Broken Song (14 page)

I narrowed my eyes.  “Yes... but... he's just a man.  You are teenaged girls, so he's outmatched in the brains department.  So you must have a secret email account or maybe a hidden cellphone that I can contact you with easier?  I have a plan.  I just need to find your mother first.”

This got a giggle from her. “Well yes, we have both.”

Then the voice changed. I said hi to Lessa as she relayed their “secret” contact information and I gave them all the ways to contact me.

Then we just chatted about all kinds of stuff with them switching back and forth on the phone.  They were just as easy to talk to as their mother.  We talked for hours until their phone started warning of a low battery, then Lessa got back on and I said,  “I'll be in contact soon, and I'll also let you know our progress in finding your mother.  You can contact me any time, even if it is just to talk.  You girls are great!”

There was a pause.  “Sandra.  Why are you doing this?  You... you care for her don't you?”

I nodded to myself. “Of course, she's my... friend.”

She snorted. “Don't play word games with us.  We're teenaged girls remember?  You care for her more than just as a friend don't you?”

I closed my eyes. 
One, two, three.
  Then opened them again.  “Yes,”  I almost whispered.

Then she sounded extra chirpy. “Good!  OK Sandra, bye.”

I waved into space like they could see me.  “Bye girls I...  bye girls.”

I hung up with the biggest smile on my face.  Those two were shining stars, I could see why their mom was over the moon for them!  We got along so well, like we had known each other their whole lives.

It was late afternoon now.  I walked the dogs and checked with Leo.  Nothing.  I paid him for cotting the freshie over at Anchorage.  I was getting so worried, but Leo put me at ease giving me his take on Penny.  Leo doesn't talk a lot and he doesn't like many people around me because the thinks they try to take advantage of me, but he admitted that he liked Penny, something about the way she almost imperceptibly put herself between me and others in a protective manner.  I never noticed that.

I brought my happy drooling minions home and fed them and the bunnies, then sat down, wondering what to do next.  I put my phone on the dock on the table beside the couch to charge.  Then I laid back into the cushions and Daisy hopped on my chest like always and stared at me.  I rubbed her ears absently as I thought.

I must have dozed off as I woke to my phone ringing, it was dark outside.  I reached over to the side table and retrieved it, noting the time, just after five.  I sat up quickly, Daisy jumped off me to the cushion beside me as I stared at the name.  Missy Hannigan!  I answered quickly, “Hello?”

The person on the line was everything the twins warned me to expect.  “Sandra?  Why do I know that name?  Oh!  You're the freak that hangs with the homeless losers Penny told me about.”

I would have been taken aback or angered by this if the girls hadn't told me about the way she talks. Now it just kind of made me chuckle that they were so spot on.  I latched onto the part about talking to Penny.  So she had heard from her!  “Hi Missy.  Your nieces told me all about you.  They are soooo cool.”

This stopped her for a second as she responded, “Yes, yes they are.  Why do you need to speak with me freak?”

I giggled at her antics. “I'm worried about Penny.  She tried...  she left without warning this morning and I am worried about her.  I was wondering if you have heard from her.”

She paused again. “She left here about an hour ago.”

I started talking again, “She's... there are reasons I think she may...”

She interrupted.  “We're not going to get anywhere if you can't complete a sentence Sandra.  Where are you right now and what are you doing?”

I shrugged.  “At home, looking for Penny.”

She snorted. “Well you're not going to find her there and where the hell is 'home'?”

I told her and she said, “Jesus, that's about the slummiest part of town.  OK, tell you what, we're not going to get anywhere on the phone.  Face to face is better.  Be at Wolf Diner on Hartford in twenty minutes so I can see what kind of degenerate Penny is pining over.”

She hung up on me after that.  Penny was... pining over me? 
I wish!
  I shook the thought out of my head and I looked to the furballs strewn out around the couch as I stood.  “Well kids, sorry but it looks like I'm going out yet again.  And hey, why are you all on the couch, you know you're not supposed to be on the furniture.”  They seemed to snuggle into the cushions even more and I giggled.  “That's what I thought.” I grabbed my purse and headed out the door once again.  I seem to be always on the go since meeting Penny, maybe I should like, live in a motor home.  I giggled at myself.

I looked up the address for Wolf Diner and punched it into the GPS.  Hmm, university district, not too far away.

I found a parking spot and walked into the charming cafe and realized I had no clue what she looked like.  I saw an attractive woman in her mid thirties standing by the door looking out.  She looked like she would have been like, a cheerleader or something, back in high school.  She had the first tinges of grey hair sparkling in her blonde hair.

I kind of admired that she wasn't vain enough to dye it to hide the grey.  I almost snorted, her professional looking blouse and skirt were offset by the white ankle socks and pink sneakers she wore. This
HAD
to be Missy.  She didn't give a darn about what other people thought of her, she was her own person.

I stepped to her and looked up.  She certainly was a tall one. “Missy?”

She looked down at me and squinted.  She eyeballed me up and down with a calculating look. “Sandra?”

I nodded with a grin.  She sort of smirked.  “When you said where you lived, I was expecting someone a little more... trailer trash I guess.  Nice outfit there freak.”

This is what the twins told me to expect so I wasn't offended.  I could already see it is like the coping mechanism some of my people use on the streets, but what is she coping with?  She seems so put together from my cursory look.  Unless she's like the rest of us in the world... insecure.  I gave her my most genuine grin. “Thanks!  It means a lot coming from someone wearing white ankle socks and sneakers with a business suit.”

She actually snorted then chuckled with a smile. “My, you're a scrappy little pasty one aren't you?  I see why Penny likes you.”  Then she turned and looked over the cafe.  “There's a booth in the back free it looks like.”  And she just left me standing there as she made her way back and I couldn't stop a silly giggle as I followed her. 
She's random.  I like her.

We sat and I looked at a menu as she just sat sizing me up.  I ignored it to let her get it out of her system.  I'm sure she's doing it mostly for my reaction, but there is some calculating curiosity burning in her intelligent eyes.

The server came over and Missy just grabbed the menu from me and handed it to the lady.  “Just two number threes and coffee please Bree.”  The woman smiled and ran off.

I tilted my head in humor. “So what's a number three?”

She looked at me I could tell she was ready to gauge my reaction. “Breakfast scramble platter.  It's the best thing they make in here.”

Breakfast for dinner sounds fun!
  I dropped my jaw playfully.  “I'm allergic to eggs.”

She looked shocked then started to turn toward the retreating Bree to call her back.  “You are?”

I giggled. “No, I'm not.”

She snorted as she turned back toward me.  “OK, now I really like you ya little runt.”

I was trying really hard not to giggle again, but it was funny.  Then she turned her calculating eyes back on me.  “So Sandra, tell me what's going on.  Why did you need to contact me?  It better be good, I ditched my hot fiance at a sports bar so I could meet you here.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. 
One, two, three.
  “I'm worried about Penny.  She disappeared this morning and I think she might...”

She finished for me. “Hurt herself?  Yeah I thought that too when she showed up today and we went for a long walk for a couple hours, but she's adamant about putting something right for you for some reason.  Once she puts her mind to something when it comes to people she... ummm... cares about, it is going to happen.”

I tilted my head. “Putting what right?”

She shrugged. “That's just it, she didn't say and I didn't push.  She's been way too fragile since she lost the twins.”

I gave a sad smile. “I can see that, I spoke with them for hours today and I can tell they love her as much as she loves them.  Did you know...”  I trailed off.

She tilted her head and squinted an eye. “Oh come on platinum puss, don't get all shy and evasive now.  Speak.”

I didn't want to get her mad at me.  I slumped my shoulders and spoke,  “Victor has been manipulating things, telling Penny the girls didn't want to speak with her on the phone and intercepting all the letters she sent them.  And he's been telling the girls that she didn't want anything to do with them.  The... the... the meany!”

She chuckled again. “Come on, you can do better than 'meany'.  I was sure the douche bag was manipulating things, he had to have been.  I don't know how that ass clown is related to me.  I hate the guy but he is... my brother.  And I love my nieces to death.  I get to be the 'bad aunt' with them.”

I grinned.  “And they love you so much.  They raved about you, but they don't know where Penny may be either.  She's... ummm... sick.”

She shook her head at me. “You like, trying out for 'princess of tact' or something?  Don't pussy foot around.  I know you don't want to reveal her secrets, but you can say it.  Cancer.  See?  It's not that hard to say.  She told me.  I told her she was a dumbass for not getting that shit cut out of her body.  But dumbass or not, I love her like a sister.”  She paused and looked at me.  I was trying hard not to cry, but I could feel my eyes watering.  She didn't know where she was either.  “I wish I could tell you where she went.  All I know is it has something to do with you.  She seems to love your pasty little ass.”

She paused as the plates of food were placed in front of us.  Then once Bree left, Missy tilted her head and her brow creased.  “You feel the same about her don't you?  I can see it in the hurt in your eyes.”

I nodded, not looking at her so I wouldn't break down bawling.  “OMG, she is so pretty, and smart, and caring.”  I started eating.  Theses certainly weren't Mrs. Z's eggs but they were edible.  I finally looked up and she was still studying me with those calculating eyes.  She shoveled some egg into her mouth then chewed thoughtfully and swallowed.  “So, tell me about Sandra.  I want to know about you before I decide whether or not to help you any further.”

We spent the meal talking about me and my childhood and my... umm... learning problems.  She was extremely abrasive but was a good listener and was able to segue easily to get more information from me on certain topics.  I found myself liking this woman and seeing through her defensive armor.  I made my decision once I determined this, I think my plan will really work.

I studied her for a minute, I can tell she was about to speak.  So I started slowly so I could gauge her reaction. “Victor is going to send the girls away to boarding school.”

She squinted her eyes and I could see anger burning deep inside them.  I said, “You like, love the twins and junk right?”

She was silent, watching me and just nodded.  I nodded back. “Victor won't let them have any contact with Penny.”  She nodded again I could see she was putting everything I was saying together.

She stopped me as she picked up her cell phone.  “If this is going where I think it is.  Wait for Steven to hear this too.”  Then she dialed someone then said, “Get that fine ebony ass over here.”  Then she simply hung up.

It wasn't five minutes later when she looked up from our conversation and looked over to where a hunky specimen of a man came walking through the door.  He was like a black Adonis.  I bet he was a football-y type guy or sumpin sports-y like that.  If I were straight I'd probably be drooling as he approached our table.

Missy slid over and he slid in beside her, then he gave her a kiss.  Gawd they were cute together!  Then she grinned and looked at me. “Sandra, this gorgeous loser slacker here is my fiance Steven Slader.  Steven that little mini-freak over there is Sandra.  Penny's new love interest.”  OMG!  I could feel the burn of an intense blush on my cheeks that was making its way down my neck when she called me Penny's love interest. 
I still wish that could be true.

Steven grinned and reached over and his huge hand engulfed mine as we shook.  His deep rumbling voice said, “Pleased to meet you Sandra, don't let this old hag push your buttons.”

  Missy playfully bumped shoulders with Steven and she said, “I think the blushing squirt is about to drop a bomb on me here that may affect both of us.”

Then she looked directly at me with an impish grin.  “Proceed oh silver eyed dweeb.”

I closed my eyes and took a cleansing breath. 
One, two, three.
  Then I opened my eyes and started laying things out.