Jen and Lexi exchange a look before Lexi sighs. “Okay. We’ll call if we find anything.”
After they head out, I sag into the couch, open my phone and start scrolling through all the messages I’ve sent Chance. Unanswered.
The screen light glares in the dim living room as I scroll, my thumb mindlessly flicking up and down. Message after message, each one unanswered.
Where are you, baby?
Chance, talk to me.
I know you're hurting, but you're scaring me. Everyone is looking for you and worried.
I'm so sorry about Ma. I want to be here for you, the way you've been my strength and helped me find myself. Please come home.
Nothing. Just that empty space where his response should be, where his name should light up my screen, giving me something—anything—to hold onto.
Little G jumps up onto the couch beside me, his paws landing heavy on my lap before he rests his head over them. He lets out a soft huff, warm breath against my jeans. I scratch behind his ears, my fingers tangling in his thick fur.
“Yeah, I miss your dad too, buddy.”
He sighs, his body sinking into mine. The weight of him is grounding, even if only for a second.
The front door opens, and I look up as Lexi and Jen walk inside, arms full of takeout bags. The smell of greasy burgers and fries fills the air, and my stomach grumbles in protest. When was the last time I actually ate? More than a few bites, at least?
Lexi drops the bags on the coffee table and flops onto the couch beside me. “Alright, so, good news and bad news. We stopped by the hospital, and the guy at the front desk had eyes for me, so I put it to good use. Got him to search their whole network.”
I sit up straighter. “And?”
“Nothing,” Jen says, setting the drinks down. “No one by his name, no John Doe matching his description.”
I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. “Great.”
Lexi nudges me. “Hey, at least we know he's not in the hospital. That's good news.”
I nod, exhaling. She's right. It’s something. It’s just not enough.
I push up off the couch and head to the kitchen, deciding to clean up before we eat. The counter is a mess—empty coffee cups, half-eaten bagels. I grab a Ziploc bag, stuffing the bagels inside, then start tossing out the cups. The routine is mindless, something to focus on besides the gnawing ache in my chest.
The sharp ding of my phone cuts through the silence. My head snaps up.
A text.
My heart pounds as I brush the crumbs from my hands and bolt back into the living room. The girls watch me from the couch as I snatch my phone off the coffee table. My breath catches when I see the name on the screen.
“Oh fuck, it’s him.”
Lexi and Jen stand up as I open the message. With shaking hands, I read it, and the punch to my stomach leaves me gasping for air.
“What?” Lexi demands. “What did he say?”
I can’t answer. My throat closes, and my vision blurs with a million tears. My hands go slack, and the phone slips from my grasp, hitting the coffee table with a clatter.
Jen picks it up, her eyes scanning the screen as Lexi leans in.
Chance:I’m gone. Don’t try to find me.
The room goes silent.
The words sit heavy.