The Last Embrace
/ The Last Embrace 248 Where's The Children?
Two hours later.
Jessy went back to her room. Adam would arrive later at midnight.
She lies down in the bed and was contemplating to visit the city, ride a taxi and give the address to the driver and just check out the area where Virgie was living. She read the index card again, Virgie had written her parent's name...Martina and Rudy, and the children's name Duane and Doyle.
She glanced at the wall clock, she still has two hours break. She got up from the bed and went to the closet then took her pink polo shirt, blue jeans, black canvas shoes, and her black leather jacket. Then she picked up her sling bag with the paper bills inside, she put Virgie's index card inside as well.
She teleported into the city.
A moment later.
Jessy emerges from the dark alley and after walking for a few minutes, she entered the nearest store that sells men's clothing, she brought a baseball cap and wore it over her head when she exited the store. She strolled into the busy street and hired a taxi cab and gave the address to the driver.
According to Virgie's information on the index card, she has been in captivity for more than a year already. She was wondering what happened to Virgie's parents and her children when the sole breadwinner provider was gone for more than a year?
They must be having a hard time, poor children!
She sighed.
The travel lasted for forty-five minutes. The taxi brought her to a slum neighborhood where poverty was prevalent. Some of the houses and buildings were dilapidated, the majority of the buildings and structures in the area were badly needed repairs.
She got out of the taxi and paid her fare. "Keep the change, Grandpa!" she said to the driver.
The driver smiled at the young woman feeling grateful for her generosity.
She saw a bakery nearby, she sauntered towards the store and brought some delicious muffins, sliced bread, and peanut butter. She asked the saleslady where is the Apple St. and where's the Jones Apartment was located, that is where Virgie's family was residing.
The saleslady was adept in giving directions and she found the Jones Apartment quickly on the next block. She saw a man in front of the apartment. She hurried to him and ask if he knows a certain Martina and Rudy living in the apartment.
The man pointed at the pathway leading to the back of the apartment. "They weren't able to pay the rent for a few months when their daughter suddenly disappeared so the owner of the apartment transferred them at the house at the back of the apartment so that they can continue living in this neighborhood without pay."
"Thank you, Sir!" Jessy said.
She walked towards the path leading to the back of the apartment. There she saw a small dilapidated house, an old woman in her early 70's emerged from the door holding a laundry basket in both hands.
"Hello Ma'am, are you Martina? Virgie's mother?" she asked directly.
"Y-yes...I am," the old woman responded.
"I'm Virgie's friend, we work in the grocery store together before she disappeared, I'm here to ask if she already return or she already had been found?" Jessy asked. She handed the bag which contains pastries to the woman. "Here, just a small present from me, for you and the kids..."
Martina accepted the bag and smiled shyly at the young woman. "Thank you so much for the bread. Please, come inside I will make you a coffee," she offered.
Jessy followed the woman inside the house.
Martina offered a chair to the visitor and went to the tiny kitchen sink to make the coffee. "My daughter has not returned yet, she never contacted us until this day. We don't know if...she is still alive or already dead, the police investigator gives up finding her because there's no lead, as if she just disappear on the face of the earth without a trace," she said in a flat voice trying to contain her grief.
"I'm so sorry, Auntie, let's continue praying to God that Virgie will come home soon," she said sympathetically. Jessy roamed her eyes inside the house, it only has one room, she can't find the children everywhere, maybe they are sleeping inside the room. "Your daughter always mentioned to me about Duane and Doyle, her two precious children, how are they doing? Can I see them?"
Martina handed the mug of coffee to the visitor and Jessy accepted the mug and start sipping from it.
The old woman's face turns sorrowful, she sat on the chair in front of the visitor.
"My grandchildren were taken by my daughter's husband five months ago and they were brought into the next city to live with his new live-in partner. I have not visited them yet, but my husband and I were saving money so that we can visit the children next month," Martina explained in a sad tone.
"Ah, I see. How about Uncle Rudy? Where is he?" Jessy asked again.
"My husband is working around the neighborhood doing all types of jobs or errands so that we can sustain our daily needs. He will be home anytime soon," Martina replied.
"Where did Virgie's husband took the children?"
"In another city, in San Joaquin...far from here," Martina said.
"Hmm...Auntie, can I have the children's complete address please...because I might be able to visit them if I have time. I will contact you if I happen to see them and inform you of their conditions because my parents live in the same city where Virgie's husband is living. I will visit and bring the children some toys," Jessy said.
Martina rose from the chair and entered the room, she comes back with a piece of paper with the written address on it and gave it to the younger woman. "By the way, may I know your name young lady?"
"My name is Cathy," Jessy gave her fake name. "Auntie, can you also write your phone number so that I can contact you after I see the children?"
Martina wrote her phone number in the paper.
"Thank you, Auntie," Jessy said. "I will go home now, I can no longer wait for Uncle Rudy, please, tell him I drop by today," she said.
Jessy and Martina rose to their feet and exited the door.
"Thank you for the visit, child, I appreciated it very much," Martina said feeling deeply touched by the woman's concern of her missing daughter.
"Bye Auntie, nice meeting you!" Jessy waved goodbye at the old woman.
Martina looked at the young woman's fading silhouette with tears in her eyes, no one visited them for a long time to ask if their daughter has already returned. No one cares, her daughter was just part of a countless missing person that has been reported all over the country all year round.
Deep in her heart, she wished for her daughter to come back one day before she completely leaves this world. She prayed to God every day for her daughter's safe return.
Chapter end
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