Fresh from her business trip in London, Olivia arrived at the home of her daughter's best friend, Giselle. Meant to be spending the weekend sleeping over, Olivia was shocked to find out that her daughter never showed up Friday night after gymnastics practice.
"She was supposed to ride home with you guys? The girls talked about the slumber party the entire way over to the gym Friday morning. Practically talked my head off, begging for permission for Gracie to stay over. They said you already gave them permission to have a slumber party with three of the other girls from the team." Olivia informed Giselle's mother in a panic.
She hadn't thought to confirm the sleepover with the other mother because this was one of several sleepovers their girls had over the years. The formality of double checking with each mom was no longer nessscary. After all, their girls were best friends for many years. Clearly, Olivia had thought wrong.
"Giselle Magritte Mendez, get down here!" Mrs. Mendez yelled from the living room, watching as Olivia circled around the coffee table, pulling at her curls in distress.
"Yes, mom." Giselle responded, rushing down the stairs. Widening her eyes at the sight of her best friend's mom, Giselle's small feet began to backup on instinct. "Umm, Hi, Miss Baker...what...what are you doing here?"
"Don't act like you don't know what is going on here! Where is Graciana? What little scheme have you two cooked up?" Mrs. Mendez inquired harshly, hands and her hip, with a firm posture. "You told Miss Baker that Gracie stayed over all weekend. Yet three days have passed, and I have not seen Graciana in this house once. Where is she, Giselle?"
Olivia looked at the little girl with pleading eyes, listening to the other mom grill her. "Please, Giselle. I know whatever promise you made, that neither of you were trying to get in trouble. But it's been three days since your best friend has been alone. We need to make sure she is alright." Olivia coaxed the nervous kid.
"I'm sorry. We were not trying to make you guys upset. She just wanted to meet him so badly." Giselle promptly responded regretfully. "I told her that she would get in a lot of trouble if she went alone, but she knew you would never take her. And...."
"It's alright, Ellie. Just tell me where Gracie went." Olivia sighed heavily. "I won't get mad. I just need to make sure she is okay."
"She overheard you on the phone with her uncle Jay a few weeks ago when he gave you her dad's address. Gracie heard you tell her uncle that you weren't ready to tell her dad about her, and Gracie got mad. So she decided to go meet him herself. We snuck into your purse last week and found your business card that your assistant uses to buy stuff for your job. Gracie said you'd never know the bus ticket wasn't a business purchase until after she was gone. She only wanted a week with her dad, and then she was going to come back. I swear. She left to the bus station after our gymnastics meet, and we used my brother's phone to order an Uber. I watched him do it lots of times. The Uber took to her to the bus station and she took a bus to New York."
Olivia's breathing hitched, and she became dizzy, trying to process this revelation. "Oh my god..."
Mrs. Mendez helped her to the sofa as Olivia began to face palm herself, muttering curse words under her breath.
"What am I going to do, Minny?" She asked, looking to her Giselle's mother and her close friend.
"Drink some water. I will call your assistant, Savannah, and make sure that she books you the first flight out to New York. We will bring her back home. Don't worry." Minela assured her colleague as Olivia cried harder.
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