Someone To Stay [bxb]

Chapter 32

 

                     Lucas

The following day, I woke up feeling better . It's like I'm a renewed person all over again . I take a quick shower, throw on a pair of loose jeans and a shirt , with a pair of socks on . I walk out of my room . Noting that it's already past breakfast time . I guess I needed all the rest . It's very unlikely for me to sleep this long .

I wander around the house, looking for Nathan and Tobias. It takes a good five minutes to eventually find them in the backyard doing some gardening together . When Nathan started this backyard gardening thing, I thought he was kidding. But now that I see how serious he is, it makes me wonder where he got that thought from . Although I don't have to wonder long when I notice how happy Tobias seems to be while helping him around. It kind of makes me want to get my hands dirty too .

" How about you dig here while I get us  something to drink?" Nathan instructs Tobias . He eagerly nods and starts to dig .

Nathan stands up from his kneeling position . Dusting off the dirt from his pants . For a second he seems to be in deep thought looking over the growing flowers in front of him . I can imagine how proud he must be at himself . I know I would, they look beautiful! .

" Oh I didn't see you there!" Nathan looks a bit startled when his eyes fall to me .

" Yeah, I didn't want to disturb you two by making my presence known ." I gawk at Tobias , surprised by the fact that he hasn't run to me yet . He always runs to me whenever he hears the sound of my voice . I guess this gardening thing is doing wonders .

" I hope we didn't wake you up ." Nathan says, looking at me instead .

" No, not at all . You two weren't that loud . " I try to avoid any kind of eye contact. That tingling feeling always comes up whenever I find myself locking eyes with Nathan. It scares me, because I don't know what it is exactly . It just feels weird.

" Are you okay though?" Nathan walks up to the porch, throwing his gloves on one of the empty chairs facing the backyard .

" Yeah, I'm good . " I stand up straight when Nathan walks past me . For a brief moment, he stands there beside me like he wants to say something, his hand itches away from touching mine. Goosebumps swarm through my body and I find myself holding my breath . Waiting for him to do something but he doesn't. Instead he quickly shuffles away from  me like whatever moment we just had didn't happen . It's like it was all in my head .

***

In the afternoon, we end up going shopping for Summer's baby shower on Saturday . She planned it for herself , saying Josh and I are horrible planners . Which is true, we once tried planning a surprise party for Summer . We ended up doing a horrible job at the decorations and choice of music . At the end, Summer decided that she will plan all the important events in our lives by herself, even birthday parties . So the best I can do right now is buy her something worth remembering .

Nathan and I separated at the entrance of the mall, he had something to do at the bank . So I decided to stop at the baby store for a few things with Tobias .

" Look, a baby!" Tobias points at the smiling advert of a baby on one of the diapers as we pass them .

" Yeah, just like you!" I tease. Knowing what's coming, I try not to laugh when Tobias pouts at me .

" I'm not a baby!" He stomps his little feet  . His poor attempt at giving me a deadly stare makes me laugh softly .

" Sorry, I forgot!" I try to give him an innocent look . He instantly melts and a smile starts to spread out on his face .

" It's okay!" He runs ahead of me, touching things in awe that he finds interesting .

By the time we leave the store, he has cried over a bunch of things and made a few friends because he's such a social butterfly like Nathan .

" Come on!" I raise my hand for him to take when I have finally sorted my shopping bags in my hands . However when I look down at where Tobias is supposed to be, I don't find him there .

In panic, I frantically look around me ." Tobias!" I call out his name . I feel like my whole world just disappeared . My hands start to feel a little clammy from the shopping bags in hand .

The people walking past me just look at me in confusion, I try not to overreact . I breathe in deeply. Standing aside to dial Nathan's cellphone number. I don't miss a chance at looking around occasionally, hoping to spot him running towards me .

" I lost him Nathan. One second he was there and he wasn't . He just ...he disappeared on me!" I cry out over the phone the minute Nathan answers .

" Umhm  this is not him, let me call Nathan for you ." An unfamiliar male voice says through the cellphone. 

I just stand there, unable to comprehend what just happened . Who just answered Nathan's cellphone? . But I don't let my mind drift off to anything that will get me more upset than I am already, so I impatiently wait for Nathan to answer the phone .

" Hello , Lucas? Are you okay?" Nathan's voice finally asks on the other side .

" I lost Tobias, I ...I looked away for a second then when I looked back he wasn't there!"

" I'm coming, just wait right there!" I hear a low exchange of words from Nathan to whoever he's with before Nathan hangs up. I just hold the cellphone by my ear, not knowing where to even start to look for Tobias . He could be anywhere at this point . Perhaps, a security guard will help? I just need to-

" Excuse me, Sir!" I feel a gentle poke on my shoulder. I swiftly turn to the woman in front of me .

" Yeah?" I look over her soft features. She simply nods over the little boy standing beside her . Who's licking away an ice cream in hand .

" Oh God!" I sigh in relief, kneeing down at Toby's height . I run my hands over his body, checking if he's not hurt. " Where did you go?" I whisper .

" I got ice cream!" He excitedly points it out for me . His eyes go wide when I just gape at him. Lips formed into a mute O " Oh Sandy, we forgot daddy's ice cream!" He frowns at the woman.

" Thank you Sandy!" I look up at the woman . She nods, looking happy to see Tobias and I reunited .

" Don't ever do that to Daddy, okay?" I pull him into a hug . Not even caring that I'm gonna get my shirt dirty with ice cream . I'm just happy to see him alive and in one piece .

***