Missing or Dead

Chapter Four - Shout it out

Joy's Point Of View

Junior and I was deliberating on what to do and how to get through to Mr E. "That stupid friend of yours", I looked at him angrily, "birds of a feather flock together, I'm not surprised."

Junior looked out of the window, then at me. "Your point?"

I hissed loudly, "what are we going to do? We can't let pops stay in that place for long and we are not even sure if mom is dead or missing."

"Dead or missing? Missing or dead? Dead? Missing? No!!! It's better to be missing than dead or is it better to be dead than missing, well, mom can't be dead."

"Then where is she? We don't have any clue of her whereabouts besides we don't want her dead but eventually, we will all die someday", Fabian cut in slowly.

"Faby, go back to bed", I tried to push him back.

"Let go of me. What do you guys take me for? What do you guys think of me? A baby? A toddler? Or an infant? Or what?"

"Questions. They are all the same time, bro, just chill."

"Now that's the point, moron." I looked at Fabian, "you, what's your point?"

"Why will you exclude me from the meeting? This deliberation? I can give brilliant suggestions, you know." He said sadly.

"Meeting...? Meeting...?" He laughed loudly, "OMG!!! Meeting? What meeting? Are..."

"Why all these questions, i***t? Why? Sometimes you act like an i***t just stop it please. Faby, it is not a meeting, we were just discussing how to get to Mr E, about mom and dad."

"Did I hear you say Mr E?" She used her hands to scratch her eyes.

"Quest..."

"Benjamin!!! Behave yourself, can you for once act like a sensible person and not like an imbecile? Just for once and please keep your goddamn mouth shut if you don't have anything sensible to say."

"He needs it. Where is mom and dad? Are we not going to school today?"

I smiled widely, "Dorry, do you want to go back to sleep?"

"Of course, I want to go back to sleep", she smiled, then it faded away as quickly as it came, "but I can't, you know I can't."

"Okay, what if I tell you that you can, that it is very possible."

"Seriously?"

"Yes of course", I said smiling.

"Okay, thanks momma." She hugged me then ran back to her room.

"Wow, that was a beautiful scene to me, I'm beginning to get emotional. You sure do know her well, too well, you know her weak point, momma." He saluted me playfully. "So, what's my weakness, my weak point but wait! Why did you lie to her?"

“I have told you to shut your mouth if you don't have anything important or sensible to say. Besides I didn’t lie, what’s there to lie about?”

"So, what I said now does not make sense or..."

"Just shut up and I didn't lie to her. Back to our discussion, so, where did we stop?"

He said to himself, "here she goes again with her nonchalant attitude" then he faced us and said "we stopped at dorry's..."

"Use your head, bro. We are not here to play, we have to get pops out of that sick place and find mom so please stop this childish behavior. Sissy, we were talking about how we were going to get to Mr E."

"Thanks", I faced Junior, "can you for once be like Faby or just be mute? Yo..."

"Like seriously? Are you guys f**king kidding me? I'm trying to lighten up, just a bit of this intense environment because all that is happening is hard on us and I know you didn't sleep last night, just trying to put all the pieces that we know of together by writing in that your little jotter." He said pointing at me, "and Fabian just slept this morning because he could not sleep and for your information I can't be like Fabian and I can't be mute either so you have to deal with me either ways." He interjected quickly.

"I wasn't even asking you a question because I knew you were going to say sh*t, always saying bullsh*t. But thanks for actually looking after us but the thing is we don't need it right now. We need to focus."

"You asked me a question and I answered, '' How is that a problem now? If I didn't answer, you would have said the same sh*t you do say, the same bullsh*t" he stood up, "and I won't take that same sh*t from you, that bullsh*t from you", he cleared his throat loudly, "you can't keep saying sh*t, saying bullsh*t to me every time", he mimicked me.

"Don't you dare try that sh*t with me", I also stood up and faced him.

The argument kept going back and forth and Junior picked a stuffed toy from the toy box and threw it at me. Then I also became violent and started throwing stuff at him and shouting at the same time. As much as Junior was trying to lighten the situation it still doesn't help the fact that we were all stressed and needed a break or a shout from it. For him to have noticed that either Fabian and I didn’t sleep also meant he did and he doesn’t joke with his sleep. Mom's disappearance had caused some uncalled anger to rise between us even with my dad but everyone knew how to keep the feelings behind bars except Junior and I, and this unnecessary argument was what we needed to throw some feelings in the air. I can't say for Junior but mine is coupled with my harsh period and my comforter is missing so I'm allowed to be furious at anything and everything.

"Are you guys crazy? We are supposed to look for a way to get to Mr E and the only thing you two can do is argue and throw stuff, like seriously?" Fabian shouted in frustration, at least we've gotten our shout and this should do the calming down but that if there isn't another bomb waiting to be triggered. "Joy!" Geez! He is very serious now. It's been a long time since I heard him call me Joy and he only says that whenever he is dead serious. "You are the eldest and you should act mature every time and most especially now. What's all this nonsense?" He shouted "we are supposed to be solving a case here now arguing and throwing toys and stuffs like a two years old, even two years old don't do this sh*t anymore, please let act mature. I seem like the mature and responsible one among us three, you..."

"Hey! Don't spoil the good speech, you have started well so do well to end well." I quickly interjected, I won't let him say that last sentence, I needed this quarrel and I won't be insulted upon it. Sometimes, I wonder if we act like normal kids who also have siblings but I don't get why we argue, quarrel and even fight but I guess I will never find out.

"I knew he was going to say that last statement, a mature one indeed." Junior chipped in, "Just...I'm speechless right now and that's because of you, Fabian!"

"What did I do wrong now? Take that filthy finger off my face", he slapped his fingers off his face and that led into a quarrel which woke Dorathy and she came running.

"What's going on here? Why are they quarreling, Sissy? Do something and don't just stand there looking at them, act!!!" They need this babe, but she doesn't understand anything.

"Yes, lil momma", I faced the boys, "guys let's be mature here, let's first settle this issue on ground then we can scream our lungs out at each other." I think that was very nice advice, I'm going to try that myself.

"Now you are talking..."

"Don't start." Junior and I yelled simultaneously. "Dorry, you can go back to bed. Everything is fine now." I said smiling.

"So back to what we were saying."

"Yeah, how do we get in contact with him? How do we reach out to him?"

"It's all the same. I just wish he can walk right in now, won't that be great. Like..."

The gate bell interrupted our discussion. "Who could be there now?"

"Go find out who is there."

"Can't you go?"

“Of course..." The gate bell interrupted us again, this time louder than before and Fabian went to get whosoever was at the door. He came into the sitting room with Mr E surprising Junior and I, we were speechless. I think we just got ourselves a wishing machine named Junior.

Fabian looked at Junior and gave him a shocking look, mouthing a "Bro!!!" which brought a wide smile on Junior's face.

“Why are you guys looking like you've just seen a ghost, have you seen one?” He got no answer from us, "whatever, call your dad for me. It's urgent."

"Oh, Good day sir, you came just in time."

"How does that answer my question and my request? I don't have unnecessary time, just call your dad for me, kid."

"Mr..."

Junior cut in rudely, "No dad, no food. I had to prepare breakfast this morning."

"What does that mean?" He asked glaring at Junior.

"Oopsie, that was a slip of tongue."

"Must you say something stupid, moron." I chipped in, "our dad was arrested yesterday, we..."

On hearing what happened to his friend, he cut in immediately, "oh my God!!! And you couldn't call me or try to contact me, why?" He asked, looking sorrowful.

"We tried getting to you but we don't have your contact."

"So, you don't know my house? Or my office?"

Dorathy entered the sitting room and screamed at the sight of Mr E, "what is he doing here?"

"Is that how you greet people now?"

"Are you okay?" They all chorused at the same time.

"We are not in Geria, okay?" She said pointing at him, "what is he doing here? What!!!" She added crying.

I went to her and knelt at her front, saying "Dora, what is the problem? Are you okay? Are you sleeping? What is wrong with you? Dora, talk to me and stop pointing, it's bad." I took her pointing finger down, "come on, what wrong? Talk to big sis."

"Questions", Junior said nonchalantly, which made everyone turn to glare at him where he sat beside the window except Dorathy who was gazing at Mr E disgustingly then she pointed her finger at him again. "I hate you", she shouted and ran back to her room.

"That's strange, she has never acted like that before. That's kind of weird."

"Who knows what's going on in her little mind?"

"Questions" Junior added quite inaudibly but I was able to pick that, sometimes he act so stupid and when asked 'why?' 'to lighten our mood' he would reply.

"Well, I need to drop something in your father's room, so show me his room."

"No!!! Don't show him the room", Dorathy shouted, running back into the sitting room.

"I can drop it for you", I interpolated. "Dorry, what's wrong with you? I don't understand this girl anymore", I added.

Mr E knelt before Dorathy, which made her move a little bit backwards, "Dora, it's me. Eele, papa's friend, your friend." He tried to touch her but she moved away from him, "Do you want some of my ice cream now?"

"I don't want your stupid disgusting ice cream again and you are not my friend." She looked at him disgustingly, "you this shameless..."

"Dorathy, shut up! Just shut up your month, is that clear? What nonsense! Fabian, take her to her room."

Fabian dragged her to her room but she kept on shouting, "don't let him in father's room, noooo!"

"So, show me the room."

I led him through the house to my father's room, "can I take my leave?"

"Oh no, do stay. Just five minutes." He dropped a file on the drawer, "and I'm through, I need to go to the station right now." He said leaving the room.

"Oh, thank you sir."

"Oh, it's nothing, kid. I have to go. I will send my wife to you."

"Okay sir." I closed the door behind him and faced Junior, "Hey, why are you quiet?"

"Question! If I was talking, it would have been a very serious problem and burden for you and now that I decided to mind my business and have a think through, I still can't do that in peace without being questioned Geez!"

I hissed angrily which made Junior laugh spitefully. "Dorry, come right here," I said going to her room, "what is wrong with you?"

"Questions", Junior shouted after me.

"Shut your goddamn mouth, Junior."