Riley.
1358 Words
Tanner's P.O.V
I didn't know how to feel. Did I miss her? I couldn't even remember much about her, to be missing her, but the pull I felt towards her made me feel like I lost something... I didn't know her anymore. I wasn't sure if going missing for a few days was her thing, but I believed that she wouldn't just leave her son, our son, without a word.
And trying to get my scrambled brain to recall anything proved to be fruitless. The thing was as useless as a limp d**k. I still didn't get any word back from Samir either, but I decided to give him another day or two... if there was anything to hide, I am sure my mother hid it very well.
When she told me about how I made her feel, I knew she loved did love me once and if she could love me once she would love me again... I left the club with no idea of where to go. I drove hoping to clear my mind of all the thoughts about where she could have gone, why did she leave? Was she okay?
And was I the reason she decided to leave? My mind went back to Riley. The poor guy must have been so worried about his mother even though I knew he was safe with Suann. I wanted to be the one to care for him. Lara could be mad at me when she returned from wherever it was she went off to, but he was my son too.
I turned the car around, back on route to the club. I didn't know where Suann lived and everyone could be gone by now, but Jacky sometimes stayed behind and worked late. I could only hope that tonight was one of those nights. When I got back to the club, I was out of luck. Her car was gone.
Yet I still tried the door to the club... locked... so I called Samir to get me an address for Suann. He told me he was close to getting the information I asked him about. 5 minutes later, I was on my way to her house... I sat in my car that was parked in the road in Suann's street. I was nervous about meeting him. I have spoken to him before when I was Ezra, but that was before I knew he was my son.
I got out of my car and walked to her front door, then knocked twice before I could change my mind. I didn't even know what I was going to say to him... would he come with me? Would Suann allow him to leave with me? There was only one way to find out... she opened the door and looked startled for a moment.
"Hi"
She said, looking at me confused.
"I know you're probably wondering why I am here, but can you let me in, I can explain."
She looked behind me like she was looking for someone, then back at me and stepped aside, opening the door wider. I took that as an invitation.
"Do you know where Lara is?"
She asked me after I took a seat.
"I wish I did. I'm here because of Riley."
"What about him?"
"I'm his father."
"Oh... I thought... uhm… she never spoke about you."
I explained everything to her and why I was here...
"I don't think it's a good idea. What if she comes back tonight, and he isn't here?"
"Then is it okay if I meet him?"
"Look Sir, I am not sure who told you where I lived, but I just met you. How do I know if you're even telling me the truth? You could be pretending to be some you're not from what you told me. Do you really want to tell me you would believe someone who came to you with a story like this and believes they are telling you the truth?"
I liked that she didn't trust easily. It meant that my son was in good hands...
"I wouldn't lie about anything like this. I just want to meet him, to know that he is okay."
"And you think he's not? Lara trusts me with her son, or she wouldn't leave him with me."
"I didnt mean it like that"
She seemed to be in deep thought as she thought over whether she should trust me or not.
"Ill go get him, stay here, and he isn't leaving with you, even though I can't really afford to have him here longer he stays."
Then she left. My hands became sweaty and my heart raced so hard I could hear it beating. She returned a few minutes later with Riley by her side.
"You have 10 minutes, then you have to leave."
She said to me, walked to the door, locked it and took the keys with her.
"Aunty Su said you wanted to talk to me about somefing?"
I smiled at that. So far, I knew that my son spoke fluently but still struggled with the TH and R sound.
"I do. Why don't you come take a seat next to me."
He did as I asked but kept a safe distance.
"Are you doing okay?"
"I miss my mom, Aunt Su said she isn't feeling well."
"She will come and get you as soon as she is better okay. Did she ever talk to you about your father?"
"No."
"Do you want to know about him?"
"You know my dad? I met a lady, she said she was my dad's mum. She took me for an ice cweam."
wait what?
"When was this?"
"I fink Tuesday."
"And where was your mum?"
"I was here when the lady came. Mum met us at Mr Omez diner. Then aunt Su came to get me mum stayed to talk to her."
"Did she tell you what her name was?"
"I fink Mona"
"Monica?"
I asked him just as Su came back into the room.
"Yeah."
He answered.
"You have to leave now. I have to get him ready for bed soon."
Suann told me I gave her a nod and told Riley I would come back to visit him if Aunty Su was okay with it. He gave me a firm handshake and left.
"You let him go with another woman and yet you won't let my son leave with me?"
I asked her, a bit angry that she trusted Monica but not me.
"I thought she was Lara's mother okay, I didn't know. Riley wasn't afraid to leave with her, so I thought he knew her."
I handed her the Cheque I wrote while I waited for her to get Riley, but she refused to take it, walked to the door, unlocked it and opened the door... her way of telling me I really had to go now.
Now everything has taken a turn. If my mother was the last person to see Lara, then what are the odds that she was involved in Lara being missing? If she was involved, I would have to get a PI one I could trust or, who knows what my mother would do to cover her tracks... My mother was proving to be everything my father had ever warned me about.
I didn't really know her, did I? I didn't have a clue about what she could be capable of, but I knew it could be nothing good... I called Samir again and told him about what Riley had told me. He said he had a friend that was a PI but that he was retired and old but good at what he does and that he might help me.
I gave it a shot and called him right after Samir emailed me his details and explained every last thing to him... he promised he would get back to me and that I shouldn't get involved or confront my mother. It would only tip her off and if she had Lara or knew where she was she might hurt her... now all i had to do was wait.
- Writer
