Missing: The boy who disappeared

Chapter 22- On the Mend.

A/N

Now, I have had to move Saxon and Louis' mending along pretty quickly here as there are still a few more things to address and not enough time.

I understand that this may seem rushed and not reflective of a realistic timeline, but I hope it will suffice for our purposes. There are only 2 chapters remaining, so it is time to begin concluding the story.

Once again, I apologise for the length of this chapter, which is approximately 14.7k words.

🚨TW🚨
Minor character death

🚨

'Forgiveness is healing, especially, forgiving yourself.'

Louis desires to return to sleep, expressing his displeasure at the early hour by groaning. He attempts to dispel his drowsiness by rubbing at his eyes but all he wants to do is go back to bed. As the vehicle approaches Jay's residence, the initial rays of dawn illuminates the horizon. He glances at Harry, who stifles a yawn also and turns to smile at him.

"Ready for this?" He asks.

Louis nods, though he doesn't feel entirely awake. "Yeah, let's get her settled in and head straight back."

They had decided that a day without Delilah might help calm things for a stress-free visit with Saxon. As soon as they parked, Delilah who was already bouncing with excitement despite how early it was, eagerly unbuckled her seatbelt and practically leaped out of the car running towards the house where her grandma and aunts were already waiting. She quickly disappears inside with the other children, her laughter trailing behind her.

"Morning, Jay!" Harry called out as he picked up Delilah's bag of belongings.

Jay greeted them warmly, her smile wide but curious. "Good morning to you both! How's it all coming along with Saxon?"

Louis gave a small smile, trying to mask his nerves.

"It's been a long process. We haven't really talked to him about everyone here yet, just bits and pieces. Didn't want to overwhelm him too much, too soon, you know."

Jay nodded understandingly.

"Makes perfect sense. When can we see him, do you think?"

"I don't know but soon, I hope. Trying to take things slow." Louis replied, looking down for a moment.

Jay doesn't mind hearing that. She too only wants what's best for her grandson. She smiles gently, holding a steaming cup of coffee close to her chest, the warmth seeping into her hands as the early morning chill lingers in the air around them. She takes a slow sip, the rich aroma mingling with the crisp scent of dew-covered grass and distant pine trees.

"That's alright my love. No hurry."

Meanwhile, Harry couldn't contain his excitement.

"Oh my God, do you want to see him?" Harry burst out. "I have a new picture!" He fumbled to pull out his phone, his enthusiasm growing. Jay's eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, her voice trembling. Harry found the picture and handed his phone to her. The moment she saw Saxon's face, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh, Louis... he's so beautiful... just look at him..."

Jay's voice broke, her emotions overwhelming her. She clutched her steaming cup of coffee, the warmth doing little now to calm the torrent of feelings inside her. Her hands trembled, causing small ripples in the dark liquid. Louis stepped forward and hugged her tightly, his embrace firm and comforting against the morning chill, offering her the support she so desperately needed in that moment.