Deception

Chapter: Five

Chapter: Five

I knew Tamron wasn't in any danger per se, but I was still concerned about him. We cut our shopping trip short and headed back to Victor's. From the phone call, Mattie had explained Max had called Louis first in a panic after Tamron had taken off and she had no idea where he'd gone.

When we'd gotten back, I'd made a beeline for her, not caring about the fact any of the others were there. Her red-rimmed eyes told me she'd been crying and besides, that deep worry was etched on her pretty face. I embraced her in my arms, then helped her to sit on the sofa and kept an arm wrapped around her shoulders and Lily sat on the other side of her.

"Tell us what happened," Liam suggested, taking charge as he often did.

"I'm not even sure how it started. I guess it was when I was trying to convince him to come downstairs and let me make him something to eat. He wouldn't let me make him anything and started to go back to his room. I grabbed him because I didn't want him to go and we just got into a huge argument. He yelled at me and I got upset and left the room and then he left the house. I'm sorry this isn't about me, but he's never been like that before. He's going through a lot, but he's acting so different," she sniffed as Lily and I rubbed circles on her shoulders.

"He's grieving right now. It's a very normal process for him to lash out even at people he loves," Niles explained softly.

"I'm worried about him," she frowned.

"Don't be. We'll find him. He won't leave you or Aubrey," Liam promised, and I felt a pang of emotion at the softer voice he was using with her.

"If we're going to find him, we should start looking now," Louis suggested.

"Where do you think he ran off to?" Zeke questioned.

"I think I have an idea," Henry offered, making us turn to him, and I wondered if he was thinking the same thing I was.

"Where's that?" Zeke prompted.

"The cemetery, where his parents are now buried and also our son," he spoke, looking at Megan briefly.

"We should go find him," I spoke for the first time.

"Don't you have to see your grandparents off today?" Liam questioned and, rather than address him directly, I spoke to everything.

"Not until later tonight. Mom and Victor are spending some time with them today," I grimaced.

Luckily, while we were gone, Jayden had taken to entertaining Aubrey and was currently doing so elsewhere in the house, so she didn't know the seriousness of what was going on. From what Max had told us thanks to Jay, she hadn't witnessed the argument that had happened between them.

"It's best we find him before they return or will have even more to worry about. O'Neill's mum has been trying to coddle him as well, but so far, he hasn't been receptive. I'd say she'll worry."

The fact Zeke seemed concerned about mom was kind of sweet and I hoped Lily noticed. If anything, maybe it would help her to make a decision about their future. We all had decisions to be made as it pertained to our futures and none of us seemed sure what decision we'd be making.

"I think I'll stay here. I've had enough for one day," Max frowned, and could I could see the exhaustion in her eyes as well.

Once he felt better, I was going to be making sure he apologized to her, although I was sure he would, anyway. He was going through a lot right now and doing his best to deal with it as we all were. I supposed no one could tell you a timeframe for grieving or how you should act when you were.