Chapter 2- Talking it over
Liam Hardy woke up the next morning, to a news report coming from the living room.
"… 13 years ago, Joseph Hardy and Kayley Knight vanished. Their families suspected foul play and have been searching for them ever since. Recent evidence sheds new light on this theory. This new evidence came by way of Allan Hooper, a lifelong friend of the Hardy family who recently accepted a job at the non-profit organization, EYN, or 'Everything You Need'.
Mr. Hooper, known to his friends and family by the nickname "Biff" claims that the name of the charity has always seemed somehow familiar to him. He was still stunned, however, to discover that one of the owners was none other than his long lost best friend from childhood, Joe Hardy. Speculation now is that Joe Hardy and Kayley Knight may have been teenaged runaways all those years ago. That's all for now back to you Stacie Carter at the studio"
"Thank you Jason in other news…"
"You ran away?" Liam and Katie asked in unison.
"It seemed like the only option at the time. Our parents were not accepting the situation and your mother and I knew that we wanted to stay together and raise you in a loving home. It just didn't seem like that would be the case if we stayed in Bayport."
Liam was shocked, he'd always known that both set's of his grandparents were proud people, but to make their child feel unwanted was not something he'd expected. Katie just stood there with her mouth open like a goldfish.
"Sorry we asked," Liam said sheepishly.
"It's OK," Joe said honestly. "If I didn't want you to know I wouldn't have told you."
Liam smiled. Suddenly Katie snapped out of her daze and bounced up and down happily and said "It's the last day of school till summer vacation!"
Joe smiled at his daughters antics; they reminded him of his childhood sweetheart Iola Morton. She had always been one to get excited about the last day of school. Joe kissed Katie's forehead and squeezed Liam's shoulder as he grabbed his bag for work.
"Well, I'll be off then!" Joe said cheerfully.
"Bye, Dad!" The kids squealed as they went to get ready for school. Kayley smiled as he kissed her cheek and then kissed James on the forehead.
"They get more and more like you everyday!" she joked.
"They do, don't they?" Joe said with a hint of a mischievous glint to his eyes.
Kayley laughed "See you tonight, Hun."
"Bye, Babe!" Joe called as he left.
As Joe drove to work he thought about the news report that he had seen that morning. Old feelings, not well buried, surfaced, and the pain of leaving his friends, his parents, and especially his brother hit him hard all over again. 'Thirteen years', he mused to himself, 'and it still hurts like it was yesterday.' His father's words haunted him as he pictured his father on television pleading for Joe to come home.