Chapter 2 ~ Where is he?

(One Month Later, Late August)

“Chris, I’m telling you. She won’t even say ‘Hi’ to me when she sees me. Please, I need another chick. This is getting boring. All I am is nice to her and then she either ignores me or gives some smart comment.” Greg complained. He thought that he needed a more ditzy girl, one who actually flirted back with him. Chris thought differently. He knew as soon as he had seen her, that she would be a good influence for Greg and she would challenge him to be better than he had been in the past. “Sorry to burst your bubble Greg, but you still have to keep on trying. Listen, I have to go know. Let me know how things go when school starts up.” Chris said before he hung up the phone.

Greg laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. School was starting next week and Rae still refused to talk to him. He found out that she worked at the front desk at the studio, she was a vegetarian, and that she liked The Calling, and he had only learned this from talking to Cindy. She was social with Chris, Frankie, Jesse, and Matt, just not him. The shrill ringing of the phone suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Hey baby. How’s your summer been?” asked a sugary sweet voice.

“Leave me alone Jennifer. We’re over, through, done, no more chances.” Greg said angrily.

“Why? What had I done? I thought that we were planning on hooking up when school started again.” She said.

“Remember how I’m in a music group Jen?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it’s just not going to work out. So Jennifer goodbye.” Greg sang the last part and then hung up the phone. Greg shuddered when he remembered the way that Jennifer had treated him. He sighed and rolled off of his bed to go outside for a walk.

“Thank God for Saturdays.” Rae said as she stretched. She walked down stairs and found Mike sitting in front of the TV. “Hey sweetie. Why don’t you go get dressed and then you and Mommy can go out for breakfast?” she offered. The reality of the reason was that she needed to get out of the house, but she didn’t have a babysitter. The two year old jumped up from his position on the living room floor and ran up to his room to get ready. It was still early in the morning, so she had time to get breakfast and then go to work. She grabbed some toys and things to keep Mike busy at Edel since he was going with her today. She got upstairs and changed into a pair of khaki capris and a black and blue tank top. She grabbed her shoulder bag, Mike’s toys, and some money. She left a note on the counter telling Cindy that she left early to get breakfast with Mike. A few minutes later, Mike ran down the stairs in a pair of green shorts and a white T-shirt. “Wet’s go Mommy!” he said as he pulled on her hand. “Would you like to go with Mommy to work today sweetie?” she asked. Mike looked up at her with his big blue eyes shining. “Yes pwease.” He said. “Well, let’s hurry up so I’m not late.” Rae said as they walked out of the door.

Greg grabbed his car keys off of the counter and headed out to his car. ‘Why does she insist on doing this to me?’ he asked himself. He was backing up when he saw Rae and a little boy get into her jeep and take off towards New York. ‘Must be going in early with her brother. That’s strange though. I don’t remember Cindy saying that Rae had a brother.’ Greg thought as he pulled out and followed her. He had to go into the studio to work on a new routine, but he didn’t have to be there for an hour, so he figured that he could just drive around for a while.

(A few hours later at the Edel building)

“Michael Anthony Mitchell, if you don’t come out right now you’re going to be in big trouble mister!” Rae said as she looked all over the lobby for Mike. “Here me am!” he said as he popped out from behind the garbage can. “Sweetie, you can’t do that.” Rae said as she sat down at the desk. Mike ran over and climbed up on her lap. “Mommy?” he asked. “Yes sweetie. What is it?” “What did Daddy wook wike?” Rae sighed as she remembered everything about Ryan.

“Well, he had dark brown hair, big brown eyes, and he was good at playing the guitar.”

“Oh. Where’s Nana and Pop Pop?”

Rae choked. This was the first time since her parent’s death that Mike had asked about them. She had been trying to think about how to answer him when he asked because she knew that the day was going to come. “Well, they’re sleeping sweet heart.” “Oh, they must be REAL tired.” He said as his eyes got big. “Yes sweetie, they’re very tired.”

(half an hour later)

Rae’s alarm on her watch went off and she woke up. She got off the couch in the private office where she took naps on her break. ‘Wait. Where’s Michael?’ she asked herself as she stretched. She remembered reading a story to him until he fell asleep, and then she fell asleep. “Michael! Where are you!” she called. He wasn’t in the office. “Ay Dios Mio! Where is that child!” she cried as she ran up to Cindy’s office.

“Aunt Cindy, have you seen Michael?”

“No I haven’t, is he missing?” Cindy asked as a worried tone entered her voice.

“Yes, we took a nap and I went to wake him up and he wasn’t there. Where can he be?” Rae said as she ran off searching every room for her missing child. Finally, tired from exhaustion, worry and grief, and not getting enough sleep, she collapsed outside of one of the recording studios.