Tailspin

by Karen D. Badger

  Just then, the intercom rang.

  "Yes, Deb?" Billie held down the speaker button.

  "Billie, it's your daughter on line one. She sounds upset," Deb replied.

  "Thanks, Deb." A lump of fear settled in the pit of her stomach. She picked up the phone. "Tara? Sky?"

  "Mom, this is Tara. Mom, we can't find Sky," Tara said breathlessly.

  "What do you mean, you can't find Sky?" A tinge of panic edged her voice.

  "We can't find her. We've looked everywhere," She said in a voice choked with emotion.

  Billie realized Tara was beginning to panic. She inhaled deeply and forced herself to calm down. "Okay. Tara, honey, tell me what happened. When did you see her last?" Billie was barely able to control her stomach, which was about to commit nervous mutiny.

  "I don't know. 'Rissa came over about ten o'clock, and we went to my room to listen to my new CD. Sky and Missy were in the backyard playing in the tree house. When it was time to fix lunch, I yelled for her to come in, but she was gone," Tara explained.

  Billie looked at her watch. Three p.m. "So she's been missing for three or four hours?" Billie asked. "Where did you look for her?"

  "We looked everywhere, Mom. I called Jen, but she wasn't home. I even called Seth at work, but his boss said he was too busy to come to the phone. Mom, I'm really scared," Tara finished.

  "All right. Tara, honey, I'm on my way home. Did you call Mama yet?" Billie asked.

  "Yeah, but she's in surgery right now," Tara replied.

  "Sweetheart, don't leave the house in case she comes home before I get there, okay? I'm on my way. Bye." Billie jumped to her feet and headed out the door.

  "Reschedule my afternoon, Deb," Billie said as she flew by the secretary's desk.

  "Is everything all right?" Deb asked her harried employer.

  "Missing kid," she exclaimed as she shoved her arms into her blazer.

  "Is there anything I can do to help?" Deb offered.

  "Not right now. I'll call you if anything changes for tomorrow," Billie replied.

  "Good luck," Deb called to Billie's back as she hurried out the door.

  ***

  By the time Billie arrived home, Missy's mother was pacing frantically back and forth across their kitchen. The moment Billie entered the house she was all over her.

  "Billie. God, I'm glad you're here. The girls are gone," she said frantically, grabbing Billie's biceps.

  Billie took the woman by the shoulders. "Frannie, I know. Tara called me. That's why I'm here. Look, when did you see Missy last?" she asked.

  "Early this morning. She asked to come over here to play with Skylar. If I had known she didn't have adult supervision, I wouldn't have allowed it." Frannie sent a semi-hostile look across the room to Tara and Karissa who were sitting at the kitchen table with tears running down their faces. Tara winced visibly under the attack.

  Billie's anger with this woman rose nearly out of control. She took a step back and placed her hands on her hips. "Frannie, I think Skylar and Missy deserve some of the blame here. Skylar knows better than to run off on her sister without telling her where she's going. Now, I don't know what's happened here, but making Tara and Karissa feel like shit is not going to solve the problem. You got that?" she asked sharply.

  Frannie looked like she had been slapped. Eyes wide and blinking furiously, she looked back and forth between Billie and the two girls at the table. Indignation won out as she stomped her way to the kitchen door. She stopped and turned back toward Billie. "I'm going home to call the police." She yanked the door open and left.

  Billie sneered as she watched the woman retreat. She made a conscious effort to compose herself and then turned to a devastated Tara and opened her arms. Tara immediately ran to her mother. As tough and independent as the teenager liked to think she was, she was still a vulnerable little girl and still longed for the safety and security of her mother's arms.

  Tara buried her face in Billie's chest and cried. "Mom, the police aren't going to arrest me for not watching her close enough, are they?"

  Billie kissed the top of Tara's head and then laid her cheek there. "No sweetheart, they aren't. Like I said, this is as much your sister's responsibility as it is yours. I know you love Sky-Bird and that you would never intentionally do anything to harm her." Billie tilted Tara's chin up. "I'm sure she's fine, Tare, but right now, I need to call Mom then we need to wait for the police to come. With their help, I'm sure we'll find her," Billie said encouragingly.

  Billie released Tara and reached for the phone on the kitchen wall. She stopped to give a crying Karissa an encouraging hug and a kiss on the head. Tara and Karissa sat side-by-side, holding hands as they watched Billie dial the phone.

  "Hello? This is Billie Charland. I need to reach Caitlain Charland. It's kind of an emergency," Billie said into the phone.

  Tara and Karissa listened carefully to Billie's side of the conversation.

  "Oh. All right then. Thank you, Goodbye." Billie hung up the phone and turned to the girls. "She's already left for home. I guess we'll just sit tight and wait for her."

  ***

  Cat maneuvered the car around the corner of her street and immediately noticed flashing blue lights. It took a few moments to register that they were in front of her house.

  "Oh, my God!" Cat pressed her foot suddenly onto the accelerator, causing the car to lurch forward. Just barely in control of the vehicle, Cat came to screeching halt within inches of Billie's car. She jumped out of the car and ran toward the house. "Billie! Billie, where are you? What's happened?"

  Billie and Frannie were inside the kitchen, being interviewed by one of the police officers when Cat burst in. "What the hell is happening here?" Her eyes were wild with fear.

  Billie broke away from the conversation and reached her hand out to Cat, who soon found herself tucked into Billie's side. "Officer Sullivan, this is my wife, Caitlain. Cat, Skylar is missing," Billie said to Cat as she shook the officer's hand.

  Cat looked bewildered, "Missing?"

  "Yes, missing," replied Frannie. "And it's your daughter's fault." She pointed at Tara.

  Billie glared at Frannie while Officer Sullivan intervened. "Ma'am, we don't know whose fault it is. There's no sense making accusations at this stage of the investigation."

  "Investigation?" Cat was confused. "Billie, what is he talking about? Damn it! Will someone tell me what's going on here?" she shouted.

  "Cat, please calm down. Look, Tara called me at work this afternoon, about three o'clock. The last she knew, Sky and Missy were playing in the tree house. When Tara called her in for lunch, they were gone. She and Karissa spent most of the afternoon searching the house and neighborhood for the girls before she called me. Frannie immediately chose to blame Tara for the whole thing," Billie explained.

  "Well, look at her," Frannie exclaimed. "Spiked hair, baggy clothes. What's next, tattoos and body piercing? She looks like a hoodlum. How can you trust her to babysit Skylar all day?" she ranted.

  Billie rose to her full height and glared at Frannie. Officer Sullivan quickly intervened. "Ah, Ma'am, I think it's best that you go home. I'll be over to interview you when I'm finished here," he said.

  Still tucked into Billie's side, Cat reached out her hand to Tara. Once again, Tara quickly took refuge in the circle of love she had been raised within. Cat held the child as her shoulders shook violently with sobs. "Shhh, it's all right Tara. We'll find her. Honey, it isn't your fault," she whispered into the girl's ear as she held her close and placed tiny kisses on the side of her face.

  Tara nodded her head and visibly calmed down. "I'm sorry, Mama. I should have watched her closer," Tara apologized.

  "Well, we all know how determined your sister is. What's important right now is that we find her. We can talk about blame and responsibility later," Cat said as much to the police officer as to her daughter.

  "Cat! Billie!" exclaimed the blonde spitfire as she crashed through the kitchen door. Her grand entrance dr
ew the attention of everyone in the room. "I just got home. The girls left a message on my answering machine about Skylar and Missy. I tried calling to see what was happening, but the line was busy. Look, I've already made a few phone calls. The neighborhood is organizing a search party. Don't worry, we'll find them." Jen said all of this in the short amount of time it took to make it across the kitchen.

  "Officer Sullivan, this is our neighbor, Jen Swenson," Billie said.

  Jen shook hands with the police officer. "Officer," she said. "What can I do to help?"

  "Looks like you're already doing it. Where is the neighborhood group meeting? I'd like to organize the search pattern," he said.

  Jen looked at her watch. "In the elementary school cafeteria, in about an hour."

  "Okay then. I need to interview Missy's mother, then I'll meet you at the school." Officer Sullivan placed a callused finger under Tara's chin and lifted her face. "Don't worry, Tara. We'll find your little sister, okay?"

  Tara nodded tearfully and forced a weak smile onto her face. "Thanks," she said shyly as she watched him leave.

  Jen looked at Tara and at her own daughter still sitting at the kitchen table. "Tara, why don't you come to the school with Karissa and me? She looks pretty shaken up about this too, and I think it would do you both some good to lean on each other. Whaddaya say?"

  Tara nodded and took the hand Jen held out to her while Karissa took the other. Jen looked at her friends over the teenagers' heads. "Don't worry, we'll find her." Then, with a reassuring nod, she and the girls left.

  Cat buried her face in Billie's chest.

  She inhaled deeply, and was surprised to feel a shudder run through Billie. She looked into Billie's face and saw unshed tears threatening to spill from beautiful blue eyes. She placed a delicate kiss between Billie's breasts and looked at her again. "We'll find our baby, love. We will. Come on. Let's go to the school."

  Billie kissed her tenderly. "I need to call Seth first. He doesn't know what's going on here."

  ***

  "All right. Can I have it quiet in here, please?" Officer Sullivan's voice rang loud from the front of the school cafeteria. He looked over the crowd of approximately one hundred people. "Thank you all for coming. I believe you all know the two children who are missing?" He noted several head-nods from the crowd. "Good. Now, I'd like to begin by searching a square area fanning out about a mile beyond the Charland house on all four sides. If this is a matter of two children wandering too far away from home, we'll probably find them within that area. I'll need you to break into groups of five or so, and then see Jen Swenson at the control booth over there to receive your assigned area. You'll need to move slowly through the search areas, and please search thoroughly. Look over, under and around everything. Heaven forbid something terrible has happened to these children, but be prepared to handle whatever you might find. Any questions?"

  A voice came from the middle of the crowd. "When should we check in?"

  "Good question. You should each choose a runner for your group. If you find something, send the runner directly back here to the control center where the Charlands and I can be reached by radio. If nothing is found within the next two hours, all of you should return for further instructions. At that point, we will have an alternate search area ready. Any other questions?"

  The question Officer Sullivan saw on everyone's face but was left unasked was: What if the children are found dead? "All right then. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Skylar and Missy will be found safe and sound. Good luck to you all."

  Billie stood next to Officer Sullivan with her arms wrapped around Cat. Officer Sullivan turned to them and placed a hand on Billie's shoulder. "Don't lose hope. We'll find them. I'll check in with you in about an hour."

  Cat nodded slightly. Billie just stared straight ahead.

  Seth stoically approached his mothers. "Mom, are you ready to go?"

  Billie managed a slight smile for her son and nodded.

  Seth's gaze moved back and forth between the women. "I know she's okay. I can feel it. I told you once before that we wouldn't let her fly away, and we didn't." Seth smiled broadly. "Now let's go find the little rugrat so I can strangle her for worrying us!"

  Billie smiled at Seth's attempt to lighten the mood. Seth had a special connection to his sister through the blood they shared. If he felt in his heart that she was okay, then they at least had hope. Billie located Tara, Karissa and Steve in the crowd and directed their search team toward the door.

  ***

  Officer Sullivan called a temporary halt to the search to allow the volunteers to get some sleep and nutrition before starting again at 5 a.m. the next morning.

  Having gone directly from work to the school, Seth volunteered to drive Tara, Steve, and Karissa home. Billie and Cat rode home together.

  "They're dead, or kidnapped. I just know it!" Cat cried.

  "Cat, don't say that. She's our baby. Please don't say that."

  "Billie, it's midnight. The whole neighborhood has been looking for them for seven hours." Cat's fear was evident in her voice. "She's been through so much already. My poor Sky-baby." Cat covered her face with her hands and cried uncontrollably as Billie tried her best to maneuver the car through the streets despite the veil of tears that ran down her cheeks. She pulled into the driveway, shut off the motor and pulled Cat into her arms.

  "Cat, please don't lose hope. Please. Sky needs us to be strong."

  For several long moments, the two women sat in the driveway, locked in an embrace of communal sadness. Finally, Billie held Cat at arm's length and spoke gently to her. "We have to be strong. We have to believe, okay?" She brushed Cat's hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Let's go inside. We need to eat and sleep to be fresh for tomorrow morning."

  Cat sniffed and nodded and climbed out of the car. She wrapped her arm around Billie's waist and they walked together into the house.

  Billie walked into the kitchen and threw the car keys onto the table. The sound of the keys hitting the table reverberated through the silent house like an echo through a canyon. Irritated, Cat turned to chastise her wife for the unnecessary gesture, when suddenly they heard a sound from the living room.

  "Mama?"

  Cat and Billie's gazes met as they were froze.

  "Mommy?"

  Cat and Billie were shocked into action. "Sky?" they exclaimed together. They rushed into the living room and found Skylar sitting on the couch, rubbing her eyes. Missy lay sleeping beside her.

  Billie crossed the distance between the kitchen and couch in four long strides. Skylar soon found herself wrapped in the arms of two weeping women.

  Cat gave up any pretense of stemming the flow of tears. "Sky, honey, where were you?"

  "Skylar Jean Charland, I don't know whether to scold you or hug you. You had us worried to death!" Billie said through her own tears.

  "Billie, call Frannie. You know she's as worried as we were." Cat glanced at Missy, who was just beginning to stir.

  Billie picked up the portable phone and dialed their neighbor's number. "Hello, Frannie? Frannie, this is Billie. No! No, Frannie, it's all right. Frannie, listen to me. Missy is here. Yes, she's here with Sky. Hello? Hello?"

  Billie pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at Cat. "I expect we'll see her in about five seconds." Just then, the front door burst open and Frannie rushed in. Billie grinned. "I stand corrected!" Billie and Cat watched Frannie run to her daughter and scoop her into her arms.

  After several moments of teary welcomes, the women sat the two nine-year-olds side by side on the couch. Cat paced back and forth in front of them for several moments before she stopped and faced them with her hands on her hips. "What were you thinking?" she asked. "We were out of our minds with worry about you. Do you have any idea how much trouble the entire neighborhood went through looking for you two?"

  Billie stood by the fireplace mantel, this time not coming to her youngest child's rescue. This was one tongue lashing Skylar n
eeded to hear.

  The two girls sat on the couch with their chins on their chests as Cat continued.

  "Skylar, your sister is sick with guilt over this. She thinks this is her fault! For crying out loud girls. Didn't you even think about how worried we would all be?"

  The girls started to cry. Cat continued to pace, too angry to say any more. Silence prevailed throughout the room while Cat paced and Billie and Frannie lent their support through the extended silence. Finally, Cat stopped. "Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?"

  "We wanted to go to the park for a picnic," Skylar said in a weak, pathetic voice.

  "A picnic? You wanted to have a picnic? You could have done that in the backyard," Cat reasoned.

  "But that wouldn't be as much fun," Skylar explained.

  "So you just left the yard without telling your sister, and you went to the park?"

  "Uh-huh," Skylar said softly. "We put some food in a bag and rode our bikes."

  "You rode your bikes out of the neighborhood all by yourselves?" Cat asked. "You know you're not allowed to do that without an adult or Seth and Tara with you. That wasn't very smart, Skylar. What if you got lost—or worst yet—hit by a car?"

  "I'm sorry, Mama."

  Cat looked at the little girl beside Skylar. "Missy, what do you have to say for yourself?"

  "I'm sorry too."

  "When did you get back home?" Cat asked.

  "We left the park early, but it took a long time to find our way home," Skylar admitted.

  Cat threw her hands up into the air. "You got lost on your way home? Jesus Chr…"