Adolescent

Jimmy’s eyes scanned over the computer screen, reading multiple titles on Google over and over again. Nothing met his wantings and he angrily rubbed down his face. There had to be someplace that could help a parents, or parents, find their child or children. There had to be.

A steaming cup of coffee sat isolated to his right, cooling off within the hours he sat at the screen. He was becoming agitated very quickly. He knew once he was pissed, there was no point in finishing his current activity. Patience running very slim, Jimmy slammed his fists down on the table.

“Come on!”He pushed himself from his seat and grabbed his coffee cup.

The hot liquid spilt freely on his hands, forcing the cup to slip from within his fingers and clash against his carpeted floor. Jimmy cupped his hand in pain and growled lowly. Nothing was going his way. Not a single thing. The creaking of his front door forced him to turn and find Matt.

“Dude, we got papers.”He stopped when he saw the brown mess throughout the carpet.”What the hell happened?”

“What did you find?!”Jimmy reached for his hands, but Matt pulled back.

“Wait,”Brian trailed in behind Matt, stacks of papers and, what he hoped, information piling in his hands.”I don’t know if it’s one hundred percent right.”

“Then why the fuck did you bring it here?!”He glared angrily over at his computer, like it was the machine’s fault.

“It just seemed like good information.”Matt shrugged, noticing his attempt at help wasn’t the best.”Sorry, Jimmy.”

“I have some news too on Hillari.”Brian dropped the papers on the coffee table and looked over at Jimmy; he was confident in what he found.”I found two girl’s; same name.”

“And?”Jimmy’s eyes glimmered with hope.

“One lives in Huntington Beach, the other in Austin, Texas.”His smile fell slightly, knowing it was a fifty fifty chance on finding the real Hillari.

“Does she have the same last name?”He picked up his coffee cup and placed it gently on the table; the stain could be cleaned at any other time.

“Do I look like god to you, dude?”Brian scoffed.

Jimmy’s face fell and Brian could feel the hurt he caused him. He didn’t mean to be so rude about the situation, it was just him.

“Sorry, Jimbo. I didn’t mean it to come out that wa-”He stopped as Jimmy gave a half hearted smile.

“Don’t worry, Bri. You guys tried. Let’s just go through it.”They sat on the couch, reviewing each individual piece of paper they had received.

Nearly an hour went by and only two papers sat on the side, the others were able to be tossed away. Some explained why parents gave up their children, others told how to get your children back from an orphanage. Only two were able to give at least some information on Hillari herself.

The first read that Hillari Sullivan was accepted into Ponds Formal Church in Huntington Beach when she was first born. A woman, who’s name was classified, let her go right after her birth. The second only stated that another Hillari Sullivan was let into St. Mary’s Child Development in Austin Texas.

The same information was enclosed within it’s small, detailed paragraphs. Jimmy held tightly onto the papers and let out a quiet sigh. His little girl was out there somewhere and he had a gut feeling she wasn’t out in Austin, Texas. He looked up at Matt and Brian, pulling them from their studies.

“She’s here.”He whispered.

“What?”Brian leaned forward more, trying to hear him better.

“Hillari’s not in Texas.”He looked up at the guys, trying to find a better way to explain himself.”I’m telling you that Hillari wasn’t given up in Austin, Texas. Leanna wouldn’t go that far. If she knew I wouldn’t have found out, she would have kept it local. Hillari’s in Huntington Beach.”

Brian and Matt smiled, knowing Jimmy’s determination for finding his daughter wasn’t going to be questioned anymore.

“Where do we start?”Brian sat back in the couch and cracked his knuckles.

“We find out their phone number.”He eyed down the paper, carefully reading the orphanige’s name.”Ponds Formal Church.”

Jimmy stood from his couch and eagerly walked into his kitchen. He threw open his drawers, trying desperately to find any sort of yellow book. It was in his power that he find out this number and squeeze out any information he could on Hillari’s adoption.

Brian and Matt watched in amazement as papers and objects flew in different directions, landing with their own soft clank or bang. They each looked from themselves back at Jimmy, shocked when he found a thick, old, yellow book for Huntington Beach, California.

He drew open the pages, skimming through papers and words that scribbled themselves through the local book. He stopped suddenly and a smile of improvement filled his lips. He finally found the number he was looking for this whole time. The number that would change his life.

“I got it.”His words were filled with hurt, but they all knew it was more hope than anything.”I have their number right here.”