The Business Trip

Klhoe woke up feeling panicky. Nightmares had plagued her all night. She turned off her phone’s alarm and dragged her tired body out of bed. She ran her brush through her hair and swiped on some mascara before running downstairs. Worried thoughts raced through her head as  she made her breakfast. She knew her mom had to work late last night, but when midnight passed without any sign of her, Klhoe began to worry. Now, twenty-eight unanswered texts and seven missed calls were all she had to comfort her. As she packed her lunch, she told herself that if her mother didn’t get home tonight, she would call the police, but until then she would hope for the best. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. She tried not to let her hopes get too high, but she wasn’t disappointed. 

“Mom!” she exclaimed. Khloe went in for a hug, but her mom stopped her. Just then she got a chill. “Close the door mom, it’s freezing out.”She was about to say more, but her mom started talking in a rushed sort of way.

 “Honey, have to be quick, but I thought I should tell you before I left. I—“  The sound of a car horn cut her off. She poked her head out the front door and mouthed something to the driver.

 “Who is that?” asked Khloe as she tried to see around her mom.

 “It doesn’t matter,” said her mom dismissively. “What I have to tell you is I’m going on a trip for work. I won’t be seeing you for a while.”

 “Where are you going? This is such short notice!” Her mother nodded in agreement.

 “I know, darling but I don’t have a choice—“ She was interrupted again by the car horn. She gave her daughter a sympathetic look. “I have to go.” Before she could say another word, Khloe’s mom was out the door. She stood on the porch and watched her get into a black van waiting by the curb.

 All first period, Khloe couldn’t focus. She couldn’t shake the weird feeling she’d had since this morning. She had so many questions she wanted to ask her mom, but so far she had been unable to reach her. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t hear her name being called until her teacher had said it three times.

 “Khloe!” he said sounding exasperated. “You’ve been called down to the office”

 “Oh, sorry,” she said. She could feel her face turn bright red as she walked to the classroom door. It wasn’t until she was in the hallway that she began to wonder what it is that she could be called down for. She saw her dad sitting outside the office as she approached, tears welling in his eyes. She had never seen him cry before.

 “Dad, what’s happened?” Khloe asked as she rushed towards him. He gave her a tight hug before talking.

“Honey, its your mother, she’s—“ his voice caught. It was just then Khloe noticed the police. She turned to them looking desperate.

 “There was a pile up on the 401 last night,” said one. “There’s no easy was to say this but, she was gone before the ambulances arrived.” She tried to process it all.

 “Wait, this happened last night?” she asked. The officer nodded. “That can’t right. I saw her just this morning.”