Four Times the Trouble (11 page)

They decided, at Allie’s urging, to tackle Fantasyland first and work their way around the entire park. Michelle thought the plan seemed a bit too elaborate for seven-year-olds, but by the sounds of the chatter between the girls and Jacob, doing Disneyland—all of it—was nothing new to them. She hoped
she
would be able to hold out.

The girls skipped between Jacob and her, talking as fast as their little mouths could manage. Michelle wondered if they even heard each other, as none of them seemed to stay quiet long enough for a single word to reach them.

“We’ll do Snow White’s Scary Adventures first, Daddy, okay?” Allie asked, glancing up at her father.

“Fine, sport.” Jacob nodded. Though he was watching the girls like a hawk, he looked more relaxed than Michelle had ever seen him. If she wasn’t mistaken, Jacob Ryan was as affected by the magic around them as she was.

Another family brushed past, and Michelle saw the mother turn around, do a double take and then nudge her husband. Michelle smiled, not yet used to the attention the triplets attracted wherever they went. She supposed to these strangers she was the mother who completed Jacob’s family unit, and she wished suddenly that it was true. She could only imagine how it would feel to be the nucleus of a family, but she figured that this day with Jacob and his children was the closest she’d come to it. It might be the closest she’d
ever
come to it. And she was going to enjoy every minute, she determined as she followed the girls toward Snow White’s Scary Adventures.

“Jessie and Meggie ’n’ me’ll go in the first car, so you guys can see us, okay, Daddy?” Allie said, pulling on the sleeve of Jacob’s Lakers jersey.

Jacob smiled down at her “Yep.”

She grabbed the map of the park from the back pocket of his jeans. “Where’re we going next?” she asked, scanning the pages of the map as if she could read every word. “How about Pinocchio’s Daring Journey? Let’s do that next.”

“If it’s okay with your sisters,” Jacob said.

Jessie and Meggie were leaning over the railing trying to see what was going on ahead of them.

“They don’t care,” Allie said with certainty.

He turned to Michelle. “How about you? You have any special requests? If so, you better get them in quick before Allie has the whole day planned.”

Michelle grinned. “I wouldn’t dare interfere with the expert,” she said, happy just to be standing in line with the four of them.

The line moved forward, and Jacob urged his daughters along, leaving Michelle to bring up the rear. She found herself fixating on Jacob’s wide shoulders. She’d known Jacob for years—why was he suddenly so appealing?

“Michelle, come on!”

Allie’s voice jerked Michelle out of her reverie and she hurried to catch up. She hadn’t even noticed that they’d reached the front of the line.

“Okay, girls, hands inside, no standing, wait for us at the end and have fun.”

Michelle was amazed that Jacob had the time to get in all his instructions as the safety bar was fastened across his girls and he waved them off.

“This is ours,” he said as the next automated carrier came along.

She realized she would be sharing a very small space with Jacob. Her hands felt a little clammy as she slid across the seat. It got worse when Jacob sat down beside her. His hip pressed against hers and his arm brushed her as he checked their safety bar. Michelle hoped the ride would be a fast one.

Jacob leaned toward her. “You okay?” he asked as their car jerked forward.

“Sure,” Michelle said a little too forcefully. Jacob grinned at her in lazy satisfaction. He had a look about him that said he knew exactly what was happening—and was pleased by it. How was she going to get through the next two minutes, let alone the next several hours?

They rode on a boat through the storybook canal, went through It’s a Small World twice at Jessie’s request and screamed their way through the Matterhorn Bobsleds. And through it all, whether sitting next to Jacob or not, Michelle was painfully aware of him, right by her side.

“I wanna sit with Michelle,” Jessie said three lines later. “I don’t wanna sit with you on this one, Allie. I wanna sit with Michelle.”

“That’s fine with me, honey,” Michelle said. She hoped she didn’t sound as eager as she felt to change the seating arrangements. At this stage, the impression of Jacob’s shoulder and hip must be permanently imprinted on hers, and the touch of his hand was starting to make her dizzy.

“When we’re done with Peter Pan can we go to Tomorrowland?” Allie asked.

“Sure, Al, as long as no one objects,” Jacob said. He smiled at Michelle over his daughter’s head, and even though his sunglasses hid his eyes something told her that Jacob was just as affected by their close confines as she was.

“I’m thirsty, Daddy. Can I have money for a soda?” Meggie asked half an hour later as the five of them headed for Tomorrowland.

“I could use a drink myself,” Michelle said. “I’ll go with you.”

She took orders from the other two girls and Jacob, then remembering Jacob’s rule about hand-holding, reached for Meggie’s hand and headed toward the drink line. She felt a rush of happiness when Meggie’s little fingers curled around her own. There really was magic in Disney’s kingdom. She’d scale Meggie’s walls yet.

They stopped for lunch halfway through Tomorrowland; afterward, Michelle suggested that they do some of the “old folks” rides like the Monorail and the Submarine voyage. She didn’t want to take any chances that their day would be ruined by upset stomachs.

The girls were good sports on the tamer attractions, but as soon as Michelle announced that they’d waited long enough for their food to settle, they were back to their daring adventures. About three-quarters of the way around the building in the line at Space Mountain was a sign that said it was a forty-five-minute wait from that point, but the girls weren’t daunted.

“Please, Daddy,” Jessie said.

“You don’t mind waiting, do you?” Allie asked Michelle at the same time.

Jacob and Michelle looked at each other over the girls’ heads, passing silent messages of acquiescence before they gave in with resigned shrugs. Michelle hadn’t been on Space Mountain in years, but if she remembered it correctly, it was one ride on which she wouldn’t mind being paired with Jacob—for moral support. She’d always been a little bit nervous on roller coasters, and this one was in the dark.

All in all the wait wasn’t so bad. There were four people to a cart, two in front and two in back, and Allie was directing traffic as usual as they approached.

Meggie walked up to the cart in front of the one Allie had picked for her and her sisters to share. “I’m riding by myself,” she said.

Allie turned to Jacob. “Is that okay, Daddy?” she asked.

Jacob looked at Meggie standing resolutely in her spot. “Yeah, it’s okay,” he said. “You keep your hands in and hold on tight, Meg, got it?”

“Got it,” she said, grinning back at them.

Allie told Jessie to take the first seat in the next cart and then climbed in beside her, leaving Michelle and Jacob together once again. The carts rolled forward, and Michelle was thrown almost into Jacob’s lap with the force of the turns. They climbed and dropped, spun and swerved, but none of it was as exciting as the feel of Jacob’s arm around her shoulders, as they hurtled through the darkness.

CHAPTER NINE

T
HE
GIRLS
’
ENERGY
seemed endless. As the day wore on, they left Tomorrowland behind to hike over to Mickey’s Toontown. They traipsed through Mickey’s house and had their picture taken with the host himself, visited Minnie’s house, climbed onto Donald’s boat and laughed at the goods for sale in the Gag Factory. Michelle was busy trying to explain a particularly zany contraption to Meggie when suddenly Jacob grabbed her arm.

“Have you seen Jessie?”

Michelle glanced around the store, searching for the little girl. “She was over there with Allie a second ago,” she said, pointing to the display where Allie was standing.

Jacob crossed to Allie with Michelle and Meggie right behind him. Jessie was probably just hidden by the display.

“Al, where’s Jessie?” Jacob asked.

Allie turned. “She said she was going over to where you were, Daddy.”

Jacob spun around, retracing his steps. “Jessie?” he called.

“You two stay right here and don’t move,” Michelle said, stationing Allie and Meggie by the checkout counter before following Jacob.

The store was full of patrons, most of whom ignored them. Michelle suspected that a lost child at Disneyland wasn’t all that unusual. Or that alarming, either. At least she hoped that was the case.

“I’m sure she’s here someplace,” she said, as much for her own sake as for Jacob’s. Her stomach knotted, even though she kept telling herself she was overreacting. Jessie knew the rules. She wouldn’t run off alone.

“Jessie?” Jacob called again. He was striding up and down the aisles, looking beneath racks of hanging clothes, searching every spot big enough to hold a seven-year-old. Michelle searched with him, feeling sicker by the second. What if Jessie hadn’t run off by herself? What if someone had
taken
her?

Telling herself to get a grip, Michelle kept an eye firmly on Meggie and Allie. The girls stood by the counter where she’d left them, playing with a display of pencils. Michelle should take her cue from them. They didn’t seem worried at all. They probably went through this all the time.

“She’s not here,” Jacob said from behind her.

Michelle whirled around. It was time to panic.

“I’m going to ask the clerk if she saw anything,” Jacob said.

Michelle went with him, her gaze darting over the store one last time. Where could Jessie be? Would she really have disobeyed her father and wandered off on her own? Michelle had a hard time believing that.

Jacob guided Meggie and Allie over to the clerk. “My daughter seems to be missing. She looks exactly like these two. You didn’t happen to see her walk out of here, did you?” Michelle didn’t know how he could sound so calm. Always a rock, that was Jacob. But she knew him well enough now to know he had to be a wreck on the inside.

“I’m sorry, sir. This is my first day here, and as you can see, we’re really busy,” the clerk said, motioning to the people in line waiting to pay for purchases.

“Are you sure you didn’t see her?” Michelle asked. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

The clerk shook her head. “Did you check outside? She’s probably waiting for you out there.” She flashed a harried smile.

Jacob ushered his family outside. They searched the immediate vicinity, but there was no sign of Jessie. Something was wrong. Very wrong. And as frightened as Michelle was, she could only imagine what this was doing to Jacob.

“Where
is
Jessie, Daddy?” Allie asked, her voice thick with tears. Michelle hugged the little girl, trying to comfort her. Jacob didn’t need to contend with a hysterical child right now. She looked around Toontown. There were people everywhere. How were they ever going to find one small-for-her-age seven-year-old?

“Do you think something bad happened to Jessie?” Meggie asked quietly, her voice laced with fear. She slipped her hand into Jacob’s.

“No! I don’t think anything bad happened to her,” Jacob said, studying the compound.

Allie and Meggie stood between the adults looking lost themselves as they gazed at the people milling all around. “Let’s go back to Minnie’s house. Jessie liked it best,” Jacob said, heading off in that direction with Meggie in tow. Michelle gripped Allie’s hand and followed him, looking at every short person she passed.

“You’re hurting me,” Allie said, tugging on her hand.

Michelle looked down. “I’m sorry, sweetie. How’s that?” She lightened her grip.

Allie nodded and sniffled. Michelle reached into her pocket, pulled out a tissue and handed it to Allie, searching the area around them all the while. There were children everywhere, some accompanied by adults. But there was no sign of Jessie.

“Are you worried, Michelle?” Allie asked softly, staring at her father’s straight back in front of them.

“She’ll be fine, Al. Disneyland is one place kids are still safe without their parents.”

“Daddy’s worried.”

“Your daddy’s just concentrating on finding her, honey. I’m sure she’ll turn up really soon.”

Allie looked at Michelle with teary eyes. “Then how come your voice sounds all wobbly like you’re gonna cry?”

Michelle forced a smile, putting her arm around Allie to hug the little girl as they walked. “Because I’m being silly,” she said. “Now come on, let’s catch up to your father and Meggie.”

Jessie wasn’t at Minnie’s house.

And she wasn’t at Donald’s Boat or Chip ’n’ Dale’s Treehouse, either.

Jacob’s lips grew thinner as the minutes passed, his stride more and more determined. Michelle was having a hard time not thinking about some demented person carrying Jessie off. Her skin grew cold as they continued to search.

“Let’s head to the castle,” Jacob said after they’d been around Toontown twice.

“She knows she’s s’posed to go there if she’s lost,” Meggie said.

“Do you think she’ll be there?” Allie asked. Her tears had stopped, but Michelle knew they weren’t far away.

“I hope so, honey. I sure hope so,” Michelle said, guiding Allie around a slow-moving family as they made their way to Main Street.

Jacob’s pace had quickened and Meggie was having a hard time keeping up.

“I’ll take her if you want to go on ahead,” Michelle called to him.

He hesitated as if he didn’t want to let go of his daughter’s hand. And then he nodded, handing Meggie off to Michelle before jogging away through the crowd.

“Daddy’s awfully worried,” Meggie said as they hurried after him.

“He’s not,” Allie said, sniffling again.

“He is, too, Al. He just doesn’t want us to know it. He didn’t even hear me when I asked him what happens if Jessie’s not at the castle.”

Allie digested that in silence.

“If she’s not at the castle then we keep looking till we find her,” Michelle said. She’d never seen so many people in her life, and every last one of them was getting in her way as she tried to maneuver the girls through the crowd. She could see the castle up ahead.

“Jessie’s gonna be in big trouble,” Meggie said.

Michelle hoped so. But only because that would mean she’d been found safe and sound.

Her heart was pumping so hard she found it difficult to breathe as she approached the castle. Jessie had to be there. She just had to be.

“She’s not here,” Jacob said as soon as he spotted them.

Michelle shuddered. Images of the horrible things that could happen to children flashed through her mind. And not only was Jessie a beautiful little girl, she was far too trusting.

“Aren’t we ever going to find her?” Allie started to sob. Michelle lifted Allie up, cradling her small body.

“Shh. We’ll find Jessie, honey,” she murmured in Allie’s ear.

Meggie watched Allie sobbing in Michelle’s arms. She looked around at all the strangers passing by. Then she tugged at the bottom of Jacob’s jersey. “What are we gonna do, Daddy?” she asked, bursting into tears.

Jacob swung Meggie up, perching her on his hip. “I’ll find her, girls,” he said.

He didn’t look as sure as he sounded. In fact, he looked a little lost himself. Michelle turned away, swallowing her tears. They had to keep searching.

“What’s the problem here, folks?”

Allie and Meggie both turned to see the owner of the muffled voice. But even a life-size Goofy wasn’t enough to dry their tears.

“Their sister is missing,” Jacob said, tight-lipped.

“Have you checked the lost-child center?” Goofy was suddenly all business.

“I didn’t know there was a lost-child center,” Jacob said, glancing at Michelle. She shrugged. She hadn’t known, either.

“Follow me.” Goofy headed through the plaza toward the end of Main Street. “Most folks don’t know about the lost-child center unless they’ve needed it before. Your daughter’s probably there right now, ma’am, having the time of her life.”

Michelle smiled tremulously, hugging Allie’s small body more securely against her as she carried the child through the crowds. Goofy turned left at a gift shop at the north end of the street, Jacob walking purposefully beside him. She could only imagine the thoughts that must be running through Jacob’s head.

They reached a building with a Red Cross emblem, and Goofy held the door open for them. Jacob went in first, still carrying Meggie.

“Daddy!”

Michelle heard Jessie’s happy cry before she’d even gotten inside the door. Her arms went limp with relief and she set a scrambling Allie down, allowing the little girl to rush to greet her sister.

Jacob was there already, checking Jessie over, hugging her, then checking her over again. Tears came to Michelle’s eyes as she watched him, knowing he’d never forget the past forty-five minutes. Meggie and Allie finally pushed by him to take their turns hugging their sister, and then Jessie, looking at Michelle, held out her arms. And that’s when Michelle’s composure snapped. “Oh, baby!” she cried, a sob breaking free when she finally held the little girl in her arms.

“Where’d you go, Jessie?” Allie’s voice reminded Michelle that Jessie had a whole family waiting to find out what had happened. After a final hug, Michelle moved aside.

“Yeah, what happened?” Meggie asked, her voice accusing.

The girls stood right in front of Jessie, grilling her, but Jessie took it in stride. “I saw Minnie, Al. She was right outside the door and I just went to say hi, I promise.” She looked from Allie’s unforgiving frown to Meggie’s. “I was going to come right back. But by the time I catched up with her, I couldn’t find which store we were at.”

“Why didn’t you go to the castle, Jess?” Jacob asked, kneeling beside Allie.

Jessie looked up at her father, her face completely serious. “I forgot.”

“Jessie,” Jacob said, his exasperation drawing out the one word.

“I know, Daddy, but it was okay. A nice lady was picking up trash by me, and when I cried, she helped me come here and I got to watch a cartoon on TV and then Roger Rabbit came and played with me and I met a friend, Susan, except her mommy and daddy just came and found her.”

Jacob looked as if he was about to tell Jessie just how okay it was not, but Goofy stepped forward as Jessie was finishing her explanation.

“Everything all right now, folks?” he asked.

Jacob’s stern look faded, replaced by a grateful smile. “Fine. Thank you very much,” he said.

“And you, young lady—” Goofy put his big paws on Jessie’s shoulders “—you mind your mommy and daddy and stay with them from now on, okay?”

Jessie’s dark eyes grew bigger as she listened to the life-size cartoon character. “Mmm-hmm,” she said, nodding solemnly.

“Enjoy the rest of your day at the park, folks,” Goofy said, holding the door open for them.

“Did you hear that, Daddy? He called Michelle my mommy,” Jessie said as if, because it came from Goofy, it must mean something.

Michelle held her breath, looking anywhere but at Jacob. This was just what he’d warned her about from the very beginning. He didn’t want his girls weaving impossible dreams around her. She looked at the other two triplets. Allie had an odd, almost conspiratorial grin on her face. Meggie appeared engrossed in the double-decker bus making its way down Main Street.

“Goofy doesn’t know that Michelle’s already married to someone else,” Jacob said.

“But her husband doesn’t live with her, so why can’t she live with us?” Jessie demanded. Allie looked expectant and worried at the same time, and Michelle felt awful. Jacob didn’t need this on top of everything else.

He frowned down at Allie and Jessie. “Look girls, I told you—”

“Can we ride that, Daddy?” Meggie interrupted, pointing to the bus.

Michelle couldn’t stand there quietly anymore. Afraid that Jacob might be pushed to the point of calling off their arrangement, she gathered the three girls around her, kneeling to meet them eye to eye. “Here’s the thing, girls. I can’t be your real mommy, like living with you and your daddy out at the beach, ’cause I already have a house and a husband. But I don’t have any kids of my own, and so I kind of thought we could borrow each other for as long as you want to.”