GNELFS Read Free Page A

as usual Terry and Heaven had been excluded.
    Some bright orange blocks sat around them, but they didn't do much with them. Heaven had been quiet all morning, and Terry had not protested. He was always tolerant of Heaven's moods, even when she withdrew.
    She was his only real friend. The boys teased him about being friends with a girl, but they teased him anyway so he ignored the taunts. He had perceived that all of them thought Heaven was pretty, and it seemed that by paying attention to him, she afforded him what little respect he got from the others.
    Halfheartedly he placed one block on top of the other while Heaven cradled her doll, silently rocking it. Before long they would have lunch, then a nap, and that would kill some of the time until he could go home and get back to his coloring books.
    "Terry," Heaven said unexpectedly.
    He looked up, surprised. "What?"
    A slight frown marred her brow, and she continued to sway the doll back and forth in her arms. "Do you think the Gnelfs would hurt anybody?"
    He laughed. "Of course not. Gnelfs are good guys. Didn't you see the one where the dragon had the teddy bears trapped in a cave, and they uncorked the waterfall and put out his fire breath?" He extended his hands, making broad gestures as his excitement grew. He went on for several seconds before he realized Heaven wasn't paying much attention to his synopsis. She was lost again in her own thoughts.
    His mother kept telling him he shouldn't get carried away and tell people about shows, but sometimes his enthusiasm overwhelmed his judgment.
    "I had a dream about the Gnelfs ," she said after he had hushed.
    "Really?" His face brightened, eyebrows shooting up and cheeks curling to form dimples.
    "It was bad," Heaven said.
    "How could it be bad if it was about the Gnelfs ?"
    "They were mean."
    "Ah-uh. Not the Gnelfs ." He shook his head.
    "They looked like the Gnelfs , and they laughed at me, just like the kids did when I tripped on the pencil."
    " Gnelfs wouldn't do that," Terry said defensively.
    "Well, they did it," Heaven said. "And they said bad things about Mommy."
    "They were green?"
    "I guess. Gnelf Master was there, and he had a big pitchfork. He said I was a bad girl and that he ought to use it on me. Then he said I was bad because Mommy was bad and I was her daughter. He even called Mommy a bad word I think."
    "What was that?" The thought of a forbidden profanity struck him as exciting.
    Heaven sniffled, combating a sob. "He said . . . he said she was a bitch." A single tear trickled from the corner of her eye before she got herself under control.
    "That’s a pretty bad word. They said it on a show on HBO and Mama turned it off," Terry said.
    "What's it mean?"
    "A bad woman."
    "That's scary," Heaven said, tears flowing now. "In the dream, Gnelf Master said 'bitches must suffer.'"

Chapter 2
     

    Heaven reported no nightmares the rest of the week, and although she seemed a bit quiet and introverted, Gabrielle considered her behavior normal for a four-year-old. Children couldn't be happy all the time, and Heaven was probably still confused about the divorce.
    By Saturday, the child's spirits had brightened. Since the tension had died, Gabrielle decided it was safe for an outing. Besides, Heaven seemed to like the idea of dropping by and playing with Katrina's children. Gab dressed her, or helped her dress herself, in lavender slacks and a striped, pullover blouse with long sleeves. It was spring, but there was still a chill. With the Velcro straps on her shoes sealed into place, Heaven bounced about the house as they prepared to leave, more energetic than she had been in days. Her hair fluttered about her head as she twisted and twirled her arms.
    They took no Gnelf icons along.
    Gab buckled her daughter into the front seat and drove over to Katrina's while engaging Heaven in a sing-along to keep her from resisting the seat belt too much. Only a recent graduate of car seats, Heaven had at first rejoiced at the