When Kat Came Back

Chapter 3

Patrick couldn't shake the feeling that Ashlynn was his lost baby sister. He called into Pete's room and asked him to come over. Pete was at the door in mere moments.

"Pat," Pete said. "You can't beat yourself up over this. You know the likelihood of Kat being alive is, like, nil."

"I know," Patrick whined. "But Pete, she really looked almost exactly like Megan did at 15/16. Except a lot thinner."

Patrick frowned. The girl, Ashlynn, looked severely underweight for a 15-year-old. But otherwise she was seriously a spitting image for Megan as a teenager.

"I wish I'd taken a picture," Patrick said, sinking onto the couch in his room.

"Look, Patrick," Pete said, sitting in one of the chairs in the room. "You've spent the past 15 years beating yourself up about something that was never your fault. And now you've seen one kid who looks maybe slightly like your lost baby sister, if she's still alive, and you're obsessed. This is a lot like Miami."

Two years ago, Fall Out Boy was playing a series of festivals in and around Miami, Florida, and on an off day while they were doing some promotion, they'd been in a mall where teenage girls were lined up to meet them. A girl with her mother had been in the mall shopping, and had stopped to look at the commotion. The girl was clearly pleading with her mom to get in the lineup. Her mother was clearly adamantly saying no. That was the first time he'd seen someone he thought could be Kat. And he'd spiralled into a deep depression shortly after.

Patrick sighed.

"I know. And if I'm honest, she looks exactly like the girl from Miami."

It was Pete's time to sigh.

"Patrick. That was two years ago, and across the whole damned country!  You've got to stop doing this to yourself. I know you miss Kat. I know you blame yourself for her being kidnapped. But this isn't healthy."

"It is my fault, though. If I hadn't been such a pill, and argued with my mom, made her leave the stroller in the entryway..." Patrick trailed off as his voice broke.

"You were seven, Patrick. And unless you orchestrated the whole thing, which would be impressive for a seven year old, then how could it possibly be your fault?"

"I distracted my mom. She left the stroller in the entryway, where anyone could have taken her. And they did.  I picked the furthest change room. I could have taken the first one. I could have just..."

Pete put his hand up to stop Patrick.

"Patrick, you. Were. Seven. Your mom could have turned her back at the grocery store one day and someone could have taken Kat. You all could have been at the park for a picnic, and someone could have taken Kat. What happened was. Not. Your. Fault."

Patrick shook his head.

"Patrick. Have you been blaming yourself for the last 15 years?" Pete asked, incredulously.

Patrick, his eyes filling with tears, nodded.

"Because it was my fault she was left alone outside the fitting rooms. So it's my fault she was taken."

Pete wrapped his arms around his friend and bandmate. Patrick cried tears he'd only ever shed in private.

"Pat," Pete said, as Patrick's tears slowed. "You can't blame yourself. You were seven. It was a horrible thing that happened, but it's not your fault. It wasn't your mom's fault. It just happened. It was horrible but it happened."

Patrick shook his head.

"It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been being a brat. My mom had to leave Kat out at the entrance. If I hadn't been such a pill, she wouldn't have had to come back there. And if I'd used a closer change room..."

Pete interrupted him again.

"Patrick, none of that is your fault."

Patrick shook his head again.

"I gave her and her friend tickets and backstage passes for tomorrow."

"Why"?! Pete asked.

"I need to talk to her. I need to know for sure sue can't be Kat."

"Patrick," Pete said in a warning tone. "That's a really bad idea."

"I'm not going to ask her if she was kidnapped as a baby, Pete."

Pete sighed.

"Patrick, obviously I can't tell you what to do, but I really think this is a bad idea."

"Noted. But I have to know. I'll be careful. I'm not saying it's her, Pete," Patrick implored. "She looks just like Megan did. She could be Megan at 15."

"Pat, I get it. I do. I really hope this doesn't blow up in your face."

Patrick nodded.

"Me too, Pete. Believe me.. Me too."

"Get some sleep, okay?"

Patrick nodded, walked Pete to the door and locked it behind him.

He really did hope this didn't blow up in his face, but he had never felt so certain that he just might be right.