STEP DADDY 2: FAMILY TIES (COMPLETED)

#4: Texas Bound

After nineteen and a half hours of driving, We finally arrived in Houston, Texas. The long ride had taken its toll on my butt and my back was hurting from trying to sleep on the seats. We entered the greyhound station around 6:45 in the evening, twelve hours after Sabrina and Athena did. At this point, they could be anywhere. Hundreds of passengers stood around, waiting to board their buses, or for their belongings to unload. Kareem found a spot in front of the ticket line and parked. I retrieved the itinerary sheet from Freddie and the most recent picture of Athena that I had on me.

          I said while unbuckling my seat belt, "I'll go ask the ticket person if he's seen Athena. Ya'll wait here."

          "Freddie, go with her please." Kareem says ignoring me.

          I rolled my eyes and huffed as I stepped out of the truck because I was only going to be twenty feet away.

          Freddie hopped out of the truck and reluctantly followed behind me, but also giving me my space.

As I approached the ticket window, the young Hispanic man smiled and waved, "Good Evening, ma'am."

          Speaking through the tiny holes in the window, "Yes, hi,  have you seen this child?" I slid the picture of Athena under the window. "She may have traveled with an adult woman, about five-foot-five, dark- skinned complexion, she's real thin and has dark-colored shoulder length hair."

          Johnathan observed the picture of Athena. He cleared his throat nervously and slid the picture back to me. "Ahem, is she your daughter?" He asks.

          "Yes, she is my daughter." I slid the itinerary sheet to him as well. "She rode on the greyhound with a Sabrina Freeman. Can you check the system or something?"

          Johnathan says barely reading the itinerary, "I wasn't here when that bus arrived and the person at the time is off the clock. Only they can log in and see when the bus arrived." He bullshitted me.

          "Is there a manger that I can speak with?"

          "No, there is no manager available for you to speak with." He replied to me nonchalant. "I'm sorry ma'am but I can't help you."

          "What do you mean you can't!"

          Freddie rushed over to me and grabbed me by my arm, "Come on, let's go before you cause a scene."

          "I'm not causing a scene. He knows something." I yelled. People were turning around in our direction to see what all the commotion was about.

          "Come on before the cops get called." Freddie dragged me back to the truck. As we drove away, I saw noticed Johnathan staring at us while on the phone.

          I informed to Freddie and Kareem, "I think he's calling the cops."

          "See, why I said go with her." Kareem commented as he sped out the parking lot.

          "Whatever, he knew something."

          "How you know, Neveah?" Freddie turned in his seat to ask me.

          "I just know. When I showed him the picture of Athena, he got all flushed and nervous. I asked for the manager and he didn't attempt to go get them or call to see if they were in. A child is missing! My child!"

          "She's my child too."

          "Then start acting like it!"

          Silence consumed the truck, I was pissed and hurt, and felt like Freddie was half- assing about finding Athena.