33. Friends or foes

**Jodie**

"You're sure you don't want to come with us?" Mom asks after I tell her that I'm going to stay at home. She and Miley are all dressed up for a day with the Colbert. They are old friends of Dad's. They're actually one of the few people who still check in with Mom every couple of months. Today she was invited for lunch at their club. I have met them a couple of times after Dad left us, but honestly, there's something about them that just doesn't sit well with me. 

"No Mom, I have work tonight. I'm thinking of taking a nap before I need to leave." 

"You work too hard, Jodie. Look, would you at least consider the job offer from them? It's been a while, things might change."

"Mom, you know how I feel about that." I look into her eyes and then at Miley, silently telling her that we are not going to discuss this in front of my little sister. 

The first time they offered me a job, I was relieved but then the little side snarks came from my peers. Back then, I was a glorified coffee runner at the Colbert law firm since I was only a high school graduate, but when one of their kids saw me, the pity bullshit they threw me made me quit. I heard one of them say that I was given the job to feed my poor family and that I had to move to the poor side of town and live with poor people. That day I came home with tears threatening to fall. I never knew that people who I considered calling friends could be so mean. 

With Mom and Miley gone, I have the apartment to myself. I stay in my room, laying in my bed while my mind is busy thinking about the talk that I had with Doug the other day. I started analyzing little things including the friendship that Mom is still maintaining with the wives of Dad's co-worker. Unlike Mom, I have cut off my ties with my rich friends. I have no intention of seeing the pity in their eyes or being bullied by them.

Maybe Mom's friends were treating her better. Maybe they do help her in some way by still being their friends. Ugh, I just had it with people and their fake attitudes. Though Mom is still telling me otherwise, I am still damn sure that her friends are playing her for something. My gut is telling me so, I just don't know what.

I really want to protect my family, but I can't seem to convince Mom not to go to meet up with her friends. It feels like I'm watching her walking down the plank and just waiting for something bad to happen. And the worst thing is that she has Miley with her.

When Mom and Miley are still not back five hours later and I can't call Mom's or Miley's phone, I start getting worried.

"Doug, thank you for coming." I open the door and start pacing around the living room. Yeah, around half an hour ago, I gave up and called him. Another bad feeling is churning in my gut and he's the only one that can ease my worry.

"...it's not like them to not answer my calls and texts, and believe me I text them many times. And I called the Colbert, they told me that they last saw Mom and Miley over two hours ago. Something is not right, Doug." I dig deeper under his arms and let him hold me while my whole world is crumbling down.

The man holds me tight while his other hand reaches for his phone and I hear him calling his dad. "Yeah, Dad, it's me...Jodie needs a favor. Her mother and little sister cannot be contacted, they're currently not answering her phone and both were supposed to be back home two hours ago. Yeah, I know it's still early, but Jodie tells me that they're never late and cannot be reached at the same time. Okay... right, no problem...yeah sure, thanks Dad,"

Seconds later Doug gives me his phone, "My Dad wants to talk to you."

"Jodie, I need you to pack your clothes and essentials, lock your doors and go with Doug." The urgency in his voice hits me hard.

"What if my family got back when I'm not home?"

"You'll see them from the CCTV footage, yes, Doug told me about those. Jodie, I'm not saying that you should trust me. But I know you trust my son, right?"

"I-I...do,"

"Good, now please, go with him and I'll call him when I find out more about your family."

"O-okay..." I stutter as I lean back to Doug's chest. His strong hands wrap around my middle and I feel his strong presence keeping me sane.

I give Doug's phone to him and start walking to my room and grab my only suitcase, filling them with my clothes and toiletries. I shove in my old laptop, and a framed picture of the four of us when Dad was still around. When Dad was still the father figure that we cherish. *When we were still a happy family...*

My cheeks are wet when Doug comes into my room and presses a kiss to the top of my head. "Ssh...be strong for them, we will find them. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, yeah? Dad is helping us...I'm sure we'll know something soon enough." He pulls me into his warm hug and I melt into his hold instantly, sobbing, crying my frustration out, feeling silly for not knowing and worrying so damn much. All while I pray, hoping on the inside that they are both fine. 

Doug helps me with my suitcase while I carry my backpack and lock up the apartment before checking out the CCTV feeds on my phone. Everything around me looks normal, it's like they carry on with everyday life while something major is happening to my life. Though I keep on wishing that I was somehow wrong, deep down I know I was right. Deep down I feel something terribly wrong was happening.

This felt like the day that I found out that Dad had left us. Mom, as always, had been taking everything easy. She kept on saying that Dad was coming back soon. It was almost two weeks later without news from him that Mom finally looked worried. And when people started knocking on our door looking for Dad, we realized that something bad was happening to our lives.  

And here I am years later, forced to re-live the experience of not knowing where members of my family are. I don't even know what happened to Dad and why he left us, now I am regretting myself for not going along with Mom and Miley. 

"Jodie. we're here." Doug's words take me out of my brain funk and I let him help me unbuckle my seatbelt before I get out of his car and into his house. I didn't even notice that he had taken the car into his garage and ushered me into the house from the side door. 

I release a calming breath when I am standing in his warm kitchen, something inside me settles and somehow I feel better.

"I'm going to put your suitcase in my room, make yourself at home. You know where everything is." Doug kisses my temple while his other hand smoothly takes my backpack and relieves me of my belongings. I stay still in my spot while I watch him carry my suitcase and backpack into his bedroom. It is strange how it all feels so fitting, there's no resistance from my side about letting him take care of me. 

While I stood there and looked at my boyfriend walking with my bags to take care of me, I realized that I had fallen in love with him. *I love him.*