Expired Expectation

“What’s going on, Juno?” Isaiah had appeared, too.

He noticed the dark look in Astrid’s eyes and noted her strange demeanor.

“Astrid showed up and accused Emmie of hiding information about where Coco is, even though she does not have any proof.”

Juno was upset.

“She was the one who didn’t know how to look after her daughter, how dare she pin the blame on someone else! It’s ridiculous!”

“Mr. Lear, the white tassel pendant Emmie is holding comes from Coco's music box!” Astrid announced sternly.

“Emmie must have seen Coco before she disappeared!

“Coco has been missing for three hours. Do you know what this means?

“We can’t afford to waste any time, her life might be in danger!”

Isaiah's expression shifted slightly at her words.

He bent low and gently took Emmie's hand. “Emmie, you can tell Daddy the truth. Have you seen Coco? ”

“No!” Emmie's eyes looked away shiftily. “The white tassel pendant… I picked it up off the floor.”

“You are clearly lying!” Astrid insisted angrily. “I made sure to tighten it around Coco's music box, so it wouldn’t just fall off! Where did you see Coco? Answer me, now!”

“Ms. Payne, my daughter says she picked it up off the floor, which part of it don’t you understand?

“If you keep accusing her, I will have the headmaster come over and settle this for us!”

Astrid was in no mood to bicker over this. She needed to find her daughter. She made up her mind to call the police.

When the police arrived, Emmie ducked behind Isaiah and whimpered timidly, “Daddy, I'm scared, please tell them to go away!”

Isaiah frowned.

“Emmie, I’m going to ask you one more time. Have you seen Coco?” he asked solemnly.

“I haven’t seen her, I promise!” Emmie said with tears in her eyes.

“Honey, please give us the tassel pendant.”

The chief officer came up to them and spoke sternly, “Coco has been missing for three hours. This is a very urgent situation. We have to find her as soon as possible.”

Emmie tossed the tassel pendant away as if she were playing hot potato. Then she demanded that Isaiah take her home.

Isaiah obliged and took her away. Before he left, he stopped and turned to Mike. “Bring more manpower over and find the girl."

Juno was taken aback by the gesture while Emmie looked upset.

Astrid was in no mood to care about how they felt. She followed the police officers and their patrol dogs to the back of the school building.

Suddenly, the police dog started barking at the innermost closet in the dressing room!

“Coco!”

Astrid charged at the closet and pounded at the door as hard as she could while crying out, “Are you in there? Say something, it’s Mommy!

"Someone, pry this door open, hurry up!”

As soon as the closet door opened, Astrid was shocked by what she saw.

Coco was in a curled-up position inside the closet. Her breathing was very weak, and her face was a faint purple.

The back of the closet door was covered with scratches. She had been clawing at it with her nails!

Astrid carried the distressed Coco in her arms and was in complete shock by this point.

After they got into the ambulance waiting by the entrance, she cried out frantically, “Hang in there, Coco! We’ll get you to the hospital!”

Moments before the door closed, Isaiah gripped the door and entered the ambulance as well and declared, “I’m coming with you.”

“What are you doing here?” Astrid was equally surprised and slightly disgusted by his sudden appearance. “I don’t need you here, quit acting like you care! Scram!”

Isaiah was surprised by the way the usually docile and timid Astrid was lashing out at him. He paused briefly before turning to the driver, “Go on, drive!”

The ambulance took off. The pair was stuck in the cramped space, facing each other.

“Uncle Isaiah…”

Isaiah got up and held Coco’s hand firmly.

“Coco, who locked you in the closet?” he asked gravely.

“It was Emmie.”

Coco’s voice was frail as she spoke.

“She saw the picture of you that I kept inside my pencil case and found out that you were my father. She said she would keep it a secret if I would stay inside the cabinet for two hours…”

“I… did I last two hours?”

Astrid was heartbroken and could not bear to listen anymore.

She felt a torrent of emotions inside her and shoved Isaiah away while howling at him, “Don't you feel any guilt?

“This happened because you are too lax with Emmie! You let her hurt Coco and let her get away with it!”