The Search

Chapter 7.

Jade

Working in the Diner hasn't been as easy as I remember it to be. But back then, I would have done anything for a little bit of cash to get by.

I just forgot how there can be so many rude people out there. When I get back, I'm going to tell Nikolai we need to tip more than we already do.

But as I clean up my last table for the night when I see Rachel come in to take over I can't help but sigh in relief.

"Goodluck." I murmur walking past and then go upstairs to the apartment. I sigh as I immediately strip off my cloths and start the bath.

As much as time away from the kids is fun, I'm really missing them. I promised to call and I haven't, they probably think I'm ignoring them and I feel so bad. But Nikolai said I should be safe and they'll understand.

I can only hope they will.

I relax in the tub, the bubbles drifting up to my chin and I lean back for a while. I close my eyes and smiled to myself as I think back to when we used to live here.

Mostly when the twins had baths because those were the messiest kids I have ever bathed. They splashed, and we would end up having to use all of our towels just to clean it up.  The kids would dry off with Nikolai's shirts.

I sigh and reach over to grab my phone off of the top of the toilet seat and when I do I notice a text message. Before I can check, my phone is slipping, and landing right in the water.

"Fuck!" I yell standing up and grabbing a towel, quickly searching for it under the huge cloud of bubbles. By the time I've found it, it's completely soaked and shut down.

"Fuck!" I yell again running a hand down my face. I quickly get changed thinking of only one solution.

With my plaid pyjamas on with a long black sleeve shirt I lazily tread down the stairs. "Harper? Do you have rice I can borrow?" I call out sighing. But just as I get to the last step and look into the cafe I immediately sit down and crawl to the kitchen.

"Shit, fuck, son of a bitch." I cry out landing hard on my ass as I plop down against a cupboard.

Harper scurries over to me, "I texted you telling you to stay upstairs." She says in a hard tone glancing above the counter.

I peak around the side, watching as James takes a sip of his coffee. Loading five others onto a tray.

"Do you think he heard me?" I ask worriedly glancing between Harper and James.

"No," she says firmly pretending like she's continuing on with her task, "he didn't seem shocked, he didn't even flinch."

I take a deep breath nodding and peak out again. "I'll wait him out I guess." I say leaning back against the cupboard.

"He's leaving now sweetheart." She says watching his every move. "I don't like that boy, he doesn't give me a good feeling."

I stand watching his figure walk across the street, "me neither." I murmur.

—————

At 4:00 o'clock I had this bad gut feeling, and as I sat watching them put up the closed sign. My stomach dropped even more.

They decided to close early, nervous and worried. 

"James saw me." I murmur grazing my pointer finger along the rim of my mug.

Dave nods dragging a hand down his face, "what do you want us to do darling? We have a cabin past Sylvan there, over in Buck lake. You can stay there if you would like."

I shake my head, "that will just bring danger to you, they know you are helping me." I give them a tight smile.

Harper shakes her head tensing, "you aren't thinking..."

"I'll let them find me, you guys will get hurt if I run. This is the best thing to do at this point, as long as my family is in safety, I can handle them myself." I explain, one thing is for sure. I'm not the same fourteen year old who ran away eighteen years ago.

"What's the plan then sweetheart?" Harper asks holding my hand.

"We order some Chinese food." I smile giving them both a hug.

——————

2 hours later I'm lounging in my chair watching the cameras. I'm munching on some Chinese food, happily satisfying my hunger.

The plan is simple, they'll find me, they'll catch me by "surprise" and then in one week Harper and Dave will notify Nikolai and then our plan B begins to take place. Only this time with backup.

I hum to a Christmas song, watching the only Christmas decorations (multi coloured fairy lights) flicker above the computers.

They aren't much but they do light the place up really well.

Just as I'm about to pick up another ginger beef with my chop sticks, multiple dark SUVs come down the main road in one of the cameras.

It's dark out and the snow makes it incredibly quiet. No one seems to be out and the streets stay empty. In all honestly this is giving me chills.

They pull up beside the diner, and just as I click the the computer off, I see my Father step out.