Fated Escape

Chapter Five

Sailub could feel the weight of Silas' distress in his arms, each sob harder than the last. Despite his best efforts to comfort his son, Silas wouldn't stop crying. His tiny hands gripped onto Sailub's shirt as if it were the only thing keeping him from falling apart. The soft sobs were breaking Sailub's heart, and though he knew this emotional moment would pass, it was clear that Silas was overwhelmed by the absence of his tutor, Pon.

The sound of Silas' sobs echoed in the quiet daycare room, and it became too much for Sage and Silver, who had been watching their little brother struggle. They exchanged glances, silently agreeing that perhaps the daycare wasn't the right place for Silas to calm down.

Sage, the more mature of the two, walked over to Sailub and gently tugged at his father's arm. "Dad, maybe we should just take him home. He's not calming down here, and being around too many people isn't helping."

Silver, ever the quiet one, nodded in agreement. He was always more attuned to Silas' moods and had seen enough to understand that the daycare environment was too overwhelming right now. "Yeah... let's go home," Silver added, his voice soft but insistent.

Sailub looked down at Silas, who had stopped crying but was still clinging to him, his little face flushed from the tears. With a resigned sigh, Sailub nodded. "Okay, let's go home."

With one last look at Toptan, Sailub hurriedly made his way to the car, holding Silas tightly in his arms. Sage and Silver trailed behind, their usual energy subdued as they understood the gravity of the situation. The car ride back home was quiet, the only sound the soft sniffles of Silas, who had calmed slightly but still clung to Sailub as though he couldn't bear to let go.

The car ride was a quiet one. Silas had calmed down significantly by the time they arrived home, his sobs now reduced to sniffles. Sage and Silver sat quietly in the backseat, each lost in their own thoughts as Sailub tried to keep his focus on the road. The house, though large and usually filled with the energy of the triplets, felt eerily quiet in that moment.

Once they arrived, Sailub carried Silas inside, settling him down on the couch. His other two children immediately set up nearby, as if silently offering their comfort in their own way. Sailub watched them for a moment, his heart heavy. He was proud of how they handled things, but it also weighed on him that Silas' bond with Pon had become so intense—so much so that the absence of his tutor triggered such a deep emotional response.

Silas had calmed down somewhat, his small body curled up next to Sailub as they both sat on the couch. His father's arms were a source of comfort, but Sailub couldn't help but feel there was more to this than just Silas missing his tutor.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, knowing exactly who to call. There was someone he trusted implicitly with tasks like this. Sailub dialed Pooh's number, waiting as it rang, hoping his friend would be available to help.

After a few rings, Pooh picked up. "Sailub? What's up?"

"Sailub's voice was laced with urgency, but there was also a calmness to it. "Pooh, I need you to look up something for me. It's about Thanapon Aekumchi—the triplets' tutor at the daycare. I need all the details you can get about him."

Pooh was silent for a moment on the other end of the line, sensing the gravity of the request. "Thanapon? Sure, I'll get on it. Any particular reason?"

Sailub paused, glancing down at Silas, who was now resting his head against his chest, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion. "There's something about him that I need to understand. Can you do that for me?"

"Weird but I'll handle it. You'll have the details soon," Pooh said, his voice firm but reassuring.

"Thanks, Pooh," Sailub replied before ending the call. He let out a slow breath, his mind racing with questions about Thanapon Aekumchi.