Page 97 of Stolen Dreams

He slaps my hand, then Kaya’s, plops down in his seat, and guzzles his drink, an endless smile on his face.

We bowl the ninth frame—Kaya knocks down nine pins, I hit seven, and Tucker gets another spare. The energy is high, and Tucker is antsy to claim his winner’s trophy for game one—he picks dessert tonight.

“I need to go to the bathroom,” Tucker says as he rises from his seat.

“Come on, bud. I’ll take you.” I press a kiss to Kaya’s crown. “Be right back.”

We reach the bathroom and I follow Tucker inside. He spins around and raises his brows.

“I can pee by myself, Dad.”

A hearty laugh spills from my mouth. “I’m aware.”

“Go.” He waves me away. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Every instinct in my body screams to ignore him and stay put. But I don’t want to ruin today. Shoving down the niggling fear in the back of my mind, I nod. “Come straight back to the lane. No stops.”

“I will.”

The first step is the hardest I’ve taken in a long time. My feet fight it, but I force myself out the door. For a moment, I loiter outside the bathroom and wait. No one comes out or goes in. Iglance around to see everyone talking, taunting, cheering, and having a good time.

He’s safe. No one here wants to hurt him.I repeat it until my anxiety wanes a little. And then I amble four lanes down to where Kaya waits.

She sits up straight, her eyes darting around. “Where’s Tucker?”

I spin around and face the bathroom, my eyes glued to the door. “In the bathroom.”

“Alone?”

Curling my fingers into fists, I nod. “I didn’t want him to think I was hovering.”

Kaya sidles up to me and rests a hand on my arm. “He’ll be okay.”

The voice in my head gets louder, expressing its disagreement. “I know.” I say the words but don’t believe them. Not fully.

The booming sound of balls knocking over pins clashes over and over. As each minute passes with no sign of Tucker, my anxiety blooms anew.He’s fine.But after five minutes, I can’t stand here and not know if he actually is okay.

“Be back in a sec.”

Before Kaya responds, I bolt for the bathroom. Cross the carpeted space in seconds. Push through the bathroom door, only to be greeted by an empty room. No one at the urinals. No one in the stalls. And no one at the sinks. Empty.

Where is he?

“Tucker,” I call out.

No response.

“Fuck!” I storm out of the bathroom and scan every face in the building. Nothing.

Kaya runs up to me, her eyes wide and skin pale. “He’s not in there?”

I grind my molars and glare at her. “No,” I bark out, then rush past her.

She quickly catches up and keeps pace a step behind me.

Passing a large group, I breathe a sigh of relief when I spot the back of Tucker’s shirt. “There you are,” I say as I reach him. “You had me?—”

It’s not Tucker. A young boy so similar in height, hair color, and overall appearance… but it’s not Tucker.

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