For The Love Of You

49

CHERYL's POINT OF VIEW

I honestly didn't know where to start but I did think of something that might lead to where that bastard was. My neighbor. She knew Olivia before hand and maybe she knew some type of information. First, I went to go print off some more missing persons flyers and I also printed off some pictures of Julius. I needed to get this mans face around town as much as possible because somebody has to know him. Either they know him or have at least seen him once before.

I felt crazy doing all of this stuff. It was like a nonstop search and through it all- a ruckus. My head was going in so many directions, my actions were fast and my thoughts were speeding unhealthily. However, I didn't care about myself at the moment- I just wanted my child back. I could see my health declining day by day but I couldn't help it. I didn't want anything other than her. Fuck food, sleep or getting better. None of that mattered to me right now. Whenever I can get some, I'll get it but as of right now- who cares?

Once I arrived at my neighbors house, I knocked on the door and impatiently waited.

She then opened the door and smiled but soon it faded.

"Oh my gosh, Cheryl. Are you-...okay?" She asked as she looked at the bruise on my face.

"Yeah, yeah- I'm fine. Do you have a second?" I asked as I held the flyers closely towards my chest.

"Yeah! Sure. Come on in." She told me as she moved towards the side.

Once I came inside, I noticed the pictures of her two children on the wall. She had a boy and a girl.

I smiled at the pictures but I couldn't look at them too long. It hurt.

"So, is everything okay, Cheryl? Here, follow me into the living room. Sorry if my children are loud. They love to just-....have a ball with each other out back." She mentioned to me as she led the way.

"It's fine. How old are they?" I asked gently.

"Uhm, my baby girl is 8 and my son is 6." She said as she looked back at me and smiled.

"Oh. Olivia is eight as well..." I said as I could feel myself close to crying but I held it back. I tried so hard. I hated breaking down in front of strangers.

"Oh wow. They should hang out with each other sometimes." She suggested.

Once we made it towards the living room, I could clearly see a huge window pointing towards her backyard. Apparently, her back door was next to it as well. I could see both of her kids running around and playing with each other.

"Cheryl...you Alright?" She asked me.

"Yeah." I said as I then dropped my head and looked at the flyers in my lap.
"I just-....wanted to know if you knew any information about my daughter." I said as I withdrew a flyer from the stack and handed it to her.

She looked at the paper shockingly. "She's-...Huh? Olivia is missing?" She asked me.

"Yes. It's been everywhere. I posted them but I guess that there could be a chance that you missed them. Have you seen her? Her Moms boyfriend?" I asked as I then showed her a picture of Julius.

Once she saw the picture of Julius...she looked away from me.

"I'm sorry but I can't help you. I've never seen that man in my entire life." She said with little hesitation. I feel like she has but maybe I'm the one who is trippin'.

Before I could say anything else, her baby girl bursted into the door and smiled once she saw us.

"Hi." The little girl said to me.

"Hi..." I said back with a weak smile.

"This is Olivia's Mom, sweetheart." Norah then stated.

"Ohhhh. Can she come and play too?" She asked me.

"I-...uh, no. She can't. I'm-...I'm sorry." I said as the tears automatically started coming down my face. "She can't come and play." I then repeated as I looked down at the flyers and started feeling even more sick. "She can't." I mentioned once more as my tears started filling up a flyer in my lap. "I'm sorry. I-...I should get going." I said as I stood up. Both Norah and her daughter looked at me confused.

"What's wrong?" The little girl asked me.

I shook my head.

"How about you go back outside and play with your brother, okay?" Norah said to her daughter.

"Ok, Mommy. See you." She said as she then waved goodbye at me. I waved back and then wiped my face.

"Cheryl, if I see him...I'll call you. Please, go take care of yourself...." Norah added.

I shook my head ok and walked out of the front door. Something doesn't seem right, she knows more than she's letting on. As I walked out of her house I looked across the street at my own. I replayed that day over and over we had so much fun.

I shed a couple of tears as I reminisced at all the times we came home and walking into our home with smiles on our faces. As I got into my car I saw my parents truck pulling up. What the hell are they doing here?

My mother father and mike all jumped out of the car and rushed over to mine. I know he didn't just snitch on me like I'm some child.

"Cheryl Bridget Riley just what Exactly do you think your doing." My mother asked as she stood in my driver side doorway.

"Really Mike? My parents? You know what..." I shook my head as I sat at the wheel.

"This isn't about mike, me ,or your father. This is about you out here trying to be superwoman and get in the way of the detective doing his job. Cheryl do you not see the gash in the side of your head or the limp you walk with now or the fact that you flinch when people even try to touch you."

"Ma what if that was me? At that age what if that was me? Would you 'let the police do their job' then?" I responded as more tears came. She didn't know what to say... she just tried to get me out of the car. Once I was out I just melted completely in my fathers arms and my mom followed by closely wrapping her arms around me as well.

"Shhh it's ok baby it's ok. Come on come home with us. Mike will bring your car." My dad said as he brushed my hair and held me tightly. I released him from my grasp and shook my head ok and got into the truck. While I was getting in I could see Norah looking at us from the window she knows something...

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