70 Days Of Summer

Day 28

Vanessa And Catalina's parents wake us up at 6am.
" we're going home," Vanessa whispers, so as not to wake up the old couple whose house got robbed that morning.
" ok" I mumble getting up. I stretch my body and find Catalina stretching on the chair next to me.
" you stink" she grins. Oh my god! I just notice that I'm still in my pajamas from 2 day ago! How could I just notice? Wait! So, yesterday when Bryan and I were in the park and with the kids, I was......in my pajamas!
" well, that's not a very nice thing to say to your best friend who has been in the police waiting room for 2 whole days trying to figure out tho kidnapped you," I say, slipping on my jacket.
" your right, although.......you could've at least got me a 'welcome back' present, but your kindness doesn't go that far," Catalina jokes, as we walk to the car. I kick her foot and we have a shoving war, and she pushes me into a pile of......sludge! Snow sludge! Catalina and I give each other a,
'What?' Look, and everyone is standing in the middle of the parking lot, staring up at the snowing sky. How is this happening? It's still hot as hell,but there are SOME clouds. Oh well! Vanessa places a shaking paige in the back seat of their lime green mini van. I give Catalina a shove in the sludge, and run to the mini van. I shit the door and lock it, but Catalina comes up to the window and sticks her tongue out at us. I glance at paige who still looks dead, but funny faces always cheer her up.
I avert my eyes from paige and wave to Catalina so she knows that this isn't the best time to make silly faces. She gives me a weak smile, waves her hand, and trudges off. Vanessa gets in the car and starts to drive suggesting a whole bunch of ideas,
" I can make hot cocoa and we can watch a movie, or We can play a board game, or..........does any of that sound appealing to you paige, darling?" Vanessa turns her head Smiling, but sees Paige's dead face and her smile dies. She turns back to the steering wheel and I see a tear leaking down her face.
" I think we should just go home and rest," I suggest hopefully. Vanessa nods and we sit in silence for the rest of the car ride. Once we get to Paige's apartment, paige lies on her bed, eyes wide open. It rains for the rest of the day, but doesn't snow, and it turns out the snow was just a glitch in the weather system, or something like that, and I don't want to get in the details. I lie down next to her and read my copy of,
'Wuthering heights' by Emily bronte. My favorite book ever! Emily bronte has quite an interesting life, with many sisters who......died. At around 12, I hear crashing and shattering coming from Vanessa's room. I run to see what's happening and Vanessa is crying in the middle of her room, broken glass spread around her, fallen shelves on the floor.
" Vanessa, stop! What's going on?" I scream worried to death.
" you know bloody hell what's going on! My husband left me for some lesbian pedophile, and now they have a kidnapping team! He kidnapped his own daughter and traumatized her," Vanessa shouts, throwing her oak wood , dressing table chair on the floor, making only break into 3 pieces. 1 leg. 3 legs. The back rest and seat.
" Vanessa. Stop, please. Your husband will be caught and he will go to jail, but right now, your daughter needs you. Breaking stuff and throwing things around is not going to help," I tell her calmly, seating her down on the bed.
" your right. Paige needs me and here I am throwing a tantrum. I'm such a terrible mother," Vanessa sobs into her arms.
" no. Your the best mother in the whole wide world. Paige is lucky to have you and loves you more than anything. She is going through a rough patch, and she needs her mother with her, not her friend," I say encouragingly.
" thanks clara," Vanessa says, wiping her tears away. Vanessa goes to paiges room, and I start to boil some instant 2 minute noodles. I watch some television while I eat my noodles and relax. It's 2 pm, and I hear a door slam, and I place my bowl in the sink. I go to Vanessa's room and she is doing some paperwork, and doesn't notice when I read the pamphlet behind her shoulder,
'Lotus therapy.'
I skim through the page and its a therapy centre for kids in shock or traumatized and its in......Shanghai!
" your sending her too therapy," I say shakily, angry tears streaming down my face.
" clara, please try to under-" she starts but I cut her off,
" how could you? She's your daughter! Don't you care about her! She doesn't need therapy, she needs love! She needs her family." I shout the whole thing when I realize Yina is missing. I storm out of the house, grabbing my cell phone and call buren.
" hey" I say into the phone, trying to hide my tears. He's too good and says worriedly,
" hey. Are you okay? What's wrong?"
" I'll tell you everything later. Can you meet me at canton square, like in 20 minutes," I ask pleadingly.
" sure. See you there," he says with concern. I hang up and catch the bus to canton square. I get there at 3:30, and I see Berun looking amazing in his normal khakis, and brooks brothers, button down blouse, with 3/4 sleeves and half buttons undone exposing his chest.
" hey" I say, resting my head on his chest. He leans down to give me a kiss and asks,
" hey. What's wrong?"
I tell him everything as we swallow ice cream, and cuddle on a slightly wet bench.
After 10 minutes of silence, Berun says,
" you know what you need. A treat. Im going to get you something amazing! No price limit! Come on, let's go." He starts getting up and I say,
" that's very sweet, but you don't have too," I say.
" no, your right. I don't have too, I must do," he says, a sly grin spreading on his face.
I grin and we walk hand in hand to Bloomingdales. It's actually in the flower fields mall, but we don't mind the walk. Everything is so expensive.....and a big name brand. I shuffle through a rack of dolce and Gabbana dresses, when I hear a familiar voice shouting,
" mum! I found the dress!"
I walk over to the voice, and Berun follows. No way! Monique is standing in front of us, placing a puffy yellow, Marc Jacobs dress against her body. She notices me and looks at me worriedly. I'm guessing larry told her I know about him double dating her and Catalina. A tall, Skinny lady, in 5 inch crocodile skin, heels, a Gucci, metallic silver lame, swing dress that barely covers her thighs, approaches us with hangers of clothes on one hand. Obviously her head hugging, red curly hair, is a wig, and her face is covered in makeup. Way too much makeup!
" hey Berun. Clara," Monique says sweetly.
" hey. Such a coincidence to see you hear," I say rudely, skipping my hand around beruns waist and pulling him closer. I give her a,
'He's mine now' look, and she says,
" well, I have to go." She walk away dropping the dress on the floor, and her mother follows her. I smile at Berun give him a kiss, and say truly,
" I love you." After 30 minutes I finally decide on a pair of $800, Manolo, limited edition, leather, boots. He buys them without arguing the price and I thank him with a quick make out session on the wet benches outside. At around 6 pm, I catch the bus back to Paige's apartment, and I think about therapy for paige. I unlock the door with my own keys, and Vanessa is sitting on the couch. When she sees me she gets up and says,
" I've been thinking about what you said, and I decided that I'm not going to send paige to therapy."
I give her a hopeful smile and say softly,
" no. Your right. Paige needs help, and she's not going to get it here. Also, in really sorry about yina. I didn't know."
Vanessa smiles weakly and says,
" it's fine. The police are 99% sure she is with Ricky. They are still tracking the van. I just thought that I would send her to the same clinic as Cassie, so she wouldn't be alone. Thank you for giving me permission." I smile and go shower. Paige looks a little fresher, and I think she showered, but her face is still blank. We eat dinner at 7 and nobody talks. Finally, Vanessa breaks the silence,
" your staying with Catalina for 2 nights. I've confirmed with her parents, tomorrow night and the night after. We leave tomorrow at 11. Is that alright?" I nod and we go back to eating. Vanessa does the dishes while I shove all the clothes I brought into my tiny suitcase and zip it shut. I finish Wuthering heights, and go to sleep. I swear I hear paige squeak,
" goodnight."
I look at her, but her face is blank.......