Page 135 of Finding Fate

She sighed. “You’re right. For now.”

“Good. Now can we get back to your birthday?” he asked as he spun the swing around and pulled her against him for a kiss. She shivered in his arms in a way that had nothing to do with the outside air.

The kiss lasted just long enough for Tyler and Chris to yell, “Ew! Gross!” and Tabitha to say, “Leave them alone!” Jet groaned. Apparently, kissing his girlfriend without interruptions was not going to happen anytime soon.

Nearly two hours passed before the families decided to call it a night. Annie stepped over her brother and Chris who had conked out on the floor of the living room a good half hour ago and went to stand at the front door with her mother.

“Thanks for letting Tyler stay over, again,” Bridgette said with a quiet laugh to Helen.

“Oh, it’s no problem. Stef will bring in blankets and pillows for the boys. There’s no sense in you waking him up.”

The mothers hugged. Helen reached over to give Annie a hug, too, and then turned to Jet. “Now, I’m going to go to bed, and when Bridgette steps outside, I expect you to give this girl the birthday kiss you’ve been trying to get in all night.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered with a grin. He wasn’t going to argue. As soon as their parents were out of the room, Jet pulled Annie into his arms.

“Finally,” she whispered.

“My thoughts exactly,” he replied as he pressed his lips against hers in an eager and enthusiastic kiss that lasted much longer than it should have with Bridgette waiting to head next door.

Annie staggered out the door, and she shivered. She wondered if it was because it had gotten colder outside or if it was because Jet’s kiss had left her a little heat stricken.

“Annabel, did you park your truck in the garage this afternoon?”

“No. You know Izzy and I always park it in the driveway, Mom. Why?” she asked, not picking up the alarm in her mother’s tone.

“Because it’s not there.”

Annie looked across the lawns then and saw the empty drive. “What? Do you think Izzy took it?”

Mother and daughter shared a look of concern, both knowing Izzy had not been in a state to drive when they’d left. They hurried back home, and panic filled Annie’s lungs when they saw the front door wide open. “Oh, no,” they said together.

Annie wasn’t sure why they rushed inside. The truck was gone, so Izzy obviously wasn’t home, but she still had to see for herself. She ran up the stairs to their bedroom, stupidly hoping to find her twin lying asleep on her bed, but what she saw sent a new kick of terror and panic through her. She stopped in her tracks just inside the room.

“Mom!” she cried out at the top of her lungs. Her mother gasped when she reached Annie’s side, and they shared another look.

“Izzy would never do that to Daddy’s dresser,” Annie finally said, voicing both their thoughts aloud. “Something horrible must have happened.”

“I know, honey, but let’s not panic.”

“Not panic?” “Who is this woman?” she wanted to gape.“Mom, Izzy’s freaked out and taken the truck. We’ve got to do something.”

“Alright, alright, try calling her, and let’s see if we can find what set her off.”

Bridgette went to look through the pile of clothes, drawers, and drywall on the floor while Annie searched around the bed, her phone on speaker as it rang. Something buzzed on the nightstand, and she groaned in concerned frustration.

“She doesn’t even have her phone or purse with her. Or her jacket!” Annie added, the worry in her tone escalating when she saw her sister’s coat lying across the chair by the desk.

This was so unlike Izzy, it was scaring her. Her sister never left the house without her things, and she certainly never vandalized their room.

“Keep looking, Annie.”

Annie bent down to the floor, sifting through the mess. She lifted the edge of the comforter and winced. “Do you think it could have set her off when she realized you confiscated all the medicine? I told you she wouldn’t like it if she believed we thought she might be suicidal.”

“What?” Bridgette asked, standing up to look at Annie and the bottle of Tylenol she was holding. “Oh.” The one word spoke volumes that Annie couldn’t read as her mother’s expression became pensive then fearful.

“What?”

“I don’t think that’s what set her off, honey.”

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