The Worst Disappearance [FICTION]

“Thanks, mom.” Jimmy’s grin, minus his two front teeth, is everything I needed for my efforts to find the perfect birthday gift.

I have long since outgrown the wonder of magic tricks, but he still has that look of wonder in his eyes when someone picks his card or produces a coin from behind his ear. Anyone but me, that is. My slow fingers always bumble every trick I try, so I leave that to my husband. I glance over to see him staring as intently as our son at the closed curtains. I shake my head a little, wishing I could still catch hold of that wonder. For now, I content myself to borrow some of their wonder.

After a few simple card tricks, the Amazing Max moves on to giant metal rings. Having explored the secrets behind the magic of most of these as a teenager, I remain impassive, only smiling in response to Jimmy’s exhilarated enthusiasm. 

“And this is the moment that separates one lucky audience member form the rest,” he intones with a flourish. “So who will it be?”

Jimmy leaps to his feet and the magician’s eyes fall on him as I put my hand on his shoulder. “Please sit down, honey.”

“Let the boy have some fun.” My husband whispers to me.

I frown at him but slowly pull my hand back as the magician steps toward us with his cane extended.

“A young magician wants to help show us what true magic is.” He booms as he steps forward to extend a hand to my son.

As I reach out again to hold him back, my husband wraps his arms around me. “It’s okay, hon, let the kid have some fun.”

I let him pull me into his arms and hold me tight. Jimmy takes the magician’s hand and steps toward the stage. I watch anxiously. I can’t hear any of the presentation as my eyes focus on my son and I struggle to distract my mind from the tension building in my gut. 

I inhale sharply as he draws the curtain across the front of the Closet of Invisibility. I don’t start breathing again when it opens to reveal a now empty cabinet. My husband’s arms tighten around me.

“This is the way the trick works.” He hisses in my ear before giving me a peck on the cheek. “Just wait.”

I nod my head, tuning my ears back into the magician’s rhetoric. “And now, I shall make the young magician rejoin us. Abracadabra.” He spreads out the last word for emphasis before pulling back the curtain.

I start breathing again, but the ragged breaths border on a panic attack as I look into the still empty closet. “James?!?!” I turn to my husband as he releases me from his embrace and stands up.

He doesn’t answer. Instead he takes ten long strides to the stage. I am right on his heels as they pound the gleaming hardwood. The magician turns to us, eyes wide. His eyes seek out the stage manager, who pulls the curtains closed, blocking our view of the obviously flustered magician and his assistant whose face shows both worry and terror as they disappear behind yards of heavy red velvet. My husband heads toward the stage manager, holding out his hand to suggest I should stay where I am.

Undeterred, I fight may way through the heavy fabric. On the other side, the magician and his assistant flee toward opposite ends of the stage, peering into the shadows. I place my hand over my heart, trying to sooth myself with its rhythmic beating. I close my eyes and listen to their footsteps.

“James.” I call out as I slowly open my eyes.

The magician and his assistant both turn toward me, glaring daggers. Then they remember they just lost my son and turn their eyes back to the floor without a word.

“That’s right. Don’t glare at me.” I mumble under my breath

Soft giggling reaches my ears from the back of stage. The tension on my heart releases as I step through the curtain again. I follow the soft sound until my feet bring me to the curtain at the back of the stage. A small hand reaches out to pat my shoe. I sink to my knees, lifting the heavy curtain until I see my son’s mischievous face.

He laughs as he launches himself into my arms and the tears I have been holding back finally break free and course down my cheeks.

~~~Hope this little bit of a mother’s terror was worth the wait. It has been a long week. Longer for some I love than for me. Feel free to offer up extra prayers for those you love. They probably need it.~~~