FEAR

Big Sigh. Other than the other day when I didn't feel the baby move, I don't think I have ever felt fear the way I did this morning. And the other day with the baby, I had a sense that everything was okay, even though I was scared. Today, well. Whole new level of fear.

It started with a message on my answering machine from my parent's neighbours. We were out of town until 10pm last night, and the message was from friday afternoon "Everything is okay, but please call us as soon as possible." Now, my parents were supposed to be down at their place as of Thursday morning, so I figured something minor had happened with the house.

So after I got up this morning, I called the neighbours back to see what's going on. He tells me that everything is fine, but that friday afternoon the police were at mom & dad's, and the officers told him that TWO 911 calls had originated from INSIDE the house. Usually, they would break the door down if no one inside responded, but because mom & dad's neighbour told the police mom & dad were out of town, the police decided not to.

So I decide to call "the Ranch" where mom & dad are to double check that they are okay, because I'm a tiny bit worried, and we are supposed to go down and visit with them for the day. The security woman at the ranch tells me that their computers track when the members come in and out, by their membership cards that they scan. She goes to check the computer and comes back to tell me that mom and dad have not arrived at the ranch this weekend. UM, ARE YOU SURE. She tells me she's positive, because the computer would know. I say thanks, and hang up. I start to freak out a little, call mom & dad's and their phone flips over to voicemail right away, meaning it's off the hook. I update DH, and can see by his face that he's as worried as I am.

At this point, their phone is off the hook, they're not at the ranch where they're supposed to be, and I have no idea if something terrible has happened to them in their home, considering the two 911 calls. I call the ranch back, and ask again. The woman says she's positive that they have no record of mom & dad entering the ranch for this weekend. I then said to her that I need them to drive down to my parents place and check for me. She sounded a little confused, even though I thought I explained it to her before. At this point, I say "look, the thing is is that if they aren't at the ranch, chances are they are dead in their home, and I really need to know if they are there." Okay, that was really what I was thinking. I was freaked. So she told me she would send someone to their place, and I should hear back in about 10 minutes or so.

In the meantime, I call the police in my parent's area to find out all I can about the 911 calls. They were from inside the house, and no one was on the other end. After I explained the situation, the officer said the outside of the house was undisturbed, but that if I couldn't get in touch with mom & dad, to call back, and he'd have someone break down the door.

Over half an hour later, I still haven't heard back, and I'm pacing the floor. It was only supposed to take ten minutes. I'm starting to get even more uneasy. I finally decide to call the ranch, and the security tells me mom & dad ARE actually there, and are fine, but have forgotten my phone number BECAUSE THEY HAVE ME ON SPEED DIAL AT HOME. LOOOOOOSERS. I cried so hard when I hung up. I was sooo relieved. DH held me forever, and told me he couldn't imagine what kind of fear I had felt. I don't think I've ever been so glad to see my mom as I was when I arrived at the ranch.

Oh, and mom & dad got a stern talking to from us and their good friends about knowing our phone number and address, and my sisters.

And as a little payback, when mom first got the message that they "urgently" needed to call us, mom was alone, and panicked that I had gone into labour 6 weeks early. That only lasted 5 minutes till she got the entire message, that something had happened at the house.