Page 96 of Diluted Truths
Kai took a step back. “What?”
“It’s happening. It’s really happening. The seals are breaking,” Griffin muttered to himself. “I was right!”
Fai, Kai and I watched as Griffin laughed uncontrollably on the floor. He seemed filled with absolute joy. I didn’t even know how to continue and Kai seemed disturbed by his comment about him being an advocate. Whatever that meant.
Griffin slowly stood up, clutching his hand to his chest.
He looked at us for a moment. It was as if he was cataloging the three of us. “I can’t help you,” he said, breaking his own silence. “No one can. She’ll come back, you just have to wait.”
It was then that the orderlies finally had enough of us. We were ushered out of Griffin’s room, passing by a doctor who was presumably there to work on the hand I had most definitely shattered. He deserved it and more.
We were quickly out of the asylum and reentered the car we had arrived in and began our journey back to the airport. I had hoped that coming to New York would bring us answers about Jackie, but we left with just more questions.
I was growing hopeless. I peered out the window at the passing scene around me. She had been gone for two days and I wasn’t any closer to bringing her home.
“Do you know what he was talking about?” Fai asked, interrupting my train of thought. “The Advocate thing? Or the seals?”
I shook my head.
I had no fucking idea.
Missing for Three Days
Violet had an ambiance around her that made the pain of Jackie being gone more bearable. She was sitting in Jackie’s office with me drawing pictures while telling me stories of her schoolmates back home. It was incredible to see just how strong the James genes were. I didn’t know anything about her father, but she seemed to be a replica of Theo and therefore also Kai and Jackie.
They all had their differences. Theo held a certain level of elegance in all she did, but the fire within sat close to the surface. Kai was a strong, unbreakable force. He had carried the responsibility of his siblings from a young age, and was as protective as most fathers when it came to his sisters.
Jackie was light, beauty and joy. She was the first to smile and laugh. But just as Theo held back her fire, Jackie held back her pain. It was obvious she held tremendous guilt and sadness. Her life had been tumultuous and left scars, both physical and emotional. Yet it never held her back. She too was powerful, but in a way that drove out darkness.
I leaned back in my chair, fighting the tears that were always threatening to fall. I had barely slept in the last three days and only ate when Sarah or Theo forced me to. The only reason I wasn’t actively doing something to find Jackie was because someone needed to keep an eye on Violet.
Apparently, to report someone missing, you have to be a relative. Kai and Theo were at the police station now to file a missing person’s report. I hope Officer Assface was there. Kai would shut him up, fast.
“Hey Willey?” Violet asked as she looked up at me with her round blue eyes that matched Theo’s.
“What’s up, Violet?”
“Vi.”
“What?” I asked confused.
She sighed and whispered, “You need to call me Vi. That’s what Auntie Jack calls me.”
God, this must be so confusing for her.
“Sorry about that. What’s up, Vi?”
“Auntie Jack is gonna come home, right?”
She was so innocent. She didn’t mean to break my heart, but with each word I could feel it cracking. “I hope so. I-I need her to,” I responded, my voice cracking as the tears finally fell.
Violet stood quickly and came over to me. She looked at me for a moment before crawling on my lap and hugging me around my neck where I sat on one of Jackie’s office chairs. “Don’t cry, Willey.”
“I just miss her. A lot.”
She nodded in understanding, I guess as much understanding a five year old could have when her aunt is missing. She continued to hug me, and I guess we both must have fallen asleep.
The next thing I knew was Theo nudging me awake.
