AN: Looks like about two more chapters after this, give or take. Ideas for a sequel are definitely forming.
Scanning the obviously abandoned surf line, Jay looked down at his cell. He knew there hadn't been any calls. The ring was turned up to the max. And it wasn't like there were a lot of background noises to drown out the sound at this time of night. Still, he had to look. Someone should have found the kid by now.
Sighing out at the open ocean, the sight of the cove, sitting off in the distance caught his eyes. Sure, Ava had checked there earlier, but that was hours ago. And besides, he highly doubted the woman would thing to take a look around inside the opening. Unlike Ava, though, he would lay odds Bradin had a pretty good working knowledge of the area.
Headed towards the cove, a renewed sense of purpose coursing through him, Jay found himself desperately hoping his hunch about the cove panned out.
Looking out the window at the still empty beach, Nikki groaned in annoyance. "How long can it take?"
"They'll find him, Nikki." Susanna told her flatly, looking down at the droopy-eyed boy lying on the couch. "Why don't the two of you get some sleep?"
"Susanna." Both kids called out her names in panic simultaneously.
The woman held up her hands in defense. "Ava, Johnny and Jay are going to find him, guys. By the time you wake up, you're brother will be home. Guaranteed."
"They haven't found him yet." Nikki replied defiantly, not exactly confident in the woman's unsupported promises.
Susanna wasn't fazed, however. Derrick's tired, scared eyes staring up at her were a constant reminder of the need to keep the panic to a minimum. "You guys know how determined your Aunt Ava is. There's no way she's going to give up before she finds your brother."
"Are you sure?" Derrick asked cautiously, still needing a bit more reassurance.
"Absolutely." She told him with a smile, sounding much more confidant than she was feeling. "I'm also sure she's going to want to have a long talk with him when she does find him, though."
When both Nikki and Derrick gave her knowing looks, she continued on with her argument. "So you're probably not going to get to talk with him until tomorrow, anyways."
"There's no way we're going to be able to sleep." Nikki protested futily.
"Try." The woman replied, pointing in the direction of the stairs.
"Uhh." Nikki replied, stomping away in frustration.
Derrick smiled over at her before heading away as well.
Settling onto the couch, Susanna attempted to get comfortable. She hadn't lied to the kids. She truly did expect Johnny, Jay and Ava to bring home Bradin safe and sound. That didn't change the fact that she couldn't make herself comfortable, though.
When had she started to care about the kids this much?
Ava jumped at the shrill ring of her cell. Looking over at Johnny briefly, she pulled the device out of her pocket and quickly checked the display before raising the phone to her ear. Not hesitating a moment, she demanded into the receiver; "Jay? Did you find him?"
Scanning the obviously abandoned surf line, Jay looked down at his cell. He knew there hadn't been any calls. The ring was turned up to the max. And it wasn't like there were a lot of background noises to drown out the sound at this time of night. Still, he had to look. Someone should have found the kid by now.
Sighing out at the open ocean, the sight of the cove, sitting off in the distance caught his eyes. Sure, Ava had checked there earlier, but that was hours ago. And besides, he highly doubted the woman would thing to take a look around inside the opening. Unlike Ava, though, he would lay odds Bradin had a pretty good working knowledge of the area.
Headed towards the cove, a renewed sense of purpose coursing through him, Jay found himself desperately hoping his hunch about the cove panned out.
Looking out the window at the still empty beach, Nikki groaned in annoyance. "How long can it take?"
"They'll find him, Nikki." Susanna told her flatly, looking down at the droopy-eyed boy lying on the couch. "Why don't the two of you get some sleep?"
"Susanna." Both kids called out her names in panic simultaneously.
The woman held up her hands in defense. "Ava, Johnny and Jay are going to find him, guys. By the time you wake up, you're brother will be home. Guaranteed."
"They haven't found him yet." Nikki replied defiantly, not exactly confident in the woman's unsupported promises.
Susanna wasn't fazed, however. Derrick's tired, scared eyes staring up at her were a constant reminder of the need to keep the panic to a minimum. "You guys know how determined your Aunt Ava is. There's no way she's going to give up before she finds your brother."
"Are you sure?" Derrick asked cautiously, still needing a bit more reassurance.
"Absolutely." She told him with a smile, sounding much more confidant than she was feeling. "I'm also sure she's going to want to have a long talk with him when she does find him, though."
When both Nikki and Derrick gave her knowing looks, she continued on with her argument. "So you're probably not going to get to talk with him until tomorrow, anyways."
"There's no way we're going to be able to sleep." Nikki protested futily.
"Try." The woman replied, pointing in the direction of the stairs.
"Uhh." Nikki replied, stomping away in frustration.
Derrick smiled over at her before heading away as well.
Settling onto the couch, Susanna attempted to get comfortable. She hadn't lied to the kids. She truly did expect Johnny, Jay and Ava to bring home Bradin safe and sound. That didn't change the fact that she couldn't make herself comfortable, though.
When had she started to care about the kids this much?
Ava jumped at the shrill ring of her cell. Looking over at Johnny briefly, she pulled the device out of her pocket and quickly checked the display before raising the phone to her ear. Not hesitating a moment, she demanded into the receiver; "Jay? Did you find him?"