Alone

Chapter 12; Not now honey

Coraline Summers POV;
    "Another young girl has gone missing, Jessica Breadlock, age 9,  dirty blonde (nearly brown) hair, with hazel eyes.  She went missing with no leads or evidence, this is the 7th kidnapping this year.  She was taken from her room, we are adding yet another person to our list of missing persons papers.  These papers will be hung all over Nelson Pond City.."

    I turned off the TV with tears in my eyes. It has been months since my Holiday left.  I didn't even really know her.  The photo of the young girl shows her playing with two younger kids, I can only assume but I would say that they are her siblings.  My daughter was taken without any traces or leads too. 

"Coraline, it wasn't your fault, and it still isn't.  She loved, and still loves you with all her heart, No matter what you were like in the past."  I looked up at my sister.  She sat down beside me, hugging me close.  Salty tears ran down my face,

"I-I know it's just maybe if I would have taken your advice and played or at least paid a little attention to her... she might have been found already."

    Coraline looked at me with empathy, she knew more than anyone what this was like, but she had a solid answer.  Her family was dead, they died in a tragic house fire while she was out at the grocery store.   It took her years to even start speaking about them.  Holiday was too young to understand when it happened, so she would ask why her dear aunt was so sad.  Though Caroline couldn't answer, she always somehow managed to fake a smile for the young child.

    "Where's David, shouldn't he be out here too?" she asked, I looked at the door to his and my office.  Taking a deep breath while turning back to her I answered quietly,

"he, um he hasn't stopped working... I'm starting to think he hasn't even noticed..'' She stared at me in disbelief.  Looking at the door, she stood up and turned to me.

"Go talk to him.'' She said, I hadn't talked to him yet, but I couldn't do that, it would interrupt his work.

"I-I can't he hates when people interrupt his work" I answered, she looked at me, her expression was dead serious.

"Your daughter has been missing for 2 months!  Go. Talk. To. Him. or I will!"

"Fine!  I'll try.."  I stood up and headed to the door, taking a deep breath as I opened it.

    "H-hey David, honey can I talk to you, it's extremely important."  I asked, he glanced at me then looked back to his papers and computer.

"Not now honey, this client isn't happy because YOU weren't here to help her with the decorations of her new house.  Just to take some stupid 2 month long break!'' He was angry, but I was right he didn't know.  Is this what I used to sound like, so indulged in my work that I didn't even try to make time for anyone or anything else?  Instead of listening, just lashing out?

    All I really remember saying to Holiday was just what he said, 'not now honey'...

"But..it's about Holiday-" I started, he cut me off.

"Can't you see that I don't care!  She's fine, Coraline is taking care of her!"  I couldn't believe him.  Walking over to the TV in the corner of the room, turning it on to the news channel and waiting.  Soon enough they brought up just what I wanted them to. 

The missing people cases, one by one the news lady said the names. 

"Isabella Lovely was taken first, about two months later Taylor Martin was snatched either on her way to school or on her way back home.  Months later young Harold Smith,  Lillith Michelle, was then taken from her home late one night a few months after poor Harold.  The youngest on our list is little 10 month old Joshua Layton who was sadly taken out of his crib late one night.  Holiday Summers was taken exactly Two months from today,  Just yesterday the 9  year old Jessica Breadlock was taken from her bedroom.  To the guardious of these poor individuals I hope that all of your loved ones are found"

David stared at the TV, his face was flushed from color.  He looked from me to the TV screen then back to me. 

"Why was Holiday's name on that list?"  he asked, I looked at him, tears stinging my eyes.

"Holiday's missing David, she's been missing for 2 months."  As I said this the tears started coming down my face, I couldn't help it.  He came over and hugged me tight, I could feel something dropping onto my hair.  He was crying as well.