Page 47 of On The Run

Just when I was starting to get antsy, Margie came back and pushed a scrap of paper across the counter to me. All that was written on it was a phone number in pencil.

“Thank you,” I told her again.

She nodded once. “Do me a favor and dial it here, please? I just want to make sure he’s ok.”

I met Margie’s eyes and we came to some unspoken understanding. I could see that she cared about the man who was quickly becoming one of the most important people in my life. I wasted no more time and quickly dialed Manny’s number. It went straight to voicemail.

I could no longer attribute the uneasy feeling to paranoia. Something was wrong. I looked at Margie. “It went straight to voicemail. Do you have Aiden’s address?”

Her expression went dark, and I knew this wouldn’t be easy. “If he hasn’t told you where he lives, I sure as hell won’t.”

I sighed, trying not to get annoyed. I knew she was trying to protect Aiden, but if something happened to them, every second counted. “Listen, I get that you’re trying to protect him, but I really think something may have happened to them.”

“If you’re that concerned, call the cops.”

I considered it, but I knew how it was going to go. To be fair, I understood what it looked like to them: a guy like me walking in there and saying that he couldn’t reach a man who was fifteen years younger than him.Do you know his address? No. Are you his boyfriend? Well, no, but I jerked him off in my living room. But, officer, he swore he’d stay, and now I can’t find him anywhere.Top it off with the numerous calls and unanswered text messages I already sent today? Yeah, my ass would be arrested, and they’d never go searching for Aiden.

I didn’t say any of that, but I thought Margie could read it all on my face. After all, it was clear this woman had seen things. “I’m not giving you his address, but my nephew is a cop. I’ll call him and ask him to do a wellness check on an employee that’s missed his shifts and isn’t answering his phone. I raised that boy. He’ll do me a favor.”

My shoulders sagged. I knew she was going above and beyond, and I was grateful. “Ok, thanks. I’m going to wait here if it’s ok?”

She gestured to one of the empty tables and raised her eyebrows. Before I went to sit, though, she asked, “What’s your poison?”

I couldn’t bring myself to say my usual order. That was for Aiden only. I couldn’t drink that when I had no idea what happened to him. I knew it made no sense, but ordering that felt the equivalent to cheating. So instead, I just told her, “Just a regular coffee with cream.”

Margie gave a pointed look to the barista who was still watching us. He jumped when he realized he’d been caught and then ran to get my drink. I went to sit, but I couldn’t even drink the coffee. Part of it was because I’d basically drank a pot by myself already and I was too jittery. But also, my stomach was in knots, and even thinking about adding anything to it made me want to gag.

While I waited for Margie’s nephew, I tried calling both Aiden and Manny again. Still nothing. Fuck, what happened to them? Could they be at the hospital? Did something happen to Manny? I didn’t know what hospital Manny typically went to, but there was only one in the area that specialized in oncology, so it was a pretty safe bet that was where he got treated. My mom worked in the pharmacy there for some time. I wondered if she’d be able to get me an update.

I didn’t get to act on my thought before Margie was slipping into the empty seat across from me at the table. One look at her and I knew she didn’t have good news. “My nephew went to the house. All the lights were out, no one was answering, and there was no car parked out front, but there’s no sign of a disturbance. No one is there, but with no evidence of foul play, or even if they are truly missing, he can’t get in.”

Margie was still talking, but I couldn’t understand her words. I thought she was trying to tell me other things we could try, other places to look, but it didn’t mean anything. My vision darkened, and I knew only one thing to be true: Aiden and Manny were gone. They weren’t at their home. I didn’t need to make the call to know they weren’t at the hospital. Deep down in my bones, I just knew what happened. Whatever Aiden Sewell had been running from had finally caught up to him and he was gone, really and truly gone.

PartTwo

Chapter21

Max

Four days.It had been four fucking days since Aiden disappeared without a trace. If it wasn’t for the text messages on my phone and the constant questions from Gray and my family, I would think he was a figment of my imagination. I started to question my sanity on day three. With the urging of Bronx, I finally went to the police, but like I figured, there wasn’t much I could do. And of course, the asshole cop I spoke to was sure Aiden had vanished to get the fuck away from me. I left without even filing a report and was back to zero.

Mom and Dad called in all their favors at the hospital and eventually spoke to the doctor who had been treating Manny. With much hemming and hawing, the doctor finally confirmed that they received notification that Manny was stopping all treatment effective immediately and someone would reach out to the hospital with a request for a medical records transfer. As of my last call, they still hadn’t heard anything.

I probably wouldn’t have survived the last four days without my family and Bronx. My parents and Laura had been primarily on Gray duty, though he was with me now. While they cared and distracted my son, Bronx drove me all around fucking Colorado, acting as an amateur detective and a voice of reason.

Of course, the coffee shop heard nothing at all. No calls, no emails, nothing. Even Aiden’s last paycheck bounced and was sent back to them. I didn’t have much more luck at the college either. Apparently, Aiden sent an email to the dean and the president of the school on Sunday morning stating that he was dropping out. The final nail in the coffin came when Margie called me to let me know she reached out to Aiden and Manny’s landlord. They ended their lease early, paid the penalties, and were completely packed up and emptied out by Monday morning.

And like that, the fragile connections that I had to Aiden were pulled out from under me, and I was left grasping at air. I didn’t even have a fucking picture of the man I loved. The only thing I had was that hazy black and white photo from the article about the library that he was featured in. I printed that out and had it folded in my wallet. If that was the last physical connection I had to Aiden, I was holding it for all it was worth.

Gray knew something was up. I took him to the coffee shop this morning. It was a last-ditch hope that Aiden would be there like he always was, wearing too tight jeans, that orange hat, and a smile that was only genuine for Gray and me. Of course, my hopes died instantly when it was only Anna and some girl I’d never seen before at the counter. I made up an excuse that Aiden had to take off a few days to take care of Manny, but I knew Gray was skeptical. He was way too perceptive for a kid his age, and I had no idea how I was going to explain this all to him.

I finally got him to fall asleep about half an hour ago. I knew he was reluctant to leave me, and I didn’t blame him. I’d been an awful parent the last few days, but the terror I was feeling for Aiden was all-encompassing, and I didn’t know how to put it aside right now and be the dad Gray needed me to be. My mom told me that was ok, that all parents needed time for themselves and I did the responsible thing by making sure he was well taken care of, but still, Gray’s sad eyes watching me till the last second, until it was impossible for him to keep them open any longer, nearly broke me. I was terrified that all of the progress Gray and I made over the last year would be erased because of this, but I also didn’t know how to let Aiden go either.

Bronx walked into the family room, dragging me from my thoughts. I’d only left this room when I absolutely had to. I’d even been sleeping here. I knew it was silly, but it was like I could still feel Aiden in here, still smell him. When I closed my eyes, I could see him spread out for me on the very desk I was sitting at now, his head thrown back and his eyes closed in ecstasy. This room was my reminder that Aiden Sewell was very much a real person and not some warped fantasy I created out of loneliness.

Bronx narrowed his eyes at my laptop as he walked toward me. He was holding a plate of food and a bottle of water. I winced in guilt. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t have eaten a damn thing if it wasn’t for Bronx.

He placed the plate on the desk and sat on the corner. In typical Bronx fashion, he didn’t say a damn thing, just waited.

---