The Runaway

Chapter 22

Sawyer

I've called Beau 43 times. I have texted him 103 times.
And I have even called his other friends mother, only to all find out, he was never at his friend's house.

I haven't told Ryder yet and I'm at my own spiraling point. I called Nikolai, and filed for a missing person and to my likings he decided he was taking on a personal role to look for him. 

I pace around the living room once more, my feet burning holes in the carpet with my aggravated yet worried pace. Did he run away? It's the only thing that makes sense as of right now. Because if he was never at his friend's house and never intended to be there, then he's off somewhere else instead.

The front door bangs open, and my brother essentially runs into the living room, his oldest son, Chris, in tow. I couldn't hold back all of my emotions anymore and I begin to ball at the sight of familiarity. 

Linden lurches forward and takes me into his arms, "I got your 50 texts." He almost notes in a joking like matter. He strokes my hair as I cry harder, "what's going on little sister, hm?"

"Beau ran away." I hiccup and wipe the tears away.  More continue to fall but I ignore it as I look up at my older brother.  "I don't know what to do!" I throw my head back and cry some more.

"Okay, okay." He brings me back into a hug.  "Chris, go get some water and tissues please." He murmurs to his son.

"He said he was going to a friend's house, which he never ended up doing and I have no idea where he actually could have gone." Yet I still stand here and let my brothers embrace calm me down. 

"Sawyer?!" I hear Ryders voice burst throughout the house.  "Baby, where are you?"

"In here." I call for him weakly. 

When I see him, relief soars through my body and my tense shoulders release.  I step out of Lindens arms and straight into his, letting myself get wrapped up in his scent.

"What's going on?" Ryder asks me but I'll start balling again if I repeat it once more.  I point at Linden and he takes the hint.

Linden speaks calmly, "Beau was never at his friend's house, he hasn't answered anything she's sent him, including calls."

"Did he run away?" Ryder looks down at me shocked.

"Ryder," I wipe away my tears and go to sit down on the couch.  "He's been weird lately and I haven't realized what's been going on until Clayton told me about the conversation they had a while ago. I think Beau thinks we never have time for him, he asked Clay if we would notice if he disappeared." My heart rate picks up, "and we didn't, it took us almost a week to realize his disappearance wasn't right."

I shake my head at myself, disappointed in the way we've been acting.

Ryder sits down next to me and takes my hands, "we've been busy, and it's absolutely no excuse, but we should've let him know that we still care and we're still trying, but we had a big job to do."

I nod, "next time we should just tell him the truth, he's old enough to know now."

Ryder nods along with me, "when's the last time we hung out with him like we used to?" He sighs almost solemnly.

"When's the last time I gave my baby a hug?" I start crying again feeling like a horrible mother, "where could he be?"

Ryder kisses my forehead, "I'm going to go to my office and I'm going to see what I can do."

Linden stands up from his spot next to his son on our other sofa and he hands me the tissue box and the glass of water. "We'll all come with you, I think the best approach is to work together right now."