Mrs Payne was waiting for Ruth. The clock showed past ten in the night. Ruth was expected to come back by now.
Mrs Payne's instincts were showing red signs. She regretted permitting Ruth to go that late. At least she had to accompany her, but the pain in her ankles was not letting her stand on her feet long, let alone walk far.
Twenty minutes later, worry gripped her. Inside the house, the tension choked her. To get fresh air and with the hope that she might see Ruth walking back home, Mrs Payne went into the balcony.
But the night air did not soothe her worry. She was contemplating what to do when she saw Ida coming from a distance.
With hope, her eyes searched for Ruth but did not find her. More nervous than before, Mrs Payne rushed inside the house then hurried down to meet Ida. She was in such a hurry that she forgot to even lock the door. For her, Ruth was her first priority.
"Ida... Ida..." Mrs Payne called her name in urgency.
