Lost and Found || Buddie

Chapter 4

All Eddie could think about the rest of the day were the messages sent from Evan's number. How could someone pull a sick prank like that? It was bothering the man so badly that he wanted to call the number but knew there would be no way that Evan would answer.

Walking up and sitting next to him, Shannon wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Christopher is out like a light already." She laughs softly, causing Eddie to give a small smile.

After a moment of silence the man spoke up. "Do you think it could actually be him?" He asks his wife, leaning into her side. It felt nice to be sort of held instead of being the one to do the holding.

"Honestly Eddie, I don't know. There was never a body found." She answers truthfully. "It's possible it could really be him, that he was kidnapped and somehow managed to get free." Shannon moves her hand to eddies back in an attempt to comfort her husband. She knew the whole Evan thing really got to him. They were best friends after all and he had gone missing suddenly. She couldn't imagine losing her best friend like that.

The man nods and leans his head against his wife's shoulder. "I want to call the number but I'm afraid I'll just be disappointed when it's not him." He says, closing his eyes. "I just miss my best friend and I'm angry. I don't know who I'm angry at but I am. He was supposed to be my best man when we got married. He was supposed to be in our lives, Christopher's life." He breathes.

Shannon wasn't sure where this was all coming from as Eddie never talked about his feelings. Not with her or anyone for that matter. But she didn't question it. Shannon had no doubt Evan would have been a big part of their lives. "I wish I could say I understand, but I've never lost a friend. I can say that I'm here for you, okay? I love you." She whispers the last part, kissing the top of the man's head.

"Thank you. I love you too." Eddie says back. It's quiet for about ten minutes until he turns his phone back on. "Maddie texted me." He mutters, furrowing his eyebrows. What could she possibly want?

Clicking on the notification, both Eddie and Shannon read the message from Maddie.

Maddie Buckley: Evan's alive.

And another message from Maddie comes through almost instantly.

Maddie Buckley: Call me, ASAP.

The two adults look at the cellular device with wide eyes. "What?" The man asks no one in particular before dialing the woman's number and placing the phone on speaker.

It rang once before they heard Maddie's voice on the other end. "Eddie." She sniffles, not letting him say anything. Not that he really could because he was in shock. "He called me. I let it ring because I thought it was a stupid prank but then he left me a voicemail and it was really him." She cries.

"Is he okay? I'm assuming you called back and talked to him?" Shannon asks, knowing that her husband couldn't muster up any words at that particular moment.

"Yeah I called him back, he sounded not like himself but I guess that's to be expected." Maddie's answers, the sound of her blowing her nose fills the phone. "He's in Kentucky. I'm leaving the hospital and going home to grab some things before I start heading that way." She informs Shannon, not sure if Eddie was listening or not.

The man was indeed listening. "Come by and I'll go with you. Or I'll meet you at yours." He says instantly, hopping up from where he was sitting on the couch next to his wife.

"Eddie." Maddie says. "You have Shannon and Christopher that need you." She points out.

"Actually Maddie, he should go. You shouldn't go alone. I was going to suggest he go with you anyways." Shannon spoke up. Eddie was going to go regardless. "Christopher and I will be okay for a couple of days. Just be safe." She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. This was a lot to take in for all of them.

"Okay. Eddie, you can meet me at my place and we'll go from there." Maddie said before hanging up.

"Eddie was scrambling around the apartment trying to get a few things together as fast as he could so he could leave. "I'm sorry baby." He spoke, walking over to stand in front of his wife, duffel bag on his shoulder.

Shannon gives him a puzzled look. "For what? Wanting to be there for your best friend? It's fine, I promise." She spoke sternly. "I love you and be safe. Now go and get your best friend." She smiles as Eddie leans down and presses a soft kiss to her lips.

"I love you too." Eddie says and pockets his phone before rushing out of the apartment and to his truck. He spent the whole drive to Maddie's in complete shock, he wasn't even quite sure how he got there if he was honest.

"My best friend is alive. My Evan's alive." He kept repeating to himself but he didn't understand why he kept saying 'my Evan' because Evan wasn't his. He filed the thought to the back of his mind as he pulled up to Maddie's house, the woman instantly running to his truck and slinging her own overnight bag into the backseat.

"Okay, let's go get Evan." She breathes.