Chapter 131 - The Call

Lance. 

I wait at the convenience store all night. 

I choose not to believe Mom because he promised me. 

He is going to show up. I trust him with all my heart. he said he will show up. He is going to show up. Fred walks out of the store and looks at me with pity. He has no clue on what is happening, but I see it in his eyes. I look pathetic, sitting on the floor with the luggage next to me. 

''It's getting pretty late, are you waiting for someone?'' he closes the gates of the store with the chains and I watch as he sits down next to me on the cold ground. 

''I'm fine,'' I assure him. 

I am not fine. 

Mom said Ford had another episode. He was fine when he left me, what the fuck does this even mean?

He is not as sick as everyone is making him out to be. yeah, he has moods sometimes, but I have never seen them affect him in the kind of way that needs him to be hospitalised. I don't want to believe her because he promised me but what if they got to him. he kept telling me how controlling his father is and yeah, I believed him but there was this part of me that thought he was exaggerating. The man seemed like the kind person that liked things to go his way but I never thought he would be the kind of person that would lock his son up just because he didn't want him to be with someone. 

I dial Ford's number for like the tenth time since I was waiting, and it goes straight to voicemail. He would have answered if he was with his phone. 

''Do you want to talk?'' Fred asks, getting me out of my funk. 

I shake my head because I don't have anything to say. Fred is not really a friend; he is just an acquaintance of me, and Jack and it is not like he would understand things. Maybe he is just here because I am in front of his store and he wants me to leave. 

''No, you don't have to wait with me,'' I tell him. 

He smiles ''You seem really sad, I don't mind waiting till he gets here,'' he interjects. 

He is not coming.

''I'm fine, really,'' I tell him standing up from the pavement. He does the same ''I'll just go inside.'' 

He nods and I leave him. I don't know what to do anymore. I need to go to the house and look for him. I will not let John win this time. We had a plan. We were supposed to run away together and now I don't even know where he could possibly be. 

I go back to Patrick's apartment and confusion sprawls on Jack's face when he sees me ''He didn't show up. They did something to him, and I don't know what to do,'' all the frustration and pent-up anger comes out in the form of tears. He holds me but I am pretty sure he doesn't know what to do either. This is just one big messed up situation. 

''Shit, man. Have you been able to reach him?''

That is the dumbest question he could possibly ask. I just explained to him that something happened. Hence my reaction meaning I can't reach him, so why would he ask me that?''

''Can I borrow your car?'' I ask him, ignoring his dumb question. I need to go to the house myself. Ask John myself and then know from then how and what I plan to do for the next step, I will figure it out along the way. 

''Sure man, he grabs the keys from the table, and I catch them mid-air ''Do you want me to come with?'' he asks. 

I look at him again, the reminder of all that his father has done to him on his face. jack shouldn't be involved in this right now; I just need him to focus on healing. There is no way I will let John win. I am going to get Ford back if it is the last thing I do on earth. 

''Nah, I will handle this on my own,'' I tell him, subtly wiping the tears out of my eyes. this is not the time to cry. I need to be strong. Ford is the one going through everything. I have to help him get out of this mess. 

I drive to the house as fast as I can. It usually takes about forty thirty minutes to get to his house, but I do it in less than fifteen. I know I shouldn't be speeding but all I can think about is Ford. What he is going through. If I had any doubt about his father—if there was a part of me that thought he could still have any good left in him; I am sure now. That shred of doubt is gone. 

I walk into the front door and I start to imagine how they took him. I know he was coming to me. he said he would and I trust Ford more than I trust anyone in this world. He wouldn't leave me hanging after a promise. Our promises are sacred. He must have been so scared, they must have forced him. a tear falls from my face. 

This hurts a lot more now that I am here. I go into his room and I see a suitcase in front of the door. The room is empty.

''Why are you here?'' I turn around and John is in front of the door. 

''Where is Ford?'' I ask not interested in pleasantries. 

This man is a monster and now that I look at him. I see it. The expression on his face is blank but it almost feels like he is laughing at me. I must look pathetic to him. His son must be pathetic to him. 

''I told you my son is sick,'' he tells me like that is the answer to the question. 

''I don't give a fuck, where is Ford,'' I shout getting even more pissed. 

He walks further into the room and I take a step back, not wanting to be close to him ''You love him,'' he points out. stopping in front of me. 

The jig is up. He knows, hence why Ford is not here anymore. This is just him trying to be controlling. 

''Yes, I do. what have you done to him?''

He smiles ''I am the only one that understands Brad and his illness. I told you all about it. I tried to make you understand but you only helped in fueling his disorder. You have done nothing but make the situation worse.''

Oh, so now he is blaming this all on me. now it is my fault?

''Loving me doesn't have anything to do with his disorder. Just because he is sick doesn't mean he doesn't have the right to love.'' I yell so loud; it even terrifies me. John seems to be unfazed by it all, like he doesn't even fucking care. 

''This is not about loving you. This is about the things he is doing.''

''What did he do, what has he done that is so wrong?''

''I don't have to explain anything to you, Lance. I care about your mother and I care about you, but you violated my sick son knowing full well that he isn't in his right senses. I don't know what else to tell you to make you understand.''

''Please let me see him.''

He shakes his head ''Not right now, maybe when he gets better again.'' He brushes my request off like it means nothing. 

''You won't get away with this. I promise I will find a way to get him out of this.'��

He turns to the direction of the door and starts to walk away from the room. I watch him as he stops in front of the door, slowly turning around to face me ''I have already won,'' he tells me with the evillest smile I have ever seen on a person. With that confession, he leaves the room and shuts the door behind him.

I let out a heavy breath of frustration because this is all just too much, and I don't know what to do. sitting on the bed, I let out all the tears. The ones I have been trying to control. in the privacy of Ford's bedroom, I cry my eyes out, taking glances at his picture on the bedside table. I hear a vibrating sound from the table, and this gets me out of my tears. It sounds like a phone is ringing. I open the small drawer of the table and sure enough, there is a phone there. This is not Ford's phone, okay, maybe it is. I know he has more than one phone but he never uses two at the same time. 

I grab the phone and the number doesn't have a saved name. 

Whoever it is might help me find him. 

''Hello,'' 

''Brad..'' The voice calls.