When You Can't Sleep at Night

Tanya’s pov
I couldn’t believe I had been away from home for a whole year. I wondered if my dad and the rest of the guys we’re alright. Was Kim still with my father? If she wasn’t he would have been devastated. I could only hope they were together.

“What are you doing out here all alone?” Jimmy asked, walking out to the balcony where I was watching the sunset.

I turned my head to look at him, “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

I turned my eyes back to the sunset and sighed, “My dad. There are so many things I want to know.”

Jimmy didn’t say anything, he just sat down next to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. I leaned against his chest and took in the ocean air. We had a house right next to the beach. It reminded me of the lot my dad and the guys owned. I missed the California sun beating down on me everyday. Sure Miami was great and everything, but it wasn’t the same as Huntington.

“Do you miss it there?” He asked after a few minutes of silence.

I nodded softly, “Yeah.”

“You want to go back don’t you?” He asked his voice cracking a bit.

I turned around and placed my hands on either side of his face, “No, I won’t without you. I want to be with you. Wherever you go I go. I’ll be with you, until you tell me to go.”

“Well looks like we’re going to be together for a very long time.” He smiled.

I giggled and pressed my lips to his. There was definitely a spark between us. He was perfect for me. Jimmy saw how bad he had hurt me and stopped drinking. All together I wasn’t sure it was because of alcohol, it seemed as if he was on something instead but I wasn’t going to push the subject. He felt bad enough about it already.

“Do you want to go out to eat tonight or stay in?” He asked.

I giggled as his fingers brushed my sides, “I think we should stay in.”

“Oh really?” Jimmy got a devilish grin on his lips.

I smirked, knowing the look he was giving me way too well. I took his hand and started pulling him inside towards our room. He was perfect and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better than him.

*-*-*-*-*-*

Matt’s pov
I groaned as the sun shined in my eyes. As I got off the couch I knocked over a few beer bottles onto the ground most likely breaking them but right now I could have cared less. The answering machine was flashing telling me that I most likely had messages. Kim had been over earlier to collect her stuff and leave but I just stayed on the couch drinking until I passed out.

“Stupid bitch.” I grumbled even though I knew it wasn’t her fault.

I swallowed down some Aspirin then pressed the button on the answering machine. Right away Brian’s voice came through.

“Hey man, we haven’t seen you in a while. Don’t worry, we’ll find Tanya. I know this has been hard on you but you do need to continue on… Anyways me and Michelle are having a barbeque at six, everyone is going to be there and so should you. I mean just drop by anytime. Ight?”

I pressed the delete button and ran my fingers through the light brown curly hair that had been growing.

“Hey Matt it’s me, Kim. I just want to make sure you’re alright? We’re not together anymore but that doesn’t mean that we can’t still be friends-”

I cut the message of and deleted it letting the next message play.

“Hello Mr. Sanders. You must be out but I hope you get this message. This is Chase Tanning down at the HB police station, we’re sorry to inform you that the on going search for your daughter has been closed for right now. Our jurisdiction does not allow us to go out looking for runaways. Have a nice day and if any problems arise or you hear anything make sure to call us.”

A soft sigh escaped my lips and I pressed the next button. What could be worse?

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach when I heard Jimmy’s voice.

“Hello Matt. You know who this is and I’m surprised you didn’t answer your phone especially since Tanya is missing. Are you just to lazy or have you stopped caring? Anyways I’m not calling to insult your bad parenting skills, I’m calling to say that she’s fine and she misses home but she’s not coming back. Tanya likes it here with me. Oh that’s right you don’t know, well I’ll just inform you that we’re very happy together and I think I might put a ring on that pretty little finger of hers one of these days. Oh and you might want to look at the pictures throughout the years there might be someone from your past in the back.”

A voice in the back called out, “Jimmy are we going out to eat?”

“Sure babe, what sounds good?” He called back.

Her voice came closer bringing tears to my eyes, “Taco Bell sounds so good.”

He chuckled, “Alright we’ll go get Taco Bell.”

There was a lip smacking sound that made my stomach turn. Then Tanya giggled, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Jimmy spoke back before the line cut off.

I started coughing and sputtering trying to comprhend what I had just heard. He had to be holding a gun to her or something, there’s no way my little girl would have fallen love with him. Not in a million years. She was so sweet and innocent, she wouldn’t have fallen for him unless it was by force.

Quickly I ran through the hallway to Tanya’s room. The door was shut and I quickly opened it to find that everything was still in the right places and it looked exactly like she left it. Kim had tried to pick up some of the laundry that Tanya had lazily tossed on the floor but Matt refused to let her touch anything. My heart raced as I opened the night stand drawer and found a book of every picture that had ever been taken. As I flipped through the pages I found several pictures that had Jimmy in the back ground almost blending in with the scenery.

“How did I not notice?” I asked myself.

On the last page was a picture of Tanya and I at her birthday party I looked in the background for Jimmy but didn’t see him. Instead Leana was smirking over at us from behind the counter of the venue we were at. My heart dropped again and I tore the picture off the page and raced out of Tanya’s room. My eyes never left the picture as I headed towards the door. I flung the door open and saw the familiar brunette that should have been dead standing on the porch.

“Miss me?”