Maria's mother sat in the driver's seat of the car. She hadn't said a word since leaving the airport, but she looked ready to explode.
"I was surprised when I got a call from the impound lot early one morning," Amy DiLucca said tensely. "They told me my car had been impounded after being left at the airport public lot overnight. I said that it was impossible. My daughter had the car. And she is very responsible. In fact, it was likely in the driveway right then."
"Mom..." Maria began, but her mom cut her off.
"But, what do you know, it wasn't. And, my daughter wasn't in her bedroom either. Well, I began to freak out naturally. I called around, learned your friends had disappeared as well."
"I wanted to tell you...." Maria tried again, but Amy wouldn't let her talk.
"I went to the sheriff's office, told him the story. And you want to know what he said, he told me not to make a big deal of it. Said you were probably safe, just going away for a few days. He refused to meet my eyes, suggesting of course he knew more than he was telling. And let me tell you, that did nothing to calm me down."
"Now," Amy continued, "Are you going to tell me exactly why I have been worrying for the past couple nights because my teenage daughter disappeared without contacting me even once? Or, perhaps why when it came down to it, why she never called me when she was coming home?"
"I didn't want to deal with you until I absolutely had to," Maria said, leaning her head back against the seat rest, realizing after she had said it, that it wasn't the smartest thing to tell her mother.
"Well thank you," Amy said sarcastically, "That sure did a lot to put my mind at ease. Now, were you ever planning on coming home?"
Maria nodded, not mentioning that she hadn't planned to come home till tomorrow after spending the night at Michael's. She wished the Evan's hadn't have phoned the rest of the parents, she didn't know what their story was supposed to be. She didn't know what excuses they were supposed to use. God, she wished she was at Michael's right now. Lucky idiot didn't have to worry about explaining his whereabouts for the past couple days
When Maria didn't say anything, Amy got more frustrated, "I would appreciate a little more elaboration here. What the hell was happening? Why did you run away?"
"Mom, it wasn't running away exactly," Maria said, "But I'm not really in the mood to talk about this right now. Can we put it off till later?"
"Not in the mood!" Amy nearly shrieked, "Let me guess, you just want time to make up a plausible excuse. But, I won't push. I can tell when you're lying to me anyway. You'll also have a lot of time for us to talk, assuming I ever let you leave the house again. At least tell me this though, did you sleep with him?"
"What?" Maria was startled, "What are you talking about mom?"
"Michael," her mom said impatiently, "Your boyfriend, remember that guy I caught in your bed? I want to know, did you run away so you could have sex with him."
Maria shook her head, "We didn't have sex mom. Don't worry, my virginity is still intact." And, that at least was the truth. She wasn't planning on adding they had slept in the same bed one night. "Besides, if that was what I was leaving for, I don't think I would have taken along a bunch of other people."
Any shook her head, "Don't get smart with me. You're a teenager Maria. I was one once too. I want you to just be straight with me and tell me what the hell is going on. You are my daughter, and I am responsible for you whether you like it or not."
"I can't tell you mom," Maria said, praying her mom would leave it alone for now. Right now, she felt a lot like Isabel. She just wanted to tell her mom the truth and be straight with her. "I'm not trying to hurt you, I just can't tell you."
"This is just great," Maria's mom said, throwing her hands up in the air, "Just great. Fine, we'll leave that for now. Want to tell me if Jim Valenti was in on your little plan? I mean, I know Kyle was with you, and he was acting suspicious. I nearly dated that guy and he wouldn't even file a missing report on my daughter!"
Maria opened her mouth and shut it, not sure how to answer. She didn't want the sheriff to be constantly harassed by angry parents, her mother being the forerunner. "No," she finally said. "Sheriff Valenti had no idea what was going on." Well, he hadn't, at least not initially. Even then, he didn't know the whole truth. Obviously, Amy had no idea Kyle hadn't joined them until later.
Amy sighed, "So then you have no idea why Jim Valenti has been lying on a hospital bed in a coma for the past couple days with no earthly explanation to account for it?"
TBC........
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