Lost And Found (Four Shots)

1

Anne huffed as she entered the school building. She was late. The interviewer held her for too long.

While searching for her phone, she walked inside. Her anxiety was increasing as she couldn’t find it in her bag. Damn. She left it in the office. How careless could she be? Now, Tyson would have a new excuse. She took a seat and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Co-parenting could be tough, especially when the ex had no interest to keep up with his responsibilities.

She opened her eyes when a click of heel reached her earshot. Quickly, her eyes met the green pair and she flashed a smile—at Miss. Janice; her son’s teacher. Today, it was a parent/teacher meeting and she had to be here for Adrian. Janice said it was important.

When their brief eye contact broke, Janice went inside the classroom with some child’s parents. She looked around to find Adrian somewhere. He must have been in the auditorium room with his friends. While feeling some heat scorching her left ear, she followed the direction. Her eyes blinked in awkwardness before she gave him a once-over. It was a man dressed in a fine suit, golden hair and light-blue eyes like her own. He was smiling at her. Anne couldn’t help but detect a sudden familiarity. She was familiar with this smile.

Her eyes narrowed curiously. “Do we know each other?” She tilted her head as she asked politely.

“Anne Miller,” The man had himself saying with a profuse smile, startling Anne. She let out a small scoff and nodded her head.

“Yes, that I’m, Mister...” She hinted at a question.

“Gideon,” He replied and right there it clicked. Five years of friendship, cycling, sky-gazing and guitar partner and also her favourite classmate before she moved here, to Canada.

“Gideon...” Her voice pitching a little high with excitement. “Gideon Ray Greyson, is that you Mister,” She playfully pointed a finger at him. Gideon laughed and nodded brightly.

“You caught me,” He leaned closer when she invited him for a hug.

“Oh dear, you have changed so much,” They both had it with warm kisses on the cheeks.

“No, not really,” Gideon said, chuckling.

“What a surprise,” Anne retreated and intently looked at him, her gaze soft and appreciative.

“You too. I mean I never thought I would find such a beautiful surprise in my son’s school,” Gideon admitted, scratching his nape.

“You have a son too?” Anne’s smile widened, she looked genuinely happy for him.

Gideon smiled shyly and nodded. “Yeah, a beautiful four-year-old,”

“Me too. I’m so glad to hear it. Tell me his name. Maybe our sons could be friends too and I could know your wife through him,” Anne chirped. Gideon kept his soft eyes on her but the spark subdued a little. Anne didn’t fail to notice.

“Um, my wife, ah. My wife is off to a good place. She died the day Ethan was born, so...” Hearing him say it, Anne’s smile faltered. Her heart squeezed at his words and an instant regret filled her chest.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to..tsk. I hope you are okay now,” She put her hand on his knee. Gideon’s smile became a little softer.

“You don’t need to be sorry. That’s life and shit happens,” He shrugged off the awkwardness. Anne agreed with a nod.

Just in time, they both heard their munchkins. “Mom!” Adrian shouted and followed Ethan, “Dad!”

Both the parents looked behind Anne’s back and grinned. Both little boys stormed to their respective parents’ arms. Anne hugged Adrian tightly and moaned in his embrace. “There you are, little guy,” She pulled away and plunged a kiss on his forehead.

“Aunt Anne!” She instantly heard a familiar boyish voice. Her head turned to the voice.

“Ethan, oh boy, come here,” She invited him into her arms and hugged him. Gideon watched the scene unfolding with keen interest.

“You know her, Spiderman?” Gideon asked the moment they pulled away.

Ethan bit his lip and childishly nodded; slow and deeply.

“Yes, we know each other very well. Ethan came to Adrian’s fourth birthday party last week,” She told him. Gideon jogged his memory to second that information. He remembered Ethan’s babysitter asking him for his classmate’s permission last week and his secretary reminded him again the next day.

“Yeah, but dad didn’t come with me,” Ethan protested with an offended frown. Anne had invited every child’s parent for a meet-up but apparently, one child’s parents couldn’t make it.

“I’m sorry, baby, I was out at work,” Gideon smiled and kissed his cheek which indeed put magic on the boy’s mood.

“It’s alright, but now you and your father will come to dinner at my place tonight,” Anne laid out a plan, glancing at Gideon. Ethan’s eyes widened in excitement as he looked at his partner-in-crime and shared a high-five. “Deal, Ethan?”

Ethan glanced at Anne before shooting a puppy-gaze at his father. Gideon chuckled and cupped his fluffy cheek before nodding his consent. Ethan upped his arms and cheered.

“Deal! It’s a deal!” Ethan chirped happily.

“Adrian, Ethan! Are you coming?” One of their friends shouted for them while running in the other direction. Both boys looked over Anne’s shoulder, exchanged a worried look and ran without any word, leaving the parents to deal with the rest.

“Phew. Happy to see them together,” Gideon said.

“Yeah, me too. Ethan is a nice boy,” Anne retorted, hesitant to say what she had in her mind but she let it flow. “But he is alone. You should spend more time with him, Gideon, he needs you more than ever,” She knew what it felt like to have the absences of parents, she knew it better than ever and he knew it too.

He nodded. “I know, Anne. I know and I try as much as possible but keeping a balance between work life and personal life is a bit challenging for me right now but guess I will learn soon,”

“I believe in you, you have always been a passionate man, you will figure this out soon,” She praised, remembering how caring, devoted and protective he was when they were together. Someone she had always trusted with closed eyes. He was the best thing for her. Someone she badly needed when she dealing with a phase. He never let anyone run over her. Always made sure she was comfortable. Always took care of her and was there whenever she needed him. She remembered how she felt with him. Safe and cared for. Something she had never felt after him. If she didn’t have to leave, they could have been something. But she never wanted a long-distance relationship. That would have been too painful. So they left what could never start.

They both didn’t realise they were gazing a little too deeply into each other’s eyes. “You working somewhere?” Gideon asked, gulping heavily. He noticed a file peeking out of her handbag. She blinked and looked away, rubbing her sweaty hands over her dress.

“Ah, yeah. I mean I’m not working right now, I applied. Had an interview today, but I am not sure if they will take me,” She told him honestly while her mind replayed how there were better candidates than her.

“Really? What’s the company’s name?” He asked.

“Andy and Co,” She told. Funny that she now realised that the company had her first pet’s name. It was an animal rescue company that worked for pets’ welfare. Anne was a vet doctor so she applied to many firms but she hoped this company would choose her as they were paying well and had better reviews on the internet.

Gideon laughed and shook his head.

“What?” Anne bit her lower lip and asked nervously. What was wrong?

“You don’t have to worry about it then, you will get the job,” He nudged his head in a little teasing.

“How can you say that?” Anne frowned, humble and curiously.

“Because it’s one of my companies, so you don’t have to worry about it,” He said simply, making Anne’s mouth drop a little.

“Oh my god, you are kidding me,”

“Nope. I have no intention to,” She couldn’t help her heart skip a beat, now for a whole other reason.

“Seriously! Gideon, Andy? You named it after our first pet?” Her body was feeling the heat. It was making her emotional yet nostalgic. Their pet. Their four-legged white-furred poodle.

“We loved that little poodle, didn’t we?” He said with a little glint of loss in his eyes. They lost it because he caught a viral infection that he couldn’t fight, which instantly made Anne decide that she would become a vet to save the innocent animals. The woman had no idea it wasn’t only her who got affected by the poodle’s death, he vowed to open an animal care shelter that he dreamed of running with her. But things got a little different. He had to do it on his own. All the while thinking about her and the little imaginary family that they had.

“You are so kind, Gideon. I remember you were always like this. Thank you,” Anne said with a rueful smile. Gideon took her words in but before he could tell her those a few magical words, a feminine voice caught their attention.

“Mr. Greyson, you are next,”