That Would Be Enough

18

           

Kate knew she shouldn't make any rash decisions when she was upset.  So, she waited a couple days to see if her feelings subsided.  They didn't.  Jason had been careless with their daughter's health on two occasions in a very short period of time.  It was unforgivable.  How was she supposed to trust him to have her for an entire weekend?  Kate hated to have to go this route, but her motherly instincts forced her to.  She would not put her daughter's welfare at risk.

With some encouragement from Lin, Kate contacted her lawyer the next day to file a petition to have only supervised visits for Jason.  She explained the situation and the lawyer said that she definitely had a case.  Paperwork was filed and they had to wait for a court date.

When Jason received his notice, he called Kate up, angry.  They got into a verbal spat, ending with Kate in tears on her bed.  Lin came in and sat next to her, rubbing her side in support.

"You're doing what you have to do," he assured her.  "Of course he's going to be upset."

"But am I doing the right thing?  Am I overreacting?"

"No," he told her firmly.  "She could have ended up in the hospital.  He was so careless."

Kate nodded, feeling a bit better.  "I'm worried about Maddie.  She's starting to get attached to him."

"She's a kid.  She's resilient."

The next day was Wednesday.  Jason's day to have Maddie.  The current custody agreement still stood, so Kate had no choice but to let her daughter go with her ex.  She gave Jason a firm reminder to check her blood sugar every few hours and watch for signs her blood sugar was low.  Kate hugged her daughter tight before she left. 

After sending her off, Kate collapsed on the couch and cried.  Maybe her body knew that was the last time she'd see her daughter in quite a while.

On Sunday evening, Kate checked her watch again.  It was past 6:00.  Jason usually had her home between 4 and 5.  She called his phone and it went straight to voice mail.  Kate was starting to get frantic.

"What if they've been in an accident?" she asked Lin, who was trying in vain to calm her.

"Kate, calm down," he told her firmly but gently.  "You're thinking worst case scenario."

"Why wouldn't he answer his phone?!" she demanded, pacing the room.

"I don't know," he said.  "Maybe they're in a movie."

When 8:00 came around, Kate hopped in her car and headed down to Jason's apartment.  She drove up and saw there were no lights on.  Lin followed her out of the car as she marched up to the front door and started pounding on it.

"Jason!!" she yelled.  "Open up!"

She pounded and yelled some more.  Next door, a large-sounding dog was barking.  More lights came on, telling Kate to shut up.  She yelled back and continued to pound.  Someone must have called the cops because they showed up a few minutes later as Kate was climbing around the side of the building to see into a window.

"Ma'am?" The police officer held a flashlight up and Kate shielded her face.  "What's going on here."

She climbed out and stood by Lin.  "Officer, my ex-husband was supposed to bring my daughter back to me by 5:00.  This is his apartment and he's not here, and he's not answering his phone."

He pulled out a pad of paper.  "How old is the child?"

"She's four," Kate said, clutching her arms to her chest, tense with worry.  "Her name is Madeline."

"When was the last time you saw the child?"

"Friday around four," she said, looking at Lin for confirmation.  He nodded.

"So her father has custody every weekend?"

"Every other weekend," Kate said.  "And every Wednesday."

"Has the father ever been late dropping her off before?"

"No, sir," Kate said.  Lin put an arm around her and observed that she was shivering.

"Alright, would you like to file a missing person's report?"

Kate felt a punch in her gut.  Missing person.  Her daughter was missing.  She had no idea where Madeline was.  Kate realized she was in the middle of her worst nightmare.  Lin drove her to the police station where they could provide more information and fill out an official report.  He forced her to go home because hanging around at the police station wouldn't do any good.

Throughout the night, Kate continued to call Jason's phone.  He must have blocked her number or have his phone off because it went straight to voicemail.  As the hours went on, Kate got more and more frantic.  Lin was sick with worry as well.  Maddie wasn't his biologically, but he felt an intense pain not knowing where she was.

Needless to say, Kate didn't sleep at all that night.  She paced.  Lin drifted in and out of sleep, trying his best to be supportive.  He took the lead with Rio, feeding him and changing his diaper.

An Amber Alert was made, and a description of Jason and his car were broadcast on television stations, along with his picture and one of Madeline.  The next day passed with no leads and no sign of Madeline.  Kate quickly became a shell of her real self.  She was barely functioning and barely eating.  Lin had to urge her to take a shower, eat, sleep.

Lin and Kate's apartment became an endless parade of family and friends stopping by to offer their support.  They brought casseroles and offered to watch Rio.  Kate wouldn't let her son out of her sight; terrified that he might disappear.  Having people around helped; it took her out of her brain for a while, but when the evening set in, she was left to her own devices.  Her mind made her a prisoner of the same horrible thoughts.

Lin and Kate laid in bed, him up flush against her back as she cried.  Lin didn't know what else to do other than just hold her.

"Where could he have taken her?" she sobbed.

"The police are trying to figure that out," he reminded her gently.  "They've got a whole team on it."

"Then why haven't they found her?" Kate demanded.

"I don't know," he said.  "But Jason wouldn't hurt Maddie.  He loves her."

"But he doesn't know how to take care of her.  He can barely take care of herself."

"I'm sure she's safe," Lin said, kissing her shoulder.

"Do you think she misses me?"

"Of course," Lin said.  "I'm sure she's not scared.  She probably doesn't even realize she's not where she's supposed to be.  Maddie doesn't really understand days yet."

Kate nodded.  She didn't want her daughter to be afraid.  At least she was with Jason and some stranger hadn't abducted her.  Still, Kate thought she might die if she couldn't see her child soon.

___

The days passed and there were still no leads.  Since they were in New York, the authorities feared Jason may have taken her to Canada.  The border authorities were looking out for his car and their descriptions.  However, it was likely he'd traded his car when his vehicle was all over the TV.  They may have changed their appearance.

Kate was losing weight.  She was barely eating and her eyes looked sunken, with bags underneath.  Lin finally made her see the doctor and they gave her a sedative so she could rest.  She was out for hours; the most sleep she'd had in days.

As Kate slept in the master bedroom, Lin wandered into Madeline's bedroom.  Her bed was made, her favorite doll resting on her pillow.  The room was a little messy as usual.  A few clothes on the floor.  Some Barbies haphazardly left next to the Dream House, perhaps when she'd been called to dinner.  Lin imagined her laying in bed, sleeping soundly.  Safe.  He couldn't stop the tears from coming to his eyes.  How could Jason do this to his own daughter?  To Kate?  To keep his own child from her own mother?  It sickened him.

That night, the both fell into a restless sleep, their hearts broken and half-empty.