Have You Seen Her?

Je

"Mrs. Kasselbaum," Je

"You know what a gossip she is," Seth said weakly.

"I know what a gossip you are," Je

Allison's lips thi

Je

Allison's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Charlie's eyes widened. Garrett looked like he'd swallowed his fork.

"Je

"I'm not finished. You say you want me to get on with my life. But the first chance I get, I'm disgraceful," she sputtered, then pointed her finger at Seth. "I am tired of your gossip and meddling." She turned her finger to Allison. "I am tired of your bossiness." She felt a sob building in her chest and fruitlessly battled it. "And I am tired of your damn Wednesday meat loaf." Leaving the table in stu

No, not Adam's car. Adam was dead. D-e-a-d, dead. Two years ago this Saturday. This was not Adam's car. This is my car. "My car," she gritted aloud. My car. My life. Her hands shook as she tried to put the key in the lock and the sob broke free. She leaned her forehead against the car and felt the waves of emotion crash in her head and the tears come. And come. And come.

My life. My totally out of control life.

A hand gently pulled the key from her fist and turned her body into his. Je

Seth held her as she cried, rocking her, stroking her hair as her own father would have done. She cried over Adam, over the boys at school, over Steven. She even cried over the stupid meat loaf. And when her tears were spent, Seth held her a little longer, still stroking her hair.

"I understand you've had a rather taxing week, young lady," he said gently and she nodded, her cheek still pressed to his shoulder.

"My life sucks," she moaned and he chuckled. For some reason that made her feel better.

"You know, you've made me work pretty hard this week," he said and she pulled back to look at him. He pulled a cotton hankie from his pocket and she took it, mopping her wet face.

She sniffled. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, you told me about the tires and your ankle. But the rest I had to find out from Mrs. Kasselbaum and-" He closed his mouth. "And others," he added.

Her eyes narrowed. "What others?" she asked suspiciously.

His white brows lifted. "1 don't disclose my sources," he said loftily, then he sobered. "Why didn't you tell us about the problems at school, Je

Je

"So instead you keep it all in until you explode all over Allison's meat loaf?" he asked, a smile in his voice, and her lips quivered.

"That was bad of me," she admitted. "You are a meddling gossip and Allison is bossy, but I shouldn't have let it come out like that. I'm sorry, Dad."

"Accepted." Then he gri

"I couldn't pull that one off with a straight face," Je

"Come on back, Je

So she climbed the driveway to the people that cared about her. They were her family. Despite their eccentricities and terrible food.

"I'm sorry, Je

"I'm sorry I called you bossy," Je

"What about the meat loaf?" Charlie asked and Je

"Shut up, Charlotte A

And then, of course, the phone rang. Garrett answered it, his expression puzzled. "Yes, she's here." He cupped the phone. "Je

The peace fizzled abruptly as she listened to Father Mike ask her to meet him at his parish.

Wednesday, October 5, 7:30 P.M.

"Where are we going?" Je

"Out past Shotwell Crossing," he answered, turning out of the rectory driveway. "We should just beat Steven and Brad there."

"So let me get this straight," Je

"So you've noticed Steven's propensity to work," Father Mike said, looking straight ahead.

"I've noticed Steven hides from his kids. I don't know why." Je

"No."

Je

"Right so far."

"So Steven gets mad, surprise, surprise, and decides he'll go get Brad and teach him a lesson by, of all things, making him volunteer in the search for this missing teenager." She ticked off a fourth finger and frowned. "What is the man thinking?"

"That Brad needs to grow up and stop throwing childish tantrums," Father Mike responded.

"Hell of a way to grow up," Je

"And on that we agree," Father Mike said, maneuvering his car onto the highway.

"So wrapping things up"-she ticked off her thumb- "Helen gets upset and calls you. She tries to call me, thinking I have some magic wand I can wave to make Steven behave, and though I'm not home somehow she manages to figure out where I am. I still want to know how she tracked me down. And what possessed her to believe he'll listen to a blessed thing I have to say."

"He, Steven, or he, Brad?"

"Either. Both."

Father Mike glanced over. "Did you learn more than counting when you got your Ph.D.?"

Je

"Your parents must be proud."

Je

Father Mike gri