The Missing

by Melanie Florence

  “What? Why? I can be there in fifteen minutes, Mia. Maybe less. You can’t stay there.”

  “I know that!” she said. “Why are you still pushing me? I already have someone picking me up, okay? I’m going down to the rec centre for the night.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather be here than at the rec centre with a bunch of strangers? And it’s already midnight!” I couldn’t imagine why she’d want to be at the centre on a cot when I’d happily let her sleep in my bed.

  “I need some time to think things over, Feather,” she said.

  “What do you mean? What do you have to think over?” I asked, confused.

  “I need to figure out where I’m going to go and what I’m going to do. I can’t live with them anymore, obviously.”

  “So come here and think about it!” I insisted.

  “No. I can’t. Not tonight. It’s late and Michael can help me figure things out. “

  I had met Michael once or twice. He was cool for a guy who ran a rec centre. But he wasn’t her best friend.

  “Mia, I really think you should come here tonight. Go see Michael tomorrow,” I pleaded.

  “I just need to lie low for a couple of days.”

  “What are you not telling me, Mia?” I asked.

  She sighed. “We’ll talk tomorrow, okay? I know we need to talk. I want to tell you everything. Just not tonight. Try to understand.”

  I didn’t understand. I’d never been in her position so I didn’t really get it. But obviously the last thing she needed was another lecture from me.

  “If that’s what you want, I’ll try to understand. Just call me in the morning, all right?”

  “I will. I promise. Thanks.”

  “And if you need anything, just ask,” I told her. “I’ll leave my phone on all night, just in case you change your mind.”

  “Thanks, Feather. Love you,” she said.

  “Love you back.”

  I hung up and sat down on my bed. I couldn’t help but think I should have insisted on picking her up. I knew she was upset with me. She had obviously been keeping secrets from me, but we had been friends a long time. We always managed to work things out. I pulled off my hoodie and got back into bed.

  I was nearly asleep before it occurred to me I wasn’t the first person she had called tonight. Someone else was picking her up and I hadn’t even asked who. I stared up at the ceiling in the dark and wondered who had taken my place in my best friend’s life.

  * * *

  “She hasn’t called yet?” Jake asked during our lunch break together.

  “No. And she’s not answering my calls or texts,” I told him, obsessively texting Mia once more.

  Mia, text me back right now. You’re freaking me out! Mia hadn’t shown up at school and her radio silence was scaring the hell out of me.

  Where are you? I typed.

  “So what did she say last night? Was she planning on coming to school?”

  “I don’t know,” I admitted. “She didn’t say anything about skipping but she was really upset. Maybe she decided to blow it off. But that doesn’t explain why she isn’t answering,” I told him.

  “You said she was upset when she left home. Maybe she forgot to grab her charger and her phone died,” he said, logically. Logical except for one thing.

  “But it’s still ringing, Jake.”

  “Maybe she left it somewhere by mistake.”

  “There’s no way, Jake. She never goes anywhere without her phone. She saved her money to get a waterproof case so she could take it with her in the shower. There’s no possible way she forgot it somewhere. Something’s wrong.”

  He studied my face. “Maybe someone stole it?” he ventured.

  “Maybe . . .” I looked down at the silent-as-a-tomb phone in my hands and sighed. “But I really don’t think so, Jake.”

  Chapter 18

  O Blackbird! Sing Me Something Well

  He turned her phone over and over in his hands, rubbing his fingers over the smooth pink rubber case.

  He stared intently at the screensaver. Two beautiful girls looked back at him, smiles lighting up their perfect, young faces.

  “You’re happy to see me, aren’t you?” he cooed at them.

  The phone chirped suddenly in his hands.

  “Feather,” he read, touching the photo that flashed on the screen. Now he knew her name.

  Chapter 19

  Nuclear Family

  By the time the last bell rang at 3:15, I was worried sick and checking my phone obsessively for any word from Mia. Although her phone was still ringing when I called it, she hadn’t replied to any of my texts or picked up any of my calls. I had asked around and no one else had heard from her today either. It was as if she had dropped off the face of the earth.

  Jake was waiting outside of my class. He was typing on his phone, his handsome face clouded by a frown.

  “Who are you texting?” I asked him, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek. He looked at me, his features softening.

  “I wasn’t texting,” he said. “I was checking to see if Mia posted anything on Instagram today.”

  I looked at him, completely surprised. Surprised he thought of checking Instagram and it hadn’t occurred to me to do the same.

  “That’s a great idea. Has she posted anything?”

  He shook his head.

  “Nothing since yesterday.”

  I sighed and looked down at my phone for the millionth time. Nothing.

  “Now what?” Jake asked, rubbing my back in slow circles. His mini massages usually relaxed me into a puddle but not today.

  “I think we should go by her house,” I told him. “Maybe she went back there? Or maybe they know what’s going on at least.”

  “Good idea.” Jake nodded. “I’ll drive.” He led me outside to his car and opened the door for me.

  We were quiet on the ride to Mia’s house. Jake fiddled with the radio for awhile before turning it off. He held my hand and smiled at me, kissing my fingers.

  “She probably just needs some time alone. I’m sure she’s okay, Feather.”

  “Are you?” I asked him. Because I wasn’t sure. The longer she went without calling me, the less sure I became. Maybe we needed some backup. “Should we get Ben or Matt to come?”

  When I mentioned Matt’s name, I watched Jake’s face change before he had a chance to paste on a smile. But I recognized the expression before it disappeared. It was distaste.

  “Nah,” he said. I tried to ignore the uneasy feeling I had about his reaction but it bothered me. I pushed it down. Not dismissing it — just saving that conversation for a better time. We needed to focus on finding Mia.

  The drive to her house seemed to take forever. Maybe because I was dreading talking to Leonard. What was I supposed to say? Should I tell him what a douche bag he was for lying to Mia’s mom? Slap him in the face? Both seemed like legitimate options. We pulled into the driveway behind Leonard’s pickup truck, and to my shock, Mia’s mother’s car. I looked over at Jake.

  “Her mom’s here too.”

  “That’s a good thing, right? She’d know more about Mia than her stepdad would.”

  “Yeah, maybe. It’s weird. She’s never home.” I didn’t wait for him to open the door for me this time. I got out of the car and stared up at the house, trying to figure out what to say to these awful people.

  “Let’s go talk to them.” Jake held out his hand to me. I looked at him for a second, trying to get my nerves under control. I took his hand and squeezed it tightly. Uneasy as I was about him lately, I needed his support desperately.

  “Let’s do this,” I agreed.

  I had been to Mia’s house hundreds of times. It was like a second home to me growing up. I barely remembered her father. Mia reminisced about him like he was a saint and life was perfect befo
re he died, but I remembered being woken up by angry voices at her house too many times to believe her. I remembered the way he smelled when he said good night to us. Like stale cigarettes and alcohol. And I remembered the bruises on her mother’s arms that she hid with sweaters even when it was hot outside. But I also remembered her baking cookies with us and taking us to movies. I remembered a mother who loved her daughter.

  After her husband died, Mia’s mom changed. She bleached her hair and wore too much makeup. She stayed out late and brought men home. Then she married Leonard and turned into someone I barely recognized. She hadn’t had time for her daughter since she lost her husband and started searching single-mindedly for his replacement. Her life revolved around taking care of Leonard, a deadbeat in the truest sense of the word. But how could she ignore her own daughter’s claim of abuse and throw her out of her home in the middle of the night? I just didn’t get it. I was incredibly nervous to see her now.

  I rang the doorbell and a tinkly version of “Ode to Joy” echoed faintly inside the joyless house. I heard shuffling footsteps and a grunt as Leonard unlocked the door. He pushed it open until it was stopped by the safety chain, then he peered blearily though the crack.

  “Yeah?” he grunted, scratching at his unshaven chin.

  “Is Mia here?” I asked.

  “Who’re you?” he asked. Huh?

  “Are you serious? We’ve met hundreds of times. I was here yesterday! I’m her best friend.” Was he high? I looked at Jake incredulously. He shook his head in disbelief and shrugged.

  “Oh right. I didn’t recognize you. Heather, right?” Oh my God. I caught the strong smell of marijuana drifting out of the house behind him.

  “FEA-THER,” I said, enunciating each syllable and rolling my eyes.

  “Feather! Right. What do you want?” I gritted my teeth and dug my nails into my palms to keep from smacking him.

  “Mia. Is she here?”

  “No. Haven’t seen her. Have you?”

  “Obviously not, Leonard. Can I talk to Joyce, please?” I hoped her mom was less intoxicated. She was bound to be lucid enough to recognize me at least.

  “Yeah, okay Heather.” He turned from the door just as I was opening my mouth to yell “Feather!” at him. “Joyce! Mia’s friend is here to see you.” He turned his back and closed the door in my face.

  “Did that really just happen?” I asked Jake, looking at him in disbelief. Before he could answer, the door opened again.

  “Oh shit,” Mia’s mother swore, then closed the door and fumbled with the chain. “How does this stupid thing work, Len?”

  “You have to slide it to the right, ma’am,” Jake called through the door, helpfully. I smacked him on the arm. Joyce managed to unlatch the chain and open the door.

  “Sorry about that. Hi, Feather. Hi, Jake.”

  “Hi, Joyce. We’re looking for Mia. She isn’t answering her phone. Do you have any idea where she is?”

  “Mia? No. She left last night.”

  “I know that, Joyce. What I don’t know is where she is now. Have you heard from her?” I asked.

  “No. She’s probably off sulking somewhere.”

  “Sulking?” I looked at her, trying to stay calm.

  “You know Mia. Always in a mood about something,” Joyce waved her hand in the air. “She makes a fuss and leaves for a day or two. She’ll be back. She always comes back eventually when she realizes no one is going to chase her.”

  I chose my words very carefully. “And what would she be in a mood about this time, Joyce?” I asked.

  “Oh, she made up some crazy story about Leonard. That he was touching her or something. She was obviously lying to get attention. I told her if she wanted to live under my roof, she had to respect my husband.”

  “So you kicked her out in the middle of the night with nowhere to go?” I asked, my eyes narrowing.

  “She could have gone to your house,” she said.

  “But she didn’t!” I told her, my voice going up an octave. “You threw her out with Indigenous girls going missing or being killed all over the city!”

  “Mia can take of herself, Feather!” she snapped at me. “And she shouldn’t have lied to me.”

  “She didn’t lie to you, Joyce.” I was beyond being nice now. “Are you really that blind?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Leonard has been touching her for months! She had to get a lock for her bedroom door to keep him out.” I could feel my face getting red as Jake reached for my arm.

  “Let’s go, Feather. They don’t know where she is. I don’t think they even care,” he said.

  “You’re right! I don’t care! That girl is a liar. Making up nasty stories about poor Leonard. That man has done nothing but care for her as if she was his own daughter.” Joyce crossed her arms over her substantial chest.

  “Oh really? Her stepfather cares for her so much that he rubs his crotch against her. He cares so much that he grabs her ass and brushes against her chest,” I yelled. I had completely lost it now. She didn’t give a damn about Mia.

  “You believe her lies?” she asked.

  “I saw it, Joyce! More than once. I saw what he was doing to her. I told her to go to you and look what good that did her. How dare you treat her like that?” I shouted as Jake began to pull me towards the car. “He kicked her door in to get to her!”

  “Get off my property!” Joyce yelled. “You’re a liar! You’re as bad as she is!”

  “And you’re a useless excuse for a mother,” Jake called over his shoulder, his voice calm and steady. “You’re trash, Joyce. You ignore what’s right in front of your face. You knew what he was doing to Mia, didn’t you? That’s right,” he nodded at her. “Feather told me. Did you just let it go because that was the only way you could hang onto him?” he asked. I stared at him and then at Joyce, who looked shocked. “You should be the one who goes missing. You’d be doing everyone a favour.” I stared at him wordlessly. His face was completely blank but there was something menacing about his tone. It sounded as if he wanted to make her disappear.

  I was shaking as he led me to the car and opened the door for me. “Get in, Feather. Let’s get out of here.” My hands shook as I took my phone out of my bag and looked at it. Nothing. I leaned forward, trying to catch my breath. Jake got in the driver’s seat.

  “Can we go to the police department?” I asked. He nodded and started the car.

  “I’m sorry about that, Feather. But she deserved it.”

  “Yeah, just . . . drive,” I said, resting my forehead against the window and closing my eyes.

  Chapter 20

  Runaway

  The ride to the police station was far from quiet. I was sure Jake was upset too but I assumed he was keeping it together for my sake. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and listened to me ranting.

  “Can you believe that woman?” I asked him. I didn’t wait for an answer. “How dare she talk about Mia like that? She made me furious!”

  “Me too,” Jake said simply.

  “Not only does she not believe her own daughter when she says her scumbag husband is molesting her, but she kicks Mia out in the middle of the night? Then she doesn’t hear from her, but hey! No big deal. Because her daughter’s just a liar! And she’ll come back eventually. I wanted to smack that self-righteous look right off her face.”

  “I know, babe. I was ready to punch her stepdad too.”

  “God, they’re awful. I mean, I knew Leonard was skeevy but I always thought her mom was okay. I never should have left her there alone or told her to talk to her mother.” I looked out the window. “And now she’s gone.” I wiped a tear off my face.

  “We’ll find her, Feather.” Jake took my hand in his and kissed it, the way he knows makes my heart flutter.

  “How do you know?” I asked him. Plead
ed with him, really.

  “Because I have faith that everything will work out,” he said, smiling softly.

  “I wish I did.”

  We parked in the visitors’ section of the police department parking lot and walked into the reception area. It was mostly quiet except for one guy who was obviously drunk, slouched on a bench. He belched loudly and scratched at his crotch. I wrinkled my nose and walked up to the officer manning the reception desk. He looked up from his computer Solitaire game.

  “Can I help you?” he asked.

  “We need to report a missing person,” I told him.

  He looked at me closely, and then picked up the phone. “Perkins, I’ve got someone who wants to report a missing person. Okay. Thanks.” He looked at us again and gestured to the bench. “Have a seat. Someone will be with you in a minute.”

  I glanced over at the occupant of the bench, who farted explosively. “I think we’ll stand. Thanks.” I snuck a look at Jake, who was pointedly looking away from the drunken guy, his face neutral. We stared around the room, reading the “Most Wanted” posters and “Missing” posters on the wall. So many Aboriginal faces looked back at me from that wall. I sighed and turned as the sound of heavy footsteps came towards us.

  “Hi . . .” My voice trailed off as I took in the officer standing in front of me, a large coffee in his hand. Oh. Shit.

  “Well hello again.” He took a large gulp of his coffee. “Can I get you anything?” he asked. “Coffee? Maybe a donut?”

  “Listen, I’m sorry for losing my temper with you and your partner.” Jake nudged me. “And for the donut comment. I was upset about my friend. I didn’t mean it. You were being decent and you didn’t deserve that.”

  The cop nodded and sipped at his coffee again. “Ah. Hot!” He gestured for us to follow him back to his office. He sat down behind a large wooden desk and nodded towards the chairs on the other side. We settled into the seats and I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, studying the nameplate on his desk. Constable Perkins.

  “So what can I do for you?” he asked. I looked at Jake, and then took a deep breath.