Anymore

Chapter 6

"Aunt Laura... thank God you finally answered... have you seen or talked to Marlena?" Carrie paced back and forth in the kitchen, Sami watching her with baited breath.

Laura plopped down on the sofa. "Hi sweetie, sorry I just walked in the door." She kicked her shoes off. "So what's going on?"

Carrie huffed. "I wanted to know if you have seen or talked to Marlena."

"Yes I saw her earlier today, why what's wrong?"

"Sami and I had breakfast with her at the Pub this morning, and we haven't seen her or talked to her since. I'm getting really worried that she's not home, and we can't find her anywhere."

Laura sat up."It's almost 9pm... you nor Sami heard from her? What about Roman?"

Carrie rolled her eyes. "What about him?"

"Has he seen or talked to her?"

"I doubt it, he's been at work since this morning... I didn't even think to ask him."

Sami got up and snatched the phone from Carrie. "Aunt Laura please... something is wrong... I know it..."

"Sami... Sami is that you? Sweetheart, don't panic, okay. I will be over there as soon as I can. Just let me check a few places and call a few people. We will find her." Laura hung up the phone with a sigh. She leaned back against the cushions and rubbed her temples. "Oh Marlena... my dear friend... what is going on with you?" She stood up with a groan, stepped back into her shoes, grabbed her car keys and headed out in search of her friend.

...

Sami jumped off the sofa and ran to the door when the bell rang. She yanked the door open and when she saw Laura she rushed into her arms. Laura ran a soothing hand up and down her back. "Sweetie... it's going to be okay. Come on... let's go sit."

She sat with Sami on the sofa and glanced at Carrie who was curled up in the armchair biting her nails. "Okay, what's going on?"

Carried shrugged. "No one has seen or heard from Mom... we called her secretary Hillary. Being Saturday Marlena didn't have any patience today. None of the Brady's have seen her... Mrs. Horton said she hasn't seen her and that Mom didn't come home at all today." She jumped up and started pacing.

Sami watched her big sister with worry. If Carrie was scared then it must be really bad. "Maybe... maybe we should call Daddy..."

Carrie stopped and pegged her with a glare. "What for? He could care less about anything that doesn't directly involve him."

"No not Dad... Daddy... maybe John knows where she might be."

The mention of John's name caused alarms to go off in Laura's head, remembering what transpired at his loft earlier. "I'm afraid I know what's going on... and calling John isn't an option."

Both girls looked at her and spoke in unison. "Why?" Carrie sat on the arm of the sofa next to Laura.

Laura wasn't sure how much she should say, but her options were limited if they wanted to find Marlena. "Well Mike and I were at John's loft today, he is leasing the loft to Mike... while he's gone."

Sami sat up straight. "Gone? He said his plans changed."

Laura nodded. "More than we knew, it appears. Anyways, when Mike and I got to the loft... Marlena was there."

"Why?" Carrie whispered.

Laura gave a sad smile. "Looking for John... he wasn't there." She took each girls hand. "Girls, Marlena was in quite a state. She was panicked... because apparently John took Brady and left Salem."