Jenelle Nicols is a single mother, living with her ten-year-old daughter, Rosalee, in the small town of Golden Grove. Recently, Jenelle's family friend, Tanya, had back surgery and the whole town wants to get together and bring dishes for her in hop...
Jenelle immediately moves out of Ty's grip and begins sprinting back to the main desk, hoping the police have arrived by now. Ty decides to follow her, concern evident in his features, sprinting after his past lover as she is clearly in disarray.
Jenelle looks more or less the same as she did in high school. The two dated for about a year, their relationship starting at the beginning of Jenelle's sophomore year and Ty's senior year. Ty would have gone long distance with Jenelle, since he had gotten a scholarship to NYU, but unexpectedly, just as Ty was beginning to leave for New York, Jenelle broke things off with him. Ty was so deeply in love with Jenelle that their breakup really got to him, but after about six months in college, he began slowly moving on from her, if you could even call it that seeing as he hasn't had any sort of relationship since they broke up.
As they were both sprinting in the direction of the main desk, Ty couldn't help but wonder if this had anything to do with the missing girl that was announced over the intercom. Maybe Jenelle knows this child? Ty thought to himself, beginning to wonder what Jenelle has been up to these past ten years.
Coming up on the main desk, Jenelle completely disregards the fact that Ty has followed her and runs up to the now present police officers. From the solemn look everyone around them is wearing, Jenelle realizes that they have had no luck finding Rosalee in the store, either. Jenelle, at this point, isn't sure what to do. The only thing she wants to do is go home with Rosalee and watch all of her favorite movies just so she can see Rosalee's shining smile and hear her beautiful laughter, but of course that isn't possible right now.
Jenelle can't remember a time where she was this distressed, this lost. She didn't even feel this bad when Lili, Jenelle's mother, kicked her out of her own home for being pregnant at 16.
Taking a deep breath, Jenelle starts speaking to the police officers, Ty's presence right by her side surprisingly putting her at ease.
"Please tell me you've found something!" Jenelle pleads, fresh tears leaving streaks down her face. Ty turns to her with a questioning expression etched into his features, wondering why Jenelle cares so deeply for this girl and where her parents are.
"Are you the mother?" The police officer in the front of the group asks, aiming his question at Jenelle.
Of course not, don't be ridicu-! Ty's thoughts are cut off by Jenelle's answer to the man's question.
"Yes! Yes, I'm her mother. I'm begging you, please say you've found something!"
With Ty's eyes wide open and jaw on the floor, he realizes that Jenelle Nicols, his first girlfriend in high school, is a mother! Is she married? Where's this kid's father? Ty begins to wonder as he can't help but think this was not how he was planning his first day back in Golden Grove to go.
While Ty ponders how he came home to Golden Grove just to help his mother, Tanya, recover from her back surgery only to wind up in a grocery store with his ex-girlfriend who just lost her child, Jenelle is busy retelling the last half an hour to the police officers.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am, but it seems that your daughter is no longer in the store. She must have gotten out before the lockdown. Our next step is to check security. As soon as we find something, we'll let you know immediately." The officer informs Jenelle with a sympathetic expression on his face.
Ty watches as all hope Jenelle had left leaves her body in the form of salty tears streaming down her already tear stricken face, catching the artificial lights on the ceiling of the grocery store as they pour from her eyes like storm clouds.
All the while, Jenelle is in denial. There's no way her little girl is missing, it just can't be. It's not possible. Jenelle can't fathom the fact that there's a big possibility that she'll never see Rosalee again. Never hear Rosalee ramble on about the arts and crafts she did with Tanya when Jenelle had to go to work. She loves painting and, for a ten year old, is quite good at it.
Jenelle begins to shake her head frantically, raising both her hands to her chest as the tightness there increases tenfold. Jenelle has never felt so scared in her entire life. She feels as though she's having a heart attack as her vision grows spotty and her body begins to tremble relentlessly.
Before anyone at the scene can anticipate what's about to happen, Jenelle's knees buckle underneath her after hearing the news that her daughter's whereabouts remain unknown.
Before she can hit the ground, however, Ty is able to catch her and gently sets her down so she's sitting on the floor, rather than falling face first.
"Can someone get her some water?!" Ty's voice can be heard echoing through the sparse aisleways of the store, hoping someone will help him out enough to get Jenelle something to drink.
Trevor comes running with a bottle of water, handing it to Ty and stepping back, giving the two their space.
Jenelle can faintly hear the commotion from the others, but doesn't register any of it as her heart finally starts beating again, only it's going way too fast for her liking. Her breathing increases until she's hyperventilating and all that's coursing through Jenelle's head is one thought.
This is all my fault . . .
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