Gone (Ianthony)

One Month, Two Weeks, Three Days, and Four Hours Before

Anthony:   

The last time I had seen my dad, it was my sixteenth birthday.

He was rich. He cheated on my mom with a neurosurgeon, so he had quite a bit of money after he married her. And that was the hardest part; he knew how much we were struggling financially, with my mom working double shifts and me struggling in school due to the fact that I had to find my own job as soon as I was old enough, and he never even bothered to help us out. 

So my mom hadn't gotten me much for my birthday, as expected, because she couldn't really afford much, and then my dad showed up. And prior to that moment, I hadn't seen him in at least a year or two, and he just showed up in this brand new car and handed me the key and told me it was all mine.

And the worst part? I didn't accept it. I didn't even thank him for coming. I got really mad, actually; I just lost it and yelled in his face and told him he was the worst father ever and I would never forgive him for what he did and showing up with a car wouldn't change the fact that I would always hate him.

After that, he left town. I never heard from him again.

And that's what confused me so much. How the hell did Ian find him? I don't think he ever even met Ian. And besides, I bet my entire life savings he's some old alcoholic now; he probably didn't even listen to what Ian had to say. And now, I was supposed to find him and just casually be like, "hey, I know I hate you with all my guts and haven't seen you in ten years but my best friend is missing and he said you knew something about where he was so if you could just tell me I'll never speak to you again."

||

My mom looked at the floor. She looked hurt. And she had every reason to; I was forcing her to think about the person she hated most in the world.

She took a deep breath.

"Can I at least ask why you want to know where he is?"

I bit my lip.

"It's uh, kind of a long story. But I really need to talk to him as soon as possible."

She looked up at me. 

"Anthony, Ian's mom called me the other day. She told me you've gone over to her house multiple times." She bit her lip. Was lip-biting a genetic thing? Because we both always bit our lips when we were nervous or in a bit of an uncomfortable situation. "She also said to try to convince you to speak at his funeral on Thursday. She said you refused to come 'for someone who wasn't dead.'" She shook her head. "Anthony, what the hell is going on?"

I closed my eyes. I wasn't planning on telling her today. I wasn't planning on telling anyone ever. I just wanted to find him and then have everyone thank me when he was home safe and sound. Everyone knowing could ruin everything.

"Look mom, I can't really explain it, but... Ian might be alive. I think. I don't know. It's... a long story. But that's why I need to find Dad. Because he's the next, like, clue."

She just stared at me.

"How do you know?"

"The note he left."

"And he left... clues."

"Yes."

She raised her eyebrows, and then shook her head.

"Anthony, I love you, but... are you okay?"

I leaned against the table.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... it's completely normal to... how do I put this..." She took a deep breath. "Anthony, it's completely normal to go a little... crazy after someone you really love dies. I know you want to believe Ian's alive, well, we all do, but... I think it's time to move on. I know it's hard, but-"

"God, this is why I didn't even wanna tell people."

I slid the note I found in the movie case across the table. I wished I didn't have to. I felt like that note was supposed to be sort of a private message between just Ian and I; I felt like I was betraying him. But I had to show her. It was the only way to make her believe me.

After she read it over, she looked up at me, slowly. Her mouth was open and she looked completely speechless.

"I... I just..."

"I'm not crazy."

"You're not."

It was quiet for a moment. I still felt like I was betraying him, but maybe that was just me being selfish.

Then my mom sighed.

"I know where he is. Your dad."

I looked up at her.

"But..." She bit her lip. Again. "Ian's parents really, really want you to speak at his funeral. I know... I know this note is really promising, but, sweetie, you never know. They're not gonna cancel it."

"Are you saying you'll tell me where Dad is if I agree to speak at the 'funeral?'"

She took a deep breath. "I guess."

I rolled my eyes. But did I really have another option?

"Deal."