Part 3
Starlight Haven
"Snack time" Cisco called from the dining room. Rows of tables and chairs were permanently set up, so the room looked more like a miniature version of a school cafeteria than a house. For the sheer number of kids that Starlight Haven housed yearly, from all walks of life, such a setup was more than necessary.
"I've got chocolate, jelly, coconut sprinkles, orange—"
"And the table is a foot behind you" Danse nudged her husband
"And the table is—whoops" Cisco's foot got caught in one of the chairs that had been pushed out
"Got it" he held the plate with one hand and his other hand braced against the chair back.
"I've told you kids" Danse chastised the group that had filed through the door, "Push in your chairs when you're done"
"Uh, honey" Cisco leaned towards Danse, "I was in a rush after breakfast" he admitted, "and I sat here, closest to the counter"
"Oh" Danse tried to keep a straight face, not for her husband's sake, but for the gaggle of runaways who'd sat down, eagerly ready for doughnuts, "well, still. Let's all remember to clean up after ourselves, everyone" she glanced at her husband
Cisco, who for all intents and purposes, was completely blind, still gave a social smile towards his wife. Perhaps the years of marriage had left him perceptive to something that even the sighted couldn't see.
"Yes, Ms. Danse" the children replied chorally. Maybe it had been a mistake to show them the musical Annie, because after that, most of the kids had begun calling the pair, Mr. Cisco and Ms. Danse. She smiled, "Ms, even though I'm married and old enough to be their mother" the thought was bittersweet, "no need to delve through that again just now" her thoughts flew back to the waiting children,
"Ok" she brandished the tray of doughnuts, "Jack likes orange, Sandra likes jelly, Amy likes coconut sprinkles," she had memorized the children's tastes.
"Ms. Danse" a blonde girl stuck out her hand for another doughnut
"But I already gave you one" Danse frowned, "what about him?" she motioned towards the brunette boy behind her
"Oh, him" she shrugged, "he doesn't want one. He said I could have two"
"A likely story"
Alonso Residence
"I had no idea" Jetta sighed
"It's ok" Raya smiled
"It's not" Jetta shook her head, "I should've been there for you"
"I'm glad that you're here now"
"I guess I should let you all get some rest" Jetta got up to excuse herself, "Diana" she called through the open door to the backyard, "I hope she wasn't any trouble, boys"
"Oh, no trouble at all" Carlos panted
"Speak for yourself" Oded wheeled forward, "Give her some cold medicine, for God's sake"
"Oded" Raya reprimanded her son, "Where did you hear something like that?"
"Papa" he shot back
"I see" she pursed her lips
"It was lovely meeting your children" Jetta guided Diana back to the house, "Omar!" her voice was suddenly shrill
"You rang" he emerged from his study with Ryan. Both gripped half dressed fashion dolls in their hands.
"Put your toys away and call your daughter over here" she was still upset over Oded's comment and took it out on her husband.
"Alright" Omar trudged down the hall to the children's bedrooms. Oded and Carlos' bedroom was open, and Anissa's room was closed. Omar opened the door. Ballerina and dancer posters adorned the wall. A music box stood on a shelf alongside magazines and novels. No sign of his teenage daughter though.
Omar sighed, "Where was she now?" he fumed. He stormed back into the other room and turned to his wife,
"She's not there"
"What do you mean, she's not there?" she glowered at him
"What happened, Mummy?" Diana looked up at Jetta, and then at Ryan
"Nothing, darling" Jetta placated the girl
"I mean she wasn't in her room" Omar replied, "she's obviously not outside, and she wasn't in the den"
"You lost her?" that wasn't Raya. That was little Diana
"Sweetie, hush" Ryan frowned at her
"Don't just stand there" Raya glowered at her husband, "Go find her"
"Hang on" Omar held up his hands, "She's got to be somewhere" He whipped out his cell phone and began dialing
Starlight Mansion
"I just had sex tonight, and it felt so wrong" Jericho laughed, mangling Acorn's song. Acorn was a famous singer.
"Why can't you sing it properly?" Jessie frowned
"Hey, I get bored" he laughed
The phone rang and Jericho grabbed it from the wireless cradle, "Hello?"
"This is Mr. Alonso, is Anissa there?" Omar barked
"No, no she isn't. Do you want to talk to my Mum?"
"Sure, go ahead, put her on" Omar sighed
Jericho ran to Jerrica's study and handed her the cordless phone
"Hi Omar" Jerrica smiled
"Jericho said that Anissa isn't there, but she's not at home. I'm going to call the other kids, but I wanted to make sure she really wasn't with you"
"No" Jerrica shook her head, "She hasn't been here all day. Wasn't she grounded?"
"Of course she was grounded!" he bellowed
"Take it easy" Jerrica tried to sound soothing, but her aggravation shone through
"Sorry" he mumbled, "I'm at my wit's ends trying to figure out where she is"
"You've only called one person and you're already at your wit's ends?" Jerrica sounded incredulous
Omar growled in such a manner that would have rivaled Pizzazz. Then, he hung up the phone
Surfside High
"I didn't think we would be able to meet" Anissa breathed heavily
"I know" he smiled at her
"I feel- I feel kind of silly, running around like this" she blushed
"Well, it's not really wrong if we're in love, right?" he held her hand
"No, not really"
"But I don't think your parents would understand" he warned her
"Why not? We've got so much in common"
"I know, and I really do like you, but at least for now—"
"I know, we'll keep things quiet"
"Yeah, quiet" he nodded
Alonso Residence
"I've called all her friends, and all of yours, too" Omar brandished the phone at his sons
"Jesus, Dad, take it easy" Oded held up his hands
"Don't take the Lord's name in vain" Omar barked
"Alright, sorry" Oded sighed
"Dad, relax, everything's going to be fine. She's probably gone out shopping" Carlos suggested
"Shopping?" Raya fumed at her middle child, "That's all women do?"
"Ok ok, we're both grounded. No tv, no internet until she's found" Carlos blurted in fear
"I like it when the kids parents themselves" Omar grinned
"Now you have to find the one who won't parent herself" Oded laughed
Raya shot him a look
"Come on" she grabbed her husband by the hand and dragged him to the back of the house, "I have a feeling I know where she is"
"Where are we going?" Omar fumbled on his feet
"Just wait" she pushed him towards the car, "I want to see if I'm right"
"Boys" Omar waved from the passenger seat, "stay here in case your sister calls"
"Right!" Oded nodded, "You got it, Dad"
In the car, Omar was just as confused as before, "Um, where are we actually going?"
"You don't know your kids" Raya was a completely different animal
"Well, I'm a guy, I know how guys work" he shrugged
"And by that logic, I should know where our daughter is simply by my gender?"
"Fine, sorry" he put up his hands in surrender
"I'm on edge" she rationalized, "we both are" she glanced at him once they hit a red light, "She's not like the boys. She loves doing her own thing. Carlos is a thinker, and Oded is the athletic one. Anissa is the dreamer"
"Ok, so they're typecast"
"They're set in their ways, like you" she smiled briefly, "I have a feeling she'll be at school"
"When she doesn't have to be?"
"It's the only place that she knows that she can have time to herself, to dance, to play music, without her brothers showing up"
"I guess so" Omar sat back in his seat as the car lurched forward
Surfside High
"We have to tell my parents" Anissa sat on the school front steps. "This has been an amazing day, even if it had been secretive"
"I'm sorry" he took her hand, "I guess I'm not ready for them to know. What if they didn't approve?"
"Why not?" she looked up at him, "You've known my Mum for so long"
"Sure, but it's different now, if you and – if we were official"
"Official" she smiled dreamily, "I like how that sounds"
"I like how you smell" he grinned
"And that's all you'll know until I'm a little older" she shot him a look
"But I'll be older, too"
"Hey" she grinned, "I like my men distinguished"
Just then, the car pulled up. Omar struggled out of the bucket seats, but Raya made a beeline for their daughter, "Don't you ever do that again" she hugged her
"I won't" she sniffed
Raya held Anissa at arm's length, looked at her, and then swatted her arm
"What was that for?"
"For running away and giving your father and I heart attacks"
"Mum, you don't have to be so dramatic"
"You haven't begun to see dramatic"
Raya stopped talking, and stared at the person next to her daughter. By then, Omar had joined them, huffing and puffing from the short walk
"Who's—this?" he wheezed
"Mum, Dad, this is—my boyfriend" Anissa beamed
"Now, you'll see dramatic" Raya frowned
"He's – so – old" Omar panted
"He's not that old" Anissa pouted
"Guys" he put a hand up, "I'm right here"
"Yes, we know, Sam" Raya smiled, "but right now, we have to deal with our own little runaway"
"Do you want to end up like the kids in Starlight Haven?"
"Dad, I was never going to end up like that" Anissa crossed her arms in front of her
"Maybe not" he got his breath back, "but I don't like this. Until we figure out what to do, you're off social media, indefinitely"
"But—but I'll simply die!" she screeched
"Well" he grinned, "we'll save money on the quinceanerain next year"
"Sam is a very nice young man" Raya put her arm around her daughter's shoulder, "but he is older. He's one of Oded and Carlos' friends"
"He's not any older than Mr. Pacheco is than Mrs. Pacheco"
"Again, right here" Sam held up his hand
"Sorry" Omar apologized, "we're having a little impromptu parenting meeting"
"Even if that's so" Raya shook her head, "we—we have to discuss this more"
"Maybe he can come by the house, and we'll have dinner together" Omar suggested
"I think that's a fine idea" Raya agreed, "something casual, first"
"You are so old fashioned!" Anissa sighed
"Someone has to be" Omar laughed.
END
