27. Chapter 26 – Hannah
Chapter 26 – Hannah
K nox was missing, and I couldn’t breathe.
It had been two days since he left the garage on his motorcycle without a word to anyone and no one had heard from him since.
Brody came home that night, visibly shaken and upset, admitting what happened between them and that Knox left.
I tried to keep my anger with Brody in check because it wouldn’t solve anything after the fact. My priority had been to find Knox.
But I couldn’t.
He just disappeared without a trace. His cell phone was off and his bank account had gone untouched.
I was dying inside with every second that passed without information about him.
Was he hurt?
Was he lying somewhere in a ditch, dying all alone?
Would I ever see him again?
“Hey.” Lex came into the living room and sat down on the couch next to me, pushing a cup of tea into my hands. “You need to drink something.”
“I can’t.” I sighed. “Not until I know he’s safe.”
“I know, baby.” She put her arm over my shoulders, “He’s going to be just fine.” She put the tea on the table in front of us and pulled me back to lean against her side on the oversized comfy couch. “My guess is he’s somewhere processing everything that went down.”
“Why hasn’t he called then?” I wiped at stupid tears that wouldn’t stop falling. “He has to know I’m terrified right now. ”
“I think his pain is so big he doesn’t have room to hold on to anyone else’s.” She reasoned. “And that’s okay. He deserves to feel this how he sees fit, and you have to let him.”
“I’m just so worried about him. He’s never gone MIA like this before.”
“I feel to blame.” She kissed my hair and settled in, “I think my wounds opened up Brody’s and then he caused some to Knox.”
“What a terrible turn of events.”
“I agree. But maybe he just needs time.”
“Have you heard anything from anyone?” I asked, hopeful that she’d somehow forgotten to tell me that someone in the search party found him.
“No.” She sighed again, “But Parker went off a couple of hours ago on a hunch. Maybe he knows something.”
Brody, Dallin, Parker, and Trey had been looking for him since he left. Reyna and Lex had been holding vigil with me at home, hoping he’d just pull up the driveway and say he lost track of time or something.
“I can’t believe my dad hasn’t even found him. You’d think the police commissioner would have some reach.”
She chuckled, “He does, but knowing Knox left on his own kind of complicates things a little. You know that.”
“I know.” I sat up, “I hate sitting here with nothing to do.”
“You just have to have faith and give him grace when we find him. Because he doesn’t need your anger right now. He needs your love.”
“I can’t believe Brody said those things to him,” I admitted for the first time.
“I can.” Lex acknowledged, “Only because it’s something I’d say, and I’m pretty stupid like Brody sometimes.”
“You’re not. And either is he.” I stood up in a huff, “I have to do something!”
“Oh, perfect,” Rey said, walking into the room. “Because I know just what you can do to calm your idle hands.”
“What?” I speculated, already not liking the sounds of whatever she had planned. Even as my best friend, Reyna’s enthusiasm was a little much sometimes .
“You can go shower,” She picked up a limp piece of hair that hung off my head. “Because you smell.”
“Ugh!” I flapped my arms exasperatedly, “It doesn’t matter if Knox isn’t here!”
“Well, he’s on his way home, so it does matter.” She put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips.
“What?” I whispered, too afraid to say it out loud for fear she’d say she was joking.
Reyna nodded her head confidently, “Parker found him at a boondocking campsite out in bumfuck-nowhere. He was searching for solitude and found it so well that his bike battery died two mornings ago and he’s just been sitting there since.”
“Oh, my god.” I cried with tears in my eyes. “He’s okay?” I grabbed Lex’s hand, and she squeezed it back, just as relieved as I was.
“He’s okay.” Reyna confirmed, “Parker’s driving him home right now.” She rolled her eyes. “I told Dallin, but he agreed not to tell Brody just yet. We thought it was best to have some time here with you before Brody showed up.”
I nodded, understanding their thought but also eager to relieve some of the stress on Brody’s shoulders. “I get it. Thank you.”
“No problem.” Rey smiled sweetly and then rounded her eyes when I stayed put, “No seriously, you smell. Shower!” She pointed to the stairs and gave me a loving shove.
“Okay!” I scowled at her goodheartedly even though I was still on edge, knowing that Knox was safe and on his way home to me, relieved so much worry.
We could work through whatever we needed to as a group. As long as he was home and safe, we’d make it all work. We had to make it all work.