Chp4. Seattle reign

Gpov:

It's an unseasonable warm spring. The flowers are in bloom early and slowly wilting in the heat. I have so much to worry about. A girl has accused Elliot of being a father. Mia is acting out, trying to get attention. And Christian is diving for the bottom with drugs and alcohol, to cure his problems. There's a whoop-cough spike and Carrick is pushing long hours again. The family is on the edge of failure.

I sip my tea and try to relax. The punishment of sending Christian to do menial work for Eliana and Tawney doesn't seem to be working. He is getting more remote and withdrawn. The last expulsion from school has him on home study. His grades are failing. He is out all night, no explanation, no words at all.

I have to make some hard choices. Eliana is coming over soon. She wants to help me prep for Carrick argument. I don't think Military school or worse is going to work on him. He is so self-contained. I hate these headaches I'm getting.

XXXXX

Mia comes home in a full blown tantrum. The pep squad is cutting her because of Christian. I will talk to the principle. She is beside herself with angry and pain. I will have to take her next week to Portland for the charity event. It's most of the weekend, but I can get some mother daughter time in. Elliot is yelling at the phone, his ex-date, hook up, I'm at a lost to call the girl. A week long hookup and now this. Her father is calling demanding Elliot admit the future kid is his. We, Cary and I, demand a paternity test first. Elliot is having to grow up and deal with his wild ways.

Eliana comes in, I'm on my second vodka martini. My head hurts and Carrick won't be home till nine pm. An I have an early surgery at the hospital at five am. We talk about sending Christian away. She surprises me by arguing not to abandon Christian and replace him. She even has the papers to commit him. She wants me to be prepared for any deciding Cary makes. I am on the edge of tears. As I hold the paper. I could never let my son go no matter what.

She stays for dinner. Christian simple doesn't show. His room is empty. His joggers are missing. He's trying to run his problems away. How do you out run your own thoughts? I wait till near midnight. He never returns. I find him in the kitchen having lunch the next day. he is sullen and remote.

The week moves by. The tension is worse. Even Mia is depressed. We prepare to go to Portland. Elliot is watching Christian, as best he can. Will be gone from Friday morning to sun afternoon. I make sure the frig is stocked. Elliot is going to some college party in Kirkland. Christian is just sitting on the patio staring at the lake.

Xxxxxxx

Sunday afternoon, late. We arrive home with dread and foreboding. I can shake the thoughts. The days in Portland have been good, except I can help feel like something is about to break. Elliot has been quiet all weekend, usually he a Christian are at each other throats when we're absent. But nothing.

The house is intact, the dishes washed. The world seems normal. I find on my bed a card, from Christian. I read it and my world collapse's. My scream brings everyone, except the one person I want to be there, that this is some sick prank, some gone wrong play for attention. I weep uncontrollable as Cary reads the card. Mia holds me. as Carrick faints. We have to call EMT. I have to work his heart attack. I'm torn apart.

I sit frozen in the waiting room; my mother holds me as my world is shattered. Cary is going to be ok, he needs some medication and rest. Mia is catatonic in Dad's arms. She blames herself. I blame myself. How could we not see what was happening? Elliot is sedated in the same room as Cary. He is racked by guilty and remorse. Christian has runaway. A state wide bulletin is out. But he's disappeared like the wind. I stare at the blank space between the wall and my seat. Lost, lost in bitter feelings of failure.

XXXXXX

Seven days later Cary finds the files under his desk, with the picture and note. I break my hand smashing a picture on the wall. Of the family and friends at the last Coping Together Ball. That evil woman is smiling at me over Christian shoulder. Like a spectra of evil waiting to pounce. The picture of her oral raping my son, is the last straw of my sanity. Un-fortunately they have fled the country. The fed's and Interpol are hunting the child molesters.

I have to save my family and recover my son. The police suspect he's ended his life. I don't believe it; I will never believe it till I see the body. I visit the morgue every month, looking at poor dead boys, runaways hoping to find and not find him. But nothing. I quit the hospital; a focus everything on finding Christian and my family.

I make Mia a priority and Elliot is under more control. Carrick reduces his hours as we try to rebuild the family. I offer a reward, which get just nut jobs and beggars. I plaster the whole north America with his photo and my pleas.

The first Christmas comes, I sit at the piano and stroke the wooden cover. Weeping into my tall straight vodka. I sit all day and night. Till Cary carries me to bed. I hurt so bad. I can't believe I have the strength to live.

Xxxxxxxx

The seasons bleed into another Christmas. I sit at the piano, weeping, begging God to bring my son home.

Its early December 28, I sit at my desk in the corner of the great room. staring out at the lake. RING! RING! Shit the house line, not the hotline number.

The home line. "Hello Grey residence?"

"Grace? It's Phyllis Swarncofe, Edwin wife from the hospital."

"Yes, Phyllis what can I help you with?"

"WE're in St. Augustine Florida. I just saw Christian. In a little antique shop in old town."

I sit stunned, she knows Christian, has for years. Can she be right.

"Are you sure, It him?"

"Yes I check it against the photo you email to everyone. It's on my phone. Its him. I'll text you the address. He's going by the name Campbell, Chris and Anna Campbell."

"Chris and Anna Campbell?"

"yea she says their married, even has the ring. I don't know, but it's Christian! I'm sure 100%"

"thank you Phyllis, will be there tomorrow morning. See you then."

I call the airport, get tickets out tonight at 2am. The earliest flight. Carrick is unsure, but this is the first lead in more than a year, first real lead since Christian disappeared.

We arrive with the early morning rush of old town. we sit and wait for the shop to open, sitting in a little cantina, we wait.

I can't take it anymore, the waiting the waiting. I ask the Waitress when will the shop open, she looks perplexed. "Anna must not be working today, usually she open right on the dot at 9am. Always gets a coffee at 8:45, then opens. I wonder if Chris stole her away to the beach again."

"Chris? Is this him?" showing a photo of Christian. "Yea, that Chris, cool guy, really solid, I wish he was my husband. Anna is so lucky. They are the perfect couple. So you know Chris?" I shake, visible stressed. "I'm his mother, he's been" I can't finish the words. "We're his parent, he's been estranged, were hoping to reconnect." Carrick says shaking.

She takes pity on us. Tells us where they live. We walk to RV park just blocks from old town. the space in empty. A few twenties and they left last night, destination Miami, I don't buy that one bit. They made Phyllis and ran.

Their neighbor, an outrageous bottle blonde exotic dancer, reads me the riot act, then breaks out the photo album. They were here last Christmas. The photos show a fun, free, young couple, the girl is wear to much makeup, trying to look younger, but they have eyes only for each other. They are traveling and living in a RV. That why we couldn't find them, their nomads.

She suggests we blanket the snowbird sites. They probably went to one of the nomad communities. I find over the next few days here, how liked and respected they are. Getting information is like pulling teeth with a twenty-foot cord.

Arriving home, everyone's expectation are high. I dread what will come. How have we failed him? How that evil woman manipulated us? If I find her blonde face, I may have to serve prison for murder, it will be worth every day in a cage.