Panic and Chaos

I flew down the freeway, bawling like a baby (which felt good because I hadn't cried in a long time) thinking...is this for real. I quickly called Aunt Calmness (AC)* who I knew would calm me down and give me the advice that I needed. I was headed to the police department in mom's town...not really knowing what I was going to do when I got there, but it seemed like the most logical place to start.

AC instructed me to file a missing person's report and call her when I made progress...she was going to try to find a flight out from CA should the situation get any dire.

Scared, frustrated, and panicked, I told the woman at the police station what I was there for. She explained that a missing persons report couldn't be filed unless the person was missing for so many hours. I was furious....I knew my mom would not just vanish...she is the kind of person to call if she is 2 minutes late. I tried not to yell, but asked to talk to an officer. The officer and I went through the normal questions....describe mom, vehicle, clothes,....wait.....who was the last person to see mom? Dad.....well where was he??? As I sat there, explaining that my parents are happily married and dad is on a business trip, which was normal, I thought for the 100th time....is this for real?

The officer explained that there were no accidents in the area and that he would send out people to begin to look out for mom's car. In the meantime, I frantically called dad....begging him to turn around and come home. He mentioned that he needed to complete this business meeting first, but would return after it was complete. And so, I went to the folks home to being searching for clues..... Mom was missing!!!!! PANIC set in.

Chaos began as I tore the house apart looking for credit card statements to call and see if there had been any activity. I pulled out mom's social security card from the files, called all credit card companies pretending to be her and requested information for any activity on the accounts. NOTHING!!! I pulled up their bank account online (the one that I helped mom create since she is a little computer challenged). No activity at all! THIS IS WEIRD!!!!

As I was digging through dad's desk at the house, I found his wedding ring, buried in the back of the drawer. At almost the same time, as Rachel was helping me look through the house, she came into the room "You need to see something" she said. I followed her back to mom and dad's room, as she pointed at mom's jewelry box. There was her wedding band set, lying on top of the box. I got chills up and down my body. Mom NEVER left the house without her wedding ring. The woman would clean, cook and pull weeds with her rings on. Something was strangely wrong.

I gathered the energy to call AC and explain that she should probably come out, along with "Aunt Spunky" (AS), both mom's sisters. I don't remember anything up to the point that dad walked in the door, but the important thing was that he was home. I ran to the front door, embraced dad as he cried into my head. We were headed for a bumpy ride......

"Dear Heavenly Father, please protect my mother. Please either bring her safely home to you or safely home to us. Lord, protect our family. Send your angels to us. In Your heavenly name I pray." This I prayed outloud as I gripped my dad for dear life.