The Missing

The street outside was quiet. It was mid winter and despite the chill in the air, quiet a fine day. The children where outside having lunch on the grass, Jill’s idea. A picnic in the middle of winter was quiet appealing to the kids. Something that I would never have thought about. That was Samantha’s department.

Samantha, how long has it been? Six, no seven months. Michael was released from hospital a month ago, he only came by four months after the accident, having missed the funeral. He was and still is devastated about the loss of his mother, being the youngest of three only five now.

The days after the accident are a vague memory, myself, Peter and Susan came away with only minor injurious. The driver of the car that hit us was apparently dead on impact. He had hit us on Samantha’s side. Flipping his car clean over ours and landing on it roof.

We where on our way back home, from Samantha’s sister’s birthday. Needless to say I had had an ale or two. My brother-in-law, George never took no for an answer, so when an ale was deposited into your hand it was pointless to argue.

Hell that was such a fun day for the kids, Janie having arranged so many activities for the kids that you would swear that it was one of their birthdays, not able to have any kids of her own, she treated our kids as her own and would go out of her way to accommodate them. They would have sleep over’s, camping in the back garden, marshmallows around the bonfire, when it come to Halloween, Janie was the one who took the kids out trick or treating and ending the evening off camping in the lounge and telling horror stories till late. Well at least the kids will still have that, for me that will be a sad time, that was when Samantha and I would have “Special time” go out for diner catch a show, movie or the theater it mattered not. Just so long as we could do it together. Well now that time is over.

That night was to be my first night on my own, the kids where going over to Janie for the evening.

“Give the kids a change of environment, it will do them good.”

“And what am I supposed to do? I haven’t been on my own in what? 10 years?”

“Sean, you need to start getting out, it has been seven months since, since the accident.”

“It just does not feel right yet, I don’t know if ever it will.”
Placing a hand on his arm and lifting his chin a fraction so that his eyes meet hers,

“Sean you loved Sam more than life is self, we all know that, but she is gone, Samantha was my sister and I loved her deeply and knew her better than most. I can not believe that she would want you to mourn her passing forever, in fact I know that she would want you to move on with your life. Go out, watch a movie, I believe there is a great performance on at the theater house, go watch a show, if not for yourself then for the kids. They have not been out of the house since Michael came home.”

“Hell you are right! How could I have been so blind?”

And so that is how I found myself alone tonight and I still haven’t decided what I will be doing. It was nearing time for the kids to go, Jill had already packed the over night bags and it was agreed that Jill would take the kids over to Janie’s house and that I was to be at the house at lunch time needless to stay for lunch.

Where did the time go only a moment ago the kids where out in the garden having a picnic.

“Bye Dad!”

Came the chorus of three voices, Jill had been a God send, Janie had found an agency some where in town, she had conducted all the interviews screened the applicant and short listed the potential candidates and I still get the feeling that I never really had a choice in choosing Jill. Oh I did make the final decision and chose Jill but out of the three that was sent to me she really stood out. The other two faded in comparison.

Jill’s credentials where outstanding, level 3 paramedic, did lecturing on child minding, a qualified tutor and she had done a course on cooking for kids, in other words perfect. It has been six months now that Jill has been here and the kids have really taken to her, thankfully.

Well with the kids out of the house. The oppression of the empty house helped me with the decision to go out. That was how I found myself sitting in our favorite restaurant, the one that only Samantha I would come to, chuckling to myself trying to picture the kids here. This very posh restaurant. We could never subject our kids to the stringent requirements of the establishment and besides they did not serve burgers and fries, the staple diet of any growing kid. Looking down at my watch 6:30 the kids would be busy with some crazy scheme that Janie had concocted to entertain the kids.

All this thinking of the kids made me want to call and say hello and find out what they where up to, feeling around for my phone only to remember that I had left it on the wall unit in the bedroom upstairs.

“Oh well, will have to wait till tomorrow.”

“Pardon sir?” not having seen the waiter, I was startled by the question.

“Oh sorry did not see you there, can I have a glass Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, and a fillet steak medium done with potato and the vegetable of the day, please”

“Certainly sir”

I spent my time waiting for my meal by watching the people passing by the restaurant window. They where all warmly dressed, snug in their winter coats and fur hats. My observations where halted by a man dressed in jeans, boots, a leather jacket and a dirty stetson, not exactly winter attire, he was just standing there leaning against the street lamp, smocking a cigarette, seeming to be doing just what I was. Looking at me, he tilted his head in acknowledgement and continued to watch the people passing by. Just then my dinner arrived and I dismissed the stranger from my mind.

The steak was tender and the wine good, the dessert complemented the meal perfectly, warmed apple pie with cream and a Irish coffee to wash it all down with. It was only 8pm still too early to be heading home, so I decided to catch a movie instead. Being a comic fan and with Samantha not, I opted to see the Fantastic Four. Bill settled I headed out of the restaurant, making my way towards the movie house.

“Excuse me sir?” a bit startled, “Yes? Can I help you?”

“No Mr. Andrews, but I may help you.” He handed me a card. Instinctively I toke the card.

Bryan Summers,
Private Investigator.
072-1010-509.
“If you have lost it I will find it.”

“What makes you think I would have need of your services?”

By the time I had read his card and looked up he was gone. I didn’t really get a good look at the guy but I was sure it was the man with the stetson from earlier. Turning the card over, the back was blank. Still puzzled as to why this Mr. Summers would think that I would need a PI. I placed the card in my pocket never the less, I continued on over to watch the movie.

It was at around 11:30 that I finally got home, the house was quiet, quiet in an eerie way. Dismissing the feeling to there not being any kids in the house, even if they would have been asleep by this time. I made my way up to my room.

Just before 12am I glanced at my cell phone on the wall unit, is was flashing “15 Missed calls”.

“Hell I don’t get that many calls in a day.” Walking over, I collected the phone and dialed the number to access my messages.

"You have 4 messages" …. Yeh, yeh…..

first message. “Sean, George here. Just checking, the kids are still coming over? Well let us know ok? …

Next message ... Sean, Janie here. Have you changed your mind? Is it now 6pm and they are still not here…

Next message….Sean it is now 7pm this not like you too not call, what is going on? Is everything ok? (George in the ground… to hell with it you tell him we coming over…) please give me a call when you get this message….

Next message… Hahaha missing your kids?...”
The phone hits the floor…..