Vanished

Chapter 5

"OH. MY. GOSHHHHH!" I hear echoed through my house.

Josh and I have just entered my home and apparently, everything he sees is another shock to him.

I roll my eyes playfully as I walk into the kitchen to see what's so amazing this time.

"What is it Josh?" I ask acting like I'm annoyed.

"You have two ovens?!" He asks with wide eyes.

I laugh, "Yeah. Why is that so surprising?"

He looks at me straight faced, "Well, if you hadn't notice B, most people only have one" He replies in a sarcastic tone.

I chuckle, "Well Leigh-Anne our chef really prefers using two to make big meals on thanksgiving and when my mom has company over relating to work."

Josh stares at me for a while before he finally says, "You have a freaking CHEF?!"

I disregard the question and begin to usher him upstairs, wanting to show him the rest of the house as fast as possible.

As we walk up the marble staircase, that Josh of course had to make an exaggerated comment on, I begin to lead him to my room bypassing all the spar rooms as well as my mother's office.

As we begin to get closer to my room, that is on the far end of the hallway, I smell the unfamiliar scent of strong men's cologne and chatter coming from the room directly across from mine. My mother's room.

As Josh and I are still stopped in the middle of the hallway, thoughts are running through my mind.

Should I knock on her door? It may be work related. She may get mad if I interrupt her.

"Are we gonna go to your room B, or just stand here all day?" Josh asks jokingly

I decide to just man up and knock on the door. She at least should know I'm home.

We walk a few feet to then stop in front of my mother's bedroom door.

Knock. Knock. Knock

The laughing I heard moments before stops. Josh is standing right beside me as we wait for someone to come out.

"Yes?" My mother asks, still not opening the door.

"Hey mom, I just wanted to let you know I'm home from the sleepover with Josh. I was wondering if you want to meet him? I'm showing him the house."

I hear shuffling behind the door and hushed whispers before the door finally opens to my mom in a t-shirt and jeans. That's very unusual attire for her.

"Hello Josh, you can call me Ms. Marshal." Her brown eyes bore into Josh, studying him, as she lets out her hand for him to shake.

"Hi Ms. Marshal, it's nice to meet you" Josh returns with his warm smile and calming eye contact to show he's trustworthy.

After their little handshake, my mom smiles and looks at me saying semi-seriously "We have to have a talk later Bailee, after your friend goes home. There's someone I want you to meet."

And with that brief meeting my mother went back inside her room leaving me confused as ever and wondering who this "someone" could be.

"Well... your mom seems nice" Josh says trying to break the ice.

We've been in my room for about 30 minutes now, going through everything from photo albums to my coin collection (yes, I used to collect coins), yet still not addressing the elephant in the room.

I scoff sarcastically "Yeah right. She can be at times, but for the most part she's strict as fuck."

"Well, maybe it's because she never had the right person in her life to loosen her up, if you know what I mean." Josh winks suggestively, making me throw up in my mouth.

I look at him with a disgusted look "Ew, Josh don't put that image in my head. Shes never really had time for dating anyway considering how much work she does. She barely has time for me."

"Who's the somebody you're going to be meeting today then?"

"I don't know. I haven't met him yet." I chuckle at the obviousness.

"I bet you it's going to be her new boyfriend." Josh says confidently.

"I hope not. If she doesn't have time to even have conversations with me, then I'm gonna be pissed if she suddenly has time for a boyfriend"

My mom is in her office almost 24/7. When I try to talk to her about things she tells me that she's busy or that she can't talk right now. Even when I call her on the phone sometimes, she doesn't even pick up. I know she loves me, I just don't feel that love most days.

"Well I guess you'll find out later. And look on the bright side, if she does have a boyfriend, it won't be the end of the world. So what's the worst that could really happen?"

How naïve that question was.

_________

Note: The story is always going to be in Bailees POV unless stated otherwise.

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