Chapter 12.

Meanwhile at the Luncheon, Eliza was picking her stuffed mushrooms while her friends were talking about the food, shopping, and other things they were interested in. Delilah, her first friend, looked at Eliza with concern. "Eliza, honey, what's the matter?" She asked in her thick Texas accent. The black woman looked at her friend then back at the appetizers and sighed.

"Oh nothing there Delilah I was just thinking is all." "Well honey, do you want to tell me all about what you're thinking of?" She asked very sweetly. "I think I have been a little selfish today; Katherine's sons are at my house taking care of my niece when they should be having other plans of their own like going with their friends to the new amusement park that Katie had mentioned about to me over the phone from late last night. I should have never had interfered."

Delilah gazed down at her spring green dress smoothing it out then held Eliza's chin making her look directly into her eyes.

"Now Lizzy, I know how worried you must be but don't let it get to you; if my predictions are correct, they must be having fun with the little darling; why don't you give them a call and find out?" Eliza made a small smile and nodded going into the large mansion asking one of the butlers if she could use the telephone, nodding and pointing to it, she thanked him and went off dialing the number for her house.

The delicious and intoxicating smell of home-made brownies inflamed everyone's noses. Michael, who had been finger-painting with the baby, got up from the chair standing over April's shoulder as she gently placed them on the cooling rack; he stretched out his arm only to get a light slap and giggle. "Aw please April, can't I just have one brownie please?" He asked her in his most cute toddler voice yet giving her his big brown puppy eyes as she covered her mouth trying hard not to laugh. "You just have to wait until they are cool; no ifs ands or buts about it Mister." "Aw, you're no fun at all." Both kids laughed as they heard the phone ring.

"Hello? Oh hi Miss Walton, how is the Luncheon? That's good glad to hear that. DiDi's fine we were just doing some finger-painting and April and her friends are over here helping; April even made brownies for a snack; yes she can cook and bake she is very talented." April blushed pretending that she didn't hear as she put the treats on the window sill to cool. Just then, a little cardinal flew in taking in the scent as it pecked wanting to taste: DiDi witnessed the bird hearing it tweet. Seeing that Michael was still on the phone, she unfastened her seat-belt of her high chair and slowly slid down seeing that the back door was slightly open (It looked like Jermaine forgot to close and bolt it when they had got in from having fun). She started to crawl off.

"Okay, Miss Walton we'll see you when you get back okay then bye. Okay DiDi, time to- DiDi? DiDi? Where are you?" Michael searched high and low but the baby was nowhere to be found; going into the living room where the guys and girls were, he told them that DiDi had gone missing. "Now let's not panic she shouldn't have gotten far." Jackie assured them. "But how in the world could a baby like her go out on her own?" Tiffany asked. The kids scratched their heads and chins seeing the back-door open, they sprang into action.

     The minute the kids got outside, Jackie told them that it would be a lot easier to split up that way, one of them would spot her; nodding, they all went their separate ways.

"Okay, if I were DiDi, where would I go?" Michael thought to himself trying to stay positive. Just then, he heard little noises and tweeting not too far; he smiled real big knowing that was the baby; looking through the tree, his eyes bulged out seeing that she was heading towards the road; hearing the rumbling of a car about to come, he yelled out to the rest getting their attention. They all ran up asking him what was the matter only to witness the scene having their eyes bulge out also and gasping.

"What are we going to do?" April asked seeing Tito furrow his eyebrows. "I'll handle this, be right back" "Oh Tito please be careful." Tiffany begged as he nodded. "Don't worry I'll be fine. Now here I go!" And he ran off leaving the others crossing their fingers and praying that he and the baby would make it.

DiDi sat on the gray street seeing the bird picking all over in search for worms as she clapped her hands. Soon, a car, which was a white convertible, was coming its way real fast. The bird flew off in an instant leaving the girl confused and clueless seeing the automobile, her little eyes turned big and wide; she started to scream real loudly; the next thing she knew, long arms scooped her up and Tito ran back seeing the car driving off without a care. Breathing a sigh of relief, he went back getting cheers, praises, and hugs as Rachel held DiDi in her arms cradling her and kissing her cheek.

"I gotta hand it to you Tito you're the man!" Tiffany said giving him a pat on the back as he blushed. "Hey it's nothing really I was 2nd place in Track and field back in Middle School when we were in Gary." As they walked back to the house, April asked them who left the door slightly opened? Jermaine looked down at his feet twiddling his fingers, he raised his hands indicating that he did since he was the last person to come inside. The others gave him death glares. "Okay little Miss Explorer, back inside and no more outdoors for the rest of the day." Michael told her in a soft but firm tone who quickly nodded.