"I'm really worried, Steve. Susan asked me to pick up Kevin at day care and said that she would pick him up at the police station and she didn't show up or answer the phone."

"Maybe she went to meet someone, Cath."

"If she went on a date and didn't intend to come back, she should have at least warned me," Catherine replied.

"Sometimes I think she takes advantage of your generosity. You buy Kevin's clothes, you buy his shoes, you buy him food, and now you pay for him in day care. And what does she do for Kevin? Even his birthday party you will pay."

" I'm not having a big party for him anymore. He will have a small party at the nursery, a party just with his kindergarten friends and his teachers."

"I think that's better, Cath. The party is for him and not for his mother, you don't have to invite the whole town just because she wants to."

"You're right, Steve. I just want to see him happy on his birthday. And he'll be happy with a small party."

"Sure he'll be happy," Steve said.

"Well, I won't bother you anymore with my problems with Susan. Tell me how it was your return to work," Catherine asked.

"I'm going to tell..."

The next day, Catherine was off duty and woke Kevin up to take him to daycare. She was sorry to wake him so soon, but she needed to drop him off at daycare and find out what had happened to Susan.

"You look beautiful, honey. Are you warm in that coat?" Catherine asked him with a smile. Kevin was standing on the bed and hugged her without saying anything.

Catherine also hugged him and was thrilled. "That's the best hug of the life, Kevin."

Catherine picked him up, picked up his little backpack and took him to the car. She drove into town and left him in the daycare. " I love you, sweetie pie," Catherine told Kevin before he went with the teacher.

Catherine arrived at the diner where Susan worked and did not see her. Catherine then asked Susan's boss if she had not gone to work.

"Susan hasn't been to work in two days," her boss replied.

"Two days?" Catherine thought this was strange because Susan had dropped Kevin off at daycare the day before and then called asking Catherine to pick him up. " And she didn't say why?" Catherine asked him.

"No, she didn't and I don't care either. When you see her tell her she's fired."

Catherine left the diner and went to Susan's house and didn't find her there either. She tried calling again and Susan's phone wasn't off, but Susan didn't return Catherine's call.

Catherine went to the police station and asked the officer on duty to let her use the computer and track the location of Susan's phone. "I don't believe it!" Catherine exclaimed and left.

Catherine arrived at the roadside hotel and went to the reception and described Susan.

"I can't give you information about the guests," the receptionist told her.

Catherine then showed her the police badge. "If you don't tell me where she is, you could be charged with obstructing an investigation."

Catherine went to room 10 furiou and knocked on the door. Nobody opened the door and she insisted.

"What do you want?" A rude man opened the door and Catherine heard Susan's voice in the room.

Catherine pushed him and entered the room. "Is that why you abandoned your son?" Catherine told her.

"I didn't abandon him, I left him with you," Susan replied.

"Don't be cynical, Susan. Be at 5:00 in the afternoon in front of that daycare to pick him up or I'll report you."

"Who do you think you are to talk to her like that?" The man said to Catherine.

Catherine pushed him hard. "Get out of my way, you troglodyte!"

Catherine returned home outraged and was even more outraged when she received a call from Kevin's teacher at the end of the day saying that no one showed up to pick up the boy.

Kevin was sitting on a stool, crying silently, when Catherine got there. He ran to her when he saw her. Catherine picked him up and apologized. "I'm sorry, honey. I'm sorry." Catherine also cried because she felt sorry for the boy and cried out in anger at Susan.

A few hours later, Kevin was asleep and Catherine was talking to Steve on the phone. " Did she have the guts to do that to him and to you, Catherine? She seemed to be such a friend of yours," Steve was also outraged by Susan's attitude.

She called me a few minutes ago and asked me if I think only I have the right to date. It was surreal, Steve. I'm really mad at her, you have no idea how much."

"I've seen you angry many times," he replied.

"Not like now, Steve. Not like now," she repeated as she looked at Kevin.

PS: Thank you for your review in the previous chapter.