Chapter 8- Missing

"What's wrong with Sophie?" Olivia asked, a deep concern in her eyes. Zoë turned and shut the door behind her.

"We, we don't know." She said, trying to hold back her tears and sound confident. Before she had realized what was going on, Olivia threw her arms around her.

"It's okay Zoë. She'll be fine."

"Where's Michael?"

"He doesn't get it, he's trying to read the Great Gatsby. He doesn't get that either."

"Olivia, I don't even understand that."

"Oh. Well, when will they be back?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore."

"So, it could just be you and us tonight?"

"Yeah." She gulped, she'd never thought of this on those terms before. This made the whole situation twice as devastating.

………………..

After the surgery Tessa sat by her little sister's bedside. She did not want to leave, although she was required to, and soon. She was very worried about leaving poor little Sophie all by herself what if she were to wake up? What then? Tessa wanted to be there when that happened. After all, Sophie was very sensitive, not as sensitive as Zoë, but still, sensitive. Sophie was much better, but she was sound asleep. This was a good thing, for she had cried and cried all the way to the hospital, and all the whole time before her operation, but now she remained in a peaceful sleep. Fortunately all that had occurred was appendicitis. The normally cheerful little cherub would be back to herself in a few days or so. For now, however, she required rest, and rest she was getting. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door, she turned around immediately.

"Hi." Said one of the nurses.

"Hi."

"Listen, we've worked out a deal."

"We have?" Tessa said, having no idea what she was speaking of.

"Since your parents are missing…."

"What, my parents are missing?"

"Yes, we called where you said that they were staying and they haven't been seen for several days."

"Oh." She said, very troubled by this.

"It's alright sweetheart, I'm sure that they'll find them." Tessa nodded as she held back the tears that were threatening to spill onto her cheeks.

"What deal have you made for me?"

"Well we've decided to allow you to come and stay with your sister."

"Thank you." She said.

"You'll still need an adult to get her out of the hospital."

"Okay." She nodded, thinking that perhaps Jodie's Mom could help her.

"Well, goodnight, I'll be praying for you."

"Thank you." She said. The nurse shut the door.

"Momma." Sophie said, still asleep.

Tessa stroked the little girl's hair. She kissed her.

"I miss our Momma too sweetheart, I miss our Momma too." She could control herself no longer and she began to cry.

………………..

Zoë had received no word from anyone all day. Suddenly the phone rang, she was excited and she answered it upon the second ring.

"Hello." She asked, eager to converse with anyone, perhaps even a telemarketer.

"Hey." It was Damien; the boy who, three Christmas's prior had tried to make it look like he was trying to kill her. Now, however, they were friends. "So, what are you doing this weekend?"

"Well, I'm here by myself with the twins. Sophie is in the hospital."

"What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know." Zoë began to cry.

"Hey, can I come over and cheer you up?"

"Sure." She said.

"Great, I'll be there in a half hour!"

"Okay." Zoë hung up the phone and then picked it up again, intending to invite Lauren and Lizzie over as well.

………………..

"What?" Zoë yelled over the loud music.

"This is some party Zoë."

"Your gonna be in so much trouble!"

In short, Damien had not exactly just brought himself over. He had invited a plethora of people to the house. Most of whom Zoë had never seen before. The music blared on the CD player; it was so loud that Zoë couldn't hear herself think. She and Lauren and Lizzie sat on the staircase, they were not enthusiastic about this wild party, but none of them had any ideas on how to stop it. Suddenly some kid raced past them on a skateboard and ran into the wall, fell down and got back up. That was just a small example of the mayhem. To make matters worse, Zoë thought she heard a few things break, and she thought she heard talk of spilled orange juice on a rug. She was going to be in so much trouble. She just wanted it all to end. Well, at least the twins were having a good time. They were the life of the party. Michael, who was very charismatic anyway, was running around telling jokes, which the people found highly funny. Olivia was breaking out of her shyness by greeting everyone in the whole room. Suddenly Zoë heard a loud crash.

"Oh Father," she prayed, "Send me help, make this stop!" Suddenly a dark but loving shadow was cast across the staircase where the girls sat. Zoë looked up.

"Hi Uncle Sam." She said, he didn't look too happy.

"What is the meaning of this young lady?"

"Well, to make a long story short, I invited Damian over and Lizzie and Lauren too. Damien brought all of these people over, and they've been destroying things. I'm afraid that the music is so loud that the police will come soon. And well, I don't know hardly any of these people! Help us, please!"

"Gladly." He said, turning off the music, the whole room stopped and stared at him, wide eyed.

"Now all of you get out!" He commanded.

The whole room began to walk out the front door, mumbling to each other and laughing as they did so, a few turning back to look at Sam. It was only then that Zoë was able to survey the damage. Thankfully Damien had gone with his friends, but Lizzie and Lauren had stayed. The room had trash all over it, cups and dishes were scattered absolutely everywhere. In the kitchen there was spilt juice all over and one broken dish that she figured would go virtually unnoticed.

"Your not going to tell on me, are you Uncle Sam?" He thought for a moment, and then he smiled. He put his arm around Zoë's shoulder. "No, I'm not going to tell on you." Zoë sighed with relief. When suddenly she heard the front door unlock, she was horrified. Certainly Tessa would punish her. What if it were Aunt Tess, that's who she was really worried about.

"Mommy!" Olivia screeched as she ran into her mother's arms.

"Hi Pumpkin Head. How is everything?"

"Zoë had a party, it was loud and there were a lot of people, it was real fun."

"A party Zoë?" Gloria looked up at her.

"Well Aunt Gloria, I didn't plan a party, but my friend, as you can see invited the entirety of the sixth grade over."

"And we're helping to clean up." Michael said proudly, as he hugged his Mother.

"Why are you back so soon?"

"Because your sister is in the hospital."

"How do you know about that?"

"Because the hospital called us and told us to come right away."

"But, where are my Mom and Dad?" She asked as Adam walked into the room, he and Gloria exchanged glances that puzzled Zoë. Lizzie and Lauren quietly slipped out the front door and Sam just simply disappeared.

"Michael, Olivia, will you guys please go to your room and I'll be up on a minute. Okay?" The twins did as their Dad asked and they retreated up the stairs.

Gloria and Adam led Zoë over to the couch and sat her down in front of them.

"Sweetheart." Gloria began in a somewhat apprehensive fashion. "We want you to know that we love you very much and we'll always be here for you, okay?"

"Okay." She whispered, emotion could clearly be detected in her voice.

"Your Mommy and your Daddy are, well, they're missing darling."

"What, what's going to happen to us?" She exclaimed as she burst into tears and fell into her Aunt's embrace.

"We are going to find your Mommy and Daddy, and until then we are going to take care of you, all of you, even Tessa." Adam told her.

"Okay." She pulled away from Gloria; she got up and headed for the stairs. "I love you too. But just remember, you're not my Mom and you're not my Dad." And then she stormed up the stairs.

………………..

"This is lovely darling." Monica said, thrilled that they had finished. They had spent their day constructing a temporary shelter, and although it was not the most beautiful thing that Monica had ever seen she figured that it would do more than suffice.

Their first task had been finding a place to build. Location, location, location, that was the key thing after all. Then they had to find things to build with. They found that, first and foremost the raft, which they had arrived, upon was an excellent substitute for not only a floor but for a bed. The difficult part had been finding something to go over the raft. It took a few hours that they didn't have but they came up with a solution and put that solution to plan. When they finished they gazed upon their grass-raft house with pride.

"It is great, isn't it?" He replied, kissing her softly.

A drop of rain fell on her face. Both of them felt it. And hand in hand, they went inside. The rain began to fall gently and grew increasingly stronger by the minute, slowly putting out the blazing bonfire outside the small thatched house. Andrew held his wife in his arms; he ran his fingers through her hair, as he kissed her face and neck.

"You know, sometimes, I still can't believe we're together."

"Me neither my darling."

"Are you tired?"

"Not in the least bit. Are you?"

"No." He said as he kissed her forehead.

He then began to kiss her all the way down to her lips, where he stopped and their kiss grew heavier. As they did so, the rain continued to pour outside. The rain clamed them, almost as thought it was singing to them. Monica's heart began to beat faster and faster as their passion grew.

"I love you." She whispered softly into the night.

"I love you too my love, my world, my life, my angel."