Chapter 2: The Next Morning

Stef woke up troubled. She'd had a bad dream. She looked at her clock. It was 9:30. They'd overslept. She shook Lena awake.

"Good morning," Lena smiled.

"Good morning to you, Mrs. Foster," Stef replied. She yawned. "I'm gonna get the kids up."

She decided to wake the girls first. They were easier to get going in the morning. She knocked on their bedroom door, then let herself in.

"Mariana? Callie? Girls, time to get up. Let's go!" She called cheerfully.

Mariana stretched and yawned. "Morning," she mumbled. Callie hadn't stirred.

"Cal?" Stef called. She went to the girl's bed, and pulled back the covers, revealing Callie's sleeping form to be pillows. "Where is Callie?" Stef asked, turning to Mariana.

Mariana shrugged. "I don't know."

Stef rushed to the dresser and pulled out Callie's drawer. Her few pieces of clothing were gone. More searching showed that all of Callie's meager belongings were gone.

"She's run away," Stef said sadly.

Later, the family was seated around the table. "I can't believe she's gone," Lena sighed. "I thought she was happy here." Tears stung her eyes.

"I-I think it's my fault," Brandon spoke up.

"How so?" Asked Stef.

Brandon continued, "At the wedding, we kissed. I know it was wrong, and I'm so sorry. I think I might have scared her away."

Stef sucked in her breath, but before she spoke, Jude looked up at her. He'd been quiet so far. "No, it's my fault," he said. "She loves you, Brandon. I was mean to her about you guys kissing. I yelled at her and called her selfish. I said she was ruining everything and didn't care about me."

"And what did she say?" Lena asked.

"She said she wasn't going to be selfish anymore. I'm sorry!" Jude began to cry.

Lena reached out and embraced him. "It's okay, baby. It's not your fault. You were angry. You said something you didn't mean. We all do it."

"I want Callie," Jude sobbed. "She needs to know I'm sorry. I love her."

"I know you do. We'll find her," Lena whispered.

"You know," said Brandon, "I'm almost positive she's with Wyatt. He's moving today, and she probably went with him."

"That could be," said Stef. "And I intend to find out." She dialed Wyatt's number on her phone. He answered after several rings.

"Hey!" He said. "Wyatt here."

"Wyatt, this is Stef Foster. Is Callie with you?"

"No," Wyatt answered. "I haven't seen her."

"Are you telling me the truth?" Stef pressed.

"Yes," Wyatt replied. "Why? What's up?"

"Wyatt, Callie ran away from home. If you know where she is, please tell us." Stef began to cry.

The phone crackled a bit. "Mrs. Foster, I don't know where Callie is. I wish I did. If she came to me, I'd have made her go home."

"Really?" Asked Stef.

"Sure," Wyatt replied. "She's got a good thing going with you guys."

"Thanks Wyatt. I believe you. But please tell me if you hear anything from her."

"I will," Wyatt answered. "And same goes for you?"

"Sure," answered Stef. They said goodbye and hung up. Stef turned to her family. "He hasn't seen her," she said.

Minutes later, Stef got a call on her work phone. She seemed troubled by what she was hearing on the other line. She took the phone into the living room to talk in privacy. After what seemed like forever, she returned to the kitchen. "Everyone," she began. "I just got a call from the station. Something has happened."

Everyone turned their attention to her, and she continued, "Liam drove his car off a bridge early this morning. He's dead." The family stared at her in utter shock.

After a pregnant pause, Lena began, "did he-? Was Callie with him?"

Stef wrung her hands. "They don't know. They didn't find a second body, but they can't be sure yet."

"Oh my..." Lena could not even finish her sentence.

Stef sighed again. "I have a terrible feeling this has something to do with Callie. I think it's time to file a report. I just hope we're not too late."

To Be Continued