Chapter 138 - "Missing..."

Clara's PoV

'Oo. Food. Good your cooking? I want some' Richard said as he dropped Evie into the kitchen from a day with him shopping.

'Yeah okay. It's only chicken and chips though. Nothing extravagant' I said rolling my eyes.

'How was your meeting?'

'It was pretty bleak if I'm honest. Apparently Lucie left money to her husband but that it might not actually get to John. John doesn't even want it. He just wants it for Henry. He is her son after all'

'And what about the house?'

'Apparently she never even put much money into the place. She put about 20 grand in of her savings and stated that she wanted that 20 grand to be left to any child she may have - not naming names. Which means at least Henry gets that. But what 27 year old woman thinks about a will? They think that death is so far away'

'Hmm. Tell me you and John have a will?' Richard scoffed. 'It was the first thing I did when Ollie was born. When it's just you its not so bad - but with kids - you have to make sure they are going to get something'

'Exactly. And yes I do have one. I think even Henry is in it now. All my savings are to be split 4 ways for when they are older' I hummed.

'Henry?'

'Yes why not? I look after him. The chances are I'll probably raise him. I'll be as close to a mother figure as he's going to get. So yes. Henry' I nodded. 'An actually I think John and I are still insured to each other. You know life insurance? I never changed it. And quite frankly I don't think John did either. He always said he couldn't be bothered'

'Where is John?'

'Out. He went out for a walk about an hour ago. Said he wanted to think. I dunno. I would have gone but he didn't want me too and then Lilly dropped the other 3 off. I had to stay' I mumbled. 'Why have you heard from him?'

'No. Anyway. Where's this chicken and chips?' He smirked lifting Poppy into a high chair.

- - -

'Where's Daddy?' Evie asked confused. He had already been away for 5 days without her and now he had left again to go somewhere. All she wanted was for him to be here.

'Probably at work; that's all he ever does these days' Avia said rolling her eyes.

How do you defend a man who is going through a tough time to a 6 year old and an 8 year old? I can't just tell them that he's gone a bit mad. That wouldn't be right.

'He'll be home soon I'm sure. Now come on. Tuck up. In you get. Time for bed. Back to school again tomorrow. You can tell everybody what fun things you did over the half term' I chuckled.

- - -

'Where the hell is he?'

'Have you tried calling him?' Richard suggested.

'No. I just thought that would start panicking without the facts. Of course I've tried calling him. He's ignored me. It's weird. He never ignores phone calls from me'

'Perhaps he just wanted some time alone? I'll go and see if I can find him?'

'Is it over reacting to call the police? He is ... Fragile' I hummed.

'Maybe we should hold off on that at the moment. Don't want to panic unnecessarily' he said assuringly.

- - -

'Why is it strange that he hasn't answered your calls? Is there anywhere in particular he could be?' The police woman asked.

'I thought we were holding off on calling the police?' Richard hummed, as Lilly came in as well and shut the lounge door.

I didn't really want the kids disturbing and having to get involved in this. It would possibly be traumatising for them.

'Because John isn't like that. And he's fragile' I said, handing them a picture. 'He's just recently lost his wife and had to take her baby on. He's got a lot on his plate. He was self harming for a while'

'So your saying that he could be a suicide risk?'

'Yes. I hate to admit it but yes. Especially from some of the things he had told me over the last few days' I sighed.

'Well keep an eye out but we can't actively start looking or searching until he is missing for over 48 hours. He's an adult. In his 30's. Even in a fragile mental state he still comes pretty low down the list of importance'

'How did your search go?' I scoffed as the police left, not having helped in the slightest. In fact I was sure they had made it worse. I was just panicking more.

And now to make it worse his mobile had obviously run dead because we couldn't even get an accurate location. It was now just going straight through to voice mail and telling me that the device wasn't on.

'Well I went to the local shops. Checked Lucie's flat... Double checked your old flat. Checked the office and even went to Lucie's parents house which isn't that far from here. He's nowhere to be found'

'The graveyard?'

'Checked there' he sighed sitting down on the sofa and hugging up to Lilly.

'Why are you two not panicking a bit more?'

'He's a grown man Clara, if he wants to ignore our calls and spend the night on his own the  let him. He'll come back when he's ready' Lilly shrugged.

'I just admitted that he's a suicide risk. What if he does something stupid?' I scoffed taking the remote straight out of Richards smug hand.

'He's not going to do anything stupid' she said rolling her eyes. 'If he doesn't come back tonight then we'll go and find him. Hey maybe this'll be a lesson. Perhaps he's doing a you!'

'What?'

'You now know what it's like now when you walked out last year. Leaving him with three kids to look after. He searched day and night for you and do you know what? He never found you. It's not worth it. He'll come back when he's ready'

- - -

I struggled to sleep that evening as you can imagine. I just didn't sleep at all. I just kept watching my phone in case John decided that he might call.

He never did but it was worth keeping an eye out to my phone.

I was woken at 6.30 and managed to get the kids dressed and ready for school without any questions at all. And then was shocked to get a call on the way to the school from the police.

I didn't think they were actively looking for him. Which meant that he must be somewhere doing something very stupid.