Running into Love
Page 39

“Is everything okay, honey?”
“My . . .” Looking like she’s about to cry, Tamara takes a step into the room and pauses, dragging her backpack up higher on her shoulder. “No one has come to pick me up,” she says quietly, and I nod.
“That’s okay. Come on in and take a seat. Let me just get my stuff packed up.” I smile at her, and she walks slowly toward my desk. “We’ll just call your mom and let her know that I’ll take the train with you. Okay?” Most of my students take the bus home after school, but some, like Tamara, are picked up. On occasion their parents are late, and when that happens I call the parent and take the train with the child to make sure they get home safely.
“You can’t call my mom,” she says so quietly that I almost don’t hear her, and my body freezes as my eyes meet her worried ones.
“Why can’t we call her?” I ask, and she looks away, biting her lip. I can sense she doesn’t want to say whatever it is she’s about to say.
“My mom . . .” She drops her eyes from mine and looks at the ground. “She hasn’t been home in two days, and she’s not answering her phone.”
“Pardon?” I hope I heard her wrong, but I know I didn’t.
“My mom . . .” Tamara wrings her hands together and shakes her head, looking up at me. “She went to work two nights ago, and she hasn’t been home since then.” Oh my god. I fight the urge to close my eyes in despair.
“Has this kind of thing ever happened before?” I ask softly, and at first she shakes her head no before nodding yes and biting her lip once more.
“Once or twice she’s spent the night out of the house, but she always comes home. Always. She’s never been gone this long. I know something happened to her, I just know it,” she cries, and I breathe through my nose to fight back my own tears.
“It’s okay, honey,” I say quietly as I walk around my desk and wrap her in a tight hug. “It will be okay, but we have to go talk to Mrs. Thompson about this, then we need to talk to a friend of mine, okay?”
“I don’t want to get her in trouble,” she whispers, and I pull back to look her in the eyes.
“I know you don’t, honey, but we need to let people know what’s going on so they can look for her,” I say, wiping away the tears trekking down her cheeks.
“I’m scared.” More tears burn the back of my throat at her quiet confession. I have no doubt that she is scared, and if I’m honest with myself, I’m scared, too.
“I’ll be with you. Let’s go talk to Mrs. Thompson.” I leave her to go around the desk to pick up my bag and coat. Gathering everything in one hand, I take Tamara’s small hand with my free one and lead her down the hall to the office. As soon as we’re there, Sammy looks up from the computer, smiling.
“Miss Samantha, is Mrs. Thompson in?” I ask, and her smile slides away slowly as she looks between Tamara and me.
“Yes.”
“Good.” I nod at her, then turn to Tamara. “Honey, can you sit out here and wait for me?” She nods. Leading her over to one of the chairs next to Sammy’s desk, I watch her take a seat.
“Hey, Tamara,” Sammy says, then she opens a drawer full of candy and treats. “Go on and pick something out to eat while you wait for Miss Reed.”
“Fawn, what is it?” Mrs. Thompson asks, reading the look on my face as soon as I step inside her office and shut the door.
“Tamara’s mom hasn’t been home for two days,” I say quietly as I drop my stuff in the chair across from her desk. “She said that she’s never been gone this long.”
“Let’s try to reach her at the numbers on her contact list and go from there,” the principal says, looking concerned. For the next few minutes she tries to call Tamara’s mom, never once getting an answer. “I’m going to call Tamara’s grandmother, fill her in on what’s happening, and see if she’s available to pick Tamara up,” she says after she hangs up the phone.
“I’m going to call a friend of mine who’s a police officer. He knows Tamara’s mother’s boyfriend, so I’m hoping he will be able to track down her mom or at least file a missing person report.”
“Of course.” Mrs. Thompson nods, and I pull my cell phone out of my bag as she types something into the computer before picking the phone back up and putting it to her ear. “Hello, Mrs. Albergastey, this is Mrs. Thompson. I’m the principal of PS 189,” she says as I turn away from her with my cell to my ear.
“Hey, baby, you off work already?” Levi asks, and my eyes slide closed.
“No, one of my students—the one you met in the park with me? Her mom is missing and has been for two days. I don’t know if I should call someone el—”
“Jesus,” he cuts me off. “Are you at the school with her now?” I nod even though he can’t see me.
“Yes, I’m here. We’re both here.”
“I’m on my way. It shouldn’t take me more than twenty to get to you.”
“Okay, see you then.” I shove my cell back in my bag as Mrs. Thompson hangs up the phone on her desk.
“Tamara’s grandmother is on her way. I explained that we were having an officer come to the school to file a missing person report.”
“When was the last time she spoke to Tamara’s mom?”
“She said that she had a falling-out with her daughter and that they haven’t spoken in a couple months. She didn’t like the new man in her life and refused to talk to her until she dumped him.”
Pulling in a breath, I let it out slowly. “I don’t have a good feeling about this,” I state, and Mrs. Thompson nods.
“Me either, but there is always hope, my dear.” Yes, and for Tamara, I will hope.
“I’m going to go sit with Tamara and wait for everyone to get here.”
“Good. I’m going to put in a call to the social worker and let her know what’s going on. Thankfully, Mrs. Albergastey is on the approved pickup list, so Tamara won’t be spending any time in child protection.” Yes, thank god for that. I would never want that for her, and if it came down to it, I would find a way to get her placed with me.
Leaving Mrs. Thompson on the phone in her office, I head out and, sitting next to Tamara, take her hand in mine. “Your grandmother is on the way,” I tell her quietly. Her head turns my way, and her eyes lock with mine.
“She’s coming?” she asks, seeming surprised. I nod.
“Yes, she should be here soon, along with Levi, the guy I was with in the park. He’s a police officer, and he’s going to come talk to you.”
“Is he your boyfriend?”
“Yes, he’s my boyfriend.”
“Is he nice?” she asks, searching my face, and I smile gently, giving her fingers a squeeze.
“He’s very nice, one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“You deserve to have someone nice,” she says, dropping her eyes from mine, so I squeeze her fingers again, needing her to look at me when I say what I’m about to say.
“Everyone deserves to have someone nice honey, everyone,” I state, and she swallows, looking away. I don’t understand why most women nowadays don’t think they are worthy of having someone who treats them right, someone who respects them and cares for them.
Hearing the front door of the school open, I watch through the glass as Levi comes in with Wesley. They both flash their badges at the security guard at the door. Standing, I step into the hall, and Levi’s worried eyes lock on mine.
“That didn’t take you long,” I state, since it’s only been about ten minutes since we spoke.
“We don’t have time to waste. You said her mom’s been missing for two days?”
“Yeah, that’s what she said. She’s right in here. We’re waiting for her grandmother to arrive,” I inform him as he stands close—so close that I can feel the tips of his fingers brush over mine. “Hi, Wesley.” I smile, and he dips his chin toward me.