The Perfect Storm

The door slammed, sending vibrations throughout the walls of the house that threatened to knock the picture frames from the walls. Kasey watched, bemusedly through the window as Sydney’s slight form disappeared around the corner.

“Dad?” said Regina, her voice trembling and unsure.

Mr. Towers wasn’t listening though. He was pulling on his jacket and searching his pockets frantically for his car keys.

“We need to find her, she’s gonna get sick if she stays out in the rain.” He said.

“Oh, dear,” Mrs. Long said, peering out the window.

Conor joined his mother at the window as Mr. Long ran up the stairs to get his jacket and car keys and Mr. Towers argued with Elaina and Regina.

“Look dad, she probably just went back to the house,” Elaina was arguing. “She’s not stupid; she wouldn’t stay out in the rain.”

“I’m not saying she’s stupid,” Mr. Towers argued back. “I’m saying she’s upset and probably isn’t thinking clearly right now.”

“Well then where do you think she went?” Regina challenged.

“Don’t you think that if I knew I’d have gone and gotten her by now?” Mr. Towers replied coldly.

Mrs. Long and Conor still stood by the window, clearly unsure of what to do in this situation. Mr. Long could be heard rummaging around upstairs, muffling curses as he slammed drawer after drawer shut, still looking for his keys.

“Instead of standing here arguing about nothing, how about we all split up and look for her?” Kasey suggested calmly.

Mr. Towers stopped mid-retort to something Regina had said. “Good idea,” he said. “Regina, you come with me. Elaina go and check the house quick and if she’s not there get your car and start looking around town. Kasey, you have a car right?” He barely paused to acknowledge Kasey’s nod. “Start driving around too. Sarah,” he turned to Mrs. Long. “Would you and Conor mind staying here in case Sydney comes back?”

“Not at all.” Mrs. Long replied smoothly.

“Okay, Regina let’s go.”

Mr. Towers had barely finished his sentence as Kasey and Elaina both slipped out the door and then headed off in opposite directions; Elaina to her house and Kasey to his car. He slipped into the driver’s seat and pulled out of the driveway quickly. The radio played softly in the background, calming the pulse he hadn’t realized had been racing.

He drove down the street he had watched Sydney disappear to and wondered idly where she could’ve gone. It had only been about five minutes since she’d run out of the house, he figured she couldn’t have gotten far. He tried to imagine where he would go if he were her, after seeing that photo album for the first time, after years of blaming herself for her mother’s death.

Suddenly it hit him.

He turned down a side-street quickly. The street lights were starting to come on in the growing darkness and he turned his own lights on. They illuminated the gloomy street though the rain as he headed to the town cemetery. After a few minutes he could see the wrought iron gates looming into view and the stone grave markers they confined.

The cemetery was beautiful. Tall trees lined the fences and weeping willows grew here and there in the lush green grass. One could almost forget where they stood, save for the tombstones every few feet. Kasey parked his car at the edge of the gravel road that wound throughout the cemetery and got out quickly. His blue eyes darted around the grounds before landing on a shadowed figure hunched over near one of the weeping willow trees.

“Sydney!” he called through the wind of the storm.

He hurried over to the unmoving figure.

“Sydney?”

She sat there in the mud without looking up at him. Her own blue eyes were staring at the tombstone in front of her that read: Melissa Mary Towers, beloved wife daughter and mother, forever in our hearts. Sydney was sobbing quietly, her back heaving with each breath and he knew she was crying though he could not see the tears with the rain.

“C’mon Sydney, let’s go back to your house.” He said softly.

She still didn’t acknowledge him.

“Sydney, your dad and sisters are worried about you. Let’s go,” his voice was firmer now.

Nothing.

Kasey sighed in frustration and leaned down towards her to pick her up from the ground. That got her attention. She thrashed around wildly in his arms as he started to walk back to his car.

“Put me down!” she screeched in a panic. “Let go of me!”

Kasey ignored her shouts and attempts of escape, only putting her down for a moment to open the passenger car door and shove her in gently. He went around to the driver’s side quickly and locked her door before she could make a move to get out.

“Let me out!” she screamed, her eyes wide.

“You’re going to get sick if you stay outside.” Kasey replied calmly.

“I don’t want to go home,” Sydney’s voice broke.

He glanced at her apprehensively. Tears were visibly running down her cheeks now, and she was trembling from the cold or frustration he did not know.

“Well you can’t stay here,” he replied, starting the car and turning the heat on high.

Sydney stared at him in despair. Kasey glanced at her tear filled eyes and her trembling lower lip. She looked pathetic, but he couldn’t help but feel bad. He sighed.

“Fine,” he muttered. “We won’t go back to your house yet.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You owe me big time, Towers.” Kasey said, though there was no force behind his words.

“Alright,” Sydney said.