Fixation

The sound of the front door opening made Mr. Charles Spratt toss his morning paper onto the coffee table and jump to his feet, lunging into the hallway to confront his 17-year-old daughter. “Mattie, where were you all night? It is 7 am! Your mother and I stayed up until one waiting for you to come home.”

Mattie knew there was no way out of this one as her father was clearly upset and demanding answers. Weighing her options, and not wanting to get into too much trouble, she decided a full out lie was out of the question. But, she knew she couldn’t tell the whole truth either. That was likely worse than a lie could ever be. Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and faced her father with as much confidence as she could muster.

“Darlene and I stopped by Tracy’s house and then we all went for a ride in the mountains. It wasn’t that late when we left daddy, but Darlene’s car broke down and we didn’t have cell service. Did you get the message I sent you?” At this she fixed her father with the most pitifully hopeful eyes she could come up with. It was a good thing it was him questioning her and not Mattie’s mother. She never fell for the hopeful eyes routine.

“What? You mean the ‘safe, running late’ text? What was that supposed to mean?” He was still trying to be tough, but Mattie could tell that his walls were coming down quickly as the red in his face and neck began to fade.

“I didn’t have any bars, and wanted to let you know I was safe. I sent the text hoping that it would auto-send as soon as service was available. I’m sorry daddy. I didn’t mean to worry you and mama.” Seeing her father’s face soften and his cheeks changing back to their pale white color, rather than the intense warning red, Mattie knew that she was in the clear.

“Did Darlene get her car fixed?” Knowing she wasn’t in trouble, Mattie gave her father a grin and nodded before running upstairs to her room.

Closing her door behind her, she immediately dropped her backpack on her bed and began to search the contents for her precious watch. Pulling clothes, books, her hairbrush, and makeup bag out before she found it, she threw everything on the floor and turned to fall backwards on her bed. Clasping the watch close to her chest she sighed happily to know that she hadn’t lost it.

The night’s events ran briefly threw her mind, but she wiped them away to admire her pretty treasure in the sunlight that shown through the window at the head of her bed. Four little diamonds sparkled on the ivory watch face, making Mattie smile. The diamonds were lovely, but the tiny golden hands were her favorite. She watched as the sensually curved minute hand teased around the edge of the smooth rim which held tiny calibré-cut emeralds. She tilted the watch back and forth between her fingers and admired the life of the emeralds. Then, noticing her reflection in the glass that protected the miniature hands beneath, she blew her reflection a kiss and turned the prize gently in one hand. Running her fingers back and forth along the perfectly smooth gold chain links that held everything in place, she felt soothed by their luxury and sighed with pleasure. Opening the clasp, Mattie laid the band over her wrist and closed it in place. Giggling she held her arm up to the light to admire the sparkle and shine. The moment she saw it she knew she needed to have it, and it fit her wrist perfectly; as she knew it would.

Feeling mesmerized from the watch and exhausted from the night before, Mattie’s eyes closed as the need for sleep took over. In her dreams the watch was a powerful object that gave her power over others. If she wanted something from another person all she had to do was ask.

Trying the powers out, she asked her father for a horse. At first he told her no because they didn’t have enough space in their small back yard. After willing the question through the watch however, she soon had a handsome black and white stallion sitting outside her bedroom window, waiting patiently for an apple. But a horse wasn’t enough, she needed more, and she explored all the magical options as she slept peacefully.

She was in the middle of asking her crush, Mark Harlow, to Homecoming when she heard a knocking sound. As the knocking continued she woke from her sleep slightly irritated to be taken from such a brilliant dream.

“What?”

“Honey, Darlene’s mom is on the phone and asking if you know where Darlene is.” Tara Spratt spoke softly through the door, hoping to avoid alarming her daughter. She knew Mattie must have had a long night since she was sleeping at nine in the morning. When she returned from the grocery store Mr. Spratt told her Mattie was home, but explained that their daughter had a long night with car troubles. She wouldn’t have woken her daughter if it wasn’t for Mattie’s missing friend.

“Mom, I’m sleeping.” Mattie angrily curled on her side, wishing her mother would go away. When the door knob turned and she heard her bedroom door opening slowly Mattie sighed heavily, angry that she wouldn’t be able to return to her dream, and Mark Harlow. She didn’t give up hope though and quickly said, “I don’t know where she is mom.”

“When was the last time you saw her Mattie?” Speaking calmly, Tara sat on the edge of the bed laying her hand on Mattie’s leg. Of course Mattie would be upset at the thought of her friend missing, and Tara wanted to be there for her daughter.

“Mom, I was with her last night. We just got back and I came home. That’s it. Can I go back to sleep now?” Closing her eyes, Mattie snuggled into her pillow.

“Cheryl said Darlene never came home.”

At this Mattie shot up into a sitting position. With her lips pursed together and her eyebrows raised she glared at her mother and said, “Mom, this is ridiculous. She is not here. Do you see her?” Waiving her arms around she gestured to the otherwise empty room. After feeling like she had sufficiently put the matter to rest, Mattie rolled her eyes and slumped backward onto her pillow with a frustrated sigh.

Feeling as though her daughter was just grumpy from being overly tired, Tara patted Mattie on the leg and said, “Okay honey,” and then she got up and left the room.

Closing the door behind herself, Tara paused and thought of poor Cheryl who was sitting at home becoming more and more worried about her missing daughter. Mrs. Spratt held her hand to her heart and resisted the fear of her own daughter going missing. Mattie may be grumpy now, but she really was a good girl and no one deserved to be lost and alone somewhere away from their family.

Returning to the phone, Tara took a deep breath before picking up the receiver.

“She isn’t here Cheryl. Mattie said that they returned a while ago and then Mattie came straight home.” Listening to the worried tone in her friend’s voice, Mrs. Spratt closed her eyes and tried her best to relay positivity to her fretful friend. “We will call you if Mattie hears from her. Don’t worry she will probably be home soon.”

Hanging up the phone, Tara sank into the chair next to the little table it sat on. She wished that Mattie had been more helpful, but if she doesn’t know where Darlene is then there was no sense in pushing her further. The girl needs her rest.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Mattie found it very difficult to return to sleep. Darlene not returning home was certainly concerning, and her friend’s mother would only become more worried the longer it took. She needed to try to call Darlene. If she doesn’t answer, then at least she tried to call and everyone would know that she tried.

Picking up her iPhone she hit send on her best friend’s number and waited for the ring. As it rang she knew Darlene wouldn’t answer, but she still waited for the voicemail to pick up. When it did she said, “Hey girl, your mom is getting worried about you. Call me back. Bye.”

Feeling as though she had sufficiently tried to find her best friend, Mattie laid back down on the pillow and peacefully fell back to sleep, dreaming of the fabulous watch.

…..

Monday mornings were always frantic at the Spratt house. Mr. and Mrs. Spratt fused over their daughter taking too much time in the only bathroom in the house, and Mattie hated that her parents wouldn’t leave her alone. Didn’t they know that she had to look her best for school?

As Charles leaned on the kitchen counter with a fresh from the pot cup of coffee, calming himself from the frustration of needing a shower and being late to work, his thoughts of the day to come were interrupted by a knock at the door. Raising himself slowly Charles grumbled as he wondered who could be at the front door at 7 o’clock on a Monday morning. Not quite his cheerful self yet, he plodded down the hallway to the front door. Once the door was open however he instantly straightened himself up. Two city police officers were waiting, looking resolute. Gulping back his nerves Mr. Spratt listened to the officers introduce themselves as Officers Timmons and Myles, before inviting them into his home.

After leading them into the living room, Mr. Spratt said “Let me get my wife first.”

Then, as he left the room he was stopped before he made it to the stairs by one of the officers who said, “Sir, my partner will go up.”

Mattie, who had just finished preparing herself for school, checked her reflection in the mirror before deciding that she had a sufficient amount of black on to show concern for her missing friend. Everyone had been fussing since Saturday morning about Darlene, and she didn’t want to look uncaring. She knew most people would want to console her, and she gave one more sullen look to the mirror. She had to be ready to accept their well-meaning comfort.

Giving herself a smile and a wink, Mattie left the bathroom just in time to see Officer Myles stepping off of the stairs into the hallway. Alarmed, she asked him what he was doing in her house.

He began to explain himself, while moving toward her, but Mattie screamed for her mother and turned and ran in the opposite direction down the hall.

Officer Myles, half expecting this response, calmly walked down the hallway in the same direction. Only, when he reached what he assumed was Mr. and Mrs. Spratt’s bedroom, the girl slammed the door in his face just as he was about to enter.

“Young lady please open the door. We are here to escort you to the station for questioning in the murder of Darlene Byron.”

Behind the door Tara was startled first by the scream and then excited entry of her daughter, and then by the announcement by the officer in her hallway. Feeling her heart sink and her arms go weak, she dropped the shoes she had just retrieved from her closet and gawked questioningly at her daughter.

At first Mattie looked scared and Tara wanted to run to her to defend her and keep her safe from these untrue implications. But then, Mattie’s face morphed into a comical grin as if this was all a joke. At this Tara felt the room spin and nearly fell down as she became overwhelmed by the emotions running through her body. Sitting on the bed she stared at her daughter, waiting for an explanation.

Mattie, looking intensely at Tara, as if absorbing her mother’s reaction, shrugged her shoulders and said, “I just wanted her watch.”