Two Of A Kind

Teenagers

//Mariska//

"Peter, we have to adopt them." I said, chopping carrots for the salad. "I know it's only been a few weeks, but I think they like it here, and the kids adore them, and.." I began to trail off.

"Do you think they are ready?" Peter replied.

"What do you mean? Of course they are ready! Haven't they been ready for years already?"

"What I mean is, do you think they are ready to let go of their mother?"

"I think they will.. if it means they will get a real family."

"They need closure, Mariska."

"Are you saying we try to find her?" I had never even thought of that as an option.

"I don't know Peter. I just don't think that would be a good option, it just could be really triggering."

"Cate isn't going to let go of her mother, Mariska. She won't let you in unless she finds closure."

"I'm just scared that it's going to do more damage... What if it doesn't go well?"

"That's just something we have to accept. These kids are hurt, you know that, I know that. We can't simply 'fix' them, but we can at least help then move on."

Our conversation was cut short when Gryffin burst into the kitchen. "We have a problem." He looked terrified and worried.

"What's going on?" I immediately responded.

"Cate's not answering her phone. She was at school with me and then she just disappeared. I don't know if she got back in touch with some of her old friends, but I'm scared."

"Gryffin, it's going to be okay. We are going to find her, okay?" I took a breath. "Who do you think she could be with?"

"My guess is Isaac or Cleo. Isaac was her old boyfriend, but they were off and on for several years, and I don't now, she might have gotten back with him."

"And Cleo?" Peter asked.

"She's Cate's best friend, but she's a really bad influence on her and, oh my god, I really hope she isn't with her." Gryffin put his head in his hands.

"Okay okay," my mind was spinning, "where does Isaac live? Do you know?"

"Isaac's in the system too, but they always used to go to this old building that has an empty swimming pool inside. If they are together, that's the first place we should look."

"Alright, Peter call Leah, see if she can watch the kids, tell her it's an emergency."

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"Okay, take a left here." Gryffin pointed the directions. To my surprise, he knew his way around extremely well. "I think that might be Cleo's car." A yellow Volkswagen Rabbit was parked parallel to the front of the shabby building."Alright just park right over there." He nodded towards the back entrance.

"Let me go in, okay? I'll get you if I need to, I just don't know how Cate is going to react if she sees you guys, I mean, if she's even in there."

"Gryffin, no. We are coming in with you." I said.

"I swear Cate can be a good person, okay. Please trust me when I say that. I know she hasn't proved it, but deep down, she is." Gryffin's face looked worn, his fear radiated from his skin.

"We know, we believe that she is." Peter patted Gryffin's hand, and then got out of the car. The moment I got out, I could hear music pulsing through the walls. Gryffin ran up to the back door and pushed it open.

"Cate?" Gryffin called. Peter and I followed in behind him. The music was loud and the building smelled like cigarettes and alcohol. "Cate?" Gryffin turned around the corner. "Cate, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Cate?" I proceeded behind Gryffin.

That's when I saw her.

She was sitting on the edge of the empty pool, with a cigarette in her hand. Her hair was a tangled mess and her makeup was smeared.

"Hey? How did you get here?" Gryffin's voice tensed.

"Cleo drove me and Isaac." She kept her head turned away, her eyes locked on something at the other end of the room.

"So where are they now? I saw her car."

"She was low on gas, so they decided just to walk over to the store to get some drinks." Her voice dragged with little emotion.

"Why the heck didn't you tell me you were going somewhere? You scared the hell out of me!" Gryffin yelled. Peter stepped closer to me and clasped my hand.

"Gryffin, will you just shut up." She stood up and faced all of us. "Mom is dead."