Lessons Learned

Part 3

*RILEY*

I hated birthdays. Mom always made a big deal over them, but I didn't see the point. It was just another day.

This year, Mom wanted to do something special. But all I wanted was to stay at the cabin, and go swimming. I hated spending my birthday with Landon- he always made it horrible. But grandma and grandpa always brought the best gifts.

I took my time unpacking, jumping into my bed and grabbing the controller for my play station. I knew mom would be in here soon enough; she would hear the gun fire and come yell at me to turn it off. But it was my birthday, I was gonna do what I wanted.

I could hear Amy downstairs, babbling away, and I waited for the inevitable call to come downstairs. But it never came. Instead, I heard mom come running back up the stairs, yelling for dad.  She sounded scared, and I paused my game for a minute to try to listen to their conversation.

The silence hit me as soon as the sounds of the game stopped. Amy wasn't laughing and giggling, like she always does when Aunt Beth played with her. And that's when realization hit- something had happened to her.

I ran downstairs, searching every room, but Amy was gone. I went back up to my parent's room to ask Mom what happened, but stopped with my hand on the door knob. I could hear them talking, and curiosity got the best of me.

"Liv, it's been 17 years. Why would he come for her? You never reported him, he went to jail for what he did to Beth and Jenny." Dad was always the voice of reason.

"He's twisted, Michael. He purposely got me AND mom pregnant. He probably found out about the boys and decided to punish me for keeping it a secret." Mom was in tears.

"But why Amy? Why not just show up and tell the boys the truth? She's 3 for God's sake! We know the age group he goes for." He raised his voice. Dad never got angry...

I didn't know what they were talking about, but I knew I could find out. I grabbed my cellphone and went to my room, locking the door, and googled my aunt's name. I scrolled until I found an article dated 17 years ago, and I began to read.

Apparently this guy named Luke kidnapped both Aunt Beth and Aunt Jenny when they were 9 years old, and mom found Beth at the annual festival. It listed an address, and I wrote it down, knowing I needed to check it out.

"Riley!" Mom called for me. I took a breath, getting ready to deal with the news. I walked down the hall, hands in my pockets and eyes on the floor. My heart was pounding as my fingertips brushed the paper with the address, knowing if mom found out what I was planning I would be grounded for life.

"Yeah mom?" I tried to sound disinterested, kicking at the thinning carpet at the foot of the bed.

"We're gonna have to postpone your birthday bud. Mom and I have some...  business.... to take care of. You can go over to Grandma's if you want, but no where else. Understand?" Dad did his best to keep his I-mean-it stern face on, but I could see the fear and anger in his eyes. I'd never seen my dad so mad, not even when I put a dent in his brand new car.

"Where's Amy?" I couldn't help but ask, fighting back tears. Yeah,  I hated the sniffling little brat sometimes but she was still my baby sister.

Mom began to cry, repeating the same thing over and over. "I'm sorry,  I'm sorry..." I gave dad a helpless look, slowly backing out of their bedroom. He nodded at me to go, and I practically ran downstairs. If my parents couldn't find Amy, I would.

I wouldn't let that creep hurt my little sister.