Mrs. Basil turns her worried face toward me. “Gia called, saying Lauren and Leah weren’t at school when she went to pick them up. They can’t seem to figure out where they went.”
“Does she have Finn? Should I go pick him up?”
“She has Finn. I think he’s fine for now. Let’s wait to hear from them just in case they’re with a teacher or something.”
It feels like hours go by before my phone rings. “What’s going on, Holt?”
“Knox,” Gia says with a sniff. “Will you come pick up Finn? We’re still trying to find out where the girls are, and I don’t want him to have to wait here with us.”
“I’ll be there in fifteen.” Hanging up the phone, I turn to Holt’s family. “They still haven’t found the girls. I’m going to grab Finn.”
Mrs. Basil squeezes my arm. “Come back here after you get him. I’ll start making calls to see if anyone has seen them.”
I nod and head to my truck. The drive goes by in a blur of worry and gratefulness that Finn wasn’t a part of whatever’sgoing on. It makes me feel like a shitty friend, but I’m not sure what I’d do if Finn were missing too.
I drive entirely too fast, so it only takes me ten minutes to get to the school, but the last thing my friends need to worry about right now is taking care of my son.
Gia and Finn are standing outside the front office. Finn’s got his arms wrapped around Gia’s waist, and she’s holding onto him just as tightly. I’m not sure how he managed it, but Holt found a good woman. I don’t trust many people with my son, but I know Gia would fiercely defend Finn if necessary.
I don’t bother parking in a spot, pulling up directly in front of Gia and Finn instead.
“Daddy!” Finn calls out when I walk around the front of my truck. I scoop him up and hold him close to my chest. “Lauren and Leah are missing.”
The worry in his voice makes my chest tighten. “We’ll find them in no time.”
“I’m sorry about this,” Gia says as she runs her fingers through her blonde hair.
“Go take care of Holt. Mr. and Mrs. Basil are calling everyone they know to see if they’ve heard anything.”
“That’s good. Holt will appreciate that.”
“Let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.”
Gia nods, giving Finn a little wave before she heads back into the office. I get Finn buckled into his seat in my truck, and then we’re on the road, headed back to Holt’s parents’ house. I’m grateful for the invitation to go back. I’d have driven myself crazy at home, wondering if Lauren and Leah were safe.
“Why couldn’t we stay to help?” Finn asks.
“Unfortunately, buddy, there’s not a whole lot we can do right now.”
“Why not? I coulda searched our classroom or somethin’.”
“That’s a good idea, but I don’t think Leah or Lauren got left behind in the classroom.”
“Then where are they?” Frustration laces Finn’s tone.
“I’m not sure. That’s what Holt and Gia are working on finding out. We’re going out to Mimi and Pop’s house right now. Maybe we can see if Pop wants to bake them a treat for when they get home.”
“Yes! That’s a great idea, Daddy. They’ll for sure be hungry.”
Holt’s parents are the closest thing Finn has to actual grandparents. Muriel and Stan have always treated him as if he’s one of their own, just as they did me when I was a teen. They get onto me regularly for not bringing him by as often as they’d like.
I usually get a call every Sunday from Mrs. Basil, inviting us to their weekly family dinner. I end up caving about once a month, but I’ve never felt comfortable enough to go as often as she’d like me to attend. I feel guilty that Finn is affected by my reluctance, so I try to take him to their house as regularly as I can.
By the time we get back to Muriel and Stan’s, their driveway is packed with cars. Most of them belong to Holt’s brothers. I shouldn’t be surprised that they’d rally the troops, but even after all these years, it still astonishes me at how quickly they offer support to anyone who needs it.
Walking inside, we’re greeted with a wall of noise. That isn’t unusual for Holt’s massive family. What is abnormal is seeing Gwen and Farrah across the room, along with Grayson and Emmett.
“Miss Nelson!” Finn shouts. He runs across the living room to give Farrah a massive hug.
