Later on, after Justin’s big barbeque, which was a success seeing as Alexa got along with all the other guys, JC got the call he’d wanted for a long time.

“Josh?” Joel’s clearly unmistakable voice asked from the other end.

“Yeah?” JC asked, softly closing his bedroom door so Alexa wouldn’t hear him. “Anything?”

“Actually yes,” Joel replied, not hiding the smile in his voice. “We found Laney.”

“What? Are you sure?” JC asked excitedly and sat down on the bed to stop his legs from shaking. “Did she have Alexandra with her?”

“Yes we’re sure it’s her. They found her just out of county, but I’m afraid she didn’t have anyone with her, it was just her,” Joel replied, JC felt his good mood be drowned a bit.

“Oh,” he replied not bothering to sound excited because he wasn’t.

“But it’s a good thing Josh,” Joel tried to reassure him. “In fact we want you to come in and talk with her. She’s seeing one of our psychologists and they recommend that she talks to you first to get her on the right track.”

“Oh, well I think something can be arranged. She was diagnosed with a psychotic disorder when we were married, I forget what it is,” JC said trying to rack his brain to think of what Laney had.

“Paranoid Personality Disorder?” Joel asked, “They said she had that, it’s because she tends to have persuasive distrust in others, she claims it’s why she ran off with your daughter.”

“What that’s nuts,” JC said, “Why would she not trust me? I was so good to her.”

“I know Josh, but I think she was afraid of Alexandra’s safety, I think she feared you’d take her away from her,” Joel said and JC shook his head.

“I would never dream of it, I may have won the custody hearing but she was always welcome to see Alexandra, she knows that, I told her that,” he replied in disbelief. “So what are they going to do?”

“Well they want you to come in, not right away of course but sometime in the next week so they can get started with her treatment,” Joel said, JC nodded and ran a shaky hand through his hair.

“Yeah sure. Did she say anything about Alexandra?” JC asked and Joel sighed.

“No she didn’t, but I think she wants to tell you about it,” Joel replied. JC sighed and closed his eyes, was he ready to face his ex-wife? “Josh?” Joel asked and JC opened his eyes.

“Yeah? Um, okay why don’t you set up a time and call me? Anytime is good for me, just let me know,” JC said, and Joel agreed.

“Okay then, I’ll let you go. You have a lot to think about before then,” Joel said and JC nodded.

“Yeah I do. Thanks Joel, talk to you soon, bye,” JC replied wanting to get off the phone quickly, Joel must have sensed this because he said goodbye and hung up, leaving JC alone to figure out what in hell’s name he was going to say to Laney.