"Where the hell is my sister?" Hunter gritted his teeth asking each one of us.
"Hunter, calm down, everyone is trying to find her," Hailey tried to let Hunter calm down.
“How can I fucking calm down if my sister is missing and she’s not on her own. You hide this from me, Ley. You didn’t tell me what’s really happened to her.”
"Ok, I have a mistake. I hid everything from you. But I didn’t want what was happening now. I am sorry, ok. ” Hunter calmed down then approached Ley and hugged her. “I understand her decision that is why I tolerated her. My mistake, I apologized,”
“I didn’t mean to get angry with you. I’m so worried about my sister. I'm sorry.” Hunter hugs her tight and kisses her forehead.
“Can we file a report now, that she’s missing?” Agatha ask.
"I call my friend, they will help us to find Ashley," I replied. “Hunter, I am sorry about what happened. I know I'm to blame for what happened to her and our relationship. I hurt he---”
“I can’t blame you. What right do I have to be angry if I was once like you? I don’t care about what happened and what you did. All I want right now is to see my sister. Nothing can be changed from what happened.” He did not let me finish.
"Where we can find her?" Hailey asks but no one answered.
"I can't stay here too long I need to find my wife,"
“We need, but we have to plan where we go,” Hailey suggested.
“Hey, any news?” Eugene came with Hera and William.
“No, nothing,” Agatha replied.
“How long has she's been missing? ” Hera asks.
“Not sure, but I slept around 4 pm with her. I woke up like 5:30 pm and she’s gone,” Agatha answered.
“So, it’s almost 20 hours since she’s been missing,” It's William. “Is it the acceptable reason that she’s been suffering from mental illness so we can report to the station that’s she’s missing even if it's still not 24 hours?”
“I did it already,” I answered.
Everyone is silent until William speaks again.
"We will leave first, we will try to find her on the road." I nod at William and at the same time he goes with Hera.
“Did we already check the possible place she will go? Do you have any ideas?” Eugene asked.
“I’ve been to Lewis’s Mansion but she wasn’t there, now, I am thinking where to go first,” Hailey said.
They talked a lot and I didn’t listen to them. My mind is full of thoughts about my wife’s whereabouts. She’s been missing for almost a day but I feel that this waiting is longer than I waited for her for more than two years.
Where did she go and where I can find her?
I started to walk to leave them to find my wife.
“Hey! You will go?” Agatha called me, so I stopped and looked at them.
“I wasted more time here. I need to find my wife.”
“Asher, you just arrived. You’re on the road since yesterday,” she said.
"I can live on the road as long as I can't find my wife. I just came here to meet Hunter and face him. That’s all.”
"But Asher, you need to rest," she insisted.
"No, I need to go,"
“You have to take a nap at least."
“Didn't you hear what I said? I need to find my wife!”
"Hey, don't yell at Agatha, she is just worried about you," Ley said.
"When I rest, will my wife come out, Agatha?" I am a little bit annoyed. Tired, no sleep, and without proper food. But who cares, what is more, important to me is that I find my wife now.
"But, Asher---"
"Enough!" I interrupted her. “I can't find her if I just sit and wait. She wouldn't have disappeared if you hadn't let her leave.”
"What?" Agatha asked in disappointment.
"She didn't mean what happened, why do you blame her?" Ley asked as if stunned as well.
“And who do I blame? You and Eugene who didn't tell us the truth? I, myself that hurt her?! Nana who hid her from me? Paula the head and tail of it all?! Who's Ley?! Tell me who will I be blamed?! ”
“Hey! Don’t shout at my wife,” Hunter said.
“Defending her? Whereas same before, you almost killed her as well, so don't act like you are too concerned about her."
” I don’t know what’s happening to me. I just want to release something inside.
“Hey, hey, hey, let's just chill. Nothing will gonna happen if we argue and dig into the past. Maybe where this conversation will go.” Eugene waved at us and then approached me. “Asher, we understand you, but you have to understand that your sister cares for you. Nothing will happen if we argue here. That can help to find Ashley.”
I sat on the sofa. I wiped my face using my palm. I don’t want to fight with them. I only want to see my wife. I no longer knew what to do.
"I'm scared," I said and looked at them one by one. "I'm afraid I might lose her forever."
"Ash, don't say that." Hailey came up to me and sat down next to me.
“She’s alone somewhere, she’s sick. What if I can’t see her again? What if something might happen to her? What if ---- ”
“Hey, hey, don’t think too much negatively. She’s ok. We can find her,” Ley added.
"I can't do it anymore, Ley, I don't know what to do if she's will lost again." I could no longer restrain myself.
"I'm sorry, Asher, I ---"
“I’m sorry, Agatha, I didn’t mean to say those. I’m sorry,” I interrupted her. "I don't know what to do. I am confused."
"I understand," she said.
I looked at them one by one and asked them a favor. "Please help me guys, please help me to find my wife."
“We will,” Hailey said.
“I will go now. We can find her, don't worry,” Eugene said then left.
"Ley, stay here with the kids," Hunter said.
"But I want to come with you."
"No, just stay with the twins, Hera is not here so one will take care of Ulysses also,"
"Hunter,"
"Stay. Here." Ley did nothing but follow. “You can sleep in the guest room. Take a nap and regain your energy.” Hunter looks at me so I nod at him. "I'll go." Then he kissed Ley.
“Hunter, can you drop me home? I'll just take my car and look for Ashley as well,” Agatha said.
"Sure,"
"I will go with Hunter," Agatha said to me.
"OK,"
I stopped arguing with them and just obeyed.
When they left Ley approached me.
“Asher, I know what you're going through. Believe me. But please, we need to calm down, ok?”
“Yeah, I will take a nap and stay here,” I said and lay down.
After a moment I look at my watch. It's been 10 minutes since Hunter and Leanna left. They have traveled a long way.
"Ley, can I get water?"
"I'll get for you." I nod. Luckily she suggested and I wouldn’t have a hard time.
When she left, I immediately get up and went to my car. I didn't wait too long and I left immediately.
I was only a few minutes away when my cellphone rang. Hailey called so I answered.
"What the fuck, where the hell are you?"
"Ley, please understand me, I'm begging you, please, I need to see my wife." I can’t hear anything from her. "Ley,"
“Fine, take care, when drowsy step aside and sleep. Don't force yourself. Please, don’t give us any worries, we need to find Ashley, but that doesn’t mean it’s ok that you will get sick just to find her.”
"Yes, I will follow what you said,"
"Good, take care," Then she ended the call.
I roam around the area. Looking around, sometimes I go down to ask but no sign of her.
Light is taking over the darkness. She has been missing for a whole day.
Did she eat?
Did she sleep?
Feel cold?
Feel hot?
What is she doing now?
Is she crying?
I couldn't hold back the tears and cried while driving. I wonder how my wife is doing and what she is doing now. She may be hungry, she may be crying because she is alone or maybe she's afraid.
I am in the traffic light waiting for the light to green when I noticed a woman holding a baby.
She asks for money in every car. I noticed that despite the hardship she had she never let go of her baby. A mother’s love indeed. Maybe when Ashley becomes a mother she will be the same to our child.
Our child.
Her child.
Charles.
I took my phone from my pocket when I realized something. She might be emotionless and a little bit confused but there are still memories of her that cannot be deleted. Mostly, if this is the memories of her loved one.
I dialed Nana’s number which is she answered immediately.
"Nana, where is Charles buried?"
“In Safe Haven. In the museum of her parent.
After Nana give me the address I went directly to the cemetery.
It was late at night when I reached the cemetery and immediately looked for the museum.
I’ve been there once when we pay a visit to her mother. We were with her daddy then while Hunter is in jail.
I parked the car and I almost ran to the museum.
Before I could finally arrive I was stopped by the strength of my heartbeat.
The museum is open so you can see inside.
I took my phone and send a message to Hunter saying that Ashley is here in the cemetery.
I saw her seated on the bench so I come and approached her while crying.
"Ashley?" she looks at me and smiles at me. My tears flood while looking at her. “Ashley,” again I call her but she only smiles at me.