She Never Came Home

Chapter 2

Coreen's tummy was almost aching from laughing so hard when the ending credits of the film began to scroll.

"Oh my goodness," she gasped, "I must be seriously sleep-deprived to laugh at this....this truly goofy movie."

"Oh, admit it," Chris replied, "you thought it was funny. Especially the antics of Droppo, the misfit Martian."

"I only laughed because I'm tired," Coreen protested as she stood up and stretched. "I'd better head home before I get too drowsy," she added. She really hated to leave Chris's side beneath the warm, cozy nest of the comforter, but she'd promised her parents that she'd be home that night. Her older brother, Chuck, was due to arrive from Montana late that afternoon, and it would probably be around six or seven in the evening by the time her parents got him home from the airport.

"It was only by some special grace that Chuck was able to get a few days off around the New Year," her mom had told her. "He won't be here long; I don't think it's too much to ask that you spend some time with the entire family for a day or two."

Chuck worked as the Game Warden for Toole County, Montana, and traditionally holidays were his busiest times; poachers counted on rangers being off-duty with their families, which made it a prime opportunity for illegal hunting and fishing.

Coreen put her shoes on and reluctantly got ready for the drive to her parents' house. During the regular 9-to-5 workday week it usually took her about 45 minutes to get there from Chris's apartment due to traffic. But with so many businesses closed between Christmas and New Year's Day the freeways were much less congested, so Coreen figured that even though she was leaving Chris's place just before nine o'clock she'd still get home by 9:30 or so. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and started to dial her parents' number, but her call didn't go through. "Oh, shoot, stupid battery," she muttered.

"Why are you still using that old phone?" Chris asked. "I got you that new iPhone because that relic of yours is so unreliable."

"Yes, yes, I know, I just haven't had time to do whatever I have to do to set it all up...transfer my phone numbers and all that stuff." She paused to give him a side glance. "I guess I was just overwhelmed by such a romantic Christmas present."

Chris struggled to keep a straight face. Part of his big surprise by proposing to her on New Year's Eve hinged on Reeny's disappointment in his Christmas present. She hadn't been unappreciative (it was, after all, a top-of-the-line model), but he could tell from her reaction upon opening it that she'd been expecting something....a bit more personal.

"It amazes me that someone who can identify the various parts of the digestive system of a badger cannot grasp how to program a new cell phone."

"Maybe it's just because I prefer to focus on my studies rather than technology," she smiled at him. "Much like someone else I know..." she reached over and tickled him under his chin.

"OK, I'll admit that I'm not one to constantly text you or send you photos of my tuna sandwich when I'm eating lunch," he replied. "And I know that veterinary school is demanding and exhausting..." He gently grasped her face with both of his hands. "But I worry about you whenever we're apart and I'm not there to protect you. I want you to at least have a reliable cell phone to call for help if you get a flat tire on the freeway."

"Even if we don't text every 15 minutes," Coreen paused to kiss him, "Please know that I am always aware that you are truly the nicest, sweetest man in the world."

Chris clutched her in a bear hug and kissed the top of her head. He picked up his landline phone from its cradle and handed it to her. "Call your mom and let her know that you're on your way."

"Hi Dad," Coreen said when her father answered the phone. "I'm just leaving Chris's place now, is there anything I can pick up for you on the way home?"

"No, Reen, we're just watching some movies your mother saved on TiVo and we've got enough popcorn to last us through a classic film marathon. Just bring yourself home, that's all we need."

"I'm on my way," Coreen said. "Love you!"

"Love you, too," her father replied. "Drive safely," he added.

"Call me when you get home," Chris told Coreen as he saw her off.

Chris deliberately did not go to bed but instead stayed upright in his chair so that he wouldn't miss Coreen's call. Nevertheless, the chicken soup and the drone of the TV was making him drowsy, and despite his efforts to remain awake he eventually dozed off. An infomercial about some type of food processor that played at a louder volume that the previous programming suddenly jerked Chris awake. He slowly struggled to remember what day and time it was, and why he was in his chair and not in bed. Moments later he recalled that he'd been waiting for Reeny to call him. He picked up his cell phone. The first thing he noticed was the time. It was almost 10:30. The next thing he noticed was that there were no missed calls or text messages. He jumped up from his chair and picked up his land line phone. He dialed the code for his voice mail and the "box" was empty. As his mind started to clear out of its sleep fog he started to think logically... Her brother is home for the first time in how long, maybe she just got busy with the reunion stuff and forgot to call him. Still, it wasn't like Reeny to not check in with him after she'd promised to do so. He dialed her parents' house.

"Hi, Mr. C," Chris greeted Coreen's father when he answered the phone. "Sorry to call you so late, but I just wanted to make sure Reeny got home OK."

"What?" Stephen Crowley asked somewhat sharply. "What are you talking about?"

Hearing the confusion in Stephen's voice, Chris suddenly realized that perhaps he'd woken up Coreen's father. He repeated his apology and then explained his reason for calling in more detail.

"Again, I apologize for phoning so late, but Coreen promised to phone me once she got home. Y'know, just so I knew she'd gotten there safely." His statement was greeted with silence. "Um, because her cell phone battery was dead. I wanted to make sure she - -"

"I thought Coreen was with you," her father stated.

"She was," Chris assured the man, "but she left here almost an hour and a half ago. Like I said, her cell phone wasn't working, so I asked her to phone me once she got to your house just so I knew that she'd arrived safely..." Suddenly Mr. Crowley's statement finally resonated in Chris's brain. "Wait a minute, isn't she there?"

"No," Stephen Crowley's voice suddenly took on an urgent tone. "She called just before nine o'clock and said she was on her way. When it got late, I figured that maybe she'd decided to stay longer, that maybe you two...." His voice drifted off. Luckily he couldn't see Chris's embarrassed facial expression on the other end of the one. "Tell me again, what time did she leave your place?"

"It was just a few minutes after she phoned you." Now Christopher's voice was also getting tight with concern.

"Then she should've been here an hour ago," Stephen said, glancing at the digital clock on the TV cable box.

"Oh no," Chris thought aloud, "I hope she didn't have car trouble along the way..."