Nathan
(Two Weeks Later)
I was nervous. Kenzie and I have been planning on how to find her dad. When we went to the cabin in the mountains with her mom and grandparents, she begged her mom to tell her about her dad. She was pretty mad at her at first, because she didn't want to talk to her about it. She told her to forget it, and she would tell her once she was older, but it only made Kenzie insist more.
I told Amber how I felt not knowing Logan was my dad, it hurt me a lot. I got bullied, and every day I had to be tough. I had to suck it up when I would see my friends hug their dads, and stay quiet when other kids would make fun of me because my dad wouldn't pick me up, or show up for events at school. Uncle Skylar and uncle Ethan would show up sometimes when mom couldn't pick me up, but it wasn't the same.
I love my dad, and I wish I could have known him much sooner. It changed my world to be able to be in his life.
Finally, the last day we were at the cabin, her grandpa told Amber to talk to Kenzie. We found out her dad's name is Mike Evans. He's a marine, and he left right after she graduated from high school when she was already pregnant with Kenzie. She left a little after, so she could go to college, but came back hoping he was back.
She was hurt to see that he wasn't back, and hadn't come to look for her.
But maybe things will be different once he finds out about Kenzie. Maybe he hasn't come back because he doesn't know about Kenzie's existence, but if he knew, he would probably come back.
Kenzie and I sat at a bench looking at the rest of the kids playing after we finished eating our lunch at school. We both had our hands right around the edge of the bench, swinging our feet back and forth. "Do you really think he'll be there? In the military base, I mean?" I asked her because I was getting nervous about doing this.
She wants me to go with her to the military base and demand to talk to him. But, what if he's not there? Mom says there are military bases all over the world, he could be anywhere.
She looks down, puffing her cheeks. Then she looks up, squinting her eyes. "I don't know...but I have to try. You don't have to go with me if you don't want to, I mean, it looks like it can rain, so...if you don't want to go, it's ok." I shook my head. I was not going to let her go alone, she could get lost. What if something happened to her? Mom would kill me if she found out I let her go alone.
"I don't know, about this Kenzie. But...I'm not going to let you go alone. I'll go with you ok? Just, promise me that whatever happens, you'll make up with your mom. You can't keep mad at her, she was only trying to protect you. She was probably sad too. She told you.., she came back, hoping you're dad had come back for you two. She sounded like she still loves him." she looks at me with a tear in her eye. She sniffles and cleans her cheek with her right hand, smiling at me.
"Maybe you're right. I hate being mad at my mom. After we find my dad, I'm going to tell her that I'm sorry. She's my best friend...well, besides you." she says smiling. I hug her and smile back.
The bell rang, and we walked back to class together. After the altercation with Kaitlyn, Kenzie got transferred to my class, and Kaitlyn has been staying away for most of the time.
We sat in class listening to Mr. Omar, did the rest of our assignments, and waited for the bell to ring. I don't know how we're going to do this. Mr. Omar is not just going to let us get out, he never gets us out of our sight. He only lets you out of his sight if you need to go to the bathroom.
The bell finally rang, I felt my heart race and the pit of my stomach crunched up. I looked at McKenzie who looked just as terrified as me.
We grabbed our backpacks, placed them over our backs, and walked next to each other with everyone else. "Are you sure about this, Kenz?" I looked at her, whispering as we continued to walk. She looks at me, with her face a bit pale, and nods. I looked around and sighed. "Mr. Omar, can I go to the restroom please?" I asked, making him turn before we could turn the building towards the exit. "Uh, sure buddy. Hurry up though, ok? I'll meet you by the gate." he replied.
McKenzie lifted her hand, "Mr. Omar, I need to go too." he smirked, winking at McKenzie, "Ok, hurry you two."
We both went towards the restrooms and waited until more students came out. When the teachers by the other gate across the school were busy talking, we made a run for it. We walked towards the direction of the military base holding onto my backpack straps tightly. I have a feeling that something is going to go awfully wrong.
*******
Sophie
"Baby, will you relax? You've been on edge all day, what's wrong?" Logan asked as I glanced out the window, while we waited for my son's teacher to come out. I don't know what's wrong with me, to be honest. I've had a gut feeling that something is wrong.
I will feel a lot better once I see my baby and Kenzie safe at home with me.
"I can't help but feel like something's wrong. I... I don't know what it is, I just know it." I closed my eyes, sighing and placing my hand over my stomach. These past few days have not been easy. I've been having a bit of pain on the right side of my stomach, though the doctor says the baby is perfectly fine, I still can't quite understand what is happening.
She says it's just stress, and I need to relax. If anything happens to my baby, I don't know what I'd do.
"Baby, you heard the doctor, the baby is fine. You need to relax, everything will be fine. I'm here for you, we'll get through everything together. I'm not going anywhere. Is there perhaps something else that's bothering you?" he says, reaching out for my hand, bringing it to his lips, and placing a soft kiss on my knuckles.
I looked at him smiling softly, "No, I don't think so... I mean, Roxanne has been gone these past two weeks, and things at work are looking great. I am suffering a bit from writer's block, I haven't written anything for the last two weeks, but other than that, things look great. I just... I can't help feel something is wrong." I replied, knitting my eyebrows and sighing.
"Everything will be fine, just relax, ok?" he reassured me, placing another kiss on my knuckles.
The bell rang, and it wasn't long before the teachers began to come out of their classrooms with students lined up. I got out of the car and walked hand in hand with Logan, but I was worried when I didn't see Nate and Kenzie with him.
"Teacher Omar, I don't see my son or Kenzie with you, where are they?" I asked worriedly, my heart began to race, and the pit of my stomach became unease, making me want to vomit. "Oh, he and Kenzie asked me for permission to use the restroom, don't worry Ms. Spencer, they will be right out," he assured me, but I was not going to be settled until I had them in my arms.
Parents began to take their kids home, I kept looking around and the more time passed, the more nervous I became. Logan grabbed his phone out and made a call, while I kept getting nervous. Almost everyone had left, but no Nate... No Kenzie.
"Are you sure something didn't happen to them in there? They took an awfully long time already, don't you agree?" Logan asked the teacher making him worried as well.
We all became nervous, the teacher got on his walk-talky and sent out an awareness, to ask all the teachers for their help and ask if anyone had seen them. Half an hour had passed, it was far too long for them to be in the restroom, I was beginning to get a panic attack, and the side of my stomach began to hurt again.
I felt a big lump on my throat build up, and I fought back tears. "Logan what if something happened to them?" he hugged me over my shoulders, I began to shed tears, hugging him around his middle.
"I need to go inside and search for myself, Mr. Omar, and I'd appreciate your full cooperation," Logan told the teacher, making him nod. "Of course, Sir, please, follow me." he directed us inside. "I've already called Steven, he'll send out patrol cars to look around the area, if they left the school without consent, or someone has them,"
"What?" my heart dropped at Logan's words. Could someone have taken my baby? Oh, God, please no...
"Baby, I hate to think of it, but it's possible. Don't worry, I will find him. No matter where he is, I will bring him and Kenzie back home safe, I promise." I began to cry uncontrollably. I just knew something was awfully wrong. Where could he be? I have to find them, "I have to do something, anything. I can't just sit here, Logan."
"Sophie, relax, baby."
"Don't tell me to relax, my son is missing." I lost my temper and my nerves. I walked frantically around campus, yelling his name and Kenzie's, hoping they were somewhere in here... I would rather die than find something bad happened to my baby. To make matters worse, it was beginning to rain, and neither Kenzie nor Nate had umbrellas to cover up from the rain.
********