I am not sure she really knows what she is saying, or perhaps, I didn't hear right. I thought, after she had made that statement.
"Mrs. Alansa, sorry I don't think I really got what you were saying. Please, can you repeat what you just said not quite long? I asked.
"Well, okay." She replied, looking at me strangely. "I am only trying to apologise for not calling you yesterday or atleast earlier today as regards the kids." She said and paused there. That can't be the end of what she was saying, I assumed.
"Okay..." I said, expecting something more from her. I didn't get anything tangible from whatever she had just said now.
"Yes ma'am, I hope you accept my humble apologies." Mrs. Alansa said, showing her sorry face.
Is there something going on that I don't know about? I can sense that there is something going amiss, but I can't seem to place what it is and I was having a vague memory as I tried my best to know if I can recall anything. I thought, maybe I should ask this woman, she might give me a hint of what it is.
"Mrs. Alansa, to be honest with you, I seriously don't know neither do I understand why you are apologising to me right now. Please, can you atleast enlighten me? I feel dumb not knowing." I said to her.
She just shrugged lightly and continued. "Ma'am, you came back here yesterday evening. You came to check if your kids were still in school, but since it was past time, I left for home already. I didn't see them in school today, hope they are fine?
I didn't know what to think. I was really going crazy, or maybe I was only hearing things? Is this real? I could feel tears forming in my eyes.
Mrs. Alansa saw that I wasn't replying her, so she thought I was annoyed with her.
"Ma'am, I'm really sorry. I'm sure you know that I care about the kids, I just couldn't call back yesterday, I am really sorry ma'am..."
I was speechless, I couldn't say a word. My brain was assimilating what she was saying, but my heart was far away from normal already. Just as I gathered courage to say something to her, she excuses herself and promised to call back. One of the teachers had called her, to request for her presence urgently. I couldn't opt to that, so I just let her be.
As soon as she left, I walked slowly to the car, where Jessica was standing and waiting for me. I wasn't sure if she overheard what Mrs. Alansa said, but I knew there was something she was keeping away from me.
" Jessica, Jessica." I called twice, the last one with more force and she shook, turning to face me.
"Did you know about it? Did you know about the stuff she was talking about? I asked disappointedly.
She stared at me like she didn't know what I was talking about and couldn't place it as well. "Sonia, sorry, I don't understand, what are you talking about? She asked like she was naive of the whole thing.
I bit my lips in annoyance, but decided not to act rashly but take it slowly. "Their class teacher, Mrs. Alansa." I stopped along the line. The words in my mouth had chokes me, I had to stay for a little while before I continued with what I was saying. "Their class teacher said they weren't in school today." I finished, trying so hard to stop myself from crying.
Jessica walked closer to me and tried to hold me around my shoulder, but I shoved her hands off me. I wasn't comfortable with that.
"Sonia, please calm down. This was the reason you slumped yesterday and had to wake only this morning." She said briefly.
"So, you are attesting to the fact that my kids are actually missing? I asked, raising my head to the sky and looking around.
"Well, looking at the direction of things, that is actually what happened. I.. I."
"To hell with all of that. So, you knew all thie while but you didn't say anything, you just kept qiiet and you kept this away from me????.
"Sonia, I'm sorry. I was only trying to help you. I didn't know it will happen this way. But, I needed you to find out yourself. Telling you will only cause more drama. I'm really sorry Sonia, please don't be mad at me, please."
"Jess, Jessica... Wait, is that all you're saying? I don't get it. You are saying that, that my babies, Marvin my sweetheart, Marvela my baby princess is missing,? This isn't a movie or something. You are saying that, I am a very loose mother and I don't know how to take care of my kids? Oh my goodness, Jessica, you shouldn't have kept it from me. What will I do....." I said, this time not interested in whatever people has to say. I just held my hair in helplessness.
Jessica held me up and tried to calm me down, but to no avail. That wasn't my problem, I need to find my children and that's my problem.
"Sonia, please, please. Listen, I kept it from you for your sake. If I had told you before you called your husband, I'm sure it would have been hell for you. I just did that to protect you. Please, listen to me." She said in a sobby tone.
I had nothing to say to her. I just shoved her off my way and got into the car. I wasn't going to drive anyway. I knew I couldn't, except I am ready to hit a car or a tree and probably die from there. But no, my target now is to find my kids and bring them home, atleast before my husband comes home from his business trip.
After a little while, Jessica joined me in the car. She stared at me for sometime without saying anything. I wasn't in the mood to talk or exchange words and I'm so sure she knew, because she didn't say anything to me.
She started the car, then she turned to me and said. " Sonia, where do we start first?
That was then I knew I was totally blank. I couldn't even think of a single place to go to or to start the little search from.
"Sonia, what do you say? She pressed on asking.
"Anywhere. Just drive this car out of this place. I cannot bear hearing these kids playing around. It's breaking my heart."
"Okay, okay. I'm on it." She answered.
She turned the car around and started driving out of the arena. I noticed she was looking at me once in awhile as she was driving, but that was of no interest to me. I was indirectly loosing my mind. I couldn't help but imagine my kids back home to me and in my arms.
What could have happened? I wondered deeply. Where could these kids be? I was tired of imagining things. I needed to see them right away.
Nancy? That stupid brat! I knew it wasn't in your mind to go pick up the kids. But, but I needed your help urgently. What would I have done? Oh Nancy! I trusted you so much with the kids... Why did you decide to give me trouble by allowing me go through this.
"Sonia, are you alright? Jessica asked, jolting me out of my deep imagination.
"Yeah, yeah I am." I answered absentmindedly.
"I know you are not alright Sonia. But please, don't let this situation deter you. Okay? It's gonna be okay girl, let's trust the process." She said to me.
I didn't reply a word to her. I knew keeping shut wasn't helping matters, but I didn't think I had a choice.
The only thing on my mind right now is just how to bring those kids back home, from where they are or from where they might be.
This wasn't funny at all. The driver is also missing and so was Nancy and the kids. What could this mean exactly? Could it be that the driver is behind all these? Oh my goodness! No, he can't. He just can't do that. I thought.
I heard another option from my thoughts, you really can't tell if he is capable of doing such or not. How well do you really know him?
That was true in a way. I knew him, but only a few things about him. I thought of going to his house to ask about him, but on another thought, that would lead to great disaster and I am definitely going to be held responsible if anything the happens to him..
"Sonia. I have been driving without direction, for some time now and we don't even have a particular place in mind. Don't you think I should stop the car so we can sort this stuff out?
"I asked you to drive. So, just drive please."
"Sonia, that isn't the right decision to make now, okay. Let's just figure out something alright and work with it."
"There is nothing to figure out. I want to find my kids. That's all that is in my mind Jess. I bet you don't understand how it feels "
She continued driving. Though, I could feel some sense of anger in the way she drove. I overlooked that and continued in my deep thoughts.