Ghost In Red

---    

I couldn't be happier, knowing that Sydney was alive and okay, and at the same time, her friends found my mother.    

Does this mean I might have a chance to live? Do I? I deeply hope so.    

I turned my gaze to Vidia as she handed Emma the tablet and stylus and looked at Sydney.    

"Alright, listen up, girl. I will only tell you a few important details because we really need to go if you want to kiss and touch your precious OJ soon. Here's what happened and the whole plan. Earlier today, the police had arrested those bastards who caused these... bullsh*ts to you, and your brother pounded their faces and even broke some ribs when we saw them at the station, and---" Vidia explained and was cut off by the raging Adam when he received a look of disbelief from his little sister.    

"Because, what am I supposed to do? Tickle them? Thank them? Nah! I will even kill them if something more terrible has happened to you. I will never go easy on those idiots." Adam huffed and crossed his arms on his chest.    

I smiled as my girl signed her brother a big thanks, and Emma interpreted it by saying, "Syd meant to tell you that you did great, and she's... Thankful? Yeah, I guess that's it."    

Sydney showed us a thumb up, and Vidia continued telling her the plan.    

"So, yeah, we finally got your... IDs, but there's no money left in your wallet. And then... About OJ's mom... You did great, Syd. Someone who knew her mom called the phone number she found from a flyer she saw on the bulletin board at the bus stop station near the lodge house you rented. And just about an hour ago, someone called again from the people on the internet who saw my friend's post. And... It's confirmed that Ollie's mom lives somewhere in East Side and owns a veterinary clinic. It's about two miles from here. That is where we are going now, while these three will do their best to keep everyone away from your girl's room. We're going to do everything we can, Syd. Just stay here and get well soon. Don't worry too much, okay? Wendy will be here with you. And we will let you know whatever you need to know. We got this... For Olivia, for you, and for everyone."    

I felt like crying, hearing the good news, and I noticed how a tear escaped from Sydney's right eye. And she signed her best friend a thank you.    

Vidia nodded her head and looked at everyone else in the room.    

"Alright, girls, guys, and gays! Let's go! And, Ollie, you can come with me, girl, if you want to. Let's do this sh*t! One for all, and all for one!" Vidia cheered, and everyone in here raved.    

I can never really imagine how awesome these fantastic people are. I'm so blessed. And clearly, my girlfriend had the best people around her. They are simply the best.    

---    

After the meeting back in Sydney's room, we spread into groups with certain significant tasks to do.    

I am with Vidia on a bus that could take us to where my mom could be. And the ride was so quiet as it's almost ten in the evening now, and no one else inside here was making a sound. But Vidia found a way to talk to me silently by typing something in the familiar phone in her hold and showing it to me. It was my phone.    

I read the message she wrote to tell me that says, "I don't know if you are here with me, Ollie, but I believe you are. I want to tell you that if we can find your mom, it's either we call your dad with the phone number from your phone or we will go to NYC. I'm sorry for trespassing your privacy a little by opening your phone without your proper consent. We need this, girl. And I only hope we can do this well as planned. We actually still have lots of plans. And we will try everything until we succeed. We still have time. I guess it's enough."    

I softly giggled as I could see Sydney from this girl's perspective on things. They really are besties. It's amazing.    

I didn't know how to reply to Vidia, but something popped into my mind that I could do to tell her that I was with her.    

I reached for the phone on her lap, thinking I could alter its power, just like the fluorescent light.    

And I was startled when Vidia suddenly flinched when she heard a spark, making the phone fall to the floor.    

When the girl picked up my phone, I gulped when she cursed.    

"Damn, what happened? Why can't it be opened? Is it dead? Oh, hell no!"    

"Oh, yeah, f*ck no!" I gasped as I realized I had killed it.    

"Ah, sh*t! I'm such an idiot!" I groaned and face-palmed because of my foolishness.    

"I'm so sorry, Vid. Oh, no! I'm so stupid. Damn it!" I cried and felt so bad about myself. How did I...? Ugh!    

"Alright. Now, I want to believe that it was you, Ollie. That's one hella superpower, girl. And I guess we need a plan B. It's okay. I've been more favored going to NYC with your mom to see your situation personally... And so that she could talk to your dad about you right away. I just hope we can make it on time." Vidia muttered and kept my phone inside her purse after a couple of tries at turning it on but failed.    

I let out a sigh and lightly nodded my head, and I smiled at the patient, optimistic girl on my left. I believe we really need to go there. But first, we need to convince my mom and talk to her about me.    

After about a few minutes of driving, the vehicle stopped at a bus stop station, and we both stepped down.    

---    

"It should be just around here," Vidia mumbled and looked down at her phone in her left hand to look at the G-map as we walked on the street.    

I helped her look around the establishments in the hopes that I could find my mom's clinic.    

We passed by a restaurant, and I stopped in my tracks when my gaze caught a glimpse of a familiar face of a woman from outside the glass window.    

I'm not mistaken.    

It's her.    

Mom. It's my mom.    

Oh, I am so sure that it's her.    

I kept staring at the woman's face, and I didn't notice that Vidia was walking along the street to find the said clinic, yet the person we were looking for was right here in front of me.    

I walked past the glass window to go near the person who gave birth to me and showed me so much love during those times we were together. I did feel a lot of contempt towards her, but that was just before. I missed her so much. And I always wished to see her again. And now she's here.    

Right now, I feel like one of my biggest wishes has come true. I think wishes really do come true.    

"Mom? Hey! I'm here. It's me, your Little Jillian. I missed you, Mom. And I need you. I need you." I said as I sat on the opposite side of the table fronting her, and I cried, seeing her here so close to me.    

Mom is really here. She did not age, even a bit. She looked the same as what I remembered from a decade ago when I last saw her.    

She took a sip of her red wine and looked at nowhere but the paper beside her empty plate on the tabletop.    

I heard her let out a deep sigh, and she seemed worried about something.    

I looked around me when she shifted her focus to the door when it opened, and I followed her gaze. Maybe she was waiting for someone. Perhaps her boyfriend, husband, lover, or whoever.    

Mom looked away from the people who walked in and picked up the paper on her table, stared at it and pursed her lips. Then she placed the paper back on the table and searched for something from her handbag on her lap, and I guess it was her phone.    

I noticed my mother let out another deep sigh and picked up the paper again, and she scanned something on her phone.    

I got curious as to what she was so worried about, and I stood up to get closer to her and hug her as tight as I could.    

"Hey, Mom! I'm giving you an I-miss-you hug, okay?" I told her, like how I used to do when I was younger, and I embraced her from behind.    

"You don't know how much I missed you, Mom," I whispered, and I noticed how she shivered for a moment.    

I let her go, and I chuckled in happiness. I remembered those times when she used to tickle me on my tummy so I could let her go from my super tight hug, and she would be the one to hug me until I screamed for help and admitted that the I-miss-you sickness had faded away. Those moments were so precious. Mom was my best friend and my hero.    

"Jillian, I missed you so much, my baby girl. I don't know what to tell you yet. And I'm not ready. But why are you looking for me?"    

I heard her mumble, making me look at her in confusion. Did I hear it right? She was talking about me looking for her! What does she mean?    

She took a deep breath and placed her phone on the table. And what I saw from it was a phone number that had been dialed–a familiar one. Then my eyes focused on the paper on the tabletop, causing me to cover my mouth in surprise.    

Oh, my gosh! It's a flyer. It's one of the flyers my girl made.    

It reached my mother!