Tinkering Hearts

Chapter Six

Zaelia

I turn towards a guy panting by a huge rock. He is trying to stand. Then he turns around.

"Sicre?"

Oh, my fricking God. What is he doing here? Oh lord. What should I even say? Did he follow me after all?

"We have to find his parents," Sicre walks towards us. He gives me a hand. I stand up and nod. "How the fuck did he get there?!" he whisper-shouts.

"I don't know!" I whisper back.

I calm myself down and squat down to the kid.

"Hey, little one... what's your name?" I try to be as gentle as possible.

"D-Doug."

"Hello, Doug. I'm Zee," I hug him. "Where's mommy and daddy?"

"I don't know... w-we were all sleeping in our tent. I wanted to pee, so I-I came out. And I saw an owl in the trees and-and then I was there," he starts crying again as he points towards the cliff. "I w-want to go ba-back..."

Doug is crying hysterically now. Sicre kneels beside me. "We'll go back, Doug. But you have to stop crying first OK?" he pats his back, "Now be a brave guy and stand up."

Doug immediately stops crying. Sicre surely had a way with kids and I can't help the smile creeping up my lips. I take Doug's right hand and Sicre takes his left as we start calling out to Doug's parents in the dense trees.

. * ● ¸ .

It didn't take us long to find Doug's parents. Apparently, they had noticed him missing and were looking for him too. Doug ran into his mother's arms and kept repeating I was going to die.

Doug's dad approached us and Sicre told him everything that had happened. Both the parents thanked us numerous times, it was getting awkward.

"Uhm... well, I'm late. My mom would probably be thinking I went missing," I laugh.

"Thank you again both of you. Doug is our only son and we love him to bits. We could never return the favor," his mom says.

She then pulls out two cards and hands them to us.

"I have no idea how we can ever repay you. But for now, both of you can keep this card and call on this number if you require any part-time jobs. My husband and I own a mall nearby," she smiles, "and you both are always welcome for an interview."

My jaw almost drops as I see the names on the card. The Rivers? We saved a millionaire's child?!

My face lights up with happiness. It's finally time to take a break from painting. Sigh...

"Thank you so much, ma'am. You're truly generous," I grin.

We wave goodbye to Doug and head towards the hill's exit. We were quite deep in the woods. As we walk through the forest neither of us speaks. Today, I was closer to death than ever, and if not for Sicre, I'd be having tea with the wig down there. It is enough tension for now.

I risk a look at him. He is wearing a pair of jogging pants and a khaki green hoodie with a logo I don't recognize on it. His hair is messy and it ruffles as the wind hits. So beautiful...

"I saved a life!" I blurt out. Sicre looks at me. And God knows what that gaze did to me.

"Yeah," he mutters, distracted.

"But you saved both of ours," I murmur. "Thank you for that," I smile.

He goes absolutely quiet and looks at his feet as we continue walking. After a few minutes, he stops and walks toward me. My breath hitches as he comes closer. And then he hugs me.