If Not for You (Completed)

Chapter 10: Kale

10 Kale

I sat on a stool at the island, my knees bouncing with jittery nerves while Kazzi stood across from me on the phone. A piece of white paper was on the counter in front of her, containing all the information I could recall about my mother. Kazzi had said it was a good start, that there was hope, and she had connections at work that could help. Maybe there were benefits to living with a shrink after all.

"Hey Stan, it's Kassandra." She said to whoever was on the line. It sounded weird to hear her refer to herself by her full name. "Listen, I need a favor. I need you to try and track someone down for me."

I watched her as she leaned her elbows on the counter on either side of the paper, looked between it, me, and blank space. I could just barely hear the person on the other line talking but couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Okay, I'm looking for a Spanish/American female born September 12th, 1965 in New Orleans, Louisiana, named Esmeralda Cruz. Last known location was Lexington Park, Maryland. Yeah, I'll wait." She tapped her fingernail against the counter while she waited, looked at me and slid the phone away from her mouth. "Was Child Protective Services ever called on her for any reason?"

I nodded. "Once or twice, but they never went to court."

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm here. She was in the CPS system probably close to twenty years ago. I know our records aren't held that long, but if she's had any more children, she may have been updated in the server." Her eyes flitted to me with an apology even as she said it. The mere thought that I may have additional brothers or sisters made me cold inside. "Okay, great, what's the address?"

My heart hammered so hard in my chest I slid right off the stool, watching Kazzi as she swiped a pen and began jotting down whatever the man said.

"How old is this address?" She asked, then grimaced. "Eight years... are you sure that's all there is?" Blowing out a breath, she scraped a hand through her hair and nodded. "Okay, Stan, I appreciate it. See you next week." Dropping the phone to the counter, she slid the paper to me with a frown. "Last she buzzed the system, she was living in Annapolis. No telling if she's still there."

Picking up the paper, I felt my heart skip a beat, and met Kazzi with wide eyes. "I have to go. I have to know for sure."

She nodded on a sigh. "Yeah, I knew you were gonna say that. When do you want to go?"

"Is now too soon?"

She was less than thrilled, I could tell, but she nodded. "Now's fine."

It took us a little over two hours to get to Annapolis, and once we crossed the city limits, I was fidgeting so much in my seat that my ribs were thundering. After a while, Kazzi pulled into a McDonald's, slid into the drive-thru and laid a hand on my thigh.

"Hey, you need to calm down."

"Sorry. I'm nervous. And excited. I'm nervited."

She rolled her eyes with a chuckle she couldn't seem to help and smiled at me. "I know you are, but you forget that you've been released to me for rest, and so far, I've failed epically at ensuring you do so. So, you either cool your heels, or I'm gonna give you a pain pill and take you back home. You got it?"

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "Okay, but what are we doing here?"

"It's almost noon. I'm hungry, and you need to eat so you can take your pills. Aren't you hungry, too?"

I wanted to say no way, and honestly, I was so keyed up that I wasn't sure I could eat anyway, but then my stomach growled, echoing through the car like an angry bear, making Kazzi grin.