The Only Hope for Me Is You Alone

"I can't believe our baby is graduating 8Th grade." Bert said as he smiled. He took out Annabel's graduation picture from her envelope and gasped. "AW look at my baby!"
I walked over to Bert and looked at the picture.
"Annabel you look so grown up!" I smiled and took it out of his hand.
"Isn't she beautiful?"
"She is!" I smiled.
"Guys come on, I'm not beautiful" Annabel said as she sat at the kitchen table.
"Yes you are Annabel."
"No."
Bert looked at her. "Annabel Autumn McCracken, you're beautiful. Don't ever tell yourself you're ugly. You're the most beautiful thing to me."
"Well, you're my dad you can't call me ugly."
"I'm very truthful, I would tell you."
Annabel stood up and hugged him tightly. "Daddy"
"Yes?"
"Can I have money to go to the mall?"
Bert checked the clock then took his wallet out. "Who are you going with?"
"My friend" Annabel said as she pointed outside.
Bert looked suspiciously outside.
".... Is this friend a 'boy' friend or a 'girl' friend?"
"Dad...."
Bert smiled and handed her a $100 bill.
"Thanks daddy!" She kissed his cheek happily.
"Check in with us when you get there baby."
"Okay, bye daddy bye mommy" She said as she cheerfully walked out.
"You spoil her so much."
"She's my only baby."
"I'm your baby too." I said with a playful smile.
"You're my wonderful, amazing, beautiful, sexy, adorable baby girl" Bert said as he hugged me.
"And you're my amazing, cuddly, warm, sensitive, caring Berty bear." I kissed his lips.
"Hey... Could we talk...?" Bert said as he held me.
"Yes, of course."
Bert walked me into the living room and sat down. He pulled me onto his lap.
"Lindsey... I want to try for another baby.."
"You do?"
He nodded and kissed my cheek. "I don't know what it's like to take care of... a toddler. I always wanted to teach Anna how to walk and talk..."
"Of course we can try again." I smiled and turned to him.
Bert kissed my lips and smiled. "Lindsey"
"Yes?"
"...Do you wanna get married.. to me?"
"Yes.. I do."
"...Really?"
"Really. I love you Bert."
"I love you too... So much. So, Lindsey Cobain, will you marry me?"
"Yes" I said as I smiled.
"I'm.. sorry I have no ring, I don't believe in.. engagement rings."
"I don't need a ring to say I'm gonna marry you."
Bert smiled and put his hand on my cheek.
"I'm going to start dinner, want anything special?"
"Nah, anything you make is delicious."
I smiled and went in the kitchen. Bert went to the piano and started playing this beautiful music. I smiled ans started cooking. Half way in, I was sitting at the table. Then, I heard Bert.
"Let me be the one who calls you baby all the time.. Surely you can take some comfort knowing that you're mine. Just hold me tight, stay by my side. And let me be the one who calls you baby all the time. I found my place, in the world, to stare at your face for the rest of my days. Now I can breathe, turn my insides out and smother me. Warm and alive, I'm all over you; would you smother me?"
I got up quietly and walked to the living room. I stood near the entrance way.
"Let me be the one who never leaves you all alone, I hold my breath and lose the feeling that I'm on my own. Hold me too tight, stay by my side, and let me be the one who calls you baby all the time. I found my place, in the world, to stare at your face for the rest of my days. Now I can breathe, turn my insides out and smother me. Warm and alive, I'm all over you; would you smother me, smother me, smother me?" Bert looked up at me, smiled and continued. "When I'm alone, time goes so slow. I need you here with me." Bert stood up and took me into his arms; he continued. "And how my mistakes, have made your heart break. I still need you here with me so, baby I'm; baby I'm here."
I smiled and kissed his lips. "You sang that to me in the hospital."
"I did" Bert smiled. "I wrote it for you."
"Really?"
"Yes I did."
"Aw Berty" I smiled.
"Go cook baby"
"Play again." I smiled.
"I will!" He smiled and ran back to his piano.
I went to the kitchen, with the enjoyment of Bert playing and singing to me. I made a plate for Bert and I. I left Annabel's in the microwave.
"Annabel never called."
"She probably forgot... again" Bert said with a chuckle.
"Come eat my ray of sunshine"
Bert got up and we enjoyed yet another meal together.
"So... My delicate flower is coming home at what time?"
"Usually around this time..."
"Her phone is with her..." Bert said as he put his plate in the sink, he pulled out his phone and called her.
"No response" Bert said as he quickly hung up. "Lindsey, I'm nervous, she never misses curfew"
"It's only 8, give her an hour."
"Alright..." Bert said as he went back to his piano. I cleaned up the dinner dishes and sat on the couch. I laid down and watched him.

Three hours passed, Bert was impatiently waiting at the window and I was sitting at the kitchen table.
"Lindsey, where's my baby?"
"I don't know." I said as I held my phone. Bert's rang.
"Hello?" Bert quickly answered. "... Quinn fuck off dude! I'm not in the mood..... Annabel's not home, her curfew was hours ago..... Yeah, she went to the mall...... Can you?..... Oh thank you please call me if anything.... Alright, bye"
"What did Quinnster want?"
"He said he'll check the mall."
"Isn't it closed?"
"....Yeah..." Bert said as he called Quinn. "Quinn, the malls closed...... Where else can you check?.... I'll check the neighborhood..... You check the outside area.... Yeah, Linds'll stay here so if Anna comes home, she'll be here..... Okay Quinn, thanks." Bert hung up. "I'm going to drive aro-"
"I heard, call me if anything." I stood up and kissed his lips.
"Be careful" He kissed my lips back and walked out.

The last time I looked at the clock it was 11:30 PM, now it's 3:00 AM. Still no sign of Annabel, and in this case, Bert. I went to my window and looked outside. I called Bert.

"She's home?"
"No... Not yet."
"Lindsey, call the police."
"Alright."
"Go under McCracken, don't say Cobain when you report her."
"Why?"
"Cops are funny, just do as I say babe please."
I could hear the shakiness in his voice, he was crying.
"Alright honey... Please be safe."
"I will, I love you."
"I love you too."
I hung up and called the police.

"Hi, my name is Lindsey McCracken, I'd like to report a missing persons report."
"How long has the person been missing?"
"Uh... A few hours, my daughter's not home."
"We can only do it if she's been missing for 42 hours-"
"She's 13!"
"Alright, where do you live?"
"1298 Baystreet Ave"
"I'll be there, I need a picture so get it ready"
"Okay, thank you"
I got her graduation picture out of the envelope. I opened the door as quickly as I could when I heard a knock.

"May I come in?"
I nodded and let the officer in.
"Okay so... the picture."
"This is her graduation picture, she's graduating from the 8Th grade this year. Its the most recent. But, now she has black hair." I said as I handed him the picture.
"How tall is she?"
"She's 5'1"
Bert walked in the second I said that.
"This is my husband, Robert"
Bert walked over and shook the police officers hand.
"So we'll put out an Amber Alert, what was she wearing?"
"She was wearing a purple shirt with black jeans.... Black and white converse... Her hair is black and long... Its straight, pin straight.... Uh..." Bert said as he walked back and forth. "Honey, am I forgetting anything?"
"No" I said as I put Bert's coat away.
"Well... I'll try my best. We'll call you with anything." He said as he walked out.

"Lindsey, I want my baby back!" Bert broke out into tears.