3:30pm

52: Uneasy Goes It

          <I tried to reach you, I can't hide>

°•°•°•°

Mikayla 

"Mom," I said with an exasperated sigh as I walked into the kitchen where she stood at the counter chopping tomatoes and greens.

"Still not picking up?" She stopped cutting the tomatoes into thin, round strips and moved her attention to me instead. 

"No." I ran a hand through my curly hair, once again sighing. I glanced at the time on my phone. It read 5:50pm. "It's been four hours, mom. Why hasn't she called me or returned any of my calls?"

Mom dropped the knife on the chopping block. "I wonder what could be the problem. You said she was going over to see Stephen, didn't you?"

"Yeah," I drawled, trudging up to her and dropping my phone beside the chopping block before I leaned against the edge of the counter and crossed my arms.

"Something doesn't feel right, mom," I said as I brushed away a stray curl of hair from my eye. "I have this gut feeling and I don't like it. Cleo is supposed to have updated me on how her conversation with Stephen went. She's supposed to call me. On. Her. Own. Not the other way round. I mean, what could she be talking about with him that'd keep her away from her phone for four hours? She hasn't even been online since she left the house!"

"Calm down, honey," Mom said in the cool, soothing voice she never failed to use on me whenever she saw I was getting worked up and actively venting.

"I can't, mom." I exhaled and hung my head. And then I muttered. "It's just weird."

"Well, have you tried calling Stephen? I mean, since you're not going through to Cleo then you must've called Stephen, right?"

I looked up at her then. "At first I didn't want to, because, from what happened the last time he was here, I felt Stephen might be upset with me, you know. Maybe he thought I'd have his back or something—"

"Well, he shouldn't be," Mom interrupted. "It's his baby alright, but Cleo has the final say because she's the one that's going to go through the hassle of carrying it."

"I know, I know, but hear me out." I told her. "I was feeling awkward about calling him so I decided I wouldn't, until the last thirty minutes when I got fed up with the suspense, then I called him. Guess what? His phone wasn't even going? No voice mail, nothing. Just switched off. And then I checked his socials. Mom, Stephen hasn't been online since the last time he was here."

"What could those two be up to and why are they ignoring everyone?" I watched mom muse. 

"I've already made up my mind, mom," I said, getting off the counter. "Once it's 6 o'clock I'm changing into something else and going over to Stephen's. I don't care if it seems like I'm intruding. Cleo is my best friend anyway, and Stephen is, in the end, my friend too. He's a great guy. I'm sure they wouldn't take it as intruding. Right?"

"Of course." Mom shrugged. "You're only looking out for Cleo. I can come with you if you want."

"No." I shook my head and reached out for my phone, picking it up. I tapped its screen and it came to life.

I looked up at mom, on reading the time. "It's 6 o'clock. I'm leaving."

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"No, it's fine." I told her.

"Alright then keep me posted, okay?"

I nodded. "Sure." 

The moment I turned around to leave, the screen came to life once more, my phone tinkering in my hand.

I whipped around to face mom immediately I saw the caller, my heart—much to my surprise—skipping a beat. I guess, for some reason, I was nervous after all.