He didn’t say anything.
Neither did I.
I didn’t know what I could say.
Please don’t leave us.
Because, despite everything new we’d found, suddenly my priorities had shifted, Jackwas now part of myus.
The ringing of my phone chose that moment to pierce the haunted silence, and Fallon’s hands dropped to his sides before he pulled a clean pair of worn-out jeans from a stack. The phone shook again, and this time, I stretched across the bed, holding it to my ear as I said a quick hello.
I listened silently, sounds of sheer fear lacing the voice on the other line. “Have you seen Jack?”
I swallowed, shaking my head as my heart fell on the floor. “No.”
“He left school at lunch and hasn’t been back. He’s never done this before. The school asked all his friends—” Calvin sounded bad. Scary bad.
My eyes shot across the room to Fallon’s, worry transcending the space. “We’ll do whatever we can. We can canvass all the neighborhoods from here to the school. Whatever you need from us. We’ll find him, Calvin, I promise.”
Fallon was pushing his boots onto his feet before I’d hung up the phone.
My stomach turned, the greatest fear I’d ever known materializing in a matter of an instant.
Fallon’s eyes searched my face, a frown twisting his features before he crossed the room, wrapping me in his arms and letting me unravel, piece by terrified piece.
“I’ll find him, Augusta Belle. Swear on my life, I won’t sleep till I find him.”
Adrenaline flooded my veins as fat tears streamed down my cheeks. Fallon’s thumbs attempted to push the salty tracks aside before I launched off the bed and across the room, throwing on the first pair of jeans I found, wiggling into a bra and then a tank top.
“Maybe you should stay here in case he shows up,” Fallon suggested.
I shook my head, rational decision-making no longer a part of my skill set, the holy terror of losing my son, not for the first time, settling into my bones. “I can’t just stand by while this…”
I pushed away more tears as I tried to tie my shoelaces.
“Augusta,” Fallon murmured, steady palms holding my shaking shoulders. “Take some deep breaths and lift your head up high. We’re gonna find him. Post yourself outside, keep your phone turned up, and I’m just gonna do a quick search around the school zone, okay? I’ll be back in thirty minutes to check on you, but you’ve got be ready to take my call, okay? Or if he comes here, just be ready. He needs you, sunshine.” Fallon nestled me into his neck. “We all do.”
I nodded, summoning my strength as we pushed through the door of the motel room, Fallon giving me one last kiss before he climbed into his truck and backed away.
I swallowed down my tears, grazing my teeth on my bottom lip, and looking down at my phone in my hand.
Without knowing what else to do, I pulled up my contacts, pressing Jack’s, the picture of all three of us smiling at the swimming hole a few weeks ago his contact photo.
I cried more happy-sad tears, pressing the speakerphone as the call began to ring. I waited, birds singing sweet songs in the Spanish moss-covered oaks around me, wind carryin’ all my hopes away with each passing second.
“‘Ello?”
“Jack?” I nearly shrieked, catching the phone in both hands at my face.
“Yeah?” His sweet little twang was like an angel singin’ in my heart.
“Where are you!”
He let out a little huff on the line. “Shoulda known Dad would call you.”
A hooded figure came around the corner, spiky blond hair and dark brown eyes sending tears of relief down my cheeks. “What, are you crazy?”
I pulled him into a hug, holding him so tightly I thought I might crush my own chest cavity. I didn’t care. I needed to feel him here, safe.
