Chapter 3

Moria stood on Luke's front porch and rang the door bell, he was her first stop, he'd won out over her house as the first place she'd stop. She'd been away for a month and it seemed like a lifetime since she'd been here and she couldn't wait to see him, they'd talked everyday until last week when he said he'd be taking a trip but assured her he'd be back when she was. Luke's mother came to the door and her smile matched Moria's, but Moria's was for Luke.

"Hey Mrs. Duffy is Luke here?" Moria asked anxiously. Luke's beautiful mother's face changed, Moria had never seen it in anything other than a smile. Mrs. Duffy had been a young mother and Luke had been her first son at 18, she never looked a day over 25 until that moment. Caroline Duffy loved her three boys more than life itself and loved their father too, Moria had always hoped that she could be as happy as Luke's mom when she was her age. Her long blonde braid hung over her shoulders and she unconsciously began to toy with the end of it, the same tormented expression still on her beautiful face.

"No... no Moria he's not, he hasn't been here for a week. I was hoping you knew where he went." She said bluntly, her blue eyes cold as ice. Moria shook her head, something cold had grabbed her stomach.

"He packed all his stuff up last week and said he didn't know where he was going, but he wasn't coming home. He hasn't called me since and I've been worried sick. Every thing went into that little modified truck of his with the flames down the side and he left. I mean he is 18 so he has the right to do as he pleases but he could have at least called." Mrs. Duffy's lip trembled slightly.

"Caroline..." Moria reached a hand out and settled it on her shoulder, to see this normally strong and happy woman crushed ate at her insides, especially the woman who had been there for her more than her own mother for the last year. Moria was at a loss, she didn't know how to comfort Caroline, and yet somehow she felt guilty for this, like it was her fault somehow.

"That last time you called, I over heard part of his conversation with you he seemed happy, you didn't break up with him or anything did you?" She eyed Moria warily but Moria shook her head.

"I only told him that I was coming home this weekend and he told me he was going on a trip but he'd be back here waiting for me when I got home." Moria mumbled, Caroline shook her head.

"He hung up with you and kinda went crazy. He kept mumbling things and packing and when I'd ask were he was going he'd say, Nowhere mom... Somewhere mom... I can't hold her back. I didn't understand what he meant I just let him pack obviously he didn't want to be here anymore. He even left his cell phone. I don't know how to reach him so all I can do is wait, he'll call soon I'm sure of it." The hope this woman had was amazing Moria thought as she watched Caroline's face slowly return to its normal smiley-self.

"Thanks Caroline, if he um... calls this weekend do you want to call me and tell me where he is and how I can get a hold of him?" Moria asked.

"Sure honey," Caroline placed a hand on Moria's cheek and smiled sadly. "He'd be crazy to want to leave you, that'd be like me wanting to leave Noah." Moria nodded in response, Caroline's warm hands seemed to be trying to warm the coldness in her heart that had somehow crept in.

"I'm gonna go see my parents now, this was just my first stop. I had hoped to stay longer but you know... No Luke." She gave Caroline a half-hearted smile before Caroline pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek.

"You take care of yourself ok? You're my only daughter... even if you have another mother. Call me sometime if you just want to talk. I'll tell Luke you stopped by if he calls." And with a wave of her hand Caroline sent Moria off. Moria said her good-bye and then went racing off to the safety of her car.