When Officer Palmer and Dean left, Ford’s mom started to cry. “I’m so sorry.” she looked up at him, her eyes begging for forgiveness. She leaned in, and Ford hugged her.
“Mom… it’s not your fault. We don’t blame you.” Ford shot a look at Sawyer who walked to the other side of Ford’s mom and wrapped an arm around her. They didn’t blame her. She wasn’t the one that brought Cynthia or Larry into their lives.
All they wanted was Callum back. Fuck, how did they even tell Gavin and Savanna?
By the time Sawyer and Ford got home from the grocery store, the kids were in the house. Fuck, Ford hoped they’d had something to eat because they were so late. The patrolman stationed out front walked up to introduce himself. Dean had been sending Ford texts to let him know the officer had been watching out for the children since they got off the bus.
Once they stumbled into the house and closed the door, Sawyer looked over at him.
“How do we tell them?” Ford whispered.
Sawyer's eyes were red, as he had cried all the way home. Ford tried to be the strong one for him, but still felt like he was ready to crumble. “We just tell them. I don’t think there’s really an easy way to do it.”
“Do you think that we should?” Ford didn’t want them to feel the way he did right now.
Sawyer groaned and wiped his hand with his face before replying, “I think we have to.”
Ford nodded. Together, they could do this, be the support each needed. They held onto each other’s hands and headed upstairs. They first peeked in Gavin’s room. He was sitting on his bed, looking down at his book. He looked up when Sawyer cleared his throat.
“Will you come down to the living room?” Sawyer asked.
“Sure,” Gavin hopped off the bed and tossed the book on it. “I’m so over this school crap.” He laughed as he bounced out of the bedroom and headed down the stairs. Next stop was Savanna’s room.
Ford knocked, and she answered, “Come in.”
“Hey…” she beamed in their direction, “What’s up?” She looked between them. “Both of you? Does that mean I did something wrong?”
“Will you come out to the living room?” Ford hated that she would soon lose that carefree look on her face. “Your brother and I have something to tell you two.”
Her brows crinkled and she studied them. “Everything alright? You guys don’t look so good.” Sawyer squeezed his hand so much it actually hurt. Ford nodded and tried to smile, but she just tilted her head and stared at him.
“You’re not in trouble, I promise,” Ford reassured Savie.
She shrugged and stood, and they all headed downstairs to the living room. Savie took a seat on the couch next to Gavin.
With all of them now present, Ford glanced at Sawyer, who let out a breath before starting. “So, Callum was with Grammy Erickson today,” Sawyer croaked out. “They went grocery shopping, as they have done many times.”
“Did something happen to her?” Savanna’s eyes got big like saucers.
“No… nothing like that,” Sawyer was quick to reassure. “Let me just finish. Please.”
She nodded. “Sorry.”
Ford knew Sawyer hadn’t meant to snap, but his boyfriend was on the edge.
“Well, they were at the store, and a guy came through and knocked Grammy down...”
Ford could see the debate in Sawyer’s eyes when he looked over, but all Ford could do was heave a sigh. He understood what Sawyer was wrestling with. Did they want to confess everything, or shelter the kids from the news about their own mother?
When Sawyer stopped speaking, he figured it was on him, so Ford continued where Sawyer left off, not sure what the right thing to do was. “A woman came up and snatched Callum from the shopping cart, and then they both took off.”
“They took Callum?” Savanna’s voice sounded smaller than he’d ever heard it.
Ford nodded.
“Who?” she looked between them. “Is it the man that tried to hurt Ford?”
Ford crouched down in front of Savanna and took both her hands in his. His heart felt like someone had popped it in a blender, seeing the terror there. “It is the same man,” Ford said. “But we’re going to get Callum back. I just know we will. We have to have faith, okay? Callum will be back with us soon. I promise you that.”
Sawyer walked over to sit next to Gavin. “What are you thinking?”
“I don’t even know. Who’s the woman?” Gavin asked.
Sawyer shot a look at Ford like he expected him to know how to answer. Maybe they were quiet too long, but Savanna made the connection. “It’s our mom, isn’t it?” She wasn’t really asking a question
“What makes you say that?” Ford asked in lieu of answering.
She shrugged. “She’s done some awful things.” Savanna worried her lips. “I guess I just know that it’s possible.”
“We’re going to get Callum back from her.” The look in Sawyer’s eyes said, “Come hell or high water.”
“Your mother needs help.” Ford felt the need to add, “She’s sick, and the drugs and alcohol affect her brain.”
Sawyer nodded as Ford spoke. “The police are on the lookout for them.”
“Callum has to be alright.” Savanna's voice was barely above a whisper. “He just has to be.” She started to cry and Ford wrapped his arms around her.
“He’s with your mom, I’m sure she won’t do anything to hurt him.” Ford prayed that Cynthia wouldn’t make a liar out of them. Before he knew it, the four of them were crying, wrapped up together in one big hug.
Ford was holding on to his faith that all would still be alright. It just had to be.
26
Sawyer
Neither Sawyer nor Ford had gotten much sleep the night before. Either he was comforting Ford as he cried, or Ford was telling him it
