“I feel awful for leaving you now,” Mom said, giving me a pitying look as she lingered by my bed, clutching the handle of her suitcase. She and Dad were going on a business trip to Ellingworth, which was okay with me. “I'm going to be alright,” I said. “And the trial is important. You should also have fun while you're there. I heard the restaurants in Ellingworth are to die for.”

“Oh, Ivy.” Mom clicked her tongue, sitting on the bed beside me. Her arms wrapped around me, enclosing me in a safe cocoon that smelled like vanilla and felt like the comfort I desperately needed. 

I was terrified of giving birth, and Mom’s hug was extra long, almost as if she sensed the worries brewing under my deceptively calm façade. I was too old to need babysitters, and Willow wouldn't be here for another few days, but having her near these past few months helped immensely.

“There’s enough money in your account,” she said. “And the fridge is stocked.”

I groaned, patting her back. “Mom. It's just a few days, and Ellingworth isn't that far.”

“Okay.” She released a shaky breath as if she didn't want to leave me alone even for a few days. “But remember that you're smart and strong and you can do anything you set your mind to.” Mom squeezed me tighter with each word and kept holding me until Dad cleared his throat in my bedroom doorway.

“Ana.” He tapped on the face of his Rolex, striding toward my bed. “It's time.”

Mom released me and stood, then Dad’s arms were around me. “Take care, okay?” he whispered.

“Always.” 

He held me for an uncharacteristically long time, then rose to his feet and straightened his coat.

A ribbon of unease unfurled in my stomach as I watched him and Mom leave the room. I slid off the bed and accompanied them to the foyer.

“Call me when you're in Ellingworth, okay?” I said.

Mom caressed my cheek. “Sure. Get some rest, Ivy. Babies hardly ever respect the due date, so watch out for anything unusual.”

I laughed. “Yes, ma'am. Although I'm sure Willow won’t be here until you get back.”

After another long hug, my parents left. Pregnancy made me overly sentimental. Even the minimally emotional things made me sob, and saying goodbye to Mom and Dad affected me as if I was a small kid and it was their first business trip.

I got in bed with my phone and scrolled through my Instagram to pass the time. Someone tagged Jackson in a picture. He had his arms around his new girlfriend at a party, surrounded by his friends. 

I rubbed my stomach, fighting off sudden nausea. I wasn't jealous—I’d need to be in love for that, but it did bug me that he had no issue introducing his girlfriend to his buddies when I never so much as exchanged a few sentences with them while we were dating.

There was something else preventing me from relaxing—guilt. Willow would grow up without a father, and although she was better off without Jackson who didn’t want her, she wouldn't know what it was like to have a dad who loved her.

What if I wasn't cut out for this? The maternity vlogs I watched obsessively made parenting seem easy, but I suspected the real thing wasn't so effortless and pretty. 

I sighed, leaving the phone on the nightstand. Mom and Dad thought I could do this, but maybe they said that not to upset me. I had tons of doubts, and only one thing I was sure of—I already loved Willow more than anything in this world, and I'd do the impossible to be enough for her.

***

Sleeping in has become a habit. Willow took away most of my energy, that's why I was unphased when I checked the time the following day only to see it was almost noon. My parents hadn't called me, so I made a mental note to check on them after taking a shower. 

As I took off my PJs and opened the faucet, something trickled down my leg. Water–and I hadn't even gotten in the shower stall.

Realizing what was happening shouldn't take me so long, but no amount of information prepared me for the real thing. 

Heart pounding, I dashed out of the bathroom. Mom told me to pack stuff for the hospital, but of course I put it off, thinking I had enough time. Willow wasn't due for another couple of days, or so I thought.

The baby definitely didn’t think that way. The worst kind of cramps twisted my stomach as I haphazardly threw a pile of pink baby things into an overnight bag, then remembered I needed something too. 

A toothbrush. A charger. A kick in the butt for not taking care of everything earlier. If I couldn't pack the damn bag on time, how the hell would I take care of the baby that’d be shooting out of me soon?

As soon as I finished getting ready, I called Mom, but her phone and Dad’s were off. They must have been at the trial already, and even if they weren't, I didn't think they’d make it back on time. The contractions were seven minutes apart as I got into a cab, rattling off the address to the grumpy driver. I had no clue if I’d packed everything, and I tried not to think about the labor once I got admitted. 

When Dr. Lincoln entered the room with a smile, I released a shaky breath, fighting off tears—it was real. Willow was about to arrive, and I didn't even know if I was ready.

***

The last light of the day bathed my hospital room in a warm glow, and despite the crazy past few hours, I was oddly exhausted and energized at the same time. 

Willow snuggled against me, and it was as if the whole world got reduced to the tiny new life I was clumsily holding, still unsure of what to do next.

“She’s perfect,” Harper whispered, adjusting a sheet over me as I cradled my daughter to my chest. 

I cleared my throat. “She is. And I’ll need some tips. I’m scared I’ll do something stupid, or hold her the wrong way, or—”

Harper’s chuckle interrupted me. “No way. You’re doing amazing, but the midwife can help solve your doubts. I’ll check on the two of you later. Get some rest while you can.”

She strolled out of the room, and I carefully put Willow in the crib by the bed. My legs didn’t feel like mine, but then neither did my body. It felt strangely vacant, the same but different. I figured I needed time to adjust like Mom told me lots of times. 

A knot in my stomach tightened. I still hadn’t heard from my parents, and I tried my damn best not to worry, but the call went to voicemail again. I scrolled through contacts in my phone and found their office number. Maybe there were complications during the trial and they had to work long hours. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Hello?” a male voice answered. Grant. My parents’ partner. Hopefully, he could help me.

“Um, Grant,” I said, smoothing a hand over the sheet I covered myself with. “This is Ivy. I’m at the hospital.Willow was born today, and—”

“Congratulations!” Grant laughed. A chair squeaked, then clothes rustled as if he got up. “Your parents must be thrilled.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yeah, about my parents. Do you know how I could reach them? Neither is picking up their cell. They went to the trial in Ellingworth yesterday, and I haven’t heard from them.”

“Wait a minute.” Grant paused. “Don’t hang up.”

My unease grew, making me fist the bedding. Why would he ask me to wait? Mom said everyone at the firm had their own cases but I knew for a fact they always kept up with their colleagues’ trials. He should’ve said something right away.

“Ivy.” Grant’s voice broke the quiet after what seemed like five minutes. “Are you still there?”

Willow stirred, scrunching up her tiny nose. “Yeah,” I said, carefully shifting toward the end of the bed so I could reach the crib. “What’s up?”

“I asked a colleague,” Grant said, “and your parents never arrived at the trial. They rescheduled for tomorrow, and someone else will represent the client. We assumed a family emergency happened, but…” 

Blood whooshed in my ears, and my hands shook. “What do you mean they never arrived?”

Grant sighed. “This is very strange. When was the last time you talked to them?”

“Yesterday morning.” I squeezed the words from my dry throat. “Do you…do you think something has happened to them?”

“Let’s hope not,” he said without much conviction. “It's too early to assume anything, but maybe we should talk to the police. What hospital are you at?”

 I blinked back the sudden tears, swallowing. “Harris Memorial. Please, ask someone else. Maybe someone else knows something. Mom and Dad would never let a client down.”

Of course, something happened. They promised they'd call, and they'd never turn off their phones knowing I could need them.

“I'll see what we can do,” Grant said. “Then I'll stop by.”

I hung up and numbly stared at the wall, my pulse drumming an anxious rhythm. Then I took Willow and hugged her tightly, drawing comfort from her sweet baby scent.

Missing. Mom and Dad were missing.

Hi!!!I know it's been a long time, but I'm finally back, and I'm so excited to hear from you guys. It's been a crazy busy few months for me. How was your summer? Did you get to do anything fun?
Tell me how you've been!