Page 80 of The Wedding Planner's Manny
Maybe it hadn't been too long since my son had made his escape.
But where had he gone?
2 8
R H Y S
“R hys?” Ethan called from upstairs. “Could you call Nathan's phone? He's not picking up for me.”
I'd gone into the kitchen to find us something to eat for dinner, but now I poked my head out the door to shout back. “He's not in his room?”
Ethan came down, worry etched into his features. “No, he went out the window and I don't know where to or how long ago. I mean, he's probably gone to the park or something, but I really don't need this on top of everything else.”
“No, I get it. It's been a long day.” I led him into the kitchen with me and made him sit down on one of the chairs.
“Maybe he'll pick up the phone for you. He might just be mad at me for whatever reason.”
“Did you have a fight?” I asked, resting one of my hands on Ethan's shoulder.
“No, but he's turning into a teenager and I don't always understand what makes him angry. I'm worried his mother tried to talk to him and made him run out without thinking. He's only twelve and he's reactive and vulnerable and I should have been here.” Ethan rested his head in his hands. Through the fabric of his clothes, I felt his body tighten with worry.
“It's going to be okay,” I said. “I'll try calling him and I'm sure we'll have him home in no time and then you can talk about what happened.”
He nodded, while I got my phone out of my pocket and started dialing.
C'mon, Nathan. Pick up.
I let it ring until the call went to voicemail, and then I tried again. I wasn't going to give up. Not like this. Not even when the second call went to voicemail too. Ethan wanted me to be his partner, and I was going to help him get through this. Together, we were going to find Nathan and bring him home.
“He won't pick up,” I said. “Do you have any idea where he might have gone? We could go and check.”
Ethan raked a hand through his hair. “I don't know. I'll try calling his friends.”
“That's a good idea.”
While Ethan fiddled with his phone, I went up the stairs and into Nathan's room.
Maybe I could find some clues as to where he had gone. Michel followed at my heel, curiously sniffing at Nathan's desk chair before jumping on the boy's bed and curling up on it. That was probably where Nathan's scent was the strongest. Michel liked Nathan. The boy had rescued him out of the cold, after all.
“Where do you think Nathan went?” I asked the puppy, petting his head. “He found you in the park, didn't he? So where do we find him?” I let my eyes wander the room. I'd always had to pay a lot of attention to notice shifts in people's expression, but I could tell easily when an object had been moved... or taken out of a room. Nathan's backpack wasn't in its usual spot beside the door and the book that used to be on his bedside table was gone too.
What book was it again?
A Journey to the Stars.
The same book he'd gifted Conner in hopes of winning the boy's affection.
Had he gone out stargazing?
You have the greatest view from the hill just outside town. All the stars are so bright and clear.
I remembered the way his eyes shone when he told me that. That was the first time I'd seen him look genuinely happy.
I had no way to know if he'dreallygone up the hill, but for the time being, I found no other leads to follow.
Just when I turned to leave the room again, Ethan appeared in the doorway. “None of his friends have seen him today,” he reported. “And he's still not answering his phone. It's nearly eight. Why isn't he home yet?” Ethan's brows furrowed. He was right, though. Thiswasbecoming worrying. Even when Nathan went out without telling anyone, he knew that we had dinner around seven, before it was his little brother's bed time. Speaking of...
“Do you have to get Caleb?”
