There's something wrong with Phoebe

2 - Mother

It was a clear, sunny day. We had just had five days solid of that annoying type of rain that isn’t heavy enough to stop you going outside, but enough so to bother you and dampen your clothes and hair. The clouds had suddenly decided to part today, and the warmth and light was shining through. I’d dropped Thomas off at his friend’s house and Kayla was at her boyfriend’s. It was the summer holidays, but, after two weeks, it had turned out to be the loneliest holiday I’d ever had. All of my friends were away on holiday with their family, but Thomas and Kayla no longer wished to do anything with me. I’d even offered to go shopping with Kayla along Oxford Street, but she told me she was going with Harry.

Thomas was at that peculiar age where he tried to act like he knew it all but really, whenever he looked at me, his eyes showed just how clueless he really was; as if he were pleading for help. It was all to do with this new group of friends. He’d just finished his first year at high school, and had gotten in with what Rob, my husband, called a bad crowd. Thomas was dressing differently, demanding things, and insisting we now call him Tom though he’s never liked anyone calling him that. He’d gained confidence rapidly, though he was starting to adopt a cocky attitude around his friends. In a way, I preferred it when he was weaker, and lacked strength of character. He’d hugged me and sat and watched movies with me and openly cried. I suppose he was now becoming the boy he’d been before the abduction of his sister, Phoebe. But that was a long time ago. Of course everything was going to change. Kayla had changed too.

She’d always been in awe of her big sister, following her around and trying to copy her style and the specific mannerisms of Phoebe, though Phoebe had always been quite a unique character. It was part of the reason she’d been so popular. At thirteen, she'd pretty much ruled her school. She'd had long blonde hair that she tugged and teased into a straight style every morning before school as well as applying her cherry lip gloss, mascara and a slight blush on her cheeks. The products she’d used still lie on the top of her chest of drawers in her bedroom, mirror balanced on top. She hadn’t needed foundation. Her skin was flawless. I always thought Kayla was less confident because of Phoebe. Kayla was pretty, but not stunning like Phoebe had always been.

When Phoebe had bleach blonde curls as a child, Kayla, only a year younger, had mousy, straight hair. Phoebe’s skin had a natural tan that she’d adopted from Rob, whereas Kayla, sadly, had my ghostly complexion. Phoebe’s eyes were sparkling blue, and Kayla’s a dull brown. Phoebe was toned with a lovely figure, and Kayla had been plump. That had all changed four years ago though.  Kayla had stopped snacking, she went jogging every morning and night, and she lost her baby fat as she shot up to only a couple of inches short of Rob. She’d dyed her hair a richer brown, grown it, and curled it every morning. Her confidence level shot up, and she suddenly had a boyfriend and was going to parties. Her grades took a bit of a drop, but she seemed so happy I daren’t complain to her. Her grades were matching Phoebe’s a little more, and so they were a lot higher than my grades had ever been at school.

I’d left school at sixteen and worked in a sweet shop. That was where I had met Rob when he was grabbing a snack after college, and he'd asked me out. I had Phoebe a little over a year later, and twenty years later, we’re still together. It’s shocking really as I watch couples break down before my eyes everywhere I look. It’s not like me and Rob haven’t had our hard times, but we work through it. At least, I think we do. Rob has such a good sense of humour - but it has hidden away since Phoebe's abduction -  and so was the subject of many dinners as we teased him about his habits and his music preferences, which were a little odd. He doesn't listen to music anymore.

Family dinners became extremely important after Phoebe’s abduction. They were the only time we talked about something that wasn’t related to their missing sister. It gave them a sense of normality. That was the most important thing for me and Rob.