KIDNAPPED – CHATER 4 – 1012 JoJo

CHAPTER 4

With Bill’s arm around my shoulder, we walk into the Police Station. Taking a deep breath, I look around. The room is crowded – obviously every member of my family has shown up today and they all start shouting “JOEY, JOEY,” and begin to rush at me. Terrified and overwhelmed, and turn to Bill. He takes charge and holds up his hands.

“Folks, folks, hold it right there!” he calls out in a loud voice. “I am taking Joey into a private room and to start off with, just his parents and siblings are allowed to come in. The rest of you are to go home – Joey will get to meet you when he’s ready. Give the lad a chance to adapt. You are scaring him right now and I’m sure that’s not what you’d want.”

My relatives fall silent.

A very tiny old lady with snowy white hair, steps forward. In a strong Italian accent, she says “I’m-a Joey’s grandmother. Every day-a I go to Mass-a to pray-a for Joey to come-a home safe. Every’a day for 12 year I go.” Tears are pouring down her cheeks and she’s clasping her hands in a pleading gesture that pierces my heart.

I turn to Bill. “Let her come too,” I mutter.

“Alright Granny, you can come with us.” Immediately the rest of my relatives set up a howl of protest and several of the women I presume are aunts, start wailing at the top of their lungs while the men pat their backs and console them.

In the midst of all the confused feelings churning inside me is one I will take out and examine when I’m ready to do so. There is no doubt I am dearly loved, and I belong to a lively, very excitable family who are, right now, carrying on vocally at the top of their voices in Italian – and I don’t understand a word of it.

Bill ushers me into a room. “Stay here, I will go and collect your folks from out of that mob out there,” he says. “I’ll be right back.”

I sit down and look around the room. It’s not big, is sparsely furnished with just a table and chairs, with a large mirror on one of its walls. I’ve seen enough cop shows to know it’s a see through mirror and wonder if anyone else is looking through at me right now.

Then the door opens and Bill ushers in my grandmother, parents and siblings.