Sadie's Gone

Sadie’s Gone
Josie just left the office for the day; grateful it is Friday and looking forward to the weekend. It was a warm August day, and she looked forward to the drive to the city to pick up her daughter Sophia from her sister-in-law, Auntie’s house. Sophia spent the night with Auntie and Sadie (Sadie is Auntie’s grown daughter).
Josie drove down Main Street through a historic section of the city where Auntie lived, then turned onto the street lined with trees and old colonial and brick Tudor homes. She pulled over and parked in front of Auntie’s house, trotted up the wood steps to the big porch and rang the bell. Auntie opened the door and Sophia came running out and hugged Josie’s legs, shouting, “Mama!”
Sophia grabbed her bag and waited patiently while Josie was chatting with Auntie. They said goodbye and made their way to the big blue Oldsmobile. Josie strapped Sophie into the back seat and drove off toward Main Street to head back home.
Sophia was quieter than usual, and Josie wondered why she had little to say. Finally, in a shaky voice, Sophia said, “Mama, Sadie’s gone”. Josie glanced at Sophia through the rear-view mirror, melting at her big brown eyes filled with concern for Sadie, and noticed that she seemed frightened. Josie thought, “maybe she just went on vacation or something.”
“What do you mean? Where is she?”
“She’s gone.”
“What do you mean, Sophia?” “Did she go on vacation?”
“No.” “She’s gone, Mama.”
Annoyed that she couldn’t get details, Josie turned down the radio and continued to press Sophia about what happened.
“She’s just gone Mama.”
“Did she move away?” “Do you mean you won’t see her anymore?”
“She’s in a hole, Mama!”
“What?” “How did she get in a hole?” “Where is the hole?”
“On Auntie’s lawn.”
“Did she get out?” “Is she ok?”
“She was talking back to Auntie, and Auntie got mad and dug a hole and buried Sadie in it.” “Sadie’s in a hole in Auntie’s lawn Mama.” “She can’t get out!”
Josie was already chuckling at the vision of a freshly dug hole with a mound of fresh dirt over it, on Auntie’s lawn, and Sadie trying to dig her way out. She called Auntie as soon as they arrived home to see what it was all about.
“She must have heard us arguing, she was getting on my nerves.” “Sadie left and Sophia didn’t see her anymore, so she must think I buried her in the lawn.” “Well, I guess there will be no ‘talk back’ from Sophia.”