Page 143 of Single Teddy
The way the air returned to my lungs tenfold almost knocked me down, but somehow, I managed to keep steady.
“He what?”
“He just knocked on my door. Did you leave him at home or?—”
“Is he there with you now?”
“Yup. He’s devouring my gumbo and watchingLilo and Stitchon my tablet. But what’s going on? What happened?”
I took another deep breath.
“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right there, and I’ll explain everything.”
I hung up and ran out the door, but Wesley caught up with me and put his arms around me just before everything startedspinning again. I still wasn’t a hundred percent. I probably wouldn’t be for a few days, but I didn’t care. Bear was safe. That was all that mattered right now. That, and getting to him.
“Did I hear right? Bear is at Zach’s?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Come on. Let’s go to him,” Wesley said and helped me to the driver’s seat before he turned around to update Slade.
Then he got in and I took us home.
Zach opened the door before I’d even knocked, and we rushed inside his studio apartment to find Bear on the sofa with a tablet in his hands and Bubblegum propped up next to him but as soon as he saw me, he dropped it and cowered away.
“Bear! Are you okay?”
Somehow, my voice made him sink even lower in his seat.
“What’s wrong?” I asked and crossed the room to get to him and pull him into my arms.
He flinched when I did and immediately started crying.
“Bear? What is it? Why are you crying?”
“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me,” he yelped and winced as if I’d ever raised my hand at him.
“Bear, sweetheart, I’m not mad. I’m relieved. I was so worried when I heard you’d run away from King’s place.”
“You’re not?” he pouted.
“Of course not. Why would I be mad?”
He shrugged.
“Mommy was mad when I tried to follow her.”
I sank onto the floor with Bear in my arms and sighed.
“Well, I’m not Mommy. But why did you run away? You made King so worried. He was crying because he thought something had happened to you.”
“Because you left.”
I cupped his little face and looked him in the eyes, barely able to believe he was safe and okay after this whole damned day.
“Didn’t I promise you I’d be back?”
He nodded.
