Judy

Chapter XII

"Can You Stand the Rain"

Heart Break

New Edition

There I was, pacing. Worried, scared, and enraged. Why would Rosalie do this? Why didn't she tell me? Who the hell taught her how to drive? Nerves ran through my clouded and unkempt mind as countless outcomes twirled and danced; creating vivid horrific results. With nothing else to lose, I grabbed my housecoat, headed for the door, and grabbed my wife's keys. "I'm going to drive around town and try and find her; see if she might've stopped anywhere or anything," I told Charlotte, in hopes to break this tension. 

 "Be careful!" Charlotte replied, before dialing up some of her friends to ask to form a search party. I decided the best bet was to take a step out, then a breath, and then towards my wife's Jeep Wrangler; a bit panicked at the thought that something might have, or could have happened to Rosie. It fondled and taunted me. I soon began pulling out of the driveway as I guesstimated possible locals for my daughter to be in. It wasn't easy either. I've known Rosie long enough for her to run off so abruptly. Maybe my uptight attitude might have been at fault, or possibly my eager overhanging demeanor. Whatever it was, I knew that I was destined to fix it. No matter the cause. I just wanted my daughter back. I wanted to see her smile again. To say how sorry I was and to finally do something right. I finally stopped tampering with the fabric of the seat as I put the car in reverse with one goal in mind. 

 To see what was wrong with Rosie.

 The bustling highway seemed rather dead now. What was once a packed, endless road seemed rather dead and empty. The constant headlights, illuminating the darkness was now filled with fireflies scattered unevenly. Of course, there were a few cars around, but at this point, I didn't mind. I was on my way to the high school again, seeing if Rosie might've stayed after school or something; but then whacked myself over the head with that thought. "Afterschool activities at 8:30 pm?" I knew for a fact there weren't any afterschool events, shows, or sports games, so that was out of the picture. Then again, she did have my car, and a few bobby pins stashed in my glovebox. Nonetheless, I shook off the idea and pulled up at a gas station. I approached the gas station attendant and asked to fill it up regularly. I looked at the attendant, a young girl, in about her early twenties, tired and out of it, sliding through her phone, getting up-to-date info about her friends' eventful lives.

"You look famished, you gonna be alright?" I asked as I handed her my cash.

The attendant looked up, "Yeah, I'm hanging in there. Thanks anyway." I noticed the girl was rather beaten and worn. Not from like the heat; but rather something more. "Do you want me to get you like water or anything?" I offered.

"Kind offer, man, but can't. My shift's out here and I only have a ten-minute break; tryna use it wisely."

I tried to piece together this puzzle and nodded off; eliminating any other distractions. "You stay safe and well. Be careful. Goodnight."

"Thanks, man." She replied.

After the gas was filled, I pulled up into the convince store right in front of the gas station and entered the small radiant place, with a very low volume newscast, a small variety of sweets, and what looks like a broken soft drink machine. The cashier looked burley, old and unkempt. His beard was of a gothic black. He had an old radio playing next to him as he lay driftlessly on the register.