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FRANK
My mom had sent my friends home. It was getting late and apparently I needed my rest. I thanked my friends for coming but I really just wanted to be alone. They all promised to come back tomorrow morning to check in and see if there was anything they could do.
"Frank, I think you should go to bed soon." My mom said gently, patting me on the back. We were sitting in the kitchen, attempting to eat a late supper, but we didn't have an appetite.
"I know, I'm tired but I need to call Vanessa first." I wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault.
"That's a good idea, that poor girl." My dad agreed.
I went upstairs to my room and sat down on my bed. I pulled out my cell phone and hit Vanessa's contact.
"Hello" She answered the phone quietly.
"Hey Van"
"Frank, I'm.. I'm so sorry" I could hear her crying.
"Van, stop. This is not your fault. That's why I'm calling you."
"But, if I wouldn't have called you, then you would have stayed in the room and you would have seen Joe's imposter coming..." She started to sob.
"Vanessa, please." I took a minute to compose myself, "This is not your fault, okay? I know exactly how you feel, I've been blaming myself from the start. When we found Joe the first time, I blamed myself. How could I not have known that the person hanging around for three days wasn't my brother? Three whole days! But, my parents and Joe helped me see that this wasn't my fault. I had no way of knowing. It is the same with you, you were just calling to check in with your boyfriend, who you love. Please, don't blame yourself." Vanessa didn't answer right away. I could hear her blowing her nose.
"You're right Frank. If I think like this, I'm going to drive myself crazy and this isn't helping to find Joe… . Do you have any leads?"
"Not yet, no. My dad has been looking into things but so far, nothing."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"The gang is coming over tomorrow morning, you should come."
"I'll be there" We said our goodbyes, and hung up the phone. I threw my phone across my bed and layed down. What was that crazy guy doing to my brother? I pictured the scene in the school basement again. Walking down those stairs to find my brother on the floor, duct taped head to foot, in his boxers and freezing cold. I thought he was dead at first, but thank god, he hung on. Somehow with his broken leg, Joe managed to find a phone and call me. I still don't know how he did it. Would he be that lucky again? I really hoped so. My brother was the bravest person I knew, and again, he was in the hands of his crazy twin. I was trying to blink back tears, but they continued to fall.