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I traced the rim of my wine glass. “When I was nine, my mom started dating a biker named Q. That was all I knew about him—his one-letter name. He wore a black vest with all these patches on it, and had a long ponytail that he tied at his neck and at the bottom. My mom decided to go to bike week with him, so she dumped me at the elderly neighbor’s, saying she’d be back in a few hours. But of course, she didn’t come back for days.”
I glanced up as I continued. “The neighbor let me sleep on her couch for the night, but the next morning, she said my mother better be back because she had things to do. I pretended to go next door and check, then returned and told her my mother was back. She didn’t care enough to check whether a nine-year-old was telling the truth or not, so I decided I could manage myself for a few days. That was the first time Vera took off, at least that I can remember. I guess because I wasn’t ten yet, she still thought she had an obligation to mother me, so she left me with the neighbor and not alone.”
I paused and looked away, picturing our apartment back then. “We lived on the second floor of a four-story apartment building in Chicago. It was next to a parking lot that had a big tree in the corner. At night, the branches would hit the side of our building, and stray cats would fight and cry. It scared the living crap out of me. After a few days, I learned that if I rolled tissue into tight balls and stuck them in my ears, it helped drown out the sound. To this day, I sleep with earplugs.”
Owen shook his head. “How long was she gone?”
“Nine days. She came home the dayaftermy tenth birthday.”
“Jesus. That’s young to be alone that long. Did you tell anyone?”
“Nope. I was afraid I’d get in trouble. I never told anyone when she’d disappear. I hid it as best as I could and covered for her. Sometimes an adult who gave two shits figured it out and CPS would come. Then I’d be stuck in foster care for a while until my mom came back and reclaimed me.”
“Why do they keep giving a child back to a mother who abandons her for weeks at a time?”
“Sometimes they’d keep me for a while, and Vera would have to come visit and stuff. But then she’d take a parenting class, or go to counseling, and eventually they’d give me back.” I shrugged. “The system isn’t great. And sadly, there were kids far worse-off than me—abusive parents, drug addicts who lived on the streets. Vera knew how to play the game and turn on the charm when she had to.”
Owen nodded. “Did something in particular cause you to get upset tonight? Or just the circumstances in general?”
I sighed. “CPS came by today. Apparently Heath cut school a few times last week, and they couldn’t get in touch with Vera, so they called social services. The case worker wants to speak to his mother. I blew her off today, saying Vera was on a planned trip. But the woman wanted the exact date she’d be back. I told her Sunday. So now I need to find my mother and drag her ass home by then, because CPS is coming back Monday.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah…”
“What are we going to do?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “We? That’s kind of you, but it’s not your problem.”
“I want to help.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t ask. I’m offering. My dad was a cop. Maybe he could help us find her. Plus, I’m good at finding a needle in a haystack. Ask my clients.”
Warmth spread through my chest. Just the fact that hewantedto help endeared him to me. But this was my problem. “I really appreciate the offer, Owen, but I’m good.”
“Do you have any idea where Vera might be?”
“The kids said her new boyfriend is a truck mechanic. They think he got a new job in Boston, and that might be where they went. But my mom’s cell phone is disconnected. Sometimes she gets a prepaid for a month or two, but it always winds up getting turned off because she doesn’t pay the bill.”
“Why don’t we road trip up to Boston?”
“I’m not even sure that’s where they were going, and I have no clue what the guy’s last name is. Is Bo even a real first name, or is it short for something? What would I do, just walk around yellingBo?”
Owen smiled. “I have a car. I can drive, and you could hang your head out the window and yell.”
I chuckled. “I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that and she miraculously shows up in the next few days.”
“Well, if it does come to that, you know where to find me.”
“Thank you.”
A little while later I yawned, and Owen took the hint. “I should get going.”
“Okay.”
I walked him to the door, but he stalled in the doorway.
