Mitch smiles as he looks down at his bracelet playing with the silver locket and running his fingers across the smooth, black rope. On the silver dog tag he reads the word “hope”  that intertwines with the black anchor to where the tie down part of the anchor fits in the O in the word. The silver locket that brings it all together is held on by the silver hook on the inside. He grips it tightly as he remember a blacked out face with a beard and mustache. Last thing he remembers is him walking out and shutting the door, and sitting with his uncle watching tv.
“Welp let’s hope he actually gets something tonight,” Uncle John whispers under his breath.
“Can you just trust him for once?!” Mitch yells at his uncles sitting on the couch beside him. He stands up turning to continue yelling at him, “all you do is sit around and put others down! One day you’re gonna say something and you're gonna regre-” silence.

“Mitch.. Mitchhhhh... MITCH!” Lancine says getting frustrated shaking his arm like she’s looking for a sign of life.
“WHAT?” Mitch yells back looking at her angry and confused. He looks around the empty class room with no one to be found “I’m sorry I got side tracked… Is it time to go?”
“Yeah,” she laughs waving her hand around the classroom, “I was standing out in the hallway waiting for you and when I noticed you didn’t come out I figured you were day dreaming again.”
“Sorry, just alots been going through my head” he replies.
“It’s fine, let just get outta here before we miss the bus again” she says smiling and shaking her head.
“Hey last time that was your fault,” he says laughing, standing up and putting his books in his bag.
“Well at least I was doing my work, you were just day dreaming about pony and unicorns!” she says smirking and walks out the room leading the way, “great everyone’s outside already!” panicking looking around for no sign of Mitch, again. She turns around and heads back in the classroom to find Mitch standing there with his stuff thrown on the floor like someone knocked them out of his hands. Hes standing there holding the bracelet in one hand and the hook for the lock in the other hand. He sits down shaking with distress and just looks at Lancie like a lost puppy at the humane society.
“I don’t know what happened.. I..I..I barely dropped it, it just slipped through my fingers..” he says sighing and leaning back in his chair.
Lancie stares in disbelief  “I’m sure it’s a easy fix Mitch, let’s just take it to the jeweler down the street and they can fi-”
“No! You don’t even understand! This is the only thing that I have left of my dad before he left, if he knew what happened he would be so disappointed and never give me anything again! That’s probably why he left it with we, as a test!” Mitch stands up in frustration and puts the bracelet in his hoodie pocket.
“Look Mitch, I understand lets just take it to my house, my dad always fixes my jewelry when it breaks, he’s like magic when it comes to fixing things!” She says as she picks up the books and packets that fell out of the backpack and neatly puts them back.
“Your right, do you think that your dad could pick us up?” He says as he wipes his face trying to bring himself together.
“Yeah let me just call him and make sure he has the car,” She reaches for her phone and dials the phone number. She smiles at Mitch as she talks to her dad “Hey it’s not my fault THIS time haha, can you pick us up again please? We’re gonna need your help today.” Mumbles come from the phone as her dad talks back to her. “Thanks dad, yup, ok, we’ll be out front when you get here just honk. Ok see you when you get here, bye.”
“Your dad’s awesome you know that?” He smiles and laughs in relief, “ I swear one day I’m gonna owe you my life, and more”
“Just consider this a favor and next time don’t go space cadet on me ok?”
“Hey I’ll try my best but sometimes I can’t help it, I just wonder like what if things were different and he didn’t get on that boat…” He paused and stared into the small hole in his shoe from where he likes to rub his toe when he get nervous.
“Hey don’t get all moody on me again, that’s supposed to be my job because I’m the girl that broke her nail remember?” She says laughing showing him her fingernail that she broke last week fixing up their childhood fort last week.
“Ok, ok lets just go wait for your dad before he lectures me too.” He stands up walking towards the door and he grabs the bag from Lancie and she walks shortly behind. They then walk through the double doors of the front of the high school, and begin walking toward the parking lot to their right.
“Dang that was fast,” Lancie says pointing at her dads car, “He must have speed through traffic.”
“Yeah sure was, and hey sorry about what happened back there.. you know snapping and all I didn’t even know what I was saying.” He says looking down at the ground.
“Don’t worry about it, it happens to all of us every once and a while.”
They begin walking up to her dads 1969 Chevy Chevll and throw their stuff in.
“Hey girl how was school?” Lancies dad says as she climbs in.
“The usual dad, just boring and pointless” and sighs as she puts on her seat belt.
“I shouldn’t have asked such a dumb question hu?” He laughs looking over a Mitch waiting for a response, “So whatcha got for me today?”
“It’s my bracelet the hook broke that keeps the locket closed, all I did was drop it and it broke” Mitch says taking out his bracelet.
“Yeah? Should be a easy fix. Let me just take a look” he says as grabs for the locket, “Ahhh I see I tell you what, lets run by the house before I drop you off and I’ll get it all fixed up for yea.”
“Thanks Mr. D you have no idea how much relief you just put on me.”
“Hey after knowing you for so long and you helping my girl out when times got rough I’ll treat you like my own, and I done told you to just call me Dave.” Mich smiles as he looks away from him off into a daze staring at the cars driving past them as they drive down the dirt roads. As the pull into the red house on the right at the end of the road they begin to get out.
“You guys can just stay in here it won’t take me but a second,” Dave says as he gets out walking into the house.
“You know you’re lucky to have him, you know someone that you can actually get along with and know he’ll always be there for you.” Mitch says looking at Lancie.
“Yeah he’s pretty cool huh?” She says looking down smirking.
“That’s something you need to never take for granted. I mean look at me, I did and look where I’m at now. I don’t know what happened or where he is. I was just told to simply live with John and focus on school.” Mitch looks at her with serious intentions, “You need to need to hug him everyday and tell him you love him cause you’ll never know if he’ll come home or not.”
“Mitch what actually happened the night that your dad, well you know.. disappeared..?” Lancie said slowly lifting her head towards Mitch.
“It’s a long story, you’d get bored within minutes trust me.” He says smiling and shaking his head.
“Ok and? I never heard it before plus we have time for a story he’ll be in there for little bit,” Lancie says raising her eyebrows in consideration.
“It was when I was 7, so about 10 years ago. He went out fishing on his bass master. It was so nice! Red with black stripes on the side and of course it had a nice shine to it, because he washed that thing every week since he got it. Before he went out that evening he gave me that bracelet,” he says as he points to the house, “He told me it was his dad’s and that it was for good luck. My uncle always doubted him, so of course when my dad left and shut the door, he instantly started talking about how oh lets hope he catches something and I got mad and walked into the other room. That’s why I hate going home because he probably said it loud enough to where my dad heard it and didn’t want to come back home without something so he disappeared..” He looked at her as if she’d know the answers, “If only I went with him Lacie! Why didn’t I just go with him?! Why’d I have to stay home that one time! If it wasn’t for me he’d probably be here at home!”
Lancie looks at him with raised eyebrows concerned. “You don’t know where he went?  Not even your family?”
He shakes his head looking at the floor with his fingers crossed, “No they all just know that he disappeared and after that I didn’t talk to or see anyone from that family again.”
She grabs his shoulder with a light grip, like when a baby grips the finger of its mother. “None of this is your fault, dad always says you gotta let the chicken lay the egg before the next step in life can begin. Maybe Mitch this is your sign to step up and move forward.”
Dave walks out the house smiling and waving the bracelet in the air walking to the c, “Hey buddy I fixed it! It’s like brand new just had to weld the piece back on!” He opens the driver side door, “Here man,” he says handing the bracelet to Mitch, “Sorry if I interrupted your tparty,” He says smiling and looks at his daughter then back at the boy.
“Nah just school talk dad you should know by now I don’t do that girly stuff anymore.”
“I know but it seems like just yesterday you wanted to carry that beat up blonde haired cabbage patch kid around,” he looks at her with teary eyes.
“Hey do you think we can give him a ride home? You know how his uncle is.” Lancie says leaning towards the front seat.
“Of course I said I was gonna treat him like my own, so I’m not gonna change that now,” He said looking back at Mitch.
“Thanks Dave,” Mitch says as he slowly lifts his head and looks at him with a big grin on his face.
As they begin driving down the road, Lancie puts her hand on Mitch’s and grips it tightly. He looks over at her smiling as if they were the only two people in the world. He turns his hand over putting her hand in his and puts his fingers in between hers. She smiles slightly and begins to blush turning red on the cheeks. They pull up in the trailer park and make a quick left heading towards the light yellow trailer on the right. They pull up in the small driveway and put the car in park.
“Welp it was nice seeing you again man,” Dave says turning around looking at Mitch, “You know you should come around more often I could use a helper if your interested.”
“Of course anytime! I would just have to let the grumpy man know of course,” Mitch laughs looking at Dave.
“I’ll see you at school tomorrow of course,” Lancie says pulling her hand away from Mitch’s.
“Yup I’ll meet you by the front door, and Thanks Mr.D- I mean Dave. I’ll talk to you guys later,” he says as he climbs out and shuts the door.
“Anytime” Dave says.
Mitch begins walking towards the house and into the door. He shuts the door and looks out the peephole to see Lancie and her dad back out of the driveway.
“Where were you Mitch?” Uncle John says walking to the living room from the kitchen.
“I hadda get a ride from Dave again, we missed the bus,” Mitch says setting his backpack down on the old couch next to him.
“I thought you would of at least called, that’s what a NORMAL person would do.”  He says slightly raising his voice.
“I’m sorry I forgot to.. I had a lot on my mind,”
“It’s whatever, go work on your homework I’m going to go take a shower. I’m so glad I never had my own kids.”
“You never had your own kids because no one could deal with your Bs..” Mitch says mumbling under his breath.
Mitch walks into the Kitchen to grab a drink when he noticed a letter in the garbage with his dads signature at the bottom. He quickly grabs it out and walks to the table. He waits till he hears the shower started reading the letter.
“My  Dearest son Mitch,
I’m writing you this letter to tell you, I have been trying to reach you. I tried calling my brother, you know him as your uncle John. It seems as if he changed his number because I get no answer. I have been in a coma for about 2 years now. I’m not sure what happened I just remember fishing and as I was reeling in a big bite. My foot split on the water from the lake and I hit my head. I’m doing better now but I’d love to see you and have you back in the life it once was before. I haven’t had any missed calls from family members which I found odd. So I decided to call up your aunt June and she told me that everyone was told I went MIA. I was then told after they were given this information that it came from your uncle John. I need you to understand that I love you and would love to have you  give me a call at (816)854-7831. We will plan to get you a taxi and have you meet me at the hospital. As I’m writing this letter I will be released in about 4 days. By the time you get this, I would like you to pack, and call when you're on your way. Do NOT tell your uncle you read this letter, due to he’s the one that caused all these problems.
    I love you Mitch-Dad.”
Mitch then thought to himself, “He had to have read it, it was in the trash! I need to hurry and pack before he gets out the shower.” He then ran and started packing his backpack with the little clothes that he had. As he heads out the door he sees his uncles keys he reaches for them and looks at them wondering if he should do it or not. He smiles and heads out the door. “Looks like I got my ride,” he says as he climbs in the front seat and throws his bag into the passenger seat. “ Time to finally see him after years of wondering.”