Disclaimer: NM, DS. Title inspired by Jack Johnson's Sitting, Waiting, Wishing.
Author's Note: Thanks for all the lovely reviews, I managed to finish studying a bit earlier than anticipated today and had time to type this little addendum out. Sorry it's so short, but I hope y'all enjoy it anyway! :)
Chapter 5: Sitting, Waiting, Wishing, Wanting
I had just reached my locker, my phone in my right hand and my maroon messenger bag in my left, when I worked up the courage to check if my parents had called. Dropping my bag on the linoleum floor, I leaned heavily against my locker before carefully flicking it on.
The black screen flashed on, the little bars stacking next to each other and then finally after an excruciating ten seconds, I reached the home screen and it was blank. I moved it around a little to make sure I had reception but nothing.
My hand started to tremble but I bit back the flood of anxiety I felt coming, my fingers gripping my phone tightly, the nail beds turning white with the pressure. My head clunked against the lockers and I took deep calming breaths.
The plan. The plan I had spent so long coming up with during lunch finally registered in my brain and I feverishly dialed my father's secretary and bit my lip as the dull automated voice came over claiming the lines were occupied and the offered me a free consultation if I scheduled an appointment. Two agonizing jingles later, I was back in business.
"This is Cecilia for Darcy, Danton and Derrick, how may I help you?"
"Hey Cecilia, it's Kim." My voice trembled slightly but I bit my lip, the sharp pinching sensation distracting my nerves for a second.
"Kim! How are you?" Her voice changed, the pitch raising almost disturbingly so, and I could hear her false nails tapping on the polished mahogany desk I ordered for them last year.
"I'm great. Um, how're you?" I couldn't do it; I almost wanted to hang up now.
"Fine." It was silent and then before I could tell her that I would call back later, she started up again, the words jumbling together almost faster than I could comprehend.
"Sweetie, have you heard from your father? He hasn't been into the office in nearly three days, we've been trying to locate him but we've been stuck with the voicemail at the condo and your mom's boutique keeps going to the answering machine."
"We thought about calling the police but he mentioned that he'd be out of town on Tuesday and that he wasn't sure when he was coming back so we figured he'd stay in touch, but he hasn't emailed since then and the big case is coming up so we're getting a little nervous. We didn't want to worry you though, Kimmy, we know you're by yourself out there."
And suddenly her words hit home. I was alone. I felt the tears coming in and but I had to keep it together. I wasn't home yet and there was still plenty I could do to find them. They were fine, just out of Internet and cell reception, I was sure of it. It had to be the case. I shoved my head against the locker behind me before answer in a tight voice.
"I haven't but I'll let you know if I hear from him."
She was quiet then. Her breathing quickening, slightly and I felt almost like she was starting to cry.
"Do-do you want to come up here for a few days?" Her breathing hitched at the end of that and I almost started laughing at the irony. My parents were missing and my father's secretary was crying.
"No, no, I have school, but I think we should tell the police, you know, file a-a-missing person's report." I barely got the sentence out. She agreed softly before apologizing for not contacting me before.
"Have you checked with any of the neighbors?"
"I called the occupants of the three floors above and below you parent's condo in addition to the landlord but no notices of extended departure were made. Their newspaper was still coming regularly so they can't have expect to have been gone for longer than a week. It's only been three days, Kim. I'm not unsure that he'll walk in tomorrow morning, right as rain and ready to get down to business." I grimaced at her colloquialisms, but I couldn't bear to bring her down. Three days was a long time when anything could have happened. Besides, they would have contacted me if they were going out of town. And she had heard from him by email, not by phone. I filled that piece of information away for later. I decided to ask her about my mother.
"What about my mother's customers?" I tried to remember all the venues of contact I had listed at lunch.
"No, we didn't have any access to that, but I personally went by the store but there was no sign of a disturbance there. It was however, closed. I couldn't go in without breaking the lock."
"Okay, I have school tomorrow but I can make it up this weekend with the spare set of keys and we can check out the store."
"Oh honey, I'm sorry…I would come with you but, I have to watch my kids. Listen, I'll find a sitter and-" I felt terrible then, she had her own family to worry about but she was still finding all this time to figure out my situation.
"No, no I'm fine, you really don't need to come."
"I don't like the idea of you going alone, Kim. You should have someone with you in case-" She broke off there but I took in a harsh breath, we both knew what she was going to say. In case the worst transpired, in case they were dead. The word was wrong even just in my mind. I petulantly tucked it away. That was …not anything I would consider yet. There was still far too much hope.
"Well, you shouldn't be alone." She finished rather lamely, her voice quieting.
"I won't." I pointed out abruptly and before I could stop myself, another lie tumbled out of my mouth.
"I'll bring my boyfriend." I slammed my head back at my stupidity, what was I thinking?
"Your boyfriend." She sounded incredulous. Strike one for my social life, I thought to myself. Even my father's secretary who lived in another city and saw me every couple of months couldn't conceive the notion that I had a boyfriend.
"Yes." I stuck my chin out petulantly. She seemed resigned however.
"Okay, well, let me know what you find and if you need anything, anything at all Kim, I'm here." That was the second time someone had made that offer to me today. They didn't realize how dangerous an offer it was.
"Yeah. Thanks, Cecilia." I let the warmth drip into my voice, I really was grateful.
"I want to find them too, sweetheart. I'll call the police and since they've been justifiably missing for at least 24 hours, they can take action."
"Let me know."
"I will." There was a long pause then, neither of us seemed to want to end the phone call, but as the gravity of the situation set in, I realized that I needed to face the music sooner or later.
Might as well get it over with.
"Be careful, Kim, the news has been talking about the serial-" But before she could finish that sentence I abruptly interjected some sort of strangled agreement and then said goodbye.
She hung up then and the dial tone bleared through into my ear but I could barely summon the energy to shut the phone. The calm I expected once I finished the call was distinctly absent, in its place my mind erupted into a frenzy of activity, all the possible scenarios, running through my head at lightening speed and I started to feel dizzy and a little nauseous.
Everything blurring before me, and I vaguely remembered shutting the phone before my knees gave out and I slid down the lockers, hitting the ground hard and a burst of air expelled of my chest, jarring me into awareness. But I couldn't get up. I just sat there numb.
I had to find them; there was no other option. But, first the first time in a very long time, I wished that I had a friend I could go talk to. But the closest thing I had was Miss Martequoi, but I couldn't. She was the one person who took my art as seriously as I did and I didn't want to compromise our relationship by burdening her with my personal problems.
I didn't know what to do.
I sat there for a while, it felt like forever but then the hallways started to fill, so it must have only been about ten minutes. Art always got out before everyone else. People passed by me, hardly noticing my taciturn, stagnate posture on the floor. I bent my head to my knees to avoid anyone seeing my face, and so I could hide the few tears that did slip out. I wouldn't cry though, that would come later when I had no hope at all. I had just hit a dead end. And so I sat. And waited for inspiration to strike. And then…
"Kim?" I shuddered hard at the sudden sound of my name so close to my ear, but perhaps it was actually at the flood of heat that came with it and the decadent scent of Jared's cologne.