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finally caught Dad's
    head when he got out of the car a few dozen rows away. Then I heard, "Abria!"
    Luke jumped out. I leapt into the empty aisle, eyes wide, looking for Abria who could dart out at any moment, or get
    lost in the maze of parked vehicles, or worse, run into the busy boulevard.
    "Where is she?" Mom shrieked.
    Abria was too small to be visible over the rows of shiny cars. Luke took off one direction, me another. I didn't see where
    Mom and Dad went. We were Pavlov's dogs trained to hunt when Abria ran. I bent down and looked underneath the cars,
    hoping to see her tiny feet scurrying. Crouched over, I raced along, aware that my dress hiked up in the back. The cool breeze I felt on my underwear told me I was on display, but I could care less.
    My back began to ache, so I stood upright and continued my search, glancing back to see that Mom, Dad, and Luke
    were on the other side of the parking lot.
    My heart pounded. Where was Abria?
    I ran to the edge of the lot, the edge that bordered on the busy street, and stood ready to tackle her if she emerged from
    the rows of cars. I looked left, then right. Then I saw him. The same guy I'd seen at the park. I'd just looked and not seen
    anyone, I was sure of it. Yet there he stood, dressed in similar sherbet-colored clothes I'd seen him in yesterday, his toffee hair a striking contrast against his fair skin and clothing. He had Abria by the hand and she walked calmly alongside him.
    Shocked, I couldn't move. I blinked. He was still there, still coming toward me. He smiled. His lips moved, as if he
    was talking to Abria, but there were too many cars swooshing by, I couldn't hear what he was saying.
    Mom was nowhere to be found. Dad was too far away to hear me, even if I screamed. Luke's sandy head popped up
    between cars now and then as he searched. Clearly, I should tell them I'd found Abria. I should ease their fears. But when I
    opened my mouth, nothing came.
    Within seconds the stranger stood in front of me, smiling down into my eyes, the cool gray of his mesmerizing.
    "You..." My voice trailed off. I was taken in by a feeling warm, comforting and safe. The sensation spread out from my heart, filling my arms and legs as if I'd swallowed the sun and now its light pressed through my skin. Moments stretched.
    Any fear I'd had about him was gone, evaporated by the reassuring aura radiating from him.
    This feeling, this surety had to be my own foolishness. He was a stranger. A stranger I'd seen twice in two days now,
    and Dad had always told us that anyone we saw more than twice was following us. Yet, even those thoughts didn't pierce
    through the light comfort I was bathed in at the moment. His gaze penetrated, as if he saw straight into my heart. I wanted to shrink even though a voice somewhere inside of me whispered not to be afraid.
    "Hello." I'd heard him speak yesterday, but fear had deafened my ears. If lying under a morning sun had a melody, his voice was that melody, a strong incisive tone with the clarity of a fervent prayer. "It seems I found Miss Abria again."
    "Yeah, imagine that..." I reached out and took Abria, lifting her onto my hip. She started to cry. Why was she
    cooperative with this complete stranger and the minute I picked her up, whining like a baby? "Do you know how worried
    Mom is? She's freaking out because you ran off. Bad girl."
    A flash of discomfort, like he didn't care for my disciplining tactics, colored his gray-blue eyes.
    "Look, I appreciate you finding her—again—but do you have a handicapped brother or sister?"
    Abria squealed and wailed. "This is hard for you," he said.
    "You have no idea."

    His eyes pierced mine before shifting to Abria. "Shh. You're fine now, little Abria." His voice was softer than a
    caress. He reached out and his long fingers touched the top other head, lightly fluttering over the silky strands of her hair.
    Abria went silent.
    "Fine now," she said. Clear. Concise. Perfect.
    I stared at her. She'd never said