Chapter 38- Found

"Hi Maxie, sweetheart," Felicia said into her phone as she and Mac trekked down the sidewalk.

"Is everything okay?" Maxie asked. "You sound upset. Georgie's okay, isn't she?"

"Well, yes and no. She's really struggling. But I'm calling about Esme. She's missing."

Maxie didn't respond.

"Have you seen or heard from her?" Felicia asked. "She was upset and left—"

"She is unbelievable," Maxie said. "Is she seriously making Georgie's return all about her?"

Felicia sighed. "Maxie—"

"Georgie was missing for almost 17 years. 17 years!"

"I know, it's devastating," Felicia said. "Georgie has been through so so much. She has missed so much. But so has Esme. Both of them have just returned to me, so it's about both of them right now. Robin is with Georgie. Mac and I are out searching for Esme. We were wondering if you could—"

"Could what, Mom?" Maxie asked. "Help you look for Esme? A grown woman who left the house on her own free will for attention? No. I'm doing what I was planning to do. And that's take my kids to school and go visit my little sister who was tragically taken from me 17 years ago. If you want to leave Georgie again to go look for Esme like before, then go ahead. But I'm focusing on my sister."

"Maxie, I'm trying to focus on all of you. I want to make it up to all of you."

Maxie sighed. "All right, I'm sorry. I know this is hard on you and you are trying. I'm sure Esme will come back," Maxie said. "Like you said before, she has nowhere else to go. I'm just not impressed that she's putting you through all of this and making you essentially choose to look for her or take care of Georgie. Why don't you just go home to Georgie and wait for Esme there. If she doesn't come back, then that's her decision and we can't stop her."

"It's more complicated than that. But that's good if you go visit Georgie. She'll love that. Just please let me know if you hear from Esme."

Felicia tucked her phone away.

"Cody's going to search a bit for us," Mac said. "What did Maxie say?... Felicia?"

She stopped walking and kicked a bench. Then picked up a rock and hurled it at a tree. She picked up another and another and threw them all. "Gahhhh…." She plopped down on the bench and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

"Hey, hey." Mac sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay. Esme will be fine."

"Maxie thinks I should go home and focus on Georgie," Felicia said, pushing away her tears. "She compared it to me leaving them before to look for Esme. But that this time Esme is grown up and it's up to her if she returns home or not. Do you think she's right?" Felicia grabbed at her hair. "I can't believe this is happening again."

"What makes it different this time is you have me. And I don't think Maxie is necessarily wrong, but not completely right either. Why don't we look for Esme for a bit, then go home to check on Georgie. I don't think Esme is in any immediate danger. It sounds like she's emotional more than anything right now. Which I know is still serious. But maybe she just needs time to think about things."

"But she didn't even grab her coat. It's freezing out. She must still be in her pajamas. I hope she at least has slippers on. I haven't checked the forecast. What if it snows? Mac… I just feel like I've failed all of them and that I'm still failing them. I don't know how to fix it. Maxie has been trying, but I know she's still angry and feels like I abandoned her and Georgie. And she thinks I'm doing it again. Georgie can't eat anything but rice. She threw up several times in the night and fainted once."

Mac nodded. "Yeah, I'm worried about her too."

"My cell phone triggered her this morning, because she received a text message right before that psychopath Alcazar attacked her. She keeps trying to be optimistic, but I think part of it is denial or she doesn't want us to worry. She's really struggling. How could she not be? How dare Victor keep her locked in that room and starve her like that for so long? And why didn't I figure out that she was still out there? Mothers should know these things."

Mac choked up, "I shouldn't have stopped you from helping me with the case. If we worked together, we could've figured it out. But I was angry…."

"Because I wasn't there."

"Felicia, you had a very valid reason not to be."

"I just wish I could be in more than one place at the same time," Felicia said. "No. I wish we were all in the same place all along…. I think I know what Ryan did to Esme. I've suspected for a while now but haven't wanted to admit it. And I don't want it to be true. I can't ask her directly because if I'm wrong, I don't even want her to think of that heinous possibility. But after what Robin told me about Esme this morning, I'm pretty certain it's true…. Mac… I really hate to ask this. I love you and you've always been amazing to my girls, even to Esme. But she's so close to telling me what happened. I think it overwhelmed her last night, having so many people at home. When… if… no, when she comes back, I want to ask Robin and Emma if they'll stay with Anna or Robert. But can you go with them?"

"You—you're kicking me out?" Mac asked.

"It's not like that. I want us all to be together. But I think Esme might open up to me better if there's less people there. She needs to feel comfortable. I'd say she and I can go to a hotel or something, but I don't want to uproot her and Ace or Georgie either. I need to really focus on my daughters right now."

"But do you think you can handle everything on your own?" Mac asked. "Both of them are struggling with a lot."

She nodded. "Yes. It won't be forever and you can still come over to see Georgie. But Esme's trial is coming up. There's not a lot of time."

"Okay. I'll do it for you."

Felicia smiled and kissed him. "Thank you, Mac. Let's try to find Esme."

GHGHGH

Dex shoved Esme onto the bench by the docks and pulled the sac off her head again.

"Wh-why are you letting me go?" Esme asked. "I know Sonny just wanted to scare me. But why don't you hold me somewhere or just kill me… like Maggie?"

"Because I want to see you humiliated and go to prison," Dex said.

"So do I," Josslyn said, only catching what Dex's words.

She walked down the stairs with Spencer and Trina.

Spencer crossed his arms. "We all do. You're going to pay for what you did to all of us. And I'm taking Ace back."

"He's not your son!" Esme cried.

"He is in every way that matters," Spencer said. "And he is my little brother. I'm going to protect him from you and you're going to prison."

Esme stood up.

"Oh, Esme." Josslyn grinned and set her hands on her hips. "Where are you going? We're gonna have a little chat." She eyed her up and down. "Love the wardrobe by the way. Are you sleeping on this bench now? I hope you can enjoy it while you can. Pretty soon, you'll be cozied up in a cell at Pentonville."

"I'm going home…." Esme started to walk away but Josslyn grabbed her arm.

"Look, you took things from me that I can't ever get back," Josslyn shouted. "And you have yet to pay for them. And if you are supposedly this new person who has changed so much, then you can turn yourself in and save all of us re-living our traumas through your trial."

"I—I was told not to converse with any of you," Esme said. "I need to go home and talk to my mom."

Josslyn laughed. "I used to like Felicia, but I can't fathom how anyone could stand having a daughter like you. How she puts up with you is beyond me. She's essentially harbouring a criminal. What you did, Esme, is disgusting and we will get justice for it."

Esme looked at Dex.

"And we'll get justice for Ace too," Spencer said. "You are a danger to him. His well-being needs to come before yours. And where is he anyway? Pinning him off on your new mother while you trudge around town enjoying your last days of freedom?"

Esme fought back her tears and said through gritted teeth, "You gave my son away to a stranger!"

"Not a stranger, Esme," Spencer said. "I gave him to our father. I believe Ace is safer with him than with you."

"He doesn't know him," Esme said. "To Ace he's a stranger."

"He would know him if it weren't for you," Josslyn said. "Honestly, Ace is better off with anyone than with you. You, who are just like your father, Ryan Chamberlain."

"I'm—I'm not… my mom says I'm not like him."

"Then Felicia lives in a fantasy," Spencer said. "She doesn't know you, Esme. You are sick and twisted just like your fath—"

"Well, this is interesting…." Esme gaped when Cody walked down the stairs, smiling. "That's great that you guys are in the business of seeking justice against criminals. And it's especially awesome that you're starting with a young mother who was under the influence of her evil father when she did those things. You could start with your stepfather, Josslyn, who kills for a living and commits crimes every day, or with your father, Spencer, for terrorizing you and locking my sister in a tower, or even with yourself Spencer for assisting with Ace's kidnapping. But no, I'm so glad you your focus is on Esme who is trying so hard to move forward and make a life for herself and her son." He clapped. "You must be proud of yourselves." His smile faded. "Get the hell away from my little sister. And I better not see you bothering her again. Especially you, Spencer."

"Sister?" Josslyn asked.

"Yes, my sister," Cody said. "Now get lost."

"This isn't over," Spencer said.

"See you in court," Josslyn added, before all four left. Dex made eye contact with Esme before he disappeared up the stairs.

"You okay?" Cody asked.

Esme crashed into his arms and bawled.

"Hey, it's okay." He patted her back. "Don't let them get to you. They're just jerks and big hypocrites." He took off his coat and wrapped it around her. "You ready to go home?"

"I—I don't know."

"What happened?" he asked. "Your mom's really worried about you."

"I didn't mean to worry her. And I didn't mean to leave Ace."

"Okay, so why did you leave without saying anything?" Cody asked.

"I don't know," Esme said. "There's just no room for me there."

"Ah, the crowd got to you, did it? I felt the same way. It was a lot to take in, meeting new cousins and a new sister. But even though it was a lot at once, I think it's cool to see so many people in one family care about each other that much. And to know we can be a part of it."

"But you didn't feel… forgotten or lost in the mix?" Esme asked.

"I think I more just felt sad because I missed out on that. But you don't need to feel forgotten. Esme, your mom always talks about you whenever I see her. You don't need to worry about that."

"But… since Georgie is back. She's so perfect. Everyone kept saying she is. Even Mommy. And even after being gone and being all weak, she was offering to help out. I never do that. So, why would she want me when she has Georgie back?"

"No one's perfect," Cody said. "They were probably highlighting all her good points, and after her being gone so long, they wouldn't think of her faults. If it were your welcome home party, they'd say only your good points too."

Esme frowned. "Not Maxie."

"Maxie doesn't know you and she has her struggles too…. I know what might cheer you up. Want to go to the stables and meet the horses?"

She smiled a little. "Really? But… Ace."

"Well, we'll definitely need to call Felicia and tell her you're okay. We could ask her if she minds watching Ace a bit longer. Or I could take you home and we could do the stables another day."

Esme paused in thought. "It might be nice to not thing about things for a bit."

He grinned. "Then let's do it." He pulled out his phone and called Felicia.

"Cody? Have you heard anything?"

"Yeah, Esme's right here," Cody said. "I found her by the docks."

She sighed in relief. "Thank God. Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's okay. I invited her to the stables to see the horses. To get her mind off of everything. She's interested but worried about Ace. Are you guys good to keep him a little longer?"

"Oh. Well, that sounds nice for both of you, and I don't mind having Ace, but I really wanted to talk to her."

"We won't be long," Cody said. "Only an hour or so. Then I'll bring her right home."

"Okay," Felicia said. "Yeah, it might be good for her. Just please tell her that I'm really sorry we overwhelmed her and that I want to talk to her when she comes home."

"I will." He hung up. "Okay, we're good to go. But your mom said she's really sorry and wants to talk to you when you go home."

"Okay," Esme said.

"Come on." Cody led her up the stairs.