Gone: Found – Ch. 2

His voice was quiet, even breathy.

I could feel the knots binding up in my stomach. Trying to remain calm I asked, “Where are you?”

It was silent, eerily silent. Trying to hide the irritability in my voice I repeated the question.

“I think I hit rock bottom,” he said in an almost inaudible tone. I asked him again, “Where are you?” and yet still nothing.

My anger and rage continued to build. I wasn’t going to be able to hold my composure much longer. I had been up for nearly 36 hours. 36 of the most stressful hours that I had ever experienced. Yet he had the audacity to ignore the only question I cared about. Where had he been?

After a few more moments of silence, I told him to call his family. At that point, I could only imagine where he had been and what he had done – and that wasn’t what I needed.

He quietly said, “ok” and hung up the phone.

My mom appeared over the railing.

The night before I was inconsolable – I demanded to stay at my house where I could worry in peace, but my dad insisted on taking me. So like a child, I sought refuge in the protection of my parents and their home.

“Maggie, was that him?” She asked. “Yea” I said as I broke down. Finally letting all of the anger and worry leave my body. I melted. My red, puffy eyes couldn’t take much more. My mom came to my side and held my hand. We sat there in silence – both thankful it was over.

Apparently my mom couldn’t sleep either. She stood up, went to the kitchen and began making breakfast. At 6 a.m. I couldn’t go to bed either. My adrenaline was still pumping and my mind still analyzing the last 36 hours of events.

I knew that I wouldn’t be able to eat, but she set a bowl of oats in front of me.

“You need to eat,” she said. I had not eaten since Thursday evening. I had forgotten that I was even hungry. My stomach hurt too much to even think about it, but I slowly took the spoon and placed it to my lips.

I handed her the half eaten bowl, knowing full-well I wouldn’t be able to finish it. She didn’t press the issue. She peered down at me, longing to know what had happened. I didn’t know what to tell her – I didn’t even know.

The only thing that I knew to be true was that he was alive…and at that moment, sitting at my parents kitchen island…that was enough.

Next Chapter – Gone: The Aftermath