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I guess I should go get her, so she can be a part of this moment. “Well, while you guys get the rules sorted out, I’m going to get your Mom."
"Ok… Dad." Chase says the last word hesitantly like he's trying to taste it on his tongue.
"Yeah, Ok, Dad," Mikey parrots.
Damn you, don't cry. It'll get awkward if you cry.
I hold back my emotions and head downstairs to find the living room empty. I frown and glance around the downstairs floor. I head to the top of the basement stairs, calling down.
“Mia!" I call out, but no one answers. There's a flush, and then Billy emerges from the bathroom. He looks confused when he sees me.
"Why are you calling for Mia?" he asks.
"Because she's not here." Tension instantly snaps through me. "She didn't tell you if she was leaving? Is it still raining?”
"No, she was right here." Billy freezes, face suddenly tense. "Shit!"
Without a word, we instantly split up, zipping through the house, trying to find Mia as quickly as possible, without making noise, so as not to scare the kids.
We reconvene in the living room, empty-handed. My apprehension turns into full-blown panic, intrusive thoughts being intrusive.
The police were supposed to be here by now. They’re too late. That crazy girl’s taken Mia!
"Stay here," I order Billy. "Make sure the kids are safe, and explain every fucking thing you know, to the police. And if anything happens to her or my children, I'll hunt you down and kill you myself."
Without waiting for an answer, I run out and search. I've only been with Chase a few minutes so she couldn't have gotten far.
I step out the front door, feeling a chill after the rain. Her car’s not in the driveway. She must’ve walked off somewhere? Her house again?
"Oh Jesus, Mia. Where are you?" I say to distract myself from the fear pumping through me. Once I get to Mia’s house and see it dark inside, I creep to the side, heading around back. I take out my phone flash light to see if I see anything out of place. That’s when I notice what I assume to be footsteps, in the soggy post-rain grass. They trek behind the homes in the cul-de-sac, leading to the surrounding woods.
I follow the tracks, keeping to the shadows, and trying to remain silent.
That’s when I see Mia in the distance. And she’s not alone. My heart catches.
There’s a tall woman who has a gun out on Mia.
The moon clearly shows the glint of metal. Mia is talking rapidly with her, but her hands are firm on the gun. She looks like she's going to shoot.
My heart seizes in my chest.
I need to distract her.
Immediately, I start charging toward them, every thought flying out of my head.
Mia and the woman both turn to me.
"Mia, get down!" I yell as the woman's gun swivels toward me. She shoots once but I manage to avoid it.
Mia starts running back to me, screaming something, moving into the field of the gun.
What is she doing? She's going to get hurt.
Fuck.
I run faster than I've ever run in my life
I just about grab her wrist when the gun explodes.
