The Past, The Present, The Future

#1

Angela came home as fast as she could. Probably broke at least five different laws just to get home. Ha! Funny coming from a police officer. Well... Soon to be police officer but it was technically the same and if being honest, she didn't care.

The moment she recieved that awful phone call she felt as if she had had a heart attack. It was Jennifer, the seventeen-years old teen that took care of her 4 month old baby girl when Angela was busy or away due to work.

The latina woman trusted Jennifer, the teen always got good grades, she was responsible and good with kids. She knew Amelia would be safe with her. But that night when she called, it was nothing like the well composed teenager Angela knew.

Though when she recieved a call at 3 a.m. in the morning Angela should have gotten the hint that something bad had happened.

But it wouldn't be the first time Jennifer called her at such hours of the night to ask her how to make a bottle when she forgot how or to ask her if she knew why Amelia would not stop crying.

So at first she really didn't think much of it and then she answered the call and the  teenager was sobbing and in the middle of a panic attack made the brunette woman's instincts kick in. Between sobs and apologies Jennifer explained her that she couldn't find Amelia anywhere on the house.

Angela's world shattered into million of pieces.

She had never driven so fast on her life. Tears were falling from her eyes making it hard to see, her heart beating a million times per minute and cold sweat covering her back she got home.

With shaking hands and several attempts of trying to unlock the door she finally entered her house.

She scanned the room, looking for some kind of threat but there was none. Trying to control her breathing with a gun in hand and a insane amount of rage filling her body, Angela went upstairs.

She could hear Jennifer's cries in one of the rooms. First she checked hers, that's were Amelia usually slept when she wasn't home to feel closer to her mama, it didn't matter she was just a four month-old baby, she already adored Angela.

But no, her baby wasn't there. Then she checked the bathroom and the playroom. Amelia wasn't in either of those places. Angela just was scared to enter to the nursery and not find her daughter.

It would make it real.

But she did it anyways, she couldn't prolong her pain any longer. Saying it was a mess was an understatement. There were clothes and diapers everywhere. Toys and pictures scattered all over the floor, the room wasn't like that when she left on Tuesday and Jennifer was way too organised to not leave the things on it's places. A window was smashed broken, that's what woke up the teenager.

What hurt her the most was to see the empty crib, where her baby had been taken from. They even took the blanket Angela had knitted herself for her baby. It was a light purple colored blanket with a small bow on it and the A.L initials in a corner.

It made it way too real

Angela didn't know what to say. She entered in state of shock, Amelia didn't even know how to crawl yet, she was still too young. So there was no way Amelia would have somehow wondered off and got lost. It was obvious what had happened, her baby had been kidnapped.

The brunette woman felt her emotions overwhelming her as let out the first sob of much until she heard a sniffle that didn't belong to her.

It was Jennifer. She was curled up on a corner, rocking back and forth as she harshly pulled on her hair as she softly murmured a bunch of "I'm sorry" over and over again.

Angela silently walk to her and wrapped her in her arms and waited till the police came in. She saw as they started to take samples and evidence as tears were still wetting her cheeks.

The mother was a mess.

She refused to move, Angela couldn't feel a thing. The most important thing of her life had been ripped away from her. And there was nothing she could do.

That's how the case started but there was almost any clues where to start from. And then a month became two and from two to six and then a year with no advances. Most of the officers gave up and told her to do the same and then the case was closed and life went by.

Not for Angela though.

She stopped eating and sleeping while search for Amelia every moment of her free time went to Amelia's case. At some point the latina woman started isolating herself from her friends and family, everybody could see how much Angela had changed.

It was sad to see someone with a
bright future deteriorating so fast.

That was when she met Tim, they became fast 'friends' even if in the asshole did not want to admit it. And then he found her one day crying in the shower. It was a miserable sight if being honest.

October the 12nd

Amelia's fourth birthday. It was crazy how fast time passed and she had already lost so much time. Her daughter's first words, her first steps, her first time in kindergarten, Angela had lost some of the most important firsts of her kid.

Angela talked and Tim listened. He never interrupted her as she told him about the most beloved thing of her life. Her small bundle of joy. It was the first time someone had listened her in a long time, he didn't even care if he was getting wet under the boiling water of the shower. He sat there with her and held her hand and waited until she was ready.

That same day he offered his help to find Amelia. It was the first time in a long time she Angela felt a glimpse of hope. They were going to find her. No matter how long it took  them. Little by little and with Tim's help, Angela started to get better.

More years passed and they were still searching for Angelica's now adult daughter. It was exhausting but it would be worth it or at least give Amelia the closure she deserved.

If they knew how close they were from the truth. The day those three rookies entered the room would change their lives forever.