SIXTY-FOUR

"WHAT IS it, Mrs. Hopkins?" Doris prompted, a mixture of anxiety and concern in her tone.

"It's Nora," Mrs. Hopkins replied. "She wouldn't stop crying since she arrived from the event."

"What? Why?" Doris was saying those words a lot today, that she was starting to dread them.

Concern shifted to anger on the older woman's face. "Well, apparently, her so-called mother left her a few minutes after they got to the museum to attend to a very crucial appointment and promised the poor child to return just in time. But still, now, her mother is nowhere to be found. She's not even taking her calls. Nora was brought home by Ethan's mom and since then she hasn't stopped crying. . ."

Doris began to hurry towards Nora's room as Mrs. Hopkins followed behind her. How could Lydia do this to her daughter? As she approached her room she could hear her whimpers from within.

She knocked softly on her door. "Nora, honey, are you okay?"

"GO AWAY!" Nora screeched as her wailing am