Lauren handed a bottle of water to him, but he didn’t take it. Em took one, though.
“Kids make mistakes, too,” Lauren said. “It’s not always anyone’s fault. Sometimes, it’s just about being a little human person and learning from mistakes.”
“They’re just confused,” Em said, again.
He hated that he’d had quite a bit to do with that confusion.
Ethan didn’t reply other than to nod, but he continued gripping Em’s hand like it was all he had left. She gripped his right back. If there was one good thing about this situation, it was that they were a team. In this together.
She’d already phoned a friend—her family—and there was no audience to ask about a solution. In the game ofWho’s Going to Find the Girls?, they were stuck with only hope and determination.
“Ethan,” Em said. Her throat worked against emotion.
“It’s gonna be fine.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“Em”—her father jogged to where she stood with Ethan under the porch light—“you’re gonna freeze. Go put on some clothes.”
“It’s not like I’m standing out here naked.” She crossed her arms, clearly ready to dig in and not move an inch.
But her dad was right, she should put on something that wasn’t so flimsy. Maybe something flannel. So he pushed her along.
“I’m not leaving.” She squeezed Ethan’s hand and it felt like they were together again, and not fake. But for real.
“Go get warmed up,” he said, and he kissed her forehead. “I’ll wait here.”
He had nowhere else to go. He stood, staring into the darkness, hoping the answers would come.
“Fiona?!” Em called from right near her house.
He glanced that way.
Then she was shouting, “Over here. Fiona’s here!”
Ethan’s heart worked overtime as he bolted up the sidewalk. Em had pulled Fiona from a bush, and he searched the area for his Annie.
“Where is she?” he asked, and his voice cracked. He started searching through the bush, but there was no Annie.
Fiona started to cry. “We were just gonna stay away ’til you guys said you’d be boyfriend and girlfriend. But then it got super cold and it rained, and Annie didn’t wanna come back!”
Em was holding her daughter and Ethan’s arms had never felt so empty.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
EMMALINE
They’d gone hometo get Fiona warmed up.
“Mom?” Fiona asked. She frowned. “Umm, I think I maybe know where Annie might be.”
“Why didn’t you tell Uncle Lance and Grandpa when he asked?” Emmaline would dissect that later with her daughter. “Never mind. Where do you think she is?”
“I kinda think she might be, like, in the playhouse.” Fiona glanced to her window. “If I was really sad, that’s where I’d go. And, like, everyone’s already looked back there so it’s safe.”
Emmaline glanced out the window to the backyard. She’d already turned on the porch light, but there was no movement in the playhouse.
Whatever, she needed to check. The guys could do another sweep of the backyard when they got there, but she’d do hers now.
“Call Uncle Lance and tell him what you told me. Tell him I’m going to look.” She grabbed a flashlight, didn’t even put on a coat, and headed outside.
