Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

LILY Sitting on the edge of the bed, I clutched the picture of my boys, my fingers trembling as I traced their faces. It was a snapshot I'd taken on their last birthday three of them smiling so brightly it was as if they lit up the entire room. The ache in my chest was unbearable. I missed them so damn much it hurt to even look at their picture.

When will they be found? When will I get to hold them in my arms again? My thoughts drifted back to the car and the hope I'd clung to-the dashboard camera. I'd assumed it would hold the answers, a clue, something. But no. I was told it was faulty and hadn't recorded anything.

The excuse felt flimsy, suspicious even. Something about it didn't sit right.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, forcing myself to think. Just as I exhaled, a sudden thought flashed through my mind: If the dashboard camera didn't capture anything, what about other cameras? Street cameras, traffic cameras, security cameras-surely one of them must have caught something.

Then there was Clover. He'd met a friend, someone who gave him that perfume. If he wasn't going to talk, maybe she would.

I sprang to my feet, grabbed my jacket, and raced out of the house. There was no tto waste.

My security followed closely behind as I hopped into the backseat, and I quickly gave him instructions on where to take me. The ride felt like it stretched on forever, but eventually, he pulled over at the sspot where Clover had stopped earlier.

I stepped out of the car, the cool breeze hitting my face. I slipped on my sunglasses to shield my eyes from the midday sun and began scanning the area, searching for any road cameras. But there was nothing. Not a single camera in sight.

Just as I was about to turn away in frustration, I noticed something across the street. The restaurant directly in front ofhad a CCTV camera mounted outside. I froze, relief flooding over me.

I broke into laughter, unable to stop myself. The weight in my chest seemed to lift as the realization hitthis was progress, this was something, at least.

I couldn't help the tears that followed, joy mixed with disbelief rolling down my cheeks. But before I could gather myself, the security guard who'd drivenhere approached, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay, ma'am?" he asked gently.

I glanced at him, still smiling as I wiped my eyes. "I'm fine," I assured him, though I could tell he was probably questioning my sanity at that moment. I hadn't said a word to anyone all day, and now here I was, laughing uncontrollably at nothing. "Cwith me," I said, nodding toward the restaurant.

Hurrying across the street, I couldn't help but regret not dressing more appropriately. I knew all too well that the way you presented yourself could command respect and right now, I was feeling a little underdressed for what was at stake. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling of self-doubt, and walked into the establishment, my head held high.

Approaching the receptionist, I maintained eye contact and steadied my voice. "I want to speak to your manager." The receptionist blinked at me, her face stoic, yet there was a professional coolness to her demeanor that made it clear she was used to handling requests like this. "How can we help you, ma'am?" she asked, her tone polite but distant. "I'm Lily Williams," I introduced myself, letting the nsit in the air for a moment. As expected, her expression shifted ever so slightly. Her eyes widened with recognition, and in places where facial recognition failed, nrecognition would always work. It was a small victory, but a powerful one.

"I want to see the CCTV footage from the camera outside," I continued. "It's in relation to the case of my missing sons." For a split second, I saw her gaze soften, a flicker of pity crossing her face. She glanced atas though she could feel my pain, her eyes reflecting a certain sympathy that I didn't need right now.

"I really understand your pain, ma'am," she said softly. It wasn't a comforting sound, though; it felt distant, like an apology for something she couldn't fix.

I didn't let her pity deter me. This was business. This was about answers.

"But we can't just give up the CCTV footage that you're asking for without any legal documents," she explained, her tone polite. "I think you should go back and return with the police. That way, we can release the video." I felt a cold knot in my stomach. The last thing I wanted was to bring the police into this. I could already picture the mess they would make of it, turning a simple request into a circus.

"I want to speak to your manager," I repeated. This wasn't the tfor bureaucracy. I had a better offer to make, and only the manager would be able to understand.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but-" "There is no but," I cut her off sharply. "I hate to flex my power and influence, but don't think for a second I won't if I need to." I leaned forward, Both hands pressing firmly against the counter. My eyes never left hers as I spoke. "Get your manager down here, and don't waste any time. Make no mistake, I will meet with them, and when I do, I won't be friendly to the person who madewait." We stood there in an unspoken standoff, neither of us willing to look away. The receptionist finally let out a reluctant sigh, breaking the silence. She reached for the landline and dialed a number, her voice polite yet strained as she spoke into the phone. "Sorry to disturb you, sir, but Mrs. Lily Williams is here to see you." She waited for a beat, listening intently before adding, "Sure, sir." Then, without another word, she hung up the phone.

"Fifth floor, second office by your left." "Thank you," I replied smoothly, turning on my heel and heading toward the elevator. The ride up felt longer than it was.

When I reached the fifth floor, I had no trouble finding the office-the manager was already standing outside, waiting for me. The moment he caught sight of me, his expression shifted from neutral to warm, an almost rehearsed smile spreading across his face. "How can we be of help to you, ma'am?" he asked, his voice friendly, though there was a trace of curiosity in his eyes.

"I'm willing to invest in this restaurant in exchange for the CCTV footage." His smile faltered for just a second as he processed what I had said. He was clearly trying to gauge whether I was serious. "What CCTV footage?" "I need to get a picture of someone I met across the street a few weeks ago," I explained.

For a moment, he seemed to hesitate, clearly uncertain whether to pressfurther or simply accept my offer. "That's all?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, his smile never faltering.

I nodded.

"Sure," he replied, still grinning, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "We'll have to sign the paperwork first, right?" "I don't have tto waste," I shot back quickly, my impatience creeping into my tone. Getting paperwork done wasn't something that could be rushed, and honestly, I wasntinterested in wasting any more ti than necessary. "Im a Williams," I added, "I don't joke with my words, and most definitely not my vows or promises." He studiedfor a moment. But then, with a long sigh, he relented. "This way."

Without further delay, he handedthe picture I was after. "I'll need you to cto the hospital so we can discuss the details of the investment." He nodded, a subtle but relieved expression crossing his face.

Once back in the car, I handed the picture to my security detail. "I want you to find out everything about this ve woman everything, including her bathroom breaks. Report back toas soon as possible." "Yes, ma'am," he responded immediately.

At least now I had a lead-a person who might hold the answers l'yen been desperate to find. It wasn't much, but it was a start. And that was all I needed.