Chapter Eleven:

Bo could feel her body relax; she had finally given into sleep. He had held her while she cried, not knowing what to say to comfort her; all he knew to do was hold her tight. Shortly after she had fallen asleep he carefully and quietly climbed out of the bed and walked downstairs to the living room; giving her time to rest. He walked over to the bookshelf and pulled down two large photo albums, taking them over to the couch. He opened the older looking one; one that had definitely been looked at a lot over the years. A smile broke out on his face as he looked through memory after memory. The dance contests, their wedding photos, various events they attended throughout the years. He reached the last page; a photo of the two of them just after they arrived at the “Women of the Year” banquet; the night it all ended. He looked closely at the photo and noticed how their hands were intertwined; resting on her stomach. The pain of all the lost years came crashing down all at once and he finally gave into the tears he had been hiding for her sake. He cried for the lost time with Nora; the pain of the past five years without her but mostly he cried for the lost time with his son, time that he thought he was getting a second chance to discover only to have it taken from him once again. He closed the album and opened up the other one. He smiled through his tears as he looked through the album; the life of his son chronicled through these photos; photos that were taken without him, he was learning about his son’s early life through pictures, he only prayed he’d get the chance to experience the rest of his son’s life. He closed the second photo album and took them back over to the bookshelf.

He walked back into the living room; carrying a video tape in his hand. He walked over to the VCR and put the tape in; picking up the remote as he walked back over to the couch. He hit play and suddenly their son’s voice is heard throughout the house…

“Come on, Dad, hurry up.”

“Matthew, slow down, champ. There’s going to be plenty of fish to catch.”

He sat there watching him and his son fish, Nora capturing every moment on tape. Matthew’s first fish, which being that he is his mother’s son, he insisted should be put back in the water to live with his family. Bo continued to watch, listening to Matthew talk about every thing and any thing that popped into his head…

“Did you fish with Grandpa Asa when you were a little boy?”

“Sometimes, but mostly I fished with your Uncle Clint. We would try to beat each other and see who could catch the most fish.”

“Are you going to teach my little brother or sister how to fish?”

“Of course, sport.”

“Dad…tell me about when you took mom fishing.”

“Hmm…now that was a fishing trip I’ll never forget.”

“Bo…”

“Oh, come on Red, our son wants to know.”

“Fine but I’m telling it.”

Bo sits back and listens and watches as Nora told Matthew all about the fishing trip they took all those years before. He stared at the look on Matthew’s face as he listened to the story; completely engrossed in what she was telling him. Bo leaned his head back on the couch and just listened to their voices coming across the TV, lost in the memories of that day; the last day they did anything as a family.

She woke up to an empty bed; remembering that she had fallen asleep in Bo’s arms; wondering if he had gone back to his room to sleep. She walked out into the hallway, she was about to turn towards his room when she heard conversation coming from downstairs. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, the images on the TV screen causing a sob to catch in her throat. Bo turns around when he hears her and turns off the TV. He stands up and walks over to her and stops in front of her. She looks up at him; the tears falling once again. He reached out and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. She reached up and laid her hand on his; which rested on her cheek. She wrapped her other arm around his neck pulling him into a tight embrace.

She broke the embrace and looked up at him, “We’re going to find him.”

“You bet we will. He’ll be home in time for Christmas…and Hanukkah.”

She just nodded, too afraid to hope. She took his hand and led him over to the couch. They sat down and he pulled her close, she rested her head against his shoulder, “Do you think they’re going to call? Do you think it’s someone who wants money?”

“I don’t know Red, I just don’t know. If there was going to be a ransom call we’d have gotten one by now. It’s been almost 24 hours.”

“I just want our son back. I want him home where he belongs.”, her tears beginning to fall again.

*~*

At the same time in Argentina he slowly wakes up; the pounding in his head making him more confused. He looks around the room and starts to cry. An elderly woman walks in the room, carrying a tray of food, her deep accent confusing Matthew even more. “You must eat.”

“Where am I? Where are my mom and dad?”

She sets the tray down on the table and takes him by the hand, “Come...eat.”

“I…I don’t want to eat, I want to go home,” the tears forming in his eyes.

“This your home now. Now please you must eat.”

Matthew just nodded his head and picked up the fork that lay on the tray. The woman just sat and watch him; the sadness in his eyes reflecting in her own. “You will be happy here. I take care of you.”

“Why am I here? Why did they take me from my house? Did I do something bad?” his tears falling faster.

She reaches out and touches his cheek, “Shh, sera bien, mi quierdo. You will be okay.”

*~*

“I just hope that where ever he is, there’s someone there looking after him. Making sure he’s eating and isn’t too scared. I just want him home.”

He reaches out and touches her cheek, “He’ll be okay, honey. It’ll all be okay. We’ll find him.”

A knock on the door startles them both out of their thoughts. Bo stands up and walks towards the door. He looks back at Nora, who is standing in the middle of the living room. He sighs as he opens the door, “Gabrielle, what are you doing here?”