M.i.A

chapter 1

November 2nd, 2015.

Justin.

"All right Lani, I'm going for a run!" I yelled from the front door back to my wife who is in the kitchen. I saw her walk around the kitchen island so I walked back inside and met her half way. I bent in to give her a kiss on the cheek and when I came up, I starred in her eyes. Me and Nalani got married 8 years ago and before that, we were together for 3 years. I met her my senior year in college and knew she was the one, I just had to convince her. She was a sophmore, only 19. I was 21. I saw her at a sandwich shop in our café, of all places. I was working and she was ordering, our beginning.

"Okay baby, if you come back and I'm not here, I will probably be either on my way to work or neck deep in work. Love you." she came up on her toes and kissed me in my lips. She was about to pull away when i grabbed her around her waist and pulled her in for a much deeper "see you later" kiss. I pulled away and saw her face in a little daze. Satified with the look on her face i smiled, kissed her nose turned around and walked to the door.  I turned back around to see she walked past me to go up the stairs, probably to get dressed. She yelled "later" when she got there.

When I saw her disappear at the top, I turned and walked out the door, locking it behind me. As I start jogging down my steps and on to the street, I get my phone and headphones started to play my workout playlist.

Nalani. Beautiful, Curvy, soft, lovely with tan, caramel skin. Soulful, Big brown, almond eyes with long curly lashes and big gorgeous brown curly hair to match. But her smile, that smile. It could be the last thing I see before I die and I would die with a smile on my face. That's what I saw when I decided she was the one, of course she didn't talk to me at first, took a couple encounters...one time we bumped into each other in the student center lobby. We had small talk there. Then I saw her again in the library. She was studying, what I didn't know then, human anatomy. Beautiful, smart. I had to have her.

I run a little further and see the trail I usually take. It goes into lake katherine preserve, a common place for hikers, campers and the like.

Anyways back to lani. I love her. Truly. Honestly. She is the best thing to happen to me and I hope I see children in our near future. We've been trying.

Running faster. I push myself forward, I'm not tired, that's all in my head. I run for me, my body, to clear my mind. I do it because I always feel alive, wind in my face, deep breaths in and out. I turn a corner on the trail, its down hill, somewhat harder because of the speed I was running so I slowed down a little. As I am running a saw a piece of paper on a tree. Probably a missing cat, that's happened often enough. I live somewhat in one of the suburbs in Ohio.

I keep running and notice two more papers and began slowing my pace.

Missing: Hans Yurlani, male, Asian American, 5"10", 200 pounds. Last seen 9/24/2012

Missing: Jordan Hewitt, Female, Caucasian American, 5'4", 160 pounds. Last seen 10/07/2004

Missing, Missing, Missing.

At this point I am walking, staring at all the trees with missing persons ads on them. Some more recent than others, some from 20 years ago. I walk a little further down the trail and see a blanket, a few cans of food and and another sheet of paper that was turned over. When I turned it over it was a picture of...

Missing: Nalani Peters, female, African-American, 5'3", 170 pounds. Last seen 11/02/2015

I stare in shock for a few seconds. That is today. I jumped up and folded the paper. I took a couple of pictures of the area. Even grabbed a can with my t-shirt. You aren't supposed to touch these things right? I began running. Running thinking of Lani's beautiful laughter. How her dimples always popped out when I kissed her forehead, how her eyes would lower when i kissed her unexpectedly.
I ran faster. Not Lani, not my lani. I run down my street up to my doorstep and fumble with my keys. Hurry up, hurry up. Okay, I get in and slam the door.

"LANI!!" I wait a few seconds, no answer.

"LANI!!" nothing.

Where is my Fucking phone... I pat my right pocket, luckily the right one and pull out my phone and hit her number. I hear the dial tone. Please pick up. Pick up, pick up. A few seconds later;

"Hey baby."

"Lani, lani are you okay? You're safe, you're here, where are you? I saw the car." You can't help but hear the panic in my voice.

"Baby calm down, they ended up not calling me into work, so Vera picked me up and we are at a coffee shop. Baby what's wrong."

How can I tell her without scaring her, I need her to get here fast though.

"Sweetheart, do you think you can come home for me? I will tell you When you get here."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is fine, please come home."

She was silent for a few beats.

"Ok. I'll be there in 15 minutes." Then she hung up.

I need to start packing, so i run up the stairs towards our bedroom. Heading into the closrt i open the doors and just start pulling things off the hangers. Then i went into the other closet in our hallways and grab our. Suitcases. Im stuffing everything into the suitcases when i hear her call my name upstairs."