Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 29029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
I want to mend her broken heart…if she’ll let me.
I dated a few girls here and there, but never had a serious girlfriend in high school. I never could get interested in one, and finally a few weeks ago it dawned on me why.
The woman of my dreams has been right in front of me for the last fifteen years.
Jenna Mary Holland.
“Here it is,” I say to the driver as he pulls in front of the house.
Of course he knows that. He’s a professional driver. He knows where he’s going.
My heart beats quickly and my nerves skitter under my skin.
“Here goes nothing,” I say under my breath.
The chauffeur exits the car and opens the door for me, which I’m not expecting. I mumble a quick thank you and walk up the pathway to Jenna’s two-story house.
The walk seems to take longer than usual. Strange. Everything’s the same. The red brick two story stands large and looming, though. I’ve only walked up this pathway about a million times in my life. But this time is different. This time could change the entire dynamic of Jenna’s and my friendship.
My steps don’t seem to be moving me closer until the front door nearly smacks me in the face.
I knock on the door.
No response.
I ring the doorbell this time, and then I knock louder.
A moment later, the door opens, and a woman I don’t recognize stands there. I wait for her to speak, but instead…there’s only an awkward pause.
Finally, I speak. “Oh…hello. I’m here to pick up Jenna for the prom. I’m Max.”
“Right, Max.” She doesn’t seem to be looking directly at me. Her gaze doesn’t seem focused on anything in particular. “I’m sorry. I’m Jenna’s Aunt Mary. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
“I didn’t recognize you—” I stop and gape at her.
Of course. Susanna’s older sister, Mary. Her eyes are swollen and her nose red, and her gray-blond hair is falling out of a messy bun. She’s wearing black leggings and a large Dartmouth sweatshirt. Jenna must have bought it for her during her visit to the campus.
I swallow.
“The prom,” Mary continues. “It’s tonight?”
I tighten my grip on the plastic container holding the corsage. “Yeah. Jenna and I just talked about it this morning. She was going to babysit this afternoon and then be home by three to get ready.”
“Oh my God…” Mary’s face twists as her eyes glisten with more tears.
My breath catches. “What? What’s going on? Where are Dick and Susanna?”
“They… They’re with the police.”
“What do you mean?” The back of my neck freezes.
Mary pauses for what seems like forever. Then, “Jenna didn’t come home, Max. She didn’t come home from the babysitting job.”
The words… I couldn’t have heard them right. They hang in the air, almost visibly, trying to force their way into my brain.
“What?” I ask numbly.
Mary swallows audibly. “We talked to the Garretts, who she was babysitting for. They got home around two thirty, and Jenna left. But she never came home.”
Mary’s face blurs, and I draw in a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “Wait, wait, wait… Was she driving? Walking?”
“The Garrets live a few blocks over. She must have walked, because her car and her bike are still here.”
No. No, no, no.
The plastic container makes a crackling sound under my intense grip. “This can’t be happening. Jenna wouldn’t do anything like this. She knows tonight is prom.”
“No, she wouldn’t. Which means…”
My heart drops into my bowel. “An accident. Oh my God.”
“If it were an accident, Max, we’d have found her by now.”
“How? How would you find her?” I shake my head. “Just… Where is she? Where the fuck is she?”
Mary holds the door open. “Why don’t you come in, Max?”
I can’t move. Can’t talk. Can’t—
“No accident. Jenna wasn’t driving,” I finally eke out.
“But she could have—” Mary wipes her brow. “The police have combed all the routes between here and the Garretts. There’s no trace of her.”
“Are you saying… Are you saying she ran away?”
That’s not possible. Jenna and I just spoke this morning. We talked yesterday after school. She showed me a picture of her dress—and I knew how gorgeous she was going to look. She kissed me on the cheek and said she couldn’t wait.
No.
Jenna’s happy. She loves her parents. She’s doing well in school, and she’s excited about Dartmouth.
Jenna wouldn’t run away.
I gulp loudly.
I can’t bring the words out of my throat.
“We’ll find her,” Mary says. “Dick and Susanna won’t stop until they find their little girl.”
I stand there. I feel nothing. Nothing except shock. The plastic container holding Jenna’s corsage tumbles to the ground and pops open.
The flowers tumble through the iron grate covering a window well.
Gone.
Like Jenna. Gone.
“Do you want to come in?” Mary’s voice cracks.
I don’t reply.
I’m frozen. Frozen in time.
Then I stand straight, meet Mary’s gaze. “I’ll find her. I will find if it’s the last thing I do.”