*~* Author's Note *~*
Well, another chapter up so soon mostly because my jaw hurts (had my wisdom teeth taken out the other day), and I don't feel like going anywhere aside from work. I'm not sure how much longer I can take having these stitches in my mouth before I remove them myself. Anyway, happy reading.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"It's so peaceful out here," John told Abby.
The couple was sitting out on the patio watching the sunset.
"Too peaceful. Where are the monsters?" Abby asked.
"Does it really matter?" he questioned.
"No," she responded. "What time do you have to work tomorrow?"
"Seven, you?" he asked.
"Seven," she answered. "Have you given any thought to the day camp situation?"
"Actually, I have. What do you think about hiring a nanny?" he asked.
"A nanny? I thought we were going to try to rear our children as normally as possible," Abby commented.
"There is nothing abnormal about a nanny. The kids want to stay home and we work. They can stay at home with a nanny," he explained.
"It sounds nice, but I have no idea how one goes about hiring a nanny," she told him.
"I'll handle it," John said.
"If you're serious, go right ahead," Abby replied.
"I'm serious," he responded.
"I know, you're forehead gets all crinkled when you're being serious," she whispered.
"Come here," he told her before they embraced.
~*~*~ The Next Morning ~*~*~
"Hey," Luka said softly as he placed a kiss on Anna's forehead.
She groaned and rolled over.
"I have to go to work now," he explained.
"Why?" she questioned sleepily.
"I've grown fond of eating," Luka told her. "I should be home around four."
"Is it okay if Quinn comes over?" Anna asked.
"I don't have a problem with it," he said as he put on his shoes.
"Good because it's boring here," she stated.
"Thank you," Luka replied.
"I mean, it's boring when you're not here," she corrected herself.
"I knew what you meant," he told her. "Stay inside," he reminded her as he left the apartment.
Anna pulled the blankets back over her head and closed her eyes. She awoke hours later by the ring of the phone. She scrambled of the couch to find it.
"Hello," Anna answered.
"Hi, you sound out of breath," Luka said.
"I was trying to find the phone," she replied.
"Well, I was calling to tell you I'm my way home," he told her.
"Oh, okay," Anna said as she looked up at the clock to check the time. It was 4:15; she had slept all day.
"Is Quinn still there?" he asked.
"No, she ended up not coming over," she explained.
"All right, I should be home in a little bit," Luka said. "Bye."
"Bye," Anna told him quickly. She changed her clothes and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. She remembered that she had bought a few DVDs with her. Anna pulled them out of her bag and set them near the TV.
Then, she opened a can of soup dumping half of it down the drain. She poured the other half into bowl and set it on the table. There she had thought of everything.
When Luka open the door, Anna was watching TV.
"You watched TV all day?" he questioned.
"Yeah, I didn't feel like doing anything," she said.
"What is the matter with you?" Luka asked as he came and sat next to her.
"I don't know. I'm just tired," Anna said quietly.
"I'll make us something to eat, and then I want to sleep in my bed tonight," he told her. "Okay?"
Anna nodded and watched Wheel of Fortune while Luka prepared dinner.
Later that night, Luka sat on the couch watching a Croatian movie. Anna walked into the room, sat down on the couch, and laid her head in lap.
"What are they saying?" she asked.
"You should be able to understand most of this," Luka told her.
"Something about someone's mother?" she questioned.
"Something like that," he replied.
"I suck at Croatian," Anna announced.
"You knew enough to know what language they were speaking," Luka answered.
"Yeah, but still I'm a horrible person for not wanting to continue learning it," she mumbled.
"You aren't a horrible person for having trouble with a second language," he told her. "You are a horrible person for coming out here when I gave you that whole bed all to yourself tonight."
"I couldn't sleep," Anna explained.
Luka didn't say anything he just rubbed the top of her forehead. He never minded Anna wanting to be close to him. She was, after all, the only thing he had going for him.
~ The Next Morning ~
"Ethan, Landon, let's go we're going to be late," Abby yelled.
"I'm sick," Ethan called from upstairs.
"You are not, get down here," she ordered.
Landon came down the stairs first; his bother followed him a few moments later.
"What this about someone being sick?" Carter asked he entered to kitchen.
"His faking," Abby stated.
"Ethan?" John questioned.
"The stress is getting to me," Ethan explained.
"What stress?" his mother asked.
"From that camp, they work us all day long," Ethan replied.
"Yes, the arts and crafts get to me too," John said sarcastically.
"I like the crafts," Molly chimed in.
Landon laughed between bites of cereal.
"Stick it out a few more days, I'll try to get in touch with an agency today," John told him.
"An agency for what?" Ethan questioned.
"A nanny," Carter answered.
"Like Mary Poppins?" Molly asked.
"Something like that Miss Molly," John told her. "We'd better get going the traffic is going to be bad."
"The traffic is bad everyday," Abby responded.
"Well, I'd like to see if I could show up on time for work for once," he stated.
"Ha-ha, kids, let's go," she told them.
Abby handed each of the three a raincoat.
"Why do we need these?" Landon asked.
"Because it looks like it might rain," Abby told him as she set a yellow hat that coordinated with his raincoat on his head.
"You aren't seriously going to make us wear these?" Ethan questioned.
"You don't have to wear it, just bring it," Abby explained.
"Good, because I might as well wear a sign saying beat me up," Ethan said.
"I like mine; because it's pink," Molly said spinning around in her coat.
"You would, dork," Ethan said to his sister.
"Daddy, Ethan." Molly started to say.
"I heard, all of you in the car now," he emphasized the last word.
"How long until you can hire that nanny?" Abby asked.
"Not soon enough," Carter said.
Later at the day camp, Ethan walked over to a picnic table where Molly was beading a necklace.
"Molly," he called.
She looked up to see her brother waving her behind port-o-potties.
Once behind them Molly saw that Landon was there too.
"Molly, how would you like to go to the circus today?" Ethan asked.
"Really?" she questioned.
"Yeah, really I have tickets and everything," Ethan told her. Ethan pulled a set of colorful tickets out of his pocket.
"You aren't joking. There are elephants on them and everything," Molly squealed.
"You can come, but we have to leave now," Ethan told her.
Molly thought it over. "Who is talking us?" she asked.
"Me," Ethan told her.
"But you're not a grownup," Molly replied.
"He almost is," Landon said.
"Yeah, Molly, when you're eight you're a grownup," Ethan told her.
"Oh okay, I'll go," she answered.
"Now, we just have to get out of here. You two be quiet and let me do the talking," Ethan instructed.
Landon and Molly nodded and followed Ethan. They were near the parking area when a counselor noticed them.
"Hey, where are you going?" the counselor asked.
"We need to look for my sister's rain hat. She dropped it this morning," Ethan said.
"I don't think I can let you." the counselor started to say.
"Please, mister, it's my favorite hat," Molly pleaded. "If we don't get it now, it'll get muddy."
"All right, hurry up, and I didn't tell you could go if anyone asks," the counselor said.
The counselor walked away, and soon he had to turn his attention towards a food fight in the snack tent.
Finally, they were away from the camp area of the park. As soon as Ethan thought they were a safe distance away he said, "Molly, you were great."
"Yeah, he believed you," Landon told her. "Where is the circus?"
"In a big tent on the other side of the Field Museum," Ethan stated.
"What's the Field Museum?" Molly asked.
"You know the great big building that we went to see cars in," Ethan told her.
"Oh," Molly responded.
"It isn't that far, and I have enough money for cotton candy," Ethan said.
"This is way more fun than day camp," Landon exclaimed.
At the ticket booth Ethan handed the collector three of the five tickets he had. They lady smiled thinking they were with one of the families in the line but wanted to give their own tickets. Ethan bought two bags of cotton candy. They could share because Molly would end up wasting most of hers anyway. The show started, and they were entranced for hours.
~ Over at County ~
"Abby, I'm still waiting for psych to admit the suicide attempt. You should go pick up the kids and come back for me," John told her.
"Okay, if you're going to be awhile call me, and I'll take the kids for a walk; it's a nice day," she said.
"Will do," he replied.
Abby drove over to park; it was early so she didn't have a hard time trying to find a place to park her car. She walked over to sign in/sign out area and told the employee her children's names, and what groups they were in. Abby waited quite sometime until the head of camp walked over towards.
"Mrs. Carter?" the woman asked.
"Yes," Abby replied cautiously.
"There is a small problem, your children aren't in their assigned groups. They probably just wanted to be together, and we are looking for them right now," the woman explained. "But I need to ask a few questions as a precaution. Is there anyone, another spouse who might have taken the children?"
"No, I mean my husband is still at work," Abby answered.
"Could you call him just to make sure he didn't pick up the children?" the woman asked.
"Yeah, I'll call he right now," Abby said pulling out her cell phone.
"Put Carter on the phone now," she demanded of whoever had picked up at County.
"The kids are missing, and I'm supposed to ask if you picked them up," Abby told him.
"They're what? No, I didn't pick them up," John said.
"That's what I thought," Abby responded. "Where else could they be?"
"Have you tried Anna?" he asked.
"No, I'll call Anna. Get over here as soon as you can," she told him before hanging up.
She dialed Luka's number, and he picked up after the second ring.
"I need to speak with Anna," she told him.
"Is something wrong?" Luka asked.
"There might be, just put Anna on," she said.
"Mom?" Anna questioned.
"Do have any idea where your brothers and sister could be?" Abby asked.
"No, aren't they at day camp?"
"They're supposed to be at day camp, but they're missing," Abby explained.
"I don't know." Anna started to say.
"Are you sure?" Abby pressured.
"Yes," Anna answered.
"John's here, I have to go. Call me if you think of anywhere they might be," Abby instructed.
Abby ended the call and turned to face Carter.
"Have you called the police?" he demanded.
"The camp director said the police were sending someone over," Abby told him. "Most of the other counselors are searching the park."
"Do you think they left the park?" Carter questioned her.
"I don't know," she replied slowly.
As they talked with the camp staff, Abby's phone rang. She answered it quickly hoping there was some news.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A thanks goes out to all of you who reviewed. The more detailed the better, but all are welcomed. I'm looking to improve the story; I don't take constructive criticism as a personal attack.
Well, another chapter up so soon mostly because my jaw hurts (had my wisdom teeth taken out the other day), and I don't feel like going anywhere aside from work. I'm not sure how much longer I can take having these stitches in my mouth before I remove them myself. Anyway, happy reading.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"It's so peaceful out here," John told Abby.
The couple was sitting out on the patio watching the sunset.
"Too peaceful. Where are the monsters?" Abby asked.
"Does it really matter?" he questioned.
"No," she responded. "What time do you have to work tomorrow?"
"Seven, you?" he asked.
"Seven," she answered. "Have you given any thought to the day camp situation?"
"Actually, I have. What do you think about hiring a nanny?" he asked.
"A nanny? I thought we were going to try to rear our children as normally as possible," Abby commented.
"There is nothing abnormal about a nanny. The kids want to stay home and we work. They can stay at home with a nanny," he explained.
"It sounds nice, but I have no idea how one goes about hiring a nanny," she told him.
"I'll handle it," John said.
"If you're serious, go right ahead," Abby replied.
"I'm serious," he responded.
"I know, you're forehead gets all crinkled when you're being serious," she whispered.
"Come here," he told her before they embraced.
~*~*~ The Next Morning ~*~*~
"Hey," Luka said softly as he placed a kiss on Anna's forehead.
She groaned and rolled over.
"I have to go to work now," he explained.
"Why?" she questioned sleepily.
"I've grown fond of eating," Luka told her. "I should be home around four."
"Is it okay if Quinn comes over?" Anna asked.
"I don't have a problem with it," he said as he put on his shoes.
"Good because it's boring here," she stated.
"Thank you," Luka replied.
"I mean, it's boring when you're not here," she corrected herself.
"I knew what you meant," he told her. "Stay inside," he reminded her as he left the apartment.
Anna pulled the blankets back over her head and closed her eyes. She awoke hours later by the ring of the phone. She scrambled of the couch to find it.
"Hello," Anna answered.
"Hi, you sound out of breath," Luka said.
"I was trying to find the phone," she replied.
"Well, I was calling to tell you I'm my way home," he told her.
"Oh, okay," Anna said as she looked up at the clock to check the time. It was 4:15; she had slept all day.
"Is Quinn still there?" he asked.
"No, she ended up not coming over," she explained.
"All right, I should be home in a little bit," Luka said. "Bye."
"Bye," Anna told him quickly. She changed her clothes and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. She remembered that she had bought a few DVDs with her. Anna pulled them out of her bag and set them near the TV.
Then, she opened a can of soup dumping half of it down the drain. She poured the other half into bowl and set it on the table. There she had thought of everything.
When Luka open the door, Anna was watching TV.
"You watched TV all day?" he questioned.
"Yeah, I didn't feel like doing anything," she said.
"What is the matter with you?" Luka asked as he came and sat next to her.
"I don't know. I'm just tired," Anna said quietly.
"I'll make us something to eat, and then I want to sleep in my bed tonight," he told her. "Okay?"
Anna nodded and watched Wheel of Fortune while Luka prepared dinner.
Later that night, Luka sat on the couch watching a Croatian movie. Anna walked into the room, sat down on the couch, and laid her head in lap.
"What are they saying?" she asked.
"You should be able to understand most of this," Luka told her.
"Something about someone's mother?" she questioned.
"Something like that," he replied.
"I suck at Croatian," Anna announced.
"You knew enough to know what language they were speaking," Luka answered.
"Yeah, but still I'm a horrible person for not wanting to continue learning it," she mumbled.
"You aren't a horrible person for having trouble with a second language," he told her. "You are a horrible person for coming out here when I gave you that whole bed all to yourself tonight."
"I couldn't sleep," Anna explained.
Luka didn't say anything he just rubbed the top of her forehead. He never minded Anna wanting to be close to him. She was, after all, the only thing he had going for him.
~ The Next Morning ~
"Ethan, Landon, let's go we're going to be late," Abby yelled.
"I'm sick," Ethan called from upstairs.
"You are not, get down here," she ordered.
Landon came down the stairs first; his bother followed him a few moments later.
"What this about someone being sick?" Carter asked he entered to kitchen.
"His faking," Abby stated.
"Ethan?" John questioned.
"The stress is getting to me," Ethan explained.
"What stress?" his mother asked.
"From that camp, they work us all day long," Ethan replied.
"Yes, the arts and crafts get to me too," John said sarcastically.
"I like the crafts," Molly chimed in.
Landon laughed between bites of cereal.
"Stick it out a few more days, I'll try to get in touch with an agency today," John told him.
"An agency for what?" Ethan questioned.
"A nanny," Carter answered.
"Like Mary Poppins?" Molly asked.
"Something like that Miss Molly," John told her. "We'd better get going the traffic is going to be bad."
"The traffic is bad everyday," Abby responded.
"Well, I'd like to see if I could show up on time for work for once," he stated.
"Ha-ha, kids, let's go," she told them.
Abby handed each of the three a raincoat.
"Why do we need these?" Landon asked.
"Because it looks like it might rain," Abby told him as she set a yellow hat that coordinated with his raincoat on his head.
"You aren't seriously going to make us wear these?" Ethan questioned.
"You don't have to wear it, just bring it," Abby explained.
"Good, because I might as well wear a sign saying beat me up," Ethan said.
"I like mine; because it's pink," Molly said spinning around in her coat.
"You would, dork," Ethan said to his sister.
"Daddy, Ethan." Molly started to say.
"I heard, all of you in the car now," he emphasized the last word.
"How long until you can hire that nanny?" Abby asked.
"Not soon enough," Carter said.
Later at the day camp, Ethan walked over to a picnic table where Molly was beading a necklace.
"Molly," he called.
She looked up to see her brother waving her behind port-o-potties.
Once behind them Molly saw that Landon was there too.
"Molly, how would you like to go to the circus today?" Ethan asked.
"Really?" she questioned.
"Yeah, really I have tickets and everything," Ethan told her. Ethan pulled a set of colorful tickets out of his pocket.
"You aren't joking. There are elephants on them and everything," Molly squealed.
"You can come, but we have to leave now," Ethan told her.
Molly thought it over. "Who is talking us?" she asked.
"Me," Ethan told her.
"But you're not a grownup," Molly replied.
"He almost is," Landon said.
"Yeah, Molly, when you're eight you're a grownup," Ethan told her.
"Oh okay, I'll go," she answered.
"Now, we just have to get out of here. You two be quiet and let me do the talking," Ethan instructed.
Landon and Molly nodded and followed Ethan. They were near the parking area when a counselor noticed them.
"Hey, where are you going?" the counselor asked.
"We need to look for my sister's rain hat. She dropped it this morning," Ethan said.
"I don't think I can let you." the counselor started to say.
"Please, mister, it's my favorite hat," Molly pleaded. "If we don't get it now, it'll get muddy."
"All right, hurry up, and I didn't tell you could go if anyone asks," the counselor said.
The counselor walked away, and soon he had to turn his attention towards a food fight in the snack tent.
Finally, they were away from the camp area of the park. As soon as Ethan thought they were a safe distance away he said, "Molly, you were great."
"Yeah, he believed you," Landon told her. "Where is the circus?"
"In a big tent on the other side of the Field Museum," Ethan stated.
"What's the Field Museum?" Molly asked.
"You know the great big building that we went to see cars in," Ethan told her.
"Oh," Molly responded.
"It isn't that far, and I have enough money for cotton candy," Ethan said.
"This is way more fun than day camp," Landon exclaimed.
At the ticket booth Ethan handed the collector three of the five tickets he had. They lady smiled thinking they were with one of the families in the line but wanted to give their own tickets. Ethan bought two bags of cotton candy. They could share because Molly would end up wasting most of hers anyway. The show started, and they were entranced for hours.
~ Over at County ~
"Abby, I'm still waiting for psych to admit the suicide attempt. You should go pick up the kids and come back for me," John told her.
"Okay, if you're going to be awhile call me, and I'll take the kids for a walk; it's a nice day," she said.
"Will do," he replied.
Abby drove over to park; it was early so she didn't have a hard time trying to find a place to park her car. She walked over to sign in/sign out area and told the employee her children's names, and what groups they were in. Abby waited quite sometime until the head of camp walked over towards.
"Mrs. Carter?" the woman asked.
"Yes," Abby replied cautiously.
"There is a small problem, your children aren't in their assigned groups. They probably just wanted to be together, and we are looking for them right now," the woman explained. "But I need to ask a few questions as a precaution. Is there anyone, another spouse who might have taken the children?"
"No, I mean my husband is still at work," Abby answered.
"Could you call him just to make sure he didn't pick up the children?" the woman asked.
"Yeah, I'll call he right now," Abby said pulling out her cell phone.
"Put Carter on the phone now," she demanded of whoever had picked up at County.
"The kids are missing, and I'm supposed to ask if you picked them up," Abby told him.
"They're what? No, I didn't pick them up," John said.
"That's what I thought," Abby responded. "Where else could they be?"
"Have you tried Anna?" he asked.
"No, I'll call Anna. Get over here as soon as you can," she told him before hanging up.
She dialed Luka's number, and he picked up after the second ring.
"I need to speak with Anna," she told him.
"Is something wrong?" Luka asked.
"There might be, just put Anna on," she said.
"Mom?" Anna questioned.
"Do have any idea where your brothers and sister could be?" Abby asked.
"No, aren't they at day camp?"
"They're supposed to be at day camp, but they're missing," Abby explained.
"I don't know." Anna started to say.
"Are you sure?" Abby pressured.
"Yes," Anna answered.
"John's here, I have to go. Call me if you think of anywhere they might be," Abby instructed.
Abby ended the call and turned to face Carter.
"Have you called the police?" he demanded.
"The camp director said the police were sending someone over," Abby told him. "Most of the other counselors are searching the park."
"Do you think they left the park?" Carter questioned her.
"I don't know," she replied slowly.
As they talked with the camp staff, Abby's phone rang. She answered it quickly hoping there was some news.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A thanks goes out to all of you who reviewed. The more detailed the better, but all are welcomed. I'm looking to improve the story; I don't take constructive criticism as a personal attack.