Finding John
Chapter Six
My dad wasn’t in the kitchen when I got home. He wasn’t in his bedroom either. And when I saw that his car wasn’t parked in the garage, I got a horrid feeling in the pit of my stomach. Just when I had started to freak out, I saw a small piece of paper taped to the fridge. I hurried over to read it, anxious to find out what it read.
John,
I hope you’re not freaking out right now. Don’t worry. I only went up to the mountains. You know that little cottage that your mom and I built? That’s where I am. Please don’t come looking for me; I just want to be alone for a few days. I’ll return soon. I love you.
Love,
Dad
“Shit,” I cursed, unable to stop the obscenity from leaving my lips. “He can’t be serious about this. He just can’t.” I sat down in one of the wooden chairs a few feet away from me, their white paint starting to peel off slightly. I knew that if I continued standing, I would fall down eventually, so it was better to sit down now. I felt a single tear slip down my cheek, and all I could think was, "How could he do this to me?” I mean, I can see how he’s absolutely devastated over the loss of his wife, the love of his life, but how could he just leave me here, alone, by myself? I just didn’t understand his logic.
After a few minutes, I walked over to the phone on the counter and dialed a number.
“Hello?”
“Hi,” I said.
“What is it?” the voice queried.
“I--I need you.”
“I’ll be right over.”
---
About 15 minutes later, the doorbell rang. I got up off of the tan couch I was resting on and opened the front door. “Sara! Thank you for coming.”
“It’s really no problem, John. You know I’m here for you.” She walked over and hugged me.
I looked up at Sara. She was wearing faded blue jeans and an orange plaid top. “You changed your shirt,” I said.
“Yeah. Claire spilled applesauce on it.” I laughed. Claire is Sara’s two-year-old sister. She has a habit of spilling her food. She’s like a disaster waiting to happen. “So why do you need me?” Sara cautiously asked.
I sucked in a deep breath. I had just started to relax when Sara asked me that. Just like yesterday at lunch, I had almost forgotten about what was going on in my life. “It’s my dad,” I managed to say.
“What about him?” Sara looked at me quizzically. “I mean, is he okay?”
“He’s…well, he’s gone.”
John,
I hope you’re not freaking out right now. Don’t worry. I only went up to the mountains. You know that little cottage that your mom and I built? That’s where I am. Please don’t come looking for me; I just want to be alone for a few days. I’ll return soon. I love you.
Love,
Dad
“Shit,” I cursed, unable to stop the obscenity from leaving my lips. “He can’t be serious about this. He just can’t.” I sat down in one of the wooden chairs a few feet away from me, their white paint starting to peel off slightly. I knew that if I continued standing, I would fall down eventually, so it was better to sit down now. I felt a single tear slip down my cheek, and all I could think was, "How could he do this to me?” I mean, I can see how he’s absolutely devastated over the loss of his wife, the love of his life, but how could he just leave me here, alone, by myself? I just didn’t understand his logic.
After a few minutes, I walked over to the phone on the counter and dialed a number.
“Hello?”
“Hi,” I said.
“What is it?” the voice queried.
“I--I need you.”
“I’ll be right over.”
---
About 15 minutes later, the doorbell rang. I got up off of the tan couch I was resting on and opened the front door. “Sara! Thank you for coming.”
“It’s really no problem, John. You know I’m here for you.” She walked over and hugged me.
I looked up at Sara. She was wearing faded blue jeans and an orange plaid top. “You changed your shirt,” I said.
“Yeah. Claire spilled applesauce on it.” I laughed. Claire is Sara’s two-year-old sister. She has a habit of spilling her food. She’s like a disaster waiting to happen. “So why do you need me?” Sara cautiously asked.
I sucked in a deep breath. I had just started to relax when Sara asked me that. Just like yesterday at lunch, I had almost forgotten about what was going on in my life. “It’s my dad,” I managed to say.
“What about him?” Sara looked at me quizzically. “I mean, is he okay?”
“He’s…well, he’s gone.”