6. Out of Sight
(Maddie)
'Where are you?'
'Buck?'
'Hey, can you please answer me?'
The string of texts remained unanswered as dinner came and went. A niggling of uneasy began to creep over her, unsettling her stomach. Maddie looked at the empty place setting a Ross from her, wondering what had become of her dear brother this time. Obviously, she hoped it was just another night of foolish mistakes, maybe he'd gone to see Tommy and things happened. Missed texts, and at least one straight to voice-mail call, did not mean Buck had run afoul of something, and yet, Maddie couldn't shake the building feeling that things were not okay.
She cleaned up dinner, thinking there must be something more she could do, and as she closed the fridge for the last time it came to her.
She'd run by his place.
"Jee, sweetie, do you want to go for a little trip?"
"Yes mommy," her adorable little girl replied.
"Come on, let's go see if we can find Uncle Buck."
Maddie made sure she had everything she needed, then picked up Jee, and headed out. Once her daughter was safely buckled in her car seat, Maddie started the engine. Another quick glance at her cell. Still no answer to her texts. The uneasy grew a little more, becoming an unwelcome weight in her stomach.
"It's fine, everything is fine," she muttered, backing out of the driveway.
Why is my gut so insistent otherwise?
She may have driven a smidge over the speed limit on her way to her brother's apartment, remaining mindful of her daughter, but eager to silence her fear. Ever since they were little she'd looked out for him one way or another. Sure, their relationship wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, but they'd grown much closer since she arrived on his doorstep here in California a few years ago. Running from her abusive ex, all the times Buck's headstrong stubbornness landed him in the hospital, it made their bond stronger. Seeing him blossom in this new phase of his life, it warmed her heart and gave her hope he'd finally find his happy ever after, if that was what he sought.
Arriving at his apartment, Maddie didn't even bother getting out of her car. She circled the lot, Buck's Jeep absent.
She glanced at Jee in the backseat. "How about instead of Uncle Buck we go visit daddy at the firehouse?"
"Yeah," Jee cheered.
Maddie tried to keep her nerves at bay, ignoring the fact she held the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip. The first few strains of I'll be There came across the radio. Maddie turned it up and began singing along, flashing back to a moment when she sang the lyrics to Jee and Chimney joined her. She always thought of Islands in the Stream as their song, but this pulled in a close second. Taking her mind off her troubles, at least for a few minutes, eased her hold. As the firehouse came into view she wondered if perhaps her and Buck had a miscommunication and he'd reported to duty for his shift as per usual.
Though she could have sworn he said Bobby told him to take the day off.
Much like the lot at his place, his Jeep was missing.
Maddie parked, the worry returning in full.
Where was Buck?
XxXxXxXxXxX
(Bobby)
He turned the page on the novel, attempting to focus on the thriller, partially distracted by the sound of Eddie and Ravi playing a game of basketball against Hen and Chimney. Dare he think, the night had been blissfully quiet, almost too quiet, and he kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, as the saying went, expecting at any second for the alarm to sound. He couldn't shake the feeling, call it gut or instinct, that something sinister lurked just out of reach, waiting, biding its time. And as if on cue he heard Chimney.
"Maddie, sweetheart, what brings you here?"
"Daddy."
Bobby put the book aside and stood, making his way to the railing in time to see Chimney pickup his little girl. He kissed her on the cheek. A quick glance at his watch revealed the time to be a little after eight in the evening, the sun nearly swallowed by the horizon.
"Is Buck here?"
"No," Chimney replied. "Cap gave him the shift off."
"That's what I thought." Her gaze traveled up to him. "Have you heard from him? We were supposed to have dinner tonight, but he never showed, and he hasn't answered any of my texts."
"I saw him leave in his Jeep," Hen added, as the others came over to join the conversation.
Making his way down the stairs, Bobby checked his phone e, finally realizing what had bothered him most about the afternoon. "He checked in with me this morning like normal. But much like with you, I haven't heard from him since. We planned to talk today about last night."
"What happened last night?" Chimney and Ravi asked at the same time.
"Nothing," came the resounding choir of Bobby and Eddie.
This caused an exchange of looks amongst the present.
"I assume you checked his place?" Bobby asked. While he waited for Maddie's answer he shot a quick text to Athena, requesting she meet them at Buck's apartment.
Maddie nodded. "His car's not there."
Concerned, given Buck's state of mind, Bobby decided against waiting to see if he'd show, opting instead to listen to his gut. While he didn't think the younger man was a danger to himself, there were times he was left questioning Buck's reckless choices. Let him be with Tommy or down at the pier. Let this be nothing. Inaction, however, took a back burner.
"Hen, you're in charge while I'm gone," he instructed. "Maddie, let's go back to his place. Athena is going to meet us there."
On the drive he tried to rationalize their choice, his choice. Yes, Buck's mood the previous night was fueled by the bitter touch of alcohol, and he personally knew all too well how wicked and cruel the liquid could be, the nasty things it whispered in the darkness. Buck had been distraught, broken hearted, and yeah, he'd gone down that road before, but not in regards to Eddie. Not when he was still navigating the waters of this freshly realized part of himself. I should have talked to him sooner. I shouldn't have waited for him to come to me.
They arrived at Buck's apartments complex. Maddie parked beside Athena's patrol car, his wife waiting by the bumper for them. When Maddie went to unbuckle, Bobby put a hand on her arm.
"Might be best if you wait here," he suggested.
"Uh, sure."
He got out, falling into step beside Athena. "Like déjà vu. You think he's up there?"
Bobby shrugged. "I hope so."
Athena stopped him at Buck's door, forcing him to look her in the eye. She voiced the fear he'd been too afraid to. "Do you think he might have e hurt himself?"
"Intentionally? No. He seemed fine earlier. I'd like to think he's in there sleeping, but his Jeep's not out front and Maddie took him to get, Hen saw him drive away."
She slid her hand down his arm and squeezed his hand. "Bobby, whatever's on the other side…"
"I know."
She used her key to gain access. "Buck? It's Athena and Bobby."
No reply.
"Buck?"
As soon as Bobby spotted the broken glass on the floor the other shoe dropped.
(Maddie)
'Where are you?'
'Buck?'
'Hey, can you please answer me?'
The string of texts remained unanswered as dinner came and went. A niggling of uneasy began to creep over her, unsettling her stomach. Maddie looked at the empty place setting a Ross from her, wondering what had become of her dear brother this time. Obviously, she hoped it was just another night of foolish mistakes, maybe he'd gone to see Tommy and things happened. Missed texts, and at least one straight to voice-mail call, did not mean Buck had run afoul of something, and yet, Maddie couldn't shake the building feeling that things were not okay.
She cleaned up dinner, thinking there must be something more she could do, and as she closed the fridge for the last time it came to her.
She'd run by his place.
"Jee, sweetie, do you want to go for a little trip?"
"Yes mommy," her adorable little girl replied.
"Come on, let's go see if we can find Uncle Buck."
Maddie made sure she had everything she needed, then picked up Jee, and headed out. Once her daughter was safely buckled in her car seat, Maddie started the engine. Another quick glance at her cell. Still no answer to her texts. The uneasy grew a little more, becoming an unwelcome weight in her stomach.
"It's fine, everything is fine," she muttered, backing out of the driveway.
Why is my gut so insistent otherwise?
She may have driven a smidge over the speed limit on her way to her brother's apartment, remaining mindful of her daughter, but eager to silence her fear. Ever since they were little she'd looked out for him one way or another. Sure, their relationship wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, but they'd grown much closer since she arrived on his doorstep here in California a few years ago. Running from her abusive ex, all the times Buck's headstrong stubbornness landed him in the hospital, it made their bond stronger. Seeing him blossom in this new phase of his life, it warmed her heart and gave her hope he'd finally find his happy ever after, if that was what he sought.
Arriving at his apartment, Maddie didn't even bother getting out of her car. She circled the lot, Buck's Jeep absent.
She glanced at Jee in the backseat. "How about instead of Uncle Buck we go visit daddy at the firehouse?"
"Yeah," Jee cheered.
Maddie tried to keep her nerves at bay, ignoring the fact she held the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip. The first few strains of I'll be There came across the radio. Maddie turned it up and began singing along, flashing back to a moment when she sang the lyrics to Jee and Chimney joined her. She always thought of Islands in the Stream as their song, but this pulled in a close second. Taking her mind off her troubles, at least for a few minutes, eased her hold. As the firehouse came into view she wondered if perhaps her and Buck had a miscommunication and he'd reported to duty for his shift as per usual.
Though she could have sworn he said Bobby told him to take the day off.
Much like the lot at his place, his Jeep was missing.
Maddie parked, the worry returning in full.
Where was Buck?
XxXxXxXxXxX
(Bobby)
He turned the page on the novel, attempting to focus on the thriller, partially distracted by the sound of Eddie and Ravi playing a game of basketball against Hen and Chimney. Dare he think, the night had been blissfully quiet, almost too quiet, and he kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, as the saying went, expecting at any second for the alarm to sound. He couldn't shake the feeling, call it gut or instinct, that something sinister lurked just out of reach, waiting, biding its time. And as if on cue he heard Chimney.
"Maddie, sweetheart, what brings you here?"
"Daddy."
Bobby put the book aside and stood, making his way to the railing in time to see Chimney pickup his little girl. He kissed her on the cheek. A quick glance at his watch revealed the time to be a little after eight in the evening, the sun nearly swallowed by the horizon.
"Is Buck here?"
"No," Chimney replied. "Cap gave him the shift off."
"That's what I thought." Her gaze traveled up to him. "Have you heard from him? We were supposed to have dinner tonight, but he never showed, and he hasn't answered any of my texts."
"I saw him leave in his Jeep," Hen added, as the others came over to join the conversation.
Making his way down the stairs, Bobby checked his phone e, finally realizing what had bothered him most about the afternoon. "He checked in with me this morning like normal. But much like with you, I haven't heard from him since. We planned to talk today about last night."
"What happened last night?" Chimney and Ravi asked at the same time.
"Nothing," came the resounding choir of Bobby and Eddie.
This caused an exchange of looks amongst the present.
"I assume you checked his place?" Bobby asked. While he waited for Maddie's answer he shot a quick text to Athena, requesting she meet them at Buck's apartment.
Maddie nodded. "His car's not there."
Concerned, given Buck's state of mind, Bobby decided against waiting to see if he'd show, opting instead to listen to his gut. While he didn't think the younger man was a danger to himself, there were times he was left questioning Buck's reckless choices. Let him be with Tommy or down at the pier. Let this be nothing. Inaction, however, took a back burner.
"Hen, you're in charge while I'm gone," he instructed. "Maddie, let's go back to his place. Athena is going to meet us there."
On the drive he tried to rationalize their choice, his choice. Yes, Buck's mood the previous night was fueled by the bitter touch of alcohol, and he personally knew all too well how wicked and cruel the liquid could be, the nasty things it whispered in the darkness. Buck had been distraught, broken hearted, and yeah, he'd gone down that road before, but not in regards to Eddie. Not when he was still navigating the waters of this freshly realized part of himself. I should have talked to him sooner. I shouldn't have waited for him to come to me.
They arrived at Buck's apartments complex. Maddie parked beside Athena's patrol car, his wife waiting by the bumper for them. When Maddie went to unbuckle, Bobby put a hand on her arm.
"Might be best if you wait here," he suggested.
"Uh, sure."
He got out, falling into step beside Athena. "Like déjà vu. You think he's up there?"
Bobby shrugged. "I hope so."
Athena stopped him at Buck's door, forcing him to look her in the eye. She voiced the fear he'd been too afraid to. "Do you think he might have e hurt himself?"
"Intentionally? No. He seemed fine earlier. I'd like to think he's in there sleeping, but his Jeep's not out front and Maddie took him to get, Hen saw him drive away."
She slid her hand down his arm and squeezed his hand. "Bobby, whatever's on the other side…"
"I know."
She used her key to gain access. "Buck? It's Athena and Bobby."
No reply.
"Buck?"
As soon as Bobby spotted the broken glass on the floor the other shoe dropped.