Oreos

Jess

I came home from school that night, but no one was home. I did my homework at that old oak table in our tiny house. When no one came home to eat dinner, I ate an apple in the fridge and 13 Oreo's Mom had gotten the night before. We don't have a television, so I read A Christmas Carol, eyeing the door, waiting for Mom and Dad to enter. Nothing.

I waited until 10 o'clock, but no one came home. I went upstairs and changed into my pajamas, and brushed my hair and teeth before going to bed. I slunk under my red comforter and tried to go to bed, but my eye's wouldn't close. I heard the summer lightning storm in the August weather, and a car honking. I hoped it was Dad and Mom. I squeezed my stuffed orange hedgehog, Pie, tightly in my hand. But the door never opened.

I finally closed my eyes, and let myself drift off to sleep. I could here Henry banging on the old church bell. I yawned and woke up, then crept out of bed. I looked in Mom and Dad's room. No one.

It was Saturday. It never really felt this way. I was used to eating alone, my parents snoring, but it was just me. They had disappeared. It was almost like my life was a cliff hanger at that moment.

There was a light knock on the door, and I ran to open it. The paper boy, Caleb, waved. I picked the paper up from the step and brought it inside. I leafed through it as I shoved cereal in my mouth.

Then I turned pale as a ghost. On the fourth page, there were pictures. Of a car and ambulances. Mom's car.

I read the headline. Couple in major car accident. Wife dead, Man's whereabouts unknown.

My insides turned to ice. Our town might be at least two hundred acres, not very large. News travels fast.

Mom. That must be her. I read further to confirm it. And Dad. He had escaped.

I fought back tears growing in my eyes. If Dad had escaped, where was he now? Why hadn't he come to me? The tears were for my mother. But also the anger and furry raising inside of me. Why hadn't Dad come home for me?

I looked around and shoved the table over, milk and cereal spewed over the carpet. I raced upstairs and began surfing through my things. I threw them all in two giant backpacks and a suitcase. I threw in clothes, sweaters, blankets, a pillow, some books and pictures, coloring stuff, and Pie and a stuffed koala, Pom. Then I ran downstairs and began throwing in food and water and ice packs.

If there was one place I could go, it would be a big city where news travels slow.

And then, before I ran out the door, I threw the pack of Oreo's into my bag.

Swane

Jess is gone.

I knocked on her door with Milly and Charlene to bring her dinner. Charlene had read the paper, and told my Dad she would make lasagna to bring over for Jess. When we got there, no one was there. We stood on the stoop for ten minutes, then Charlene called Dad and he brought over the keys. We were close friends of the Roberts, so he always had the keys to take care of the house when they were gone.

Dad kissed Charlene and they opened the door. Inside, we searched. Nothing. All I saw was a few crumbs on the floor.

I raced upstairs to look for Jess in her room. Her clothes and toiletries were gone. Her piggy bank was empty. I could only assume her bank account was drained, too. I looked on her bed. The hedgehog I had given her for her thirteenth birthday last year wasn't there.

I looked out the window. The sun was shining, but it was nothing compared to what was happening inside of me. Milly came in, and hugged me. And we cried on the floor, enough tears to rise a tsunami from the depths of the ocean blue.

10 years later

Jess

New York, New York. The city that never sleeps. True in my case. I woke up in bed, but Hank was gone. The baby was crying. I groaned and flopped back in bed.

My boyfriend was making breakfast, from the smell of it. Our baby was clearly smelling it. She loves bacon.

I got up and walked into the kitchen. Hank was there, flipping bacon. The crisp smell filed the air. I pushed my auburn-brown air aside and walked over to Hank. I kissed him, before I took a piece of bacon right off the grill and popped it in my mouth.

"Hmmm. So good," I mumbled, then walked to get the baby's bottle. Hank looked at me. "What's up today?" he asked.

I swallowed. "I'm going to paint landscapes in a town a few hours from here. Small, as I know it, but Yanra said I paint landscapes the best," I responded, walking into the living room, where Hanna was sleeping in. Well, not sleeping anymore.

I took her up and listened to Hank. "Ride by air," he said, "It's faster. We can take out a loan from the bank afterward."

I nodded. "Yanra's flying me to some town. I need to figure out which one it is. It's in upstate Vermont. Near where I grew up," I said. My voice shook. My mind took me back.

I had left behind everything. Swane, my best friend that was a guy, and Milly, my blonde friend. And the community that loved me so much. And a few days after I left, I stopped in a small town, only to spot my father. He had tattoos, but one of a women I had never seen before. He was making out with a women. She had dark raven/brown hair and green eyes. She was also wearing a very much skin showing bikini and blue jean booty shorts. She and my dad were kissing.

She wasn't my mom.

I never saw Dad again.

Swane

The bread was on the table, as well as the cup. The same place it was everyday, since I had started coming to pray. Father waved to me, and I waved back. I sat in a pew and began to pray.

It was the same general thing: goodwill, food for the poor, friends and family, Milly's job, Nad's shop. But I also squeezed something else in there.

I had been reminded about Jess this morning. They finally had sold the house on the corner of Green and Fraw. The family had painted it a light blue, and changed the door. It matched Jess' house's old door. They had started growing berries like Jess and her mom and dad had.

I finished praying and left the church, feeling better. Right across from me, Nad waved. She had curled her hair this morning. Must have been in a good mood. There wasn't any reason not to be. It was bright out, but a light breeze flung threw the air. Flowers were blooming, and Spring had finally started.

Since I moved here three years ago, I haven't seen the dentist's office have flowers in front of it. It looked nice. The year was off to a good start.

I zipped up my blue jacket and took a stroll. Nad and I liked being together, but also had our time apart. She understood. She just walked up to me and said she was going to pick up groceries.

I smiled and let myself go in the breeze. It was about two in the afternoon, but it was a busy morning. At least it isn't like the city. I hate the city. I went there a year ago, took two hours by plane, maybe less. Too crowded, too much civilization, if that was ever a thing.

I looked inside Nad's pottery shop and waved at Chloe, her hand. She smiled and waved. My fiance has a way of finding great help.

I sat on a bench under the big oak tree and closed my eyes to just breath, and absorb the surrondings. I heard someone drop something on the ground, and my eyes darted open.

A canvas hit the clay ground next to three strewn paint brushes. It landed on a rock and tore.

I leaned over and picked the painting up. There was a women wearing low ankle boots and red stockings next to the brushes, picking them up.

I stood and handed the canvas to the girl. She was decently tall, with auburn-brown hair in a ponytail and a thin knitted pink bandana. A grey scarf wrapped her neck, and a navy sweater hid a dress splattered with paint stains.

"I think you dropped this," I said, handing the painting to her. She looked up. Her blue eyes sparkled. They reminded me of someone.

She nodded, laughing. "Thank you. I'm so sorry. I'm clumsy. Oh no!" She acclaimed, looking at the tear. She pursed her lips. "Do you happen to know where I can get a canvas?" she asked.

I thought. "I'll walk you to Brandon's Place. They have all this type of stuff and other things there," I replied. She nodded gratefully.

"I'm Swane, by the way," I commented as she walked. "You?"

She paused, and looked at me curiously. "Swane?" she asked. "That is your name?"

"Yeah.....," my voice trailed off. Did she know me? Did I know her?

"Jess," she said. And I blew it.

"Jess?!!!?" I asked. "Do you know someone named Winter Jessica Roberts?"

She laughed shakily. "That's me. Swane?"

I couldn't help it. I hugged her.

Ten years. That's how long it had been since I'd seen Jess. And she hugged me tight.

I brought her to dinner. I introduced Jess to Nad. They hit it off well.

Jess

As we were eating spaghetti at Swane's, I felt at home. I was here. And as we were laughing at the table, Swane's dogs, Milo and Fro Fro, begging for food, a camera clicked. And for once I didn't care what anyone thought of me. I picked up an Oreo from a patterned plate and popped it in my mouth, teeth full of chocolaty goodness. News travels fast around this town. I just wish it traveled fast enough to let Hank know that I had found my place in the world.