Chapter 4
Karol lay in her silk bed, unable to sleep.
She took out her phone and flipped through her messages.
Nothing.
She clicked into her missed calls, hoping to find that her mother had called.
Still nothing.
"Perhaps she has one last patient and was so busy she couldn't text or call," Karol said to herself.
After a lot of fussing, she finally fell asleep.
The next morning, Karol woke and quickly dressed in a white top with jeans and called to her mother's room.
"Mom! Are you there?"
No answer.
Karol rushed to the bedroom. "Mom!!!"
No one was there.
She began to panic, searching under the bed, in the closet, even in ridiculous places like in Isabella's makeup bin.
She was nowhere to be seen.
Karol heard the sound of the toaster.
She hurried to the kitchen, hoping her mother was there, in her robe and curlers, making breakfast.
But no, it just was Ivan, messily making toast.
Karol was too worried to be surprised that her brother had actually made breakfast.
She quickly grabbed a piece of bread and was starting out the door when Ivan stopped her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Finding mom," Karol replied shortly, mouth stuffed with food.
"That toast was for Lori!" Ivan exclaimed, "Come back here, you pest."
Karol stuffed the rest in her mouth, calling back, "Too late!"
Ivan cursed and turned back to the kitchen.
