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Theraysofsunshining through the window are my natural alarm clock this morning. I’m not ready to wake up though. The night was long; my body doesn’t want to move because it’s so worn out from moving through water for hours and hours, not to mention getting bitch-slapped halfway across the ocean by a fishtail. Plus, the sex with Jake...at least that part was enjoyable.
I stretch my arms over my head and then out and around in a big circle. When my hand doesn’t smack into Jake, I flip my hair away from my face so I can see better. His side of the bed looks like he hasn’t touched it since we made love last night. I furrow my brows but shrug. He probably woke up early to start getting everyone mobilized to leave. He’s always antsy to hit the road early.
I hope he waited to pack the treats he got last night. Otherwise, we’ll have disappointed kids when it’s all a melted sticky mess. I throw the covers back and stand up, stretching again. At least I won’t have to do much but nap in the passenger seat for the next few hours. I tap the screen of my phone to check the time. I fell asleep only five hours ago. Jake didn’t even fall asleep when I did. How could he have woken up before me? Is hethatanxious to go?
I take my time getting dressed and packing up our toiletries, mainly because I can’t move any faster than turtles-fucking-miles-per-hour. About an hour later, I head down to have breakfast and check on the rest of the family’s progress. I expect to walk into a full and bustling kitchen, even with the events of last night keeping most of us up passed our bedtimes. But I am very wrong. Rory is feeding Tabitha in the kitchen, but they’re the only ones I see.
I yawn. “Good morning! Is Jake loading the car?” I open the fridge to look for some iced coffee.
Rory raises an eyebrow and shakes his head. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him today. But we just got down here about five minutes ago. I wanted to let Eliza sleep in a little, so I figured we could have some Daddy-Tabby time.” He coos the end of his sentence to his daughter, who eats it up with a giggle. Then he resumes cutting up a peach into bite size cubes and placing a few at a time on Tabby’s highchair tray.
I stare at their motions for a few moments, my mind trying to turn off and go back to sleep. But a nagging voice at the back of my brain won’t stop screaming to pay attention. I’m missing something. Something important.
Again, I furrow my brow and look around at my surroundings. “Have any of my kids come up?”
Again, he shakes his head. “Not that I’ve seen. Sorry.” He nods toward the living room. “I think everyone needed to sleep in this morning.”
I rub my eyes, trying to bring some sanity back to my semi-awake brain. “I’m sure you’re right. I’m going to check the basement. Maybe he’s getting the other ones up and moving.”
But the air in the basement is as still as in the living room. Gentle breathing comes from Sammy and Natalie’s room. I peak my head in. Each of the four kids are snuggled into a bunk bed. No Jake.
The not so gentle snoring coming from another guest room tells me where Benjamin and Joanna are sleeping. Their room and the one next to it, where George is, have the doors shut.
I stand in the hallway with my hands on my hips. Where the hell is my husband?
I climb the stairs and hear Eliza’s voice in the kitchen. She sounds groggy, but much more her than yesterday afternoon. “No, I’m fine, Rory. Really. I just want to be with you and Tabitha.”
I smile as I pour myself a cup of coffee. I’m happy my friend found someone who takes such good care of her.
“Good morning, girls!” Eliza greets Jessie and Phoebe with an extra cheery tone. The girls must have been steps behind me.
“Aunt Eliza! It’s so good to have you home. Are you okay?” Jessie’s voice is full of concern and relief.
“Are you some kind of superhero too?” Phoebe’s voice is full of vitriol. She doesn’t sound anything like her normal happy self. She sounds jaded, like she aged fifty years in the last twenty-four hours. I turn around so I can be in the conversation that is about to happen.
“Good morning, girls.” I echo, smiling weakly, when I look at my two eldest daughters. Phoebe’s face scrunches up in disgust, looking at me like she’s never seen me before, like I’m a stranger that she doesn’t even know. Her arms cross protectively in front of her body.
I try to keep the smile plastered on my face, but my heart is cracking in my chest. I can’t remember a time Phoebe was angry with me. Jessie, yes, all the time. But Phoebe? Never.
To break the intolerable silence, Eliza asks, “Is Jake still sleeping?”
My inner being collapses at the question. “No, you haven’t seen him either?” I go to the kitchen door and open it a few inches to look at the car in the driveway. My face falls into a frown as I start to worry, but I also don’t want to scare my kids, so I try to stay calm on the outside while my heart beats like a hummingbird’s wings in my chest.
At this moment, George comes upstairs. His hair is mussed, but other than that he looks well-rested and raring to go. Ah, youth…
“Good morning, every—Miranda, what’s wrong?” He expression shifts when he catches my eye.
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m sure everything is fine. Can you come for a walk with me on the boardwalk, please?” I’m talking too fast for any of my assurances to be convincing.
Phoebe rolls her eyes. As I turn and enter the living room, I hear her quip, “Must be some big superhero business. Too important for us lay-folk.”
She is really hurting. I want to hug her and talk to her and answer all her questions, but right now I need to find my husband.
George follows me onto the deck and closes the glass door behind me. “What’s going on?”
I look out at the ocean and cross the deck to the walkway. “Come with me?”
He looks skeptically at the water, but follows. As soon as we walk away from the house, I speak but make sure I keep my eyes ahead instead of looking at him. If I look at George, I’m going to collapse into a puddle of tears. “Jake is missing.”
