“We can have our big talk later, but I couldn’t sleep worth a shit because I was worried about him, and I need to apologize. At the very least, he needs to know how sorry I am. It’s bad enough I let him go to bed like that.”
My sweet baby boy. I press a kiss to his temple, running my hands up his stomach before letting go of him. “Okay.”
He finishes making his coffee as Nora steps into the room. Her hair is brushed and pulled back into a ponytail, and her eyes are bright.
Arlo smiles at her. “You look chipper this morning.”
“I think she’s excited about going to breakfast with Austin and Luca.”
She shrugs. “I like food.”
That makes me laugh. “You and me both.”
She climbs up onto one of the barstools, and after Arlo takes a few sips of his coffee, he sets it on the counter and pulls her into a hug.
She nearly melts into him, and my heart thumps wildly in my chest. He’s so good with them. Even though he doesn’t feel like it. Even though things are hard.
Closing his eyes, he seems to soak her in, and then he pulls back and presses his lips to the top of her head for a quick kiss. “I love you, Nora bug. I’m gonna go get Salem up.”
She sighs. “Okay. I love you too.”
When Arlo walks out of the kitchen, I lean against the counter across from Nora. “What do you want to do this weekend?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. Are you working?”
I shake my head. “Not until Monday.”
“So, Arlo has to take us to school alone?” She frowns at that, and it makes me laugh.
“Yeah, unfortunately, but I should be home early enough on Tuesday to go with you all—”
“Where’s Salem?” Arlo asks, rounding the corner and cutting me off.
“Uh, he should be in his room. I haven’t seen him since I’ve been up.”
He bites his bottom lip, his eyebrows raising. “He’s not.”
“He’s not in his room?”
Arlo takes a step back, covering his face with his hands. “Oh God, he’s not here.”
“Breathe, baby boy,” I say, rushing across the room to him. “He’s probably in the bathroom. Did you check?”
He shakes his head.
“Okay, so hang on. No need to freak out.”
I step into the hallway and knock on the bathroom door. When I don’t get an answer, I knock again, then call Salem’s name.
Still nothing. I push open the door only to find the room empty.
Fuck.
I spin on my heel, opening his bedroom door. His bed is made, but that’s nothing new. “Salem? You in here?”
Nothing. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.
I try to stay calm as I walk into the kitchen where Arlo is braced against the counter, trying to seem normal while Nora talks his ear off.
