Chapter Three

The woman knelt down beside John and checked his pulse. When she saw that he was just sleeping, she somehow got him onto the sofa. She removed his jacket and brushed his hair back. She cleaned the cut on his forehead and covered it with a bandage. She got him out of his wet clothes and covered him with a blanket. She then moved to a chair across the room and watched him sleep.

As she sat watching him, she reflected over her life and thought of all the bad choices she’d made. The consequences had been more than she wanted to remember. She’d had a hard life growing up and when she’d found her real family she’d thought things would get better. They hadn’t. Now maybe she had a second chance.

She looked on and smiled, "You’re all mine for now John McBain. I know I can make you love me. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. Cristian left me years ago, because I couldn’t get over you. Well now I won’t have too."

Evangeline had been pacing for hours. She was tired but she couldn’t sit still. She had called John’s cell multiple times and couldn’t reach him. It just wasn’t like him not to check on the three of them. Ever since they were married, she talked to him every night, no matter what. She knew something was wrong.

She finally decided to call Antonio and dialed his cell phone.

"Hello?" he said answering the phone.

"Hi, Antonio, it’s Evangeline. I’m sorry for calling you so late."

"Evangeline, what’s wrong? It’s 4 am."

"John isn’t home yet. I know he was checking out a missing person’s case, but he always checks in on me and the kids."

"He hasn’t called?"

"No, he hasn’t. I called I don’t know how many times and left messages. I still haven’t heard from him. Maybe he’s fine, but this is not like him at all."

"I’ll call in and have an APB put out on his car. Maybe we can find it in a little while."

"I hope so. I need to know that he’s okay."

"I’ll have someone follow the route he would have taken and give you a call back. We will find out something. I’ll call you back as soon as I know."

"I’ll be waiting."

"Evangeline, try to get some sleep."

"I can’t sleep until I know that he’s okay."

"It might be a little while before I call back and I know the twins will be up in a couple of hours."

"I’ll be waiting," she said and moved to the love seat in their bedroom. She turned and picked up the wedding picture sitting on the side table and traced John’s face. She thought back to the vows John had spoken to her that day.

She wiped the tear that rolled down her cheek and whispered, "Please, God, let him be okay."

The woman awoke and turned to John as he groaned in his sleep. She went to him and laid her hand on his head. He opened his eyes and there was no sense of recognition in them.

"Hi," she said to him quietly.

"Hi. Who are you?"

"I’m Natalie. Your wife."

"My wife? I sorry, I don’t remember you."

"Don’t apologize. Just rest. I’m going to take care of you."

Evangeline was going through her jewelry box when she saw her string of pearls. John had given them to her when they were still dating. When he’d told her the story of his father giving them to his mother, she’d been so touched that he would give her something so precious.

One night a year after the twins had been born, when she’d been wearing nothing but the pearls, the two had talked about giving them to Lyn on her 16^th birthday. Evangeline smiled as she remembered how that night had progressed and then she sobered, as she worried about where John could be.

"Mommy and Daddy are you ready for breakfast?" the kids said running into the master bedroom since the door was open this morning.

"Morning, kids. Dad didn’t get home last night. Why don’t you go downstairs and get your cereal? I’ll be down in a minute," she asked from her place on the loveseat.

"Mommy, why didn’t Daddy come home last night?" asked Lyn, anxiously. Johnny shared that look with her.

"Daddy is working on a case. I’m sure we’ll hear from him in a little while. Now go ahead and start breakfast," she said. The twins looked at her, then each other before heading down the stairs.

Evangeline went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She’d been up for hours and had decided to shower and dress. She was tired, but she couldn’t rest. She needed her husband at home with her and her children. She didn’t want to think the worst, but she was becoming more and more anxious as the time past.

Antonio had called her back and let her know that someone was indeed driving the route John had taken and he would get in touch with her as soon as he knew anything. She was holding on the fact that Antonio would do everything within his power to bring her husband home. She was depending on it.

As she went downstairs, the doorbell rang. She called out to the twins that she would be right there. She opened the door quickly when she saw Antonio through the door.

"Hi, Antonio. Did you find him?" she asked as he walked into the house.

"Evangeline, I think we should sit down."

"Antonio, I don’t want to sit down. Tell me what happened to John."

"Evangeline…"

"No, you tell me what happened," she said fiercely.

"We found his car. It looks like he swerved off the road as he was approaching a bridge on Route 77 and his car hit a tree and then slid into the river. It rained out there so we couldn’t find any foot prints that would indicate that he got out of the car. We have a team out there right now dragging the river."

While Antonio had been talking, Evangeline realized for the first time that John might not be coming home. Her eyes flooded with tears and her knees buckled.

John sat up on the sofa. He groaned. He had a splitting headache. He couldn’t remember what he’d felt, but it had been intense. In his mind’s eye, he could smell flowers. Where had they come from?

Antonio caught Evangeline before she hit the floor and just held her to him. He hated to be the one to tell her, but he could do no less. John was his best friend and Evangeline was like a sister to him. As he heard the twins running toward the living room, he pulled her to the sofa and let her sit down.

She heard the commotion as the twins came running to her. At first, she couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying. Then she pulled them to her and hugged them. She knew she was scaring them and she had to pull it together. She took a deep breath and looked at the twins. She calmed herself down. What would John do now, she thought, he’d find me.

"Mommy, what’s wrong?" Johnny asked. She looked at him and saw John in his eyes. She blinked back the tears and smiled at him.

"Sit down on the sofa with me," she said.

The twins sat on either side of her. She put her arms around them, her babies. They were so independent, but right now they needed their mother. She would deal with her feelings later.

"Daddy was in an accident and right now he’s missing. Uncle Tonio is looking for him and as soon as he finds him, he’ll be home."

"Was Daddy hurt in the accident?" Lyn asked, as her lip trembled.

"Sweetheart, we don’t know. But remember Daddy always says no worries."

"Daddy’s okay. We would know if he wasn’t," Johnny said to his mother. Then he looked at his sister, before adding, "I’ll take care of you and Mommy until he gets back."

"Thank you, Johnny. Daddy will be so proud of you," Evangeline said and hugged them to her. Then she looked at Antonio, "Find him and bring him home."

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