Chapter 16
XXXXXXX
Martin and Sam sat in the Forest Ranger cabin in Green Mountain National Forest waiting for Dee Dee's group to arrive for their check-in. He felt totally in his element: out in nature, the fresh smell of the woods and bundled up in his Gortex jacket. He stole a glance at Sam, who unlike him looked miserable. He suppressed a chuckle at the sight of her.
"Would you like some coffee while you wait?" Alan, the Forest Ranger, asked. He had red hair, lots of freckles and a goatee.
"I'd love some," Martin replied.
"Me too," Sam said as she rubbed her hands together.
"I'll be right back." Alan disappeared behind the counter when the door swung open and a group of about seven campers entered.
The team leader was a man of about forty-years old with wild brown hair. "Alright guys, we are only here for a few hours before we continue back out. Take advantage of the facilities."
Martin and Sam stood up and spotted Dee Dee standing near the rear talking to another camper. She was tall with her hair pulled back in a French braid.
"Dee Dee Warner?" Martin asked as he approached.
Dee Dee swung around and looked at Martin worriedly. "That's me."
He pulled out his badge and said, "I'm agent Fitzgerald and this is agent Spade. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Kiki Melendez."
It was at this moment that Martin realized that the two girl's names rhymed.
Dee Dee stepped closer and asked, "Did something happen to Kiki?"
"She's been missing for over a week," Sam answered in an empathetic tone. "Her mom is dying and we need to find her fast. Do you have any idea where she could be?"
An anguished look appeared on the young woman's face. "Her mom's dying? Oh, my god. She didn't tell me."
"So you have talked to her recently?" Martin asked.
"Yeah, but it wasn't exactly a fun filled reunion."
XXX
Dee Dee was wearing her nurse's scrubs when she entered the exam room and found Kiki sitting on the exam table wearing the ubiquitous paper robe that all doctors require their patients wear.
"Kiki?" Dee Dee asked as Kiki looked at her curiously. "It's me, Dee Dee."
"Dee Dee, hi." Kiki wrapped her paper robe tighter to her.
"Hi, how are you?" She realized that was a ridiculous question considering where they were meeting. "How's your family?"
Kiki hesitated and then finally said, "They're fine."
She could see that her old childhood friend wasn't interested in catching up so she shifted back into work mode. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Um, I think I'm pregnant," Kiki replied in a tiny fearful voice.
Dee Dee looked over Kiki and grew concerned; her skin was pale, almost translucent, she had some acne, and dry, itchy skin. If she was in fact pregnant it was going to be a complicated one at best. "What makes you think you're pregnant?"
Kiki lowered her eyes and said, "I haven't had my period in awhile."
"What was the first day of you last cycle?" Dee Dee asked as she put the wrap around Kiki's arm to check her blood pressure.
"I don't remember," Kiki replied with her eyes focused on the poster on the wall of a mother nursing her baby.
The monitor beeped and she recorded her vitals. They were way out of whack and she suspected that Kiki had hypertension. "Did they already have you use the bathroom to collect a sample?"
Kiki nodded her head.
"Good." Dee Dee moved and stared examining Kiki's teeth, sighing heavily at just the visual, cursory exam. A few seconds later the on staff doctor entered.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Brannon," She introduced herself to Kiki and then proceeded to do a full examination. When she was done she excused herself telling Kiki she would be right back but she could get dressed in the meantime. Dee Dee excused herself as well and followed Dr. Brannon out.
She walked alongside her and asked, "She isn't pregnant is she?"
Dr. Brannon shook her head doubtfully and replied, "I want to check the results of her urine test but I honestly don't think so. The missed period is most likely just a side effect of her addiction."
"I thought so," Dee Dee said softly. "She's an old friend. If she isn't pregnant can I be the one to tell her?"
Dr. Brannon hesitated but finally agreed. A short while later they got the results of the test and sure enough, Kiki wasn't pregnant but she did test positive for Methamphetamine. Dee Dee took a deep breath before knocking on the exam room door. Kiki replied that it was okay to enter so she went inside. She sat on the stool and rolled herself near her friend.
"We got the test results. You're not pregnant." Kiki got a despondent look on her face, her bottom lip quivering. She patted her friend's knee and began slowly, "Sweetie, I know you are sick, you're an addict. You tested positive for Meth. That's why you've missed your periods, your teeth's enamel is wearing off, and your hair is dry and brittle."
Kiki got tears in her eyes but with a fierce voice said, "I'm fine."
Dee Dee leaned in closer and said, "You need help. If you don't want your family to get involved I know of some facilities that can help you."
"I said I'm fine," Kiki stood up and grabbed her coat and purse. "It's just as well I'm not pregnant. I'm not ready to be someone's mom."
"Kiki, wait." She knew that Kiki was clearly not ready to confront her addiction so she grabbed a piece of notepad paper and scribbled on it. "Here's my phone number. Call me anytime. I want to help you."
Kiki looked at the paper before finally reaching out, taking it and stuffing it into her pants pocket. She nodded and moved to the door replying, "Later."
XXX
"And then she left. I tried calling the number she left on her chart but it was disconnected. I was planning on going to see her family when I got back from this trip." Dee Dee looked down at the floor and a little later added, "I gave her my phone number but then left town. How clever was that?"
"Do you have any idea where she would go?" Sam asked.
"No. Like I said, I hadn't seen her in years." Dee Dee paused a moment and then added, "You know when were in high school we co-taught catechism at St. Michaels. We'd spend a lot of time hanging out there. That's the only place I can think of other than going home."
