanda stared at him with her mouth open. He said, “What? Did I act like a teacher again?”
She laughed softly and said, “A little bit. But, I’m glad you told me. I’d never learned that.”
“Well, most of the rivers near Catlanna run kind of fast so sandbars are rare up there. Sandbars are more common along slow-moving rivers like the Owltamaha, the Saint Meowy, and the Sandtilla rivers. Maybe one of these days, we can come back down here and I’ll rent a boat and show you what I mean.”
She sighed and said, “I’d love that, Michael.”
**********
The train rumbled along through the swamps of southern Gargia along the Owltamaha River. Amanda kept her nose stuck to the window as she looked at the river, swamps, and cypress trees that the rails passed through. Occasionally, she would reach over and grab Michael’s arm and point at something interesting that she saw and ask him about it. Michael, for his part, smiled every time she did this and explained what it was that she was looking at.
At 0530, the conductor came to their seats and informed them that lunch would soon be served and, if they wanted lunch, they should make their way to the dining car. Michael knew that Amanda was happy watching the river go by but, he also knew that she had to be getting hungry. When he asked if she wanted to eat lunch, she started pushing him into the aisle.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He laughed.
When they arrived at the dining car, they found a table and sat down. After reading the menu, they made their decisions and informed the waiter. They decided on a hamburger, fried potatoes, and a glass of sweet tea. In just a few minutes, their meal arrived and they started eating.
“Michael, what was it like growing up and seeing the swamps regularly?”
“Well, during the spring, the river was usually in its flood stage so, the river was as much as 5 times wider than it is now. During the summer, it would flood and recede depending on how much rain Catlanna received, although most of the time, it was pretty low. In some places, the river would be so low that you could wade across it and never get your knees wet.”
“Wow. And that was all because Catlanna didn’t get a lot of rain?”
“Yep. Rain in the summertime was a rare commodity unless there a hurricane blew through. Then, we’d get a lot of rain and the river would, once again, flood. The farmers and swamps depended on the floods because it would water the ground and bring needed nutrients to the farmlands.”
After they finished eating, they returned to their seats and Amanda, once again, pressed her nose to the window and stared at the swamps.
Eventually, they reached the confluence of the Oakmulgee and Ocotree Rivers the source of the Owltamaha River. Michael knew that just a few miles further northwest and they would be leaving the swamps and arriving at Macaque. After a 15 minute stopover at Macaque, the train pulled out of the station with a two hour trip to Catlanna.
With the swamps behind them, Amanda became less interested in what was passing outside the window and started paying more attention to Michael. Even though she didn’t caress his arm as she did on the trip to Jaguarville, she did hold Michael’s hand and lay her head on his shoulder. The conductor passed by, stopped, and stared at them for a few seconds.
“I thought she was in heat last week. Why is she hanging on you now?”
Michael looked at the conductor and recognized him as the one that was on the train when he and Amanda took their trip south. “Whoa! I’m surprised to see you again. How are you doing?”
“I’m doing fine, sir. I work this train from Chickengo to Mahi-mahi 5 days a week.”
“As for her hanging on me, I confessed to her that I loved her this past Friday. So, she’s enjoying the fact that I actually want her to do those things.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Do you enjoy your job?”
“Oh, yes, sir. I get to meet so many interesting people. You were the first human I’d seen in almost 6 years and your lady friend is the first tigress with fox markings I’ve ever seen.”
Amanda looked at the conductor and said, “Please don’t misunderstand but I’m not a tigress. I’m a vixen. I have tiger ancestry on both sides of my family and it came together in me.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ve never seen a fox look so much like another species before.”
Amanda smiled and said, “Don’t worry. I’ve had to explain my looks my whole life. A lot of people think my mother cheated on my father before they got married so, my mother and I have had to deal with that. I’m used to it.”
“Well, your man is lucky. Your markings are absolutely beautiful. I need to make my rounds. Maybe I’ll see you again before we arrive in Catlanna. If not, then I hope you’ve enjoyed traveling with us.”
Michael said, “It was a pleasure, sir. Maybe we’ll meet again one day.”
The conductor walked away. Amanda laid her head on Michael’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “Michael, you know Mother isn’t going to be happy with us. Don’t you?”
“Yes. Personally, I don’t care. I love you and I’m going to stay with you as long as you want me to stay.”
Amanda smiled happily at this.
**********
The train started slowing in preparation to stop at Catlanna. It pulled into the Catlanna train station and came to a complete stop. An announcement was made telling the passengers where they were, to please remain seated until the train came to a complete stop, thanking the departing passengers for using Kangaroo Rail System, and please consider using Kangaroo Rail System for their future travels.
After they departed the rail car, Michael and Amanda waited for their luggage to be unloaded and brought to them. Just as the porter removed their luggage from the luggage cart, a large spotted hand reached between them and caught the handles. They looked and saw Mr. Ingwe holding their luggage and smiling.
“Welcome back, Mr. Thomson, Miss Fuchs. I hope your trip was profitable and enjoyable.”
Michael said, “Yes, sir. It was both.”
“Good. Oh, and Mr. Thomson, you don’t have to call me sir.” He looked around and leaned in close to Michael’s ear and added, “I work for a living.” He stood up, smiling as he did.
Mr. Ingwe started walking out of the station with Michael and Amanda walking alongside of him. They arrived at the limousine and Mr. Ingwe put their luggage in the trunk. Michael and Amanda got in the back and buckled their seatbelts. Mr. Ingwe got behind the wheel, cranked the vehicle up, and pulled out. Even though it was a limousine, there was no dividing window so everyone could talk to each other with no problem.
Michael said, “Mr. Ingwe, I’m surprised you came by to pick us up. Did Mr. Blaidd send you?”
“Yes, sir. Mr. Blaidd and Mrs. Gatopardos thought you would like a ride from the station to your automobile. Since you seem to be a firearms aficionado, I volunteered to pick you up. Besides, we can plan on when we’ll get together so you can see how well my pistol shoots. Even though it’s a 12mm, you’d never know it because the recoil is so slight that you could fire 6 shots rapid-fire and have a grouping that’s less than an inch.”
Michael whistled and said, “That’s good. When I was growing up, we had several large-caliber pistols but, even they had recoil that wouldn’t allow that tight of a grouping rapid-fire.”
“Oh, you’ll love shooting this firearm.”
Amanda, who’d been listening to this conversation, said, “Mr. Ingwe, would you mind if I joined you and Michael. I’ve never fired a gun before and I’d love to try it.”
Mr. Ingwe looked in the mirror at Amanda before saying, “Miss Fuchs, you’re more than welcome to join us, if your . . .” Amanda coughed and glared slightly at Mr. Ingwe causing Michael to wonder what was going on. “You don’t mind loud noises. The report of a firearm isn’t as quiet as they seem to be in the movies or on television and in the confined space of a shooting range the report is even louder than normal.”
“I’m sure that Michael will help me. Won’t you Michael?”
Still curious about the look she gave, Michael said, “I’ll do my best, Amanda. But, unless you wear earplugs, there’s little I can do to save you from the loud report of a firearm.”
**********
After about a half-hour drive, they arrived at SoGa Industries and Mr. Ingwe transferred their luggage from the limousine to Michael’s car. Michael offered Mr. Ingwe a tip but he adamantly refused, saying that it was his pleasure plus he was paid quite well to be a chauffeur and bodyguard. Michael and Amanda thanked Mr. Ingwe, got into his car, and drove away.
Amanda asked, “Michael, are you going to the Panthera home?”
“Yes, I promised Dr. Tigresa I would and I want you to come with me.”
“I said I would, Michael. Do you think it’ll help if I accompany you?”
“I’m hoping so, Amanda. Anne is a bit possessive of me and I want her to understand that, even though you’re my girlfriend, she’s still my little sister and always will be.”
Amanda smiled and said, “I’ll do what I can to help, Michael.”
**********
Michael arrived at the Panthera home, he and Amanda got out of his car and walked to the front door. Michael knocked on the door and he and Amanda walked in. “Where’s my Sweetie Anne?” He called and was rewarded by hearing a squeal of delight and thump-thump of a toddler’s run. He knelt down to catch Anne when she rounded the corner into the living room.
Anne rounded the corner hollering, “Mah’l, Mah’l.” However, when she saw Amanda, she skidded to a stop well short of where Michael was kneeling, turned, and ran back the way she had come. Michael looked at Amanda apologetically and followed Anne.
Michael walked to Anne’s room and found her in her bed crying. He sat on the bed and started rubbing Anne’s back as she cried. “Anne, please don’t cry.”
“No! You dun luh Anne no mo-ah. She cried even harder.
“Anne, please. I still love you. You’re my baby sister and I’ll always love you.”
“No! You gots guh-fwen. You dun luh Anne no mo-ah.”
“Anne, Your daddy loves your mama, doesn’t he?” Anne nodded her head. “Do you think he doesn’t love you?” She shook her head. “Richard has a girlfriend and he still loves you. Doesn’t he?” Once again, she nodded her head. “Victoria has a boyfriend and she still loves you. Doesn’t she?” Again, she nodded her head. “Now, what makes you think I don’t love you anymore?”
Anne buried her face in her pillow and cried softly. Michael picked her up and held her close to his chest and gently stroked her hair and back. She buried her face in his chest and continued to cry. “Anne, it hurts me when you cry like this. Come on. I want you to meet Amanda. I’m sure you’ll love her when you meet her. She’s an old friend of Victoria.”
“Weally?” Anne said between sobs.
“Yes. I bet she’s talking to Victoria right now.”
Anne still had her face buried in Michael’s chest and was crying softly but didn’t fight him when he took her back to the living room. As luck would have it, Amanda was talking to Victoria as Michael walked up to them. He picked Anne up to where she could see his face, put his forehead against hers, and whispered to her. Anne smiled and said, “Uh-kay.”
Michael said, “Amanda, this is Anne, Victoria’s baby sister. Anne, this is my girlfriend, Amanda.”
Amanda smiled at Anne and said, “You are a cutie. No wonder Michael loves you so much.”
Anne looked at Amanda and said, “Mah’l luh Anne?”
Amanda took Anne from Michael as she said, “He most definitely does. Why, during our trip to Jaguarville, he talked about his baby sister all the time. He told me how much he missed you and could hardly wait until he got home so he could see you again. I got so jealous of you I could hardly stand it.”
“Wy?”
“Why? Because I’m his girlfriend and I had to compete with you. You were his favorite and I felt like I wasn’t good enough for him. Now that I’ve met you, I can understand his feelings. I hope you’ll share him with me.”
Anne put her fingertip in her mouth, looked back at Michael, then at Amanda, and said, “Uh-kay.”
Michael, who was standing and talking with Victoria, smiled at Anne and said, “Is everything okay now, Anne?”
“Uh-huh.” She hugged Amanda tightly, kissed her cheek, and said, “Ah luh hu.”
Anne turned her attention back to Amanda. She touched one of Amanda’s stripes and said, “You gots stwipes. You tiguh?”
“No. I’m a fox.”
“Mama gots stwipes and see a tiguh.”
“I know. A long, long time ago, two of my ancestors married tigers. One was from my mother’s family and one was from my father’s family. When my parents got married and made me, I came out looking like this. Do you like my stripes?”
“Uh-huh. Ah luh mama stwipes so ah luh yoh-uh stwipes.”
Amanda kissed Anne on the cheek and said, “Thank you, Anne. You are as sweet as Michael always said you were.”
**********
Ophelia stood staring out of the living room window. She was impatiently looking at the driveway of her home. Jacob stepped beside her and noticed the look on her face. “What’s wrong, Ophelia?”
“I’m concerned about Amanda. She should have arrived back in Catlanna two hours ago. Why hasn’t she called us? Do you believe that human has hurt her?”
“No, Ophelia. Michael hasn’t hurt her. Likely they got stuck in traffic or Michael stopped by to visit Leo and Tigresa. Anne, their baby daughter, has missed him since he’s been away. They may have asked him to visit for a short while after he returned from Jaguarville.”
“Well, what does that have to do with whether or not Amanda calls us?”
“Michael drove Amanda to SoGa Industries so, he’s got to drive her back home.”
“WHAT! Why didn’t you tell me that sooner? We could have been at the station to take her from that human.” Ophelia got her purse and car keys. “I’m going to go to the Panthera home and rescue her from that human.”
Jacob caught her arm and said, “No, you won’t, Ophelia. Michael is a good man and he wouldn’t hurt Amanda nor would he allow any harm to come to her. When Amanda gets home, she’ll give us a call. You know that as well as I do.”
“Jacob! I just know that human is going to hurt her.”
“You know nothing of the kind, Ophelia. You’re just letting your prejudices and bigotry cloud your thinking. If you’d just get to know Michael, I’m sure you’d change your mind about him.”
“Just because he’s got you fooled doesn’t mean he’s going to fool me, Jacob.”
Jacob shook his head. “Ophelia, I believe you’re only fooling yourself.”
**********
Dr. Tigresa walked into the living room and saw Amanda holding Anne. She was more than a little surprised because the only other person that Anne had ever allowed to hold her the first time she met them was Michael. Tigresa smiled as she remembered how Anne had been so upset that Michael had found a girlfriend and now she was actually smiling as Amanda whispered to her.
Tigresa walked over to Michael and Victoria and said, “Michael, do you think Amanda would like to have dinner with us?”
“I’ll ask.” Michael looked at Amanda and said, “Amanda, Dr. Tigresa has invited us to join them for dinner. Would you like to join them?”
Amanda looked at Michael and started to say something when she remembered, “Oh! Michael, what time is it?”
Michael looked at his watch and said, “It’s 1130. Why?”
“Oh! I need to call my parents. Dr. Tigresa, may I borrow your telephone?”
“Sure. It’s right there.”
Amanda gave Anne to Tigresa and walked over to the telephone. She dialed 10 numbers and waited for a few seconds. “Hello?”
Jacob said, “Hello, Sweetie. Where are you?”
“Daddy! I’m with Michael at the Panthera home. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. Michael and I made it back home about a couple of hours ago.”
“Good. The Panthera home?”
Ophelia said, “The Panthera home!? Why is she there?”
Jacob covered the mouthpiece and said, “She just said that, Ophelia. Give her a chance to tell me.”
Amanda heard her mother, sighed loudly, and said, “Anne heard Michael talking about having dinner with me last night and she got a little upset. Michael wanted her to meet me so she wouldn’t be upset.”
Ophelia had picked up the bedroom extension by the time Amanda said this. She said, “Why should you care what that mixed-race cub was upset about?”
“Mother! Please don’t talk like that. Anne’s a sweet cub. She has accepted me as Michael’s friend.”
“I don’t care. You’re supposed to be at your apartment now. If you don’t get home within the next 15 minutes, I’m going to send the police to get you. They’ll believe me if I say that you’ve been kidnapped.”
“Mother, do you remember what Corporal Ilves said about filing a false police report? If you send the police here, I’ll tell them that I came here voluntarily and Daddy will have to get you out of jail.”
Ophelia paused, steaming. She hadn’t thought that Amanda would remember that day. “I’m concerned about you, baby. I don’t want you to be hurt by that human.”
“UGH! Stop calling Michael, ‘that human’, mother. If you don’t stop doing that, I swear I’ll never talk to you again.”
Now Ophelia paused, worried that Amanda would follow through with her threat. “Amanda, I’m just concerned. I don’t know if Dr. Leo or Dr. Tigresa could stop . . . him from doing something to you.”
“I don’t care, Mother. I’ve been invited to dinner with the Pantheras and I’m going to join them. Good-bye, Mother. Bye, Daddy.”
“Enjoy dinner, Pumpkin. I’ll talk to your mother, again.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
Amanda hung the telephone up and hung her head, crying. Michael walked over to her and took her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly as she cried on his shoulder.
“Michael, I’m trying like you asked me to do. I don’t know what else to do.”
Anne struggled in Tigresa’s arms until Tigresa put her down. She toddled over to Amanda, tugged on Amanda’s skirt, and said, “Manna, u’. U’ beez.”
Amanda knelt down and picked her up. Anne put her arms around Amanda’s neck, hugged her tightly, and kissed Amanda on the cheek. “Dohn cwy, Manna. Ah luh you.”
Amanda sniffled a little, wiped away a tear, and hugged Anne back. “Thank you, Anne. I love you, too.”
Tigresa smiled and said, “Well, dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”
Michael eased over next to Tigresa and said, “Dr. Tigresa, ask Amanda if she’d like to have fried chicken for dinner.”
“Why?”
“It’s a little bit of a joke I pick on her about.”
Tigresa looked at Michael with a sideways glance before she said, “Amanda, is fried chicken okay with you?”
Despite being upset, Amanda glared at Michael, “You put her up to that didn’t you, Michael?”
Michael tried to look innocent as he placed his hand on his heart and said, “Me? Would I do that?”
“In half-a-heartbeat, you would,” Amanda replied.
Everyone laughed, including Amanda, as Michael said, “You’re darn right I would. I had to try to get you out of that blue funk you were in.”
Victoria said, “Michael, you had best be careful. I’ve known Amanda a lot longer than you have and I can promise you that she’s got a bit of a temper.”
“Maybe Victoria but Amanda loves me and she’d never do anything to hurt me. Right, Sweetie?” Amanda continued glaring at him. “Right, Sweetie?” Amanda’s glare didn’t abate. Loudly enough for Amanda to hear, Michael whispered to Victoria, “I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew.”
Amanda walked over to Michael, got right in his face, and kissed him. Then, she said, “You had better thank your lucky stars that I love you.”
Smiling, Tigresa said, “Now, everybody, get ready for dinner.”
**********
Several minutes later, Tigresa announced that dinner was ready and everybody went to the dining room. Tigresa put Anne in her highchair and everyone sat at the table. Anne pointed to Michael’s chair and said, loudly, “Mama, Mah’l si’? Mah’l si’?”
“Yes, dear. Michael is going to sit there.”
Anne turned to the chair on her left and said, “Mama. Manna si’?”
Tigresa smiled and said, “No, Sweetie. That’s Edward’s chair. You know that.” When Anne started to frown, she continued, “But, we’re going to get a chair for Amanda to sit in. If you want her to sit beside you, we’ll put it there.”
“Beez!” Anne smiled broadly and started waving her hand to put the extra chair beside her. Richard looked a bit nervous when Anne demanded the chair be put directly across from him. As Amanda sat down, she smiled mischievously at him.
“Now, Amanda. You’ve got Michael. Please don’t give me a hard time.”
Michael took the clue and said, “Richard, are you flirting with my girlfriend? What would Maria say?”
“Not you, too, Michael.”
Michael and Amanda started laughing. Anne looked between them and joined them in laughing. Anne said, “Wichah, wy you sa’?”
Richard looked at her, smiled, and said, “It’s because Amanda used to pick on me. I don’t want her to start picking on me again.”
“Manna, you dohn pi’ on Wichah, ‘kay?”
“I wouldn’t think of it, Anne. I’ve got Michael to pick on.”
“’kay, Manna. Wichah, dohn be sa’. Manna no pi’ on you. See say so.”
“Thank you, Anne. You still love me, right.”
Anne nodded her head and said, “Uh-huh.”
They ate dinner and talked about Michael and Amanda’s trip to Jaguarville. The Pantheras were surprised that Michael and Amanda had met a pair of inter-species couples, especially the fact that one was a human male/Humanimal female couple and the other was a Humanimal male/human female couple. Michael explained that he was interested in these couples because, at the time, his feelings for Amanda were growing stronger and he wanted to know how difficult such a pairing would be for Humanimals to accept. He was surprised to learn that Humanimals accepted such a pairing but humans tended to be put off by them. The Pantheras were also surprised to learn that Michael and Amanda had met the famous Zig Zag and found out that she might be distantly related to Amanda. They were even more surprised to learn that she was, in fact, related to Sheila Vixen. Richard asked her if she would get Sheila’s autograph for him which Amanda promptly refused to do not because she didn’t want to do it but because she was afraid of what her mother would say if she found out.
Finally, at 1500, Michael and Amanda left much to Anne’s chagrin. Anne cried softly as Amanda held her. “Anne, I promise I’ll be back to see you again, soon. Please don’t cry.”
Sniffling, Anne said, “Uh-kay, Manna.” She turned to Michael and, with as stern of a face as Michael had ever seen on a two-year-old, said, “Mah’l, you bween Manna ba’ soon.”
Michael smiled and said, “Yes, dear. I’ll bring her back when I come to see you again. Okay?”
“Uh-kay, Mah’l.”
Amanda gave Anne back to Tigresa and kissed her cheek. “Bye-bye, Anne.”
“Buh-bye, Manna.”
Michael kissed Anne’s cheek, too, and said, “I’ll see you soon, Sweetie Anne.”
“Buh-bye, Mah’l.”
Michael and Amanda get in Michael’s car and drove to Michael’s apartment complex.
