Chapter 48 Jeremy is missing
Ophelia’s POV
“Come by soon with your adorable toddler,” The ice cream stand attendant said to me as she handed me two ice cream cones.
I smiled at her and nodded, “Sure, I will. Thanks again,”
“You’re welcome,” She smiled back, and I left the ice cream shop.
I turned towards the bench in front of the ice cream shop with a smile that dissipated off my face instantly when I didn’t see Jeremy sitting there.
I glanced wildly around as I jogged away from the shop.
“Jeremy! Where are you?” I yelled, looking around, with tears blurring my vision.
Anxiety blossomed in me when I got no response and still didn’t see him.
I knew I had to be strong and look for him but I was already starting to overthink the worst possible occurrence that could happen.
I couldn’t lose my baby. He meant the whole world to me.
“Hey, excuse me,” I waved at a couple before I sprinted up to them.
They exchanged glances with each other before they gazed weirdly at me, “Hi,”
“I’m sorry for bothering you. I’m looking for my son,” I croaked which made their wary expressions evaporate and get replaced with a sympathetic ones.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” The woman said, and I just waved her off.
“It’s fine. Have you seen him? He has dark hair and grey eyes, he’s three, and about this tall,” I made a gesture with my hand.
“We haven’t. I’m sorry. We hope you find him soon,” This time, it was the man who spoke.
The remaining bits of hope that I was holding onto instantly disappeared, causing me to frantically scrub my hand over my face.
“Thanks,” I managed to say to them.
“You’re welcome, please stay strong,” The woman said, and patted my back before she pulled her partner away.
Tears flowed down my face as I trekked to the center of the pack. I started weeping bitterly when I still couldn’t find him, and in the process, the ice cream cones fell from my hold but I didn’t care.
All I cared about was finding my baby.
My legs suddenly felt flaccid as they shook with fear of the unknown. I sighted an unoccupied bench, and I quickly walked to it and plopped onto it.
I pulled out my phone from my bag to place a call to the only person whose words I could trust, and whose encouragement I really needed at that moment.Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.
Her phone rang for a split second before she answered, “Hey, babe. What’s up? How’s my nephew doing?”
“Ava, what do I do? I can’t find Jeremy anywhere. I’m such a terrible mother. I was a terrible daughter and now, I’m the worst mother. I shouldn’t have let him sit there. What h-”
Ava cut in, “Calm down, babe. Find somewhere to sit right now,”
“I’m already seated,” I said, wiping my tears off with the back of my palm.
“That’s great. Now, tell me where last did you see him? How did he go missing?”
“So, we went to get ice cream at the park, and I told him to sit on the bench in front of the shop. I was busy conversing with the attendant that I didn’t even realize my baby had walked off,” I wept, burying my face in my hand.
“Oh, babe. Calm down, okay? You will find him, I’m sure of it. Is there like a place to make a missing person’s announcement at the park? If there is, go there and ask them to help you make an announcement,” Ava suggested, to which I shook my head in negation.
I knew the park like the back of my palm, so I knew they had nothing like that.
“They don’t have that here. I have no idea what to do, Ava. What if a kidnapper or a serial killer abducted him? How am I supposed to live without him? What do I do, Ava? I’m so scared,” I confessed.
“Don’t worry, Ophelia. You will find him. Nothing of such will happen to my nephew, okay? Try to remain calm and positive for the time being, and you can also ask around. I’m sure nothing evil will happen to him,” Ava reassured me.
“I hope so too. I’ll try to remain positive for Jeremy and you,”
“That’s the spirit, girl. I’ll call you in thirty minutes. I have to get back to work. Give yourself a back pat for me,” She said, to which I chuckled, momentarily forgetting my worries.
I patted my back as I uttered, “Done,”
“That’s cool. Alright, take care, bye,” Ava said before she hung up.
I slotted my phone into my bag and hoisted myself up from the chair. Then, I started walking mindlessly through the park.
“Jeremy, if you’re hiding from mommy because she didn’t give you cake before you slept yesterday, mommy is sorry, okay? I will bake a large tiger cake for your birthday, so you can come out now,” I yelled to no one in particular.
Judging stares and dirty looks trailed after me as I walked and spoke but I ignored them.
To them, I looked senile and I understood their plight.
I decided to start asking the passers-by if they had seen Jeremy, and their responses were discouraging.
No, they hadn’t seen a toddler of my description.
Luck soon shone on me when one of them said, “I think I saw a toddler like that. He was putting on a grey jumper, right?
I nodded fervently with hope glimmering in my heart, “Yes, yes! That’s my baby. Where did you see him?”
“I saw him holding hands and walking with a man. He looked comfortable with the man though. My partner and I thought they were an adorable father and son duo,” She replied, gesturing to a man who was at the cotton candy stand.
A man? Jeremy was comfortable with him?
I was confused because normally, Jeremy disliked having anyone other than me or Daphne holding hands with him.
To think he was seen comfortably holding hands with a stranger baffled me.
Who could the man be? What spell could he have cast on my toddler to get him to hold hands with him?
“What side of the park were they?” I asked, putting my confusion aside.
“Along the snack bar stand. We saw them not quite long ago, so they should still be around there,” She replied.
“Thank you so much,” I said, to which she nodded before she walked away.
“Please be safe, my darling. Please,” I inwardly hoped as I jogged in the direction of the snack bar stand.