Chapter Ten: Ben.

"Ben, are you awake. Oh my good God. Ben?" Ben opened his eyes very slow, as if trying to savor the warmth and relaxation of his slumber.
"What's wrong, what is wrong Hope why on earth are you always the one waking me up, what?" He griped at her. He wasn't much of a morning person especially if he was woken up before he had to wake up.
"Mom never came home." She said. Worry in her eyes. Uncomfortable static in her hair like she hadn't been to bed yet. Ben checked his phone, it was three in the morning.
"You mean she hasn't come home. Hope, where did she go?" Mark wasn't awake him and Theresa were down stairs asleep in the guest room. Theresa didn't like walking up the stairs anymore.
"I don't know. Mrs. AvTown's car is in the driveway. They took mom's car."
"Hang on, hang on don't freak out. I will call Ella."
"I already have, straight to voicemail. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness." Ben wasn't in the mood for worry, or anxiety, he just wanted her too shut up yet she still was panicking grabbing her hair.
"HOPE. STOP. IT." He said loudly, now up from his warm bed and dialing Ella's number anyway.
Two tries and no answer. So he decided to try once more. Hope couldn't read it in his face but he was in a panic to. What if something happened to his mom?
"Hello?" She sounded croaky.
"Hey, I am sorry to call you. Has your mom come home yet?" She huffed out a breath and then yawned. He could hear clanging around like she was looking for something.
"I don't know, hang on okay?" He could hear her breath on the phone as she was walking.
"Umm, I don't think so. Why? What's wrong?"
"My mom hasn't made it back either."
"You know they went to a midnight photography class right?"
"Gah, I don't know when does that end?"
"Pfhh, like I know? I'll call my mom, and call you back."
-click-
Ben was smiling because he knew Ella was feeling the same way he was, cranky and annoyed.
Hope was staring at him, giving him the "Well?" look. As if he knew it all.
Four minutes later Ella called him back.
"Ben, they went to The Coffee Diner off of Beltway 6 they are just having a good time, don't worry. They will be back before sunset, okay?"
"Damn, before sunset? Your dad doesn't care?"
"All my dad cares about is his toy planes, okay goodnight hasta luego."
"Goodnight, sorry."
"It's fine, I am just tired have an early shift. See you tomorrow. Tell Hope she can breathe now. She called me eighteen times."
"Whoa? Okay, yeah. Wait, was your phone off?"
"Yeah, there mightve been a power shortage or something but it kicked back on once the power came back on."
"Yeah, alright talk to you later."
"Uh-huh."
-click-

Ben stared at his sister in disbelief.
"Eighteen times?"
"Sorry, I was worried. I was just worried." She stomped off back to her room, slamming the door.
By now Ben didn't really care if she was crying or sleeping. He just wanted sleep himself.