thanked the manager profusely for his help, relieved to know at least she wasn't in there hurt.
But if she wasn't in her room, where was she? He considered the beach, but after the other day he doubted she would go there alone. He did a quick check there, however, to rule it out. Then he simply started walking. He went inside any coffee shops, hoping to find her there, and just kept walking, looking for her. He kept calling every ten minutes, as well.
Finally, he sat down on a bench in a small park. He tried to think back on everything she'd said the last couple days, hoping for a clue as to where she might be. While he was sifting through everything they'd talked about, he remembered she'd said they were going to the year-round Christmas shop because she loved Christmas. That shop wasn't real close by, but if she'd been walking and thinking, she may have wandered further than she intended, and if she was upset she may have headed for something calming, something she liked.
With no other better ideas, he headed toward the Christmas shop, searching for her the whole way. As he neared the store he heard a commotion in the alley beside the store, and went to check it out. There he found two young men, late teens, maybe twenty, talking to a third person. He didn't know what was going on, but the men didn't appear to be aggressive, so he asked, “Is everything okay here?”
One of the young men answered, “I don't know. We found this lady walking around, but she didn't seem right. We asked if she was okay, but I think we scared her. She ran down this alley, but we were worried about her, so we followed to make sure she's all right. I don't know what's going on. It's like she's a zombie or something. We don't know what to do.”
Heath went to them, saying, “Let me try to talk to her. When they moved aside, his heart about jumped out of his chest. The lady they were concerned about was Sara, and he was immediately concerned, as well. She had a far away stare in her eyes.
He went to her slowly, asking, “Sara, are you okay?” She didn't answer, but she didn't run, either, so that was a start. He reached out to take her hand, but she pulled back quickly, like she was afraid of him. She looked like she was in shock. He tried again to talk to her. He knew that often a certain word or phrase or name would help bring someone back to the present. “Sweetheart, it's me, Heath. Heather and I have been looking for you today. We thought maybe you'd like to go shopping at the Christmas shop again, and then we could go back to the seafood restaurant and get some crab-stuffed flounder for dinner.”
He watched her reaction closely, and thought he saw a momentary hint of recognition, so he kept talking. “Phil and Heather are back at their condo waiting for us. They're out by the pool.” She looked at him when he said that, so he forged ahead on that theme. He reached for her hand slowly as he asked, “Remember the other night when we walked around the pool while we talked? I really enjoyed that night.” She was still looking at him, so he continued. He gently took her hand as he said, “We held hands as we walked clear around the pool. I told you about Heather and me growing up, and I was fascinated when you told me you do the illustrations for children's books.”
She was watching and listening to what he was saying, although he wasn't sure if she was actually hearing him. He forged ahead anyway. “Let's take another walk, Sweetheart, and talk some more.” He was holding her hand now, and gently steered her back toward the sidewalk. He continued to talk to her, reminding her of things they'd done and talked about, as they neared the sidewalk.
The young men had been watching in awe, and one quietly asked, “Is she okay? Should I call 9-1-1? Does she need a doctor?”
She momentarily stared off into space again, so Heath took the opportunity
But if she wasn't in her room, where was she? He considered the beach, but after the other day he doubted she would go there alone. He did a quick check there, however, to rule it out. Then he simply started walking. He went inside any coffee shops, hoping to find her there, and just kept walking, looking for her. He kept calling every ten minutes, as well.
Finally, he sat down on a bench in a small park. He tried to think back on everything she'd said the last couple days, hoping for a clue as to where she might be. While he was sifting through everything they'd talked about, he remembered she'd said they were going to the year-round Christmas shop because she loved Christmas. That shop wasn't real close by, but if she'd been walking and thinking, she may have wandered further than she intended, and if she was upset she may have headed for something calming, something she liked.
With no other better ideas, he headed toward the Christmas shop, searching for her the whole way. As he neared the store he heard a commotion in the alley beside the store, and went to check it out. There he found two young men, late teens, maybe twenty, talking to a third person. He didn't know what was going on, but the men didn't appear to be aggressive, so he asked, “Is everything okay here?”
One of the young men answered, “I don't know. We found this lady walking around, but she didn't seem right. We asked if she was okay, but I think we scared her. She ran down this alley, but we were worried about her, so we followed to make sure she's all right. I don't know what's going on. It's like she's a zombie or something. We don't know what to do.”
Heath went to them, saying, “Let me try to talk to her. When they moved aside, his heart about jumped out of his chest. The lady they were concerned about was Sara, and he was immediately concerned, as well. She had a far away stare in her eyes.
He went to her slowly, asking, “Sara, are you okay?” She didn't answer, but she didn't run, either, so that was a start. He reached out to take her hand, but she pulled back quickly, like she was afraid of him. She looked like she was in shock. He tried again to talk to her. He knew that often a certain word or phrase or name would help bring someone back to the present. “Sweetheart, it's me, Heath. Heather and I have been looking for you today. We thought maybe you'd like to go shopping at the Christmas shop again, and then we could go back to the seafood restaurant and get some crab-stuffed flounder for dinner.”
He watched her reaction closely, and thought he saw a momentary hint of recognition, so he kept talking. “Phil and Heather are back at their condo waiting for us. They're out by the pool.” She looked at him when he said that, so he forged ahead on that theme. He reached for her hand slowly as he asked, “Remember the other night when we walked around the pool while we talked? I really enjoyed that night.” She was still looking at him, so he continued. He gently took her hand as he said, “We held hands as we walked clear around the pool. I told you about Heather and me growing up, and I was fascinated when you told me you do the illustrations for children's books.”
She was watching and listening to what he was saying, although he wasn't sure if she was actually hearing him. He forged ahead anyway. “Let's take another walk, Sweetheart, and talk some more.” He was holding her hand now, and gently steered her back toward the sidewalk. He continued to talk to her, reminding her of things they'd done and talked about, as they neared the sidewalk.
The young men had been watching in awe, and one quietly asked, “Is she okay? Should I call 9-1-1? Does she need a doctor?”
She momentarily stared off into space again, so Heath took the opportunity
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