Page 62 of Fruit
I ask him to show me where the park is on Google Maps. “Okay. I’ve written it down. I’m going to tell Sebastián, okay? We’ll sort this out.”
He nods uncertainly and I squeeze his shoulder. “He’s got you, and us. He’s not alone. We’ll help him.”
He nods again, more firmly this time.
“Okay. You gonna be okay? Do you want me to—”
“No, it’s okay. Go,” he cuts me off. I look at him for a moment before nodding.
“Okay. Stay put. I’ll tell Joshua to text you, okay?” I say, not wanting him to worry.
“Okay. Thanks.”
I go straight to Sebastián’s office, knocking sharply on his door before walking in. Sebastián looks up, a smile on his face, but it drops when he sees my expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Joshua. I think something’s happened. He didn’t show up today and I talked to Hugo—he says that something happened between Joshua and his dad. Hugo said Joshua’s at a park near his house. Or he was when they last talked.”
“Okay. Shut the door, I’ll call him.”
I close the door and sit down. Sebastián dials Joshua’s phone number and waits.
“He’s not picking up,” Sebastián says, putting the phone down and calling again, but there’s no response this time either.
“I have the address for the park,” I tell him after he puts the phone down for the third time.
“Okay. Normally I’d call the parents, but I only have his home number, and if his dad picks up…”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
Sebastián nods and we head out, updating Jasmine briefly on the way.
“Keep an eye on Hugo, okay?” I tell her. She nods.
“Okay. Call me when you know something,” she says.
“Okay.”
I just hope that when we call her, it’s to give her good news.
*****
The days are getting shorter, and we reach the park just as night is falling. The edges of the world burn a solid pink as the sky above darkens slowly, a reluctant goodbye.
I’d resigned myself to the likelihood that Joshua wasn’t there anymore, or that we wouldn’t be able to find him, but we spot him in the first place we look. The swings.
Joshua looks up as he hears us approach and then does a double take as he sees it’s us. He jumps out of the swing he’d been sitting on, and it jangles unhappily behind him.
“Hugo,” he says angrily, guessing correctly.
I don’t defend Hugo, made speechless by the sight of Joshua’s face. I’m surprised he can talk past his swollen, split lip, the bruise over his cheekbone and eyes.
“Joshua,” I say, trying to keep calm.
Joshua crosses his arms across his chest, pursing his lips before he winces.
“What the fuck do you want?” Joshua says harshly, a cornered animal lashing out. Sebastián takes a step closer to him but gives Joshua enough space not to crowd him.
