Heart of the Forest

Chapter 15 Millie's POV

In the morning Connor was all too thrilled to have woken up at Aunt Jules especially because she had a huge plate of pancakes for him.

I swear that woman was so much like a grandmother to him. Way more than my mom ever was.

Aunt Jules loved to spoil Connor rotten, you could just tell.

After breakfast we headed back home. I mean we were going to have to go home eventually.

I couldn't hide at Aunt Jules for the rest of my life although the thought was tempting.

All afternoon Connor wanted to know if we could see Sam. He kept asking and asking.

Apparently Sam had told him in a side conversation he would teach him how to read animal tracks.

Stupid jerk of course he had to promise Connor something right up his alley.

I couldn't tell you the amount of time Connor would look at a paw print, probably a dogs, and tell me if we kept following it we'd find a bear.

"I wanna go look for paw prints," Connor whined for the thousandth time today.

"Baby I told you mommy is cleaning today and you can not go outside by yourself. There are animals and all kinds of dangerous things in the woods. You can only go outside with mommy."

I don't know how many times I repeated this phrase today. Probably 9 million. 

A few hours later I was standing in the kitchen cooking spaghetti when Connor ran in.

"Mommy, mommy, I want to go outside and look for animal tracks." He said in desperation as if he had been begging all day, which he had.

"Not right now baby mommy is cooking. May be tomorrow." Or not I wasn't to keen on the idea of running around the woods again. Opposite the thought made me queasy.

"I have school tomorrow and you have work mommy. You know that." Oh right.
"Well then May be next weekend." But hopefully not. Hopefully he would forget about it by then. 

"No I want to go right now please! Sam can take me. He said he would take me. Can you call him?"

"Baby we probably aren't going to see Sam for a while." I said as my heart broke.

"Why?" Connor looked confused and sad as he asked, which only made my heart break further.

"Just because I want it to be just the two of us hanging out for a while." I winked

"Awww but I really like Sam." Connor whined.

Well geeze thanks kid. I thought as the water for the pasta started to boil over.

"Crap," I whispered under my breath as I turned to turn down the heat. Simultaneously, Connor turned on his heal and stomped off.

Four year olds can be so dramatic. It's looking at some stupid paw prints it can't be that exciting.

About thirty minutes later I had the dinner table all set with spegehttie on plates for two and garlic bread and salad in the middle of the dinner table.

I had apple juice out for Connor,his favorite, and wine out for me, because I needed it.

I even made chocolate pie for dessert.

I had planned on talking with Connor over dinner about the fact that we wouldn't be seeing Sam anymore.

"Connor dinner is ready," I called

I was met with complete silence, which was strange he usually came running at just the smell of food.

"Connor come eat dinner," I yelled even louder a second time.
Scilence.

"Connor!?!" I screamed once more. He couldn't be this mad over animal tracks that he won't eat. That boy loves food.

I walked to where I left him on the couch with Toy Story on and Woody in hand. "Connor?" I said in a questioning voice going to see what was wrong with him.

To my dismay he was not on the couch.

I ran up the stair screaming his name and opened the door to his room, he wasn't there. I ran to my room doing the same.

He wasn't there. I opened every closet every door running through the house like a mad woman.

He was no where to be found. I opened the front door and screamed Connor at the top of my very lungs with my heart exploding out of my chest.

A cry left me my baby was gone.

Rushing in the house I muttered to myself over and over "what to do what to do."
I did the only thing I could think of I called the police, Sam.

Sam answered on the first ring, "Millie," he asked in a hopeful voice.

"Connor is missing." I said out loud complete dread and agony washing over me.

"I'm on my way." Sam said and I hung up the phone knowing I couldn't just sit there.
While I waited for Sam I called Aunt Jules and Kelsey.

Both said they would start looking for him immediately and tell everyone they knew to do the same.

I even called Billie's and when I did I heard him shout to the restaurant "Everyone in this restaurant has to look for Jule's nephew Connor."

I knew one thing for sure I would do anything in the world to hug my son right now.