Home Is Where The Heart Dies

Chapter 3

   Her house smelled like peppermint and there was a faint smell of chocolate chip cookies. Almost all of her floorboards creaked when you stepped on them. Suddenly there was something rubbing up against my leg. I looked down to see a gray cat.
   "Oh that's Rosemary," the lady said noticing the cat rubbing against my leg.
   "Hey I forgot to ask you what is your name?" I asked petting the cat. Once I started petting her she started purring.
   "Ms. McPhee."
   "Well hello Ms. McPhee I am Cassie and this is Gabrielle," I said pointing my hand at myself then at Gabrielle.
"Hello Cassie and Gabrielle such beautiful names," she said walking into the kitchen then coming back out with a tray of cookies and milk.
"Mmmmm that smells good," Gabrielle said when she brought the tray over to the table.
"Thank you darling," Ms. McPhee said back.
    "Yep."
    "You guys sit sit make your self at home," she said. I sat down on a brown rocking chair. Gabrielle sat down on a red couch. I don't think Ms. McPhee knows that her house doesn't match.
"So why did you ask me about the Bisdy's?" Ms.McPhee asked sitting down herself.
"They are my parents and when I got my home this summer they weren't here."
"Oh my goodness you poor thing," she said looking at me with sympathy.
"I'm fine really but I just have to figure out where they went."
"And I'm sure you will." We all finished eating and then I realized it was time to go.
"We should probably be going now but thanks for the cookie Ms.McPhee," I said standing up.
"Yea thank you," Gabrielle replied.
"Your welcome girls and I hope you will come visit soon it does it lonely here."
"We will try."
"Ok great."
"Well bye," I said as Gabrielle and I walked out the door.
   "Bye bye," Ms.McPhee said closing the door behind us.
   "I don't think she would hurt a fly," Gabrielle said on our way to the next house.
   "You never know," I said knocking.
"Yes? How may I help you?" a woman in a maid's outfit asked.
"Ummm I was wondering if you knew anything about the Bisdy's disappearance?" I asked.
"No sorry we only just moved here a couple months ago."
"Ok well thank you."
"Your welcome," she said closing the door.
   "That was the last house on the block," I said pointing to the empty road.
   "Yep what do we do next?"
   "I think we see if the police knew anything," I said starting to walk back to Gabrielle's house.
   "Ok." When we got back I ran inside to get my keys.
   "Ready?" I asked when I got into the car.
   "Yep."
                   *****
   When we got there it was around 5:00 pm.
   "Can I help you?" a women at the counter asked us when we walked in.
   "Yes ummm we were wondering if you knew anything about the disappearance of my parents?" I asked.
   "Who are your parents?"
   "Mary and Tom Bisdy, b-i-s-d-y," I said spelling it out for her.
   "Yes we are on that case but we have more important cases to finish first," she tells me in a fake sweet voice.
   "More important? More important than the disappearance of my parents?!" I yelled at her.
"I wouldn't say more important," she said trying to calm me down.
"Well you did!" I yelled.
"Cassie let's go," Gabrielle said grabbing my arm and bringing me out of the police station.
"Did you hear her? She said that that their were other cases worse than the disappearance of my parents!" I yelled at Gabrielle.
"Yes I heard but you need to calm down," she said starting to laugh.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because of you, you are really funny when you are mad."
"Well it's not funny this is serious, we need to find out what happened to my parents," I said walking towards the car.
"Ok but just so you now tonight is the night when Alex takes us around the city," she said following behind me.
"Oh yea I guess we will just have to look more tomorrow," I said unlocking the car and getting in.
"Let's get home, change, and meet up with Alex," she said getting in the passenger seat.
"Yea," I said setting off towards Gabrielle's house.
*****
"I can't find my pants!" I yelled to Gabrielle from the other room.
   "I'm sorry!" she yelled back sarcastically.
   "Me too," I said as I throw on another pair of dark skinny jeans. I heard her laugh from the other room.
   "I'm ready are you?" Gabrielle said knocking on the door.
   "No I have to throw on a shirt," I said picking out a plaid country shirt.
   "Ok."
   "I'm ready now," I said walking out the door. Just as I said that I heard a knock on the door.
   "It's probably Alex," Gabrielle said going to answer it while I got my purse.
   "Hey Gabrielle," I heard Alex say as I walked down the stairs.
   "Hey Alex," she said back.
   "You guys ready?" he asked when I got down there.
   "Yep," we both said at the same time.
   "Ok let's go," Alex said walking out to his car. His car wasn't the greatest but at least I wouldn't have to drive.
   Gabrielle immediately moved to the backseat making me have to sit in the front seat.
   "So where are we going first?" I asked.
   "Well I think we should probably go eat dinner at Forcelli's then walk around for a while and find an ice cream place," Alex said staring off down the road.
"Sounds great," Gabrielle said from the backseat.
"Yea," I added in.
"So what state do you live in since you know college and all?" He asked stealing a quick glance off the road to me.
"I live in Missouri."
"Sweet."
"So what school do you go to?"
"Well I just got out of school and I want to become a journalist."
"Really? Me too," I said excited that someone shares the same interest as me.
   "Yoo-hoo guys? I'm still back here," Gabrielle said from the backseat.
   "Sorry Gabrielle," I apologized.
"So what are your favorite colors?" Alex asked
switching the conversation to both of us.
"Well mine is pink," Gabrielle said motioning to her pink shirt and shoes.
"My favorite color is blue what is yours?" I asked Alex.
"Green or black."
"Cool."
"In about 5 minutes we will be there," Alex said while taking a right turn.
"Yay!!! I am so excited," Gabrielle squealed.
"Me too," I said.
*****
"What can I get ya'll to drink tonight?" Our waitress Barbara asked us.
"I will have diet coke," Gabrielle said.
"I will have water," I said.
"I will also take some diet coke," Alex said.
"Ok I will be right back with your drinks," she said walking off towards the kitchen. About 5 minutes later Barbara came back.
"Ok here is two diet coke's and a water," she said setting them done in front of us," would you like to order now?"
"Yea I think so," Alex said looking at me and Gabrielle as we nodded.
"Ok what would you guys like?"
"I would like the two burgers with fries please," Alex said.
"I would like the grilled cheese with fries," Gabrielle said.
"And I would like just one burger with fries," I said completing the order.
"Ok I will be back with it as fast as I can."
"So how are you guys liking it so far?" Alex asked.
"It's so nice," I said.
"I love it," Gabrielle added enthusiastically.
"Good." All around us sat people on dates and couples kissing. And then there we just us sitting in the middle of the restaurant in silence.
"So......." I said breaking into the silence.
"So...." Alex and Gabrielle repeated.
"So sorry for the wait," our waitress said after about 5 minutes of silence.
"It's fine," Alex said.
"Thank you," I said after all the food was on the table.
"Your welcome and I will come back with the bill in a few," she said walking off to another table.
"This burger is so good," I said after taking a bite out of it.
"I know right," Alex said while getting ketchup for his fries.
"So why exactly did you come back if you live in Missouri?" Alex asked me.
"Well it is summer vacation and decided to visit."
"So are you done with college or do you still have another year?"
"I am done but my boyfriend lives there so I either have to break-up with him or live there so I can be with him."
"That's a tough decision."
"Yea majorly," stupid Cassie why did I bring up that I have a boyfriend? Why?!
"So you have a boyfriend?"
"Yea," I said seeing the hurt look on his face.
"Oh."
"And then there was silence," Gabrielle said laughing but then she stopped when I gave her a glare.
  "Here is your bill," Barbara said walking up and putting it on the table.
   "I will pay," Alex and I said at the same time.
   "No I will," we said again.
   "Fine just let me pay tip," I said.
   "Ok," Alex said setting $30.00 dollars in the bill. I then put $5.00 dollars on the table and we left.
   "So I say we walk around for a little bit, go to the park or something, get ice cream, and head back. Sound good?"
   "Yep," Gabrielle and I said at the same time.
   "Good," Alex said walking off down the street to where I am guessing was the park.
"So what is this park called?" Gabrielle asked Alex a few minutes in.
"It's called State Park."
"Do you come here a lot?" She asked.
"We came here for a field trip one time and I come here with my friends."
"Cool."
"So what kind of ice cream do you guys like to eat?" Alex asked us out of the blue. Man this guy is a conversationist.
"I like cookies and cream," I said.
"I like cookie dough what about you?" Gabrielle said.
"My favorite kind is fudge swirl because before my mom died me and her would always go there and get that kind."
"I'm so sorry Alex," I said.
"I'm fine that was over 6 years ago but growing up with a stepmother is not that great."
"What are they like?" Gabrielle asked.
"They are happy 24/7, they always call you hon, and they do everything they can to make you like them," Alex said while shaking his head like getting rid of the memory.
"I'm sorry I brought it up," I apologized.
"Don't be, I'm not afraid of the past." I don't know how to reply to that so I didn't.
"We are here," Alex said stopping in front of a gate a couple minutes later.
"Yay!" Gabrielle exclaimed. We walked in and saw people walking their dogs, looking up at the stars, and going for a late night walk.
"It is so nice here," I said noticing everything.
"Yea this is probably one of my favorite places out of the whole city," Alex said. I could tell that he was thinking about memory.
"We don't have to stay here if you don't want to think about it," I said coming over and putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm ok."
"You sure?"
"Yea I'm fine."
"Hey guys come over here!" Gabrielle yelled from the other side of the park by a fountain.
"Let's all make a wish," she said once we got over there.
"Ok," I said taking out a penny for everyone.
"On the count of three ready, 1-2-3," I said and we all made a wish and threw them into the fountain with all the other wishes.
"What did you guys wish for?" Gabrielle immediately asked.
"We aren't supposed to tell anybody," I said making us all laugh at Gabrielle's mistake.
"We should probably go to the ice cream place before they close," Alex suggested.
"Where is it?" I asked.
"Right next door."
"Ok let's go." We went out of the park and into the ice cream shop. It looked like they were about to close because chairs were on a couple tables.
"Hello Alex," the woman at the counter said. Apparently they know each other.
"Hello Mrs. White."
"What can I get you all tonight?"
"We would like cookies and cream, cookie dough, and fudge swirl waffle cones," Alex said.
"Ok and since you are our closing customers we will make them free," Mrs. White said scooping out the ice cream.
"Thank you," we all said.
"Your welcome and make sure to come back soon Alex," she said handing us our cones.
"I will," Alex said as we walked out of the shop.
"Mmm, this is so good," Gabrielle said.
"I know they make the best ice cream in the whole city."
"Yea this is really good," I said taking a bite of my own.
"I'm glad you like it."
                   *****
   "So how did you guys like our little trip?" Alex asked us on the way back home.
   "I loved it," I said from the backseat.
   "It was amazing," Gabrielle said.
   "Good."
   "So why did you want to go with us in the first place?" I asked.
   "What? A guy can't take out two pretty girls for a date?" Alex said making me blush.
   "Thank you so much again," I said for like the 20th time.
   "Your welcome and you can stop saying it I understand," Alex said looking at me through the rearview mirror with a smirk on his face.
   "We are about to enter the neighborhood," Alex said turning off his brights as a another car came into view.
   "Hey what is Ms. McPhee doing out this late?" I asked seeing that she was out at the side of her house looking around.
   "I don't know but she does the same thing every single night," Alex said pulling in into our driveway.
   "And you have never wondered what she was doing?"
   "Not really, well I had fun and I hope you guys did too."
   "We did," we both said.
   "Good well I will see you guys around."
   "Ok," we said getting out of the car. I looked back over to see if Ms. McPhee was still out but all I saw was a tree swaying in the wind. I wonder what she was doing?

Hey guys sorry for the long wait for the chapter. I just wanted this chapter to be perfect. Also what do you think Ms. McPhee was doing? I love you guys so much!!
-Maddie