Their Lives In Her Hands

Missing Mikki. *Part Two*

Missing Mikki.

Part Two

Wednesday 15th January, 20:45 pm

        Still no word from Mikaela. She hadn't called, no one had seen her. Nothing. Like she had just disappeared from the face of the earth. She wasn't the kind of girl to just go off on her own without telling anyone, or going with a friend.

     Understandably, Andrew was going out of his mind. He'd been instructed by the police to stay home in case she came back, but come quarter to nine at night, there was still no sign of her.

     He had told his boss he wouldn't be back at work until she was found. He didn't even care if he lost his job, he just wanted his little girl back. His younger daughter Liza-Jo was asking questions.

      "Why were the police here?... Where is Mikki?... Why are you crying, Daddy?..." Liza-Jo was almost seven years old and confused, and scared. Her big sister was gone and police had searched the whole flat, looking for anything to indicate where Mikaela may have gone. She was distraught, and seeing his daughter that way at only six years old, it broke Andrew's heart.

     "I'm sure she will turn up." Katerina tried convincing him. But with every hour that passed, her confidence in that statement began to peel away.

     Yvonne took little Liza-Jo into her brightly painted bedroom. All pinks and purples with fluffy banners and cartoon character posters lining the walls. She turned the main light off, but turned on the lamp by Liza-Jo's bed.

     "Look, everything is all right. I promise. We just are waiting for Mikaela to come home -"

      "So what were the police mens doing here?"

     "They were here... to make sure we were okay. Because they want to get Mikki home too, you see? They were helping to get her back?"

     "Has someone taken Mikki?"

     "No! Definitely not! She just went for a walk and hasn't come back yet. Your daddy was worried. But I'm sure by the time you wake up in the morning, Mikki will be home." Yvonne smiled at the welled-up little girl and stroked her hair. "Get some sleep, missy. You have school in the morning. I'll take you."

     "Okay, Aunt Yvvie," Liza-Jo said, as she put her head down on her Hello Kitty pillow. "Tell daddy I said night night."

     "Of course, Liza." Yvonne said. She put the covers over her niece and tucked them in, then turned off the bedside light. "Goodnight." She said, as she closed the door. Outside her nieces bedroom, she sighed, probably loud enough for Liza-Jo to hear, but she couldn't help it.

      Why is this happening? Where the hell is that girl? I know she can be a pain at times but she wouldn't normally put her dad through this kind of thing! Not after what they've all been through this year. He already lost one of the most important people in his life....Just come home, Mikki.

Thursday 16th January, 07;30 am.

      When Liza-Jo awoke for school, she was expecting to see Mikki in the kitchen, scoffing a bowl of cereal or a hundred slices of toast. But she wasn't there. "Daddy?" She said.

     Andrew was sitting at the kitchen table, his head bowed into his hands and he was sighing heavily. When he looked up at his young daughter,she saw he was crying. Again.

     "Where's Mikki?"

     At that, he started to sob loudly. "I'm sorry, Lizzi. I just don't know where she is." He collected himself a little, wiping tears from his cheeks and clearing his throat. "She hasn't come home yet. But the police will find her."

     "Not the police!" The words rushed out of Liza-Jo's mouth. "They're police. She will be in trouble. Has she been naughty?"

     "No, of course not. Sometimes the police help find people too. They're not only for naughty people, honey. Now, what would you like for breakfast?"

     "I want Mikki to make some toast. I like the way Mikki does toast. Why can't she come back and make me some?"

     Andrew sighed. "I'm sorry." He let his voice trail away. What else can I say?

    "I want Mikki to come home." Liza-Jo said, quietly.