Twenty-Four Shadows. Tanya J. Peterson

he have something work-related tonight that he had forgotten to mention? Again, unlike him but also not an impossibility given his spotty memory. Dominic broke into her thoughts. “Mommy! When’s Daddy going to come home? I’m starving!” He hugged his belly with his arms and hunched forward dramatically. Despite her irritation, she couldn’t help but smile.

      “Wow. You look like you are dying of hunger.”

      Dominic, still hunched over, looked up and nodded. “I am!”

      “Let’s do this. I’ll make up some mac and cheese. By the time it’s done and we’ve eaten, I’m sure Daddy will be home and then we can go to the pool.”

      “What about the hot dog cart?”

      “Sweetie, if we wait for that it will get too late to go swimming. I’d rather eat something here so we can get to the pool. What about you?”

      Dominic hesitated. “Yeah, okay,” he relented.

      Reese kissed the top of his head. “Terrific. Want to help me make dinner?”

      “Yes!”

      Occupied with directing and supervising her son through those tasks that were safe for him, Reese could only devote a little bit of her thoughts to Isaac’s tardiness. By the time the simple meal was prepared and eaten, she was back in full stew mode. No Isaac. No phone call. Her earlier annoyance had escalated into anger, and she was tired of waiting for him. She had promised her son a trip to the pool, and she wasn’t going to make him sit around at home waiting for his father to grace them with his presence.

      On the off chance she might reach him, she called his cell phone but went straight to voicemail. At the prompting beep, she said curtly, “Isaac, Dominic and I are going to the pool. There’s food around the kitchen for you if you’re hungry. See you later.” Good enough. Why say more than necessary when he wasn’t thoughtful enough to call at all?

      At the pool, Reese was able to forget about Isaac’s absence and focus on having fun with her little boy. The cool water was refreshing, the colorful play equipment with its squirting water and dumping buckets was a blast for Dominic, and despite the crowd, the two of them had fun. It was when she returned to a home that looked dark from the street and pulled into a garage empty of cars that her sense of relaxation and fun disappeared, to be replaced not by anger but by fear.

      From the backseat, Dominic piped up. “Hey, Daddy’s not home. Where is he?”

      Reese swallowed. That she didn’t have an answer induced even more anxiety deep within. “I think he must have had to work late, sweetie. Remember that the summertime is his busiest time of year.”

      “Yeah. He gets to work with a baseball team!”

      “He sure does. Now we need to get you ready for bed. I’m going to give you a quick bath to rinse the chlorine off, then we’ll read a story and it’s off to sleepy land.” She hoped she sounded cheery enough for Dominic’s sake. Mercifully, he was wiped out from the hot summer day and the time in the water, so he didn’t seem to notice that she was distracted. She sped through the routine of bathing him, helping him with his pajamas, and tucking him into bed. She began to read in the most flat, unenthusiastic, and hurried manner ever. Whether it was her son’s exhaustion or her own poor reading, she didn’t care; she was simply relieved that Dominic fell asleep. She shut the book, hustled out of the room, and was calling Isaac before she reached the kitchen, where she began to pace.

      When she again was directed to voicemail, her anxiety skyrocketed. “Hey Isaac, it’s me. It’s getting late, and I’m worried about what’s going on since I haven’t heard from you. Give me a call, okay? Love you.” She hung up and instantly dialed another number. When he answered on the second ring, she practically shouted, “Max! Have you heard from Isaac? He’s not here and he hasn’t called. Usually if he’s going to be late, he calls, but he hasn’t. I don’t know where he is. Please tell me you’ve heard from him!” The phone slipped out of her sweaty hand, but she lurched over and grabbed it before it hit the ground.

      “Reese, slow down. What’s going on?”

      Reese took a deep breath and paused to gather herself.

      “Reese? What’s wrong?”

      “Sorry, Max. Isaac hasn’t come home and he hasn’t called and I have no idea where he is. I was hoping you knew something.” She heard herself talking fast again. She wanted to stay calm, but the panic inside was making it difficult. It made bile rise up her throat, which seemed to push her words out faster.

      “Okay. Hold on. I’m on my way over.” Reese heard the click before she had a chance to respond. Less than three minutes later, Max was at the front door, Elise flopped against his shoulder sound asleep.

      “Reese, what happened?”

      She shook her head rapidly. “I don’t know. I’m probably being silly, but he’s not here and something feels wrong.”

      Max stepped fully inside. The movement drew Reese’s attention to the sleeping baby. “She looks sweet, and she’s comfortable on you, Max. But neither one of you is going to stay comfortable. Let’s put her in the den. Last night Isaac set up Dominic’s old crib so she could nap during the day.”

      “Seriously? He did?” Reese nodded. Max swallowed. “You guys are great, you know that?”

      “Isaac is great, Max, and that’s why I’m so worried!”

      After gently lowering Elise into the crib and ensuring that she remained comfortably asleep, Max straightened and turned to face Reese. He inclined his head toward the door. “C’mon. Let’s go sit down.”

      They walked to the family room in silence. Max sat. Reese sat. Reese sprang back up and began to pace. “Max, I’ve been racking my brain all evening. I can’t come up with even a tiny explanation for why he hasn’t come home. At first I thought he was just working late and being inconsiderate in not calling, but now I’m not so sure. It’s far too late,” she looked at her watch and inhaled sharply; “It’s after ten thirty! How did that happen? Max, this isn’t like Isaac at all!” She wrapped her arms tightly around her waist and looked at Max. Max stood, and in two long strides was across the room and had Reese in his arms. Unable to speak, Reese held him in return.

      Max eventually broke the silence. “I don’t know what to say, Reese,” he whispered. “Gretchen and Isaac both? Why? I know that Gretchen won’t be coming back, but God, Reese, I hope Isaac does.”

      Reese’s blood ran cold. She pulled back and looked at him, eyes open so wide she could feel air drying her eyeballs. “Do you think he might not?”

      “No! No, of course not. I’m so sorry, Reese. I didn’t mean it that way. I think I’m just staying stupid things because I’m overwhelmed by Gretchen’s sudden departure. And now Isaac hasn’t come home. But we don’t know what’s going on, so we can’t panic yet, okay? I’m sorry.”

      Reese nodded. She pulled away and resumed pacing. “You’re right. It’s too early to panic. And it’s late. We both need sleep. Go home and go to bed. I’ll do the same.” When Max looked at her skeptically, she folded her arms across her chest and used her firm expression, the one that she usually reserved for Dominic. “I’m serious. We both need sleep so we can deal with whatever tomorrow brings. Hopefully when you drop Elise off, Isaac will be here to greet you. And if not, we’ll deal with it then.” She approached Max and gave him a final hug. “Thank you for coming. I needed this. Now get out of here!”

      “Well, I see where I stand.” Max’s smile told Reese that he was okay with her kicking him out.

      “You’ll be standing in my kitchen before long. So let’s call it a night.”

      After calling it a night, Reese proceeded to toss and turn in bed and pace between her room and the front window, looking for Isaac’s returning car. The minutes ticked slowly, agonizingly by, yet too soon she had to prepare for the day and head to the kitchen, ready for everyone else. Ready,