The Year That Changed My Life

Chapter 10 The Day My World Stopped Turning

Chapter 10 The Day My World Stopped Turning

        That next week I felt like I was floating. The kids were coming home Saturday finally after being away for so long. I'd already asked Ms. Winnie for Sunday off, I wasn't leaving the trailer the entire next day when they finally made it home.
       The Sunday after we made it back from the cabin Jamie was already making plans to go back in two weeks with the kids before I could even ask him. I agreed wholeheartedly. Bree and Alex both could use the relaxation before chill started back.
       The sisters were planning a small welcome back party that Monday after the kids got back in the diner. I had to beg Ms. Winnie to keep the guest list to a minimum after I heard she was trying to invite the whole town. Finally she agreed to just Jamie and his family and Gus and the other sisters.
       That Thursday Jenna came over for our weekly binge. She asked me how our weekend away went and I had to brag how well the lotion had went over. She was amazed we hadn't finished the deed, but didn't question me about it like I could see she wanted.
       That Friday I finished my shift at the diner and rushed back to the trailer giving it a last minute clean before he kids came back tomorrow. I'd been texting Bree all day telling her I couldn't wait to see them but Dewayne hadn't let her reply back to me yet. By eight that night I couldn't take it anymore and called Dewayne.
      The phone just rang till it finally went to voicemail. I left a message asking him to let the kids call me where I could tell them good night then hung up. I put the phone down on the nightstand then tried to read a book and not worry no one had picked up. An hour later I grabbed the phone again and called Dewayne. The phone rang all the way to voicemail again. This time I didn't leave a message instead I hung up and called right back.
       The second time he answered the phone. "What the fuck do you want Marie!" Dewayne screamed down the phone.
       "Sorry to be calling so late I've been texting Bree all day and she didn't reply. I tried to call earlier but no one answered I wanted to tell them good night and how excited I am to see them tomorrow. Speaking of what time should I be expecting y'all?"
       "Can't make it tomorrow, I gotta work. We will be there Sunday. The kids are already sleep. You should have called before nine if you wanted to talk to them."
       I didn't even tell him I did call before instead I focused on the fact my kids wouldn't be back tomorrow. "Sunday? Are you sure? I'll meet you somewhere tomorrow to get them. I'll even come to you where you don't have to drive on your only day off. Won't that be better?"
      "Nope, their mine till tomorrow and I gotta bring them back. I will on Sunday. I'll call you when we get in."
       Before I could start begging the dial tone answered me. I ended the call and put my head in my hands. The dread that slammed into my stomach out of nowhere left me breathless. Something was wrong. Something was going to go terribly wrong and I could feel it.
      Saturday I stayed inside the trailer. Every time the phone would ring it was not the one person I wanted to hear from, so I lied to all of them. "Nope still on their way."  "Nope, just a little while longer." I felt like shit.
      Even Jamie kept calling not completely believe my stories, but not calling me out on them yet.
      I knew Dewayne usually got off work at three on Saturday so around four that afternoon I started calling him to speak with the kids. For the first two hours I called him every half hour with no answer or reply to my text. From six to eight I was calling ever fifteen minutes and sending text constantly between then.
      By the time I finally called it quits for he night I'd called Dewayne so much his voicemail was full and three hundred text messages had gone unread.
      Sunday I was up before the sun. I gave Dewayne the benefit of the doubt and decided to wait till noon to try and call him. Unlike the night before, today Dewayne's phone just went straight to voicemail. My brain went through all the logical arguments of why his phone would be off right now. Some were believable, like he was hopefully driving and just going thru a dead zone. Or the highly unlikely he didn't know I was calling.
      The dread was growing by the minute. I wasn't answering my phone when it rang. None of them were Dewayne and if I told anyone what was going on I'd have to face it being real. When Jamie text me later that night threatening to come over since I wasn't answering my phone I feed him another lie, then made up my mind.
      I ran to my room and packed a change of clothes. I grabbed a few essentials and threw them in the bag then ran out the door. I ran to my car and threw my bag in the bag before jumping in the front and peeling out my drive.
     I couldn't care less that it was in the middle of the night I was headed to Alabama to get my kids. Dewayne wouldn't answer his phone didn't matter I was coming to him. I drove all night stopping only twice to fill up with gas before making it to the place I'd hoped to never see again.
     FreeState Alabama was nothing special to write home about. The town itself was smaller than Bolton and a lot less friendly. There was a dollar general and a High School with a few churches dotted around. A police station with a courtroom and jail attached was the center of the town.
     I made my way down the familiar streets going to Dewayne's house. The sun had just came up so the kids and he should be there. I made the last turn headed down the road our old house was on. I don't know why I expected it to be different. If anything it looked worse than when I left it. The only thing new was the white For Sale sign in the front yard.
    I pulled into the driveway and jumped out of the car. I ran up to the door and started banging In case they were still asleep. After a few minutes no one had come to the door. I went around to the back door checking thru the windows as I went. All of the rooms were cleaned out nothing was left.
    After banging on the back door for serval minutes I finally gave up. I made my way back to my car, and headed to the second place they could be. It'd been months since I'd been to Dewayne's parents' house, but if anyone knew where Dewayne was it would be them.
    I made it to Mrs. Bob's trailer shortly after that. I drove by once making sure none of Dewayne's other family was here before pulling in the driveway. I made my way to the door quickly and gave it a gentle knock.
    Seconds later Mr. Herb, Dewayne's father, answered the door. Mr. Herb was the only other person who treated me with respect during my time with this family. Even being a full foot shorter than his son, Mr. Herb tried to step in when Dewayne would start beating me in front of him. I owed this man so much.
    "Well I'll be child, come on in. What brings you by so early in the morning? I thought you moved away to Tennessee?"
     "Yes sir I did move there, but I came to get the kids. Dewayne was supposed to bring them back Saturday but he said he had to work so he couldn't bring them till yesterday. Then he didn't call and every time I called his phone went straight to voicemail. I drove by his house this morning, and it's empty. With a for sale sign out front. Do you know where he is Mr. Herb?"
     "No, the last time we saw'em was Friday. Dewayne brought the kids by for supper and to tell me and Bob bye because they were going home the next day. He told us he was taking them to meet you Saturday morning. You don't think something happened to them do you?"
      I'd spent the drive calling all the hospital along the way that if they did get into an accident they would be there, but everyone I called said they hadn't had anything come in. "No sir, I've checked all the hospitals along the way."
     I stayed a few more minutes while Mr. Herb called a few people seeing if they'd heard from him, but they all said the same. "Not since Friday." It was like he'd just up and disappeared. I got out of there pretty quickly before the rest of the family started showing up.
     I didn't know where to go from there. I drove around the town a few times before I finally bit the bullet and parked in front of the police station. I gathered every ounce of courage I had before I got out of my car and headed into the pits of my hell.

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And so it begins. Rubbing my imaginary beard giving y'all my best evil laugh. Serves y'all right for the squirrels last time!
Sorry this one was so short. Bitch me out in the comment box I dare you!
.....Chicken.....
Toodles,
Callie

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