Missing

Chapter 3

There was no police car parked outside Ravens house. That was good and bad. Good~ they weren't here to say they found a body.
Bad ~ there was probably no news.
Logically her mum or brother Jake would have rung her if dad had returned. But raven couldn't have helped but wish she found him inside raiding the fridge or relaxing infront of the home cinema screen. Wishing he was there to yell out 'hey plum' when she walked through the door.
He was the only one who used her nickname. He had done it for as long as she could remember. Once she had asked him why he called her that he had shrugged and said 'I like random words' that suited raven just fine because she seemed like a random kind of person, as though she had been dropped in the wrong nest by a dyslectic stalk.
Raven took a deep breathe, inserted the key into the lock and turned it.
A strong smell of pine disinfectant hit her as she stepped into the tiled entrance room. Uh oh.
She heard rapid foot steps coming down the steps. Her mothers high heels sounded different from her brothers heavy boots.
"It's me mum" Ravens voice echoed in the entrance room.
The footsteps paused.
Raven knew exactly how her mother would be feeling, that awful sensation of hope melting into disappointment.
The footsteps resumed at a slower pace.
Stephanie Lucas stepped into view,immaculate in dark stretch trousers and a black long sleeved t-shirt. Although raven wondered if it was correct to call something a t-shirt that was designer label,with bling around the neckline and cost more than people spend on weekly grocerys. Her mothers short brown hair shone under the light and her mouth was tight.
Raven moved forward to hug her.
Mum went rigid for a second before she forced her body to relax. This is like hugging an ironing board.
"Mum I saw something today, there was a man..."
"Have you wiped your feet" mum spoke over the top of raven as she stepped back. She clasped and u clasped her fingers. Her manicured nails , long and red, stood out against her pale skin.
Not much point in raven saying that she'd already wiped her feet. Mum needed to see her do it. Raven scrapped her shoes impatiently on the Aztec pattern mat her parents had brought home from Mexico.
" mum I've got to tell you something"
The phone rang.
Raven and her mum stared at eachother. Neither of them moved.
Ravens heart pounded. She guessed mums was doing the same.
The phone continued ringing.
Mum looked as though she turned to stone.
Raven broke first. She ran to the kitchen and grabbed the phone. She fumbled and almost dropped it "hello" it was hard to breathe and her voice came out a whisper. She spoke again this time louder " hello raven speaking".
More than anything she wanted it to be her dad on the phone, wanting to come home , listening to her voice.
"Was it....?" Mum made it as far as the kitchen doorway but no further.
Raven shook her head "wrong number"
"Are you sure?"
" definantly a wrong number" raven assured her mother " it was probably just a person in India ringing to offer us a new phone plan. If you take too long to Anwser there computer cuts off the call"
Mums eyes were wide and staring. Things were about as stressful as they could get right now. At times like this mum found it hard to think clearly.
Raven couldn't tell her mother about the man in the coat.
Raven knew her suspicions might be wrong. it could be a coincidence,with no connection to dad.
She didn't want to add to mums distress. Two years ago mum had a nervous break down. Dad had told everyone she went on holiday. Although the hospital was expensive and exclusive , it was no resort. Raven and Jake had only visited once. and that had been more than enough.

One parent was gone and the other was gradually diapearing.