Honest to goodness my heart just stopped - police at the door- thankfully all ok

[Northernlurker]

I just need to describe what happened:

I'm in the bath, dh cooking, dd2 (20) and dd3 plus dd3s friend are out at church youth group accessed by driving on short stretch of motorway. Left about two hours ago. Dd passed her test last year and we've had a car she can use for about a month.

Knock at door, dh goes to answer it, says 'oh it's the police' I hear dd2s name and my heart just stopped. I mean I assume it didn't but this massive hole opened beneath me for a second and then I could policeman saying it was ok. I shouted down and dh said they were ok. Turns out a friend is missing and they wanted to know if she'd heard from her so we rang her. Then turned out to be wrong person altogether!

So all completely fine (for us) but the other poor parents. I hope they find the lass soon. And we've lost two friends whose parents had that knock and so did my grandparents fifty years ago. And it wasn't ok. For a heartstoppingly awful moment I thought it had come here.

I don't drink but have had vodka. Bloody hell!

This must happen all the time, is it just me who assumes the very, very worst? I didn't know my uncle but I've grown up with his loss iyswim and I think it's affected me at a very deep subconscious level. There were two policemen too. My mum said they come in pairs with bad news.

Now back in bath very slightly drunk....

That must have been terrifying, glad all is well. I remember the feeling when a police car suddenly pulled into our drive - took ages for my heart to slow down and they didn't even knock on the door! Enjoy your bath.

I still remember the police coming to our door 26 years ago, (my Nan) as you said this something that never quite goes away.

Thank you both, yes it is weird how something that wasn't anything iyswim has such power. Dh played it very cool but I know it scared him too.

I'm so pleased everything is OK.
Poor other parents :(

I know. Can't see anything on our local media about it. Hope they've located her.
The stupid thing is nearly any other night they would have been in as she's stayed at home for uni and it would just have been slightly puzzling why the police wanted to speak to her. But of course it's the night she's out with the car, our youngest child and somebody else's child! They should be home soon, can't Wait!

Omg OP that must have been momentarily terrifying, I'd have assumed the worst too

Hope they find the other girl soon.

I’d have thought the worst too, how scary.
Hoping for a positive resolution for the other family.

Oh gosh, how scary for you all. I'm glad everything is ok

That must have been terrifying.

I feel so sorry for the police officers who are called upon to go and knock on someone's door with terrible news. If must be an awful part of their job, too.

I feel so sorry for the police officers who are called upon to go and knock on someone's door with terrible news. If must be an awful part of their job, too.

My Mum accussed them of being fake officers.

I had the same thing happen to me not too long ago - but asking for DP’s name etc. I thought he’d had an accident on the way to work or something. I couldn’t even speak, my throat literally closed up.

Turns out it was nothing to do with us (it was regarding the old owners, his brother was missing - luckily was found safe about an hour later).

Thank goodness your DD is okay ❤️

I had a knock on the door when DH was away on a course. I didn't panic too much as it was only one officer but still felt my stomach sink and his immediate words were 'It's ok, nothing to worry about' so he must have been aware how people respond to that kind of visit. He was actually telling me to stay in the house as a police chase had ended in our close and they were letting the police dogs out as they thought the guy was hiding so in one sense I should have been alarmed, but I was nothing but relieved!

Girls home safe. Dh has confessed he hit the vodka too.

That must have been awful @AfternoonToffee

I'm a police officer and I always feel bad when people panic when I knock on their door!

I have delivered quite a few death messages alone so I don't think the "bad news comes in twos" rings true anymore - budget cuts!!

Glad it was all okay for you in the end

So glad she’s ok and I think your reaction is totally normal.

Also, I had a friend go missing in our early twenties. None of us in our close friendship group or her family were able to find her, but the police managed it inside 24 hours and likely saved her life. So there is definitely hope for the other girl in the situation too.

The police came to my parents' door when my brother was 14 (and I was 16).

A warehouse had been set on fire and someone had reported two boys in his school blazer running away. Where was my brother on that date and time? Thankfully, at school, or on his way home.

The police left, and my dad said, 'Wasn't that the day (DB) was over an hour late and had some convoluted tale about the buses?' Cue major panic.

My brother protested his innocence but it was a rocky couple of days before the real culprit (not a schoolboy and not wearing a blazer) was caught.

Police at the door shakes everything up.

Thank you for everything you do @Wiltshire90