Final Departure

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

As soon as the front door opened and Eric saw his parents standing in the doorway, he immediately dry heaved.  Nick, who had been counting on Eric to take control of the situation as an older brother should, buried his face in his hands.

        "Her poor mother," Mrs. Roberts cooed, stepping out of her high heels. "I'm so sorry. She's listed as being in critical condition.”

The room was silent.  Neither son wanted to begin the sentence that every mother dreads hearing.  Neither son was prepared for whatever would follow.

        “It's so much worse then that, mom...” Nick began, but couldn't bring himself to finish.

        “Poor Jamie,” Mrs. Roberts misunderstood.  “Is she taking it very hard?  I wish I knew more so I could comfort her somehow.”

        “No, mom...” Eric interrupted, clearing his throat to keep his voice from breaking.  “…it's about Johnny.”

Mrs. Roberts' gaze went from Eric to Nick.  As she scanned the room looking for Johnny, the look on her face grew angrier.

        "What do you mean?" she asked, frowning, her hands on her hips. Nick peered at the scene from behind his hands, horrified at the mere thought of what was about to unfold. “What about Johnny?”

        “Johnny is...” Eric glanced at Nick, who was still cowering.  “…missing.” he said in nearly a whisper.

        “You’re joking,” Mrs. Roberts said with a small laugh.  “Nicholas?”

Nick met her gaze.  Out of the entire Roberts family, Nick had always been the worst at telling lies—the corners of his eyes would crinkle up most of the time, sometimes he would blush.  But not this time.  His red-rimmed eyes told Mrs. Roberts all she needed to know, and she flew up the stairs in a panic, screaming "Johnny...Johnny...Johnny!" the whole way.

            Downstairs, Nick and Eric looked at their father, who had loosened his tie and removed his suit jacket, but as of yet had said nothing.

"They're right!”  Mrs. Roberts called from upstairs. “Howard, they're right! My baby! He's missing!”

Mr. Roberts said nothing, only made a beeline for the cordless telephone, quickly dialing 911.  He snapped his fingers at his sons.

             “Eric,” he commanded.  “Bring me a pen and a pad of paper.”

Eric bounded off to retrieve them.

“Nick,” he continued.  “When did you last see him?”

Nick shrugged and ran his hand through his hair.

        “Around lunchtime, I guess?  He never came home from school.”

        “Hello?”  Mr. Roberts said gruffly into the phone.  “Yes, I’d like to report a missing child.”

                                                                *            *            *

        Jamie woke up groggily.  The windows were still dark but the blanket that was covering her was making her itch.  She kicked it off and was rolling onto her side when she suddenly became aware of someone watching her. Maybe it was part of letting go of the dream she had just had…it had been a weird one, for sure. It was about Johnny. And Jenny…and swan boats.  How could her subconscious dream about swan boats at a time like this?  No, someone was definitely watching her, she was sure of it.