I'm on a sentimental journey, of no return or looking back
Part 12
*4 days, 2 hours and 33 minutes after the abduction*
Yes, I am counting, it’s the only thing that gives me hope that they’re still alive.
The phone rang, causing us both to jump a little. The silence of the past few days had been deafening, and this sudden jolt had left us both shaken. We’d told everyone not to call, and apart from phoning to see how Sam is, the phone has been left silent, waiting for a call of hope. I reached for the receiver,
“Hello?”
“Mr Cool. This is Detective Rodgers. I’d like you and your wife to meet us at the station. I’m afraid it’s urgent.”
“What’s happened? I deserve to know. I have a fucking right to know!”
“It isn’t a matter to be discussed over the phone. The sooner we meet, the sooner you will be able to find out. Thank you.”
- The line went dead. I looked over towards Breffni, tears slowly falling down her cheek.
“Its bad news, isn’t it.” She said quietly, more of a statement than a question. I looked down at the phone in my hand, the dial tone still emitting from it.
“That was Detective Rodgers. He wants us to meet him at the station.” I replied almost silently. The worst thoughts were flashing through my mind. Were the kids dead? Had the bastards that took them killed them, or hurt them and left them to die on the side of the road? Or where we being brought in for questioning? Did they really believe this was all an act?
I shook my head. I can’t be thinking this right now. I need to be strong. For Breffni, for Sam, and most of all, for Olivia and Edwin.
I cradled the receiver and took Breffni’s hand. I only wish I could know what is going through her mind. This may be our ordeal, but she gave birth to the kids, she has a stronger connection to them than I will ever have.
“Ready?” I asked.
“No, but we have to go. It’s worse not knowing.” She replied with what once, in the past, would have been a smile.
*At the station*
*Breffni’s pov*
No matter how many times I see this place, it never changes. Still the tall grey building, pretending to be a happy place, where the law is upheld, where evil wrong doers are brought down to reality, but this place is filled only with sorrow, amongst this pleasant backdrop. Sure the trees are green and the birds are singing, but inside I feel I am both blind and deaf to it all.
I grip onto my husbands hand more tightly, it scares me to think that in a few short moments, we will be told that our babies, our Olivia and Edwin, are gone forever. It may seem that I have already accepted it, but truthfully, I am fighting it with every part of my being. I am trying to push out what is soon to become our reality.
I feel his eyes boring into me, I tilt my head slightly to look deep into them. I can see him hurting, just as much as I am. I can see him pleading to be let into my head, to find out all those things I keep from him. But I can’t allow him to think that I am this weak, to already have succumbed to the thoughts of the devil.
We walk through the doors together. A unity that I need to feel, a unity that would kill me to lose. I look up to see the two Detective’s that I have unfortunately seen so often over the past week. They have that same expression they always have, not letting any information seep out, so that no false hope is given. I learnt that the first time I met them.
“Ah, Mr Cool, Mrs Cool.” Detective Rodgers said, grasping our hands in the same firm handshake. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”
Why must he talk like we’ve come to retrieve a lost wallet or something as meaningless as that?
He leads us down a corridor to a small room, not an interrogation room, but a ‘family room’ you might say.
“Now,” he started, “the reason I’ve brought you here is to tell you…” he paused.
Why fucking pause there? Tell us what? Oh god…
“…we have received some news regarding the kidnap of your children…”
Yes, we know that, otherwise we wouldn’t be here.
“…earlier today we received a tip-off as to the whereabouts of the babies…”
They’re still alive. Thank you god.
“…on following up on this lead, we found the children, just before the state border. It seems the kidnappers got cold feet. However…”
The thought of being reunited with my children again made my senses sharpen to the world. I wanted to remember this time, when I was told of their safe return, so I would remember how the return of happiness feels.
Wait. There was a however…
“…the identity of the assailants is still at large.”
“I want to see them.” Tré demanded from beside me.
Detective Rodgers looked down, breaking eye contact with us both.
“Both children were, from what we can tell, relatively well cared for, however being exposed to the cold air for little over an hour, has taken its toll. Both children are currently receiving medical attention.”
“I don’t care, I want to see them, I need to see them.” Tré replied.
“Why is it that you decided to bring us here instead of to the hospital?” I voiced my thoughts before I even realised.
Detective Rodgers looked up at me again. I’d found him out.
“It’s your fault, isn’t it?”
“No, we did everything by the…”
“You said they weren’t found for over an hour, even after you’d got a tip off about where they where. Why did it take so long to find them? If it was at state lines, then there would have been plenty of officers to check it out.” I could feel the anger inside me, the spit at the corners of my mouth. I must look like a rabid dog, but I don’t care.
He nodded.
He nods? He doesn’t even have the decent courtesy to answer.
“Yes, we believed that this call was one of the many hoax calls we’ve been receiving. It was believed that it would be a waste of much needed manpower to check it out. It’s been over four days, and since it takes less than a day to get to the state boundary, we believed it would be playing into the hands of the hoaxers.”
I was speechless. Tré grabbed my hand, and rose beside me.
“If that is all, we’ll see ourselves out. We need to see our kids. I’ll be speaking to my lawyer in the morning, and if anything has happened to Olivia and Edwin, rest assured, you’ll be the first to take the blame. Good day.” He tugged slightly on my hand, and we left the station, destined for the hospital, and the fate of our twins.
Yes, I am counting, it’s the only thing that gives me hope that they’re still alive.
The phone rang, causing us both to jump a little. The silence of the past few days had been deafening, and this sudden jolt had left us both shaken. We’d told everyone not to call, and apart from phoning to see how Sam is, the phone has been left silent, waiting for a call of hope. I reached for the receiver,
“Hello?”
“Mr Cool. This is Detective Rodgers. I’d like you and your wife to meet us at the station. I’m afraid it’s urgent.”
“What’s happened? I deserve to know. I have a fucking right to know!”
“It isn’t a matter to be discussed over the phone. The sooner we meet, the sooner you will be able to find out. Thank you.”
- The line went dead. I looked over towards Breffni, tears slowly falling down her cheek.
“Its bad news, isn’t it.” She said quietly, more of a statement than a question. I looked down at the phone in my hand, the dial tone still emitting from it.
“That was Detective Rodgers. He wants us to meet him at the station.” I replied almost silently. The worst thoughts were flashing through my mind. Were the kids dead? Had the bastards that took them killed them, or hurt them and left them to die on the side of the road? Or where we being brought in for questioning? Did they really believe this was all an act?
I shook my head. I can’t be thinking this right now. I need to be strong. For Breffni, for Sam, and most of all, for Olivia and Edwin.
I cradled the receiver and took Breffni’s hand. I only wish I could know what is going through her mind. This may be our ordeal, but she gave birth to the kids, she has a stronger connection to them than I will ever have.
“Ready?” I asked.
“No, but we have to go. It’s worse not knowing.” She replied with what once, in the past, would have been a smile.
*At the station*
*Breffni’s pov*
No matter how many times I see this place, it never changes. Still the tall grey building, pretending to be a happy place, where the law is upheld, where evil wrong doers are brought down to reality, but this place is filled only with sorrow, amongst this pleasant backdrop. Sure the trees are green and the birds are singing, but inside I feel I am both blind and deaf to it all.
I grip onto my husbands hand more tightly, it scares me to think that in a few short moments, we will be told that our babies, our Olivia and Edwin, are gone forever. It may seem that I have already accepted it, but truthfully, I am fighting it with every part of my being. I am trying to push out what is soon to become our reality.
I feel his eyes boring into me, I tilt my head slightly to look deep into them. I can see him hurting, just as much as I am. I can see him pleading to be let into my head, to find out all those things I keep from him. But I can’t allow him to think that I am this weak, to already have succumbed to the thoughts of the devil.
We walk through the doors together. A unity that I need to feel, a unity that would kill me to lose. I look up to see the two Detective’s that I have unfortunately seen so often over the past week. They have that same expression they always have, not letting any information seep out, so that no false hope is given. I learnt that the first time I met them.
“Ah, Mr Cool, Mrs Cool.” Detective Rodgers said, grasping our hands in the same firm handshake. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”
Why must he talk like we’ve come to retrieve a lost wallet or something as meaningless as that?
He leads us down a corridor to a small room, not an interrogation room, but a ‘family room’ you might say.
“Now,” he started, “the reason I’ve brought you here is to tell you…” he paused.
Why fucking pause there? Tell us what? Oh god…
“…we have received some news regarding the kidnap of your children…”
Yes, we know that, otherwise we wouldn’t be here.
“…earlier today we received a tip-off as to the whereabouts of the babies…”
They’re still alive. Thank you god.
“…on following up on this lead, we found the children, just before the state border. It seems the kidnappers got cold feet. However…”
The thought of being reunited with my children again made my senses sharpen to the world. I wanted to remember this time, when I was told of their safe return, so I would remember how the return of happiness feels.
Wait. There was a however…
“…the identity of the assailants is still at large.”
“I want to see them.” Tré demanded from beside me.
Detective Rodgers looked down, breaking eye contact with us both.
“Both children were, from what we can tell, relatively well cared for, however being exposed to the cold air for little over an hour, has taken its toll. Both children are currently receiving medical attention.”
“I don’t care, I want to see them, I need to see them.” Tré replied.
“Why is it that you decided to bring us here instead of to the hospital?” I voiced my thoughts before I even realised.
Detective Rodgers looked up at me again. I’d found him out.
“It’s your fault, isn’t it?”
“No, we did everything by the…”
“You said they weren’t found for over an hour, even after you’d got a tip off about where they where. Why did it take so long to find them? If it was at state lines, then there would have been plenty of officers to check it out.” I could feel the anger inside me, the spit at the corners of my mouth. I must look like a rabid dog, but I don’t care.
He nodded.
He nods? He doesn’t even have the decent courtesy to answer.
“Yes, we believed that this call was one of the many hoax calls we’ve been receiving. It was believed that it would be a waste of much needed manpower to check it out. It’s been over four days, and since it takes less than a day to get to the state boundary, we believed it would be playing into the hands of the hoaxers.”
I was speechless. Tré grabbed my hand, and rose beside me.
“If that is all, we’ll see ourselves out. We need to see our kids. I’ll be speaking to my lawyer in the morning, and if anything has happened to Olivia and Edwin, rest assured, you’ll be the first to take the blame. Good day.” He tugged slightly on my hand, and we left the station, destined for the hospital, and the fate of our twins.