The Wanted Short Stories (Wanted 5.5)

“So, you cut chunks of his hair out and dyed the rest?”

“Chunks?” Colt said with a concerned look on his face.

“I said, go to your room, Alex. Your father will deal with your punishment when he gets home because I’m too angry right now.”

“Mama, did you say…chunks?” Colt asked.

Alex turned and stormed off.

I looked down at poor Colt. “Baby, can you go into Mommy and Daddy’s shower and wash your hair like a big boy?”

He smiled big. “Sure, I can.”

As Colt headed off to our bedroom, I walked back over and picked up the phone. I was about to call Ari back when I decided to call my mother instead.

“Hello?”

“Mom?”

“Ellie, darling, how are you?”

I was about to answer her when Colt let out the girliest scream I’d ever heard.

“My hair!” he yelled over and over.

“Are you off work, Mom?” I said as tears formed in my eyes.

“I’m on my way.”

I shut Colt’s bedroom door and leaned against it. He had been crying nearly all night after I told him I had to cut his hair short, really short, to make it look okay.

I walked over to Alex’s room and opened her door. She was already in bed and sound asleep. If I didn’t know any better, I would say she had a smile on her face. I’d found out where she’d gotten the dye. It was from Luke, so Ari would be getting a phone call from me tomorrow.

I headed downstairs and smiled weakly at my mother. I made my way to the sofa and sat down next to her. “Mom, this is so much harder than I ever thought it would be.”

She put her arm around me. “I know, baby, I know. You have to admit though, it was kind of funny.”

I finally allowed myself to laugh. I nodded my head. “Yeah, it was.”

We laughed a bit more, and then I was overcome with sadness. I glanced over to the clock on the mantel. It was now after ten.

“He’ll be home soon, honey.”

I took in a deep breath and let it out quickly. “Something is wrong, Mom. Gunner is never this late. He never misses a baseball game or soccer practice, and he is always home by the time the kids go to bed.”

“Have you heard from him?”

I pulled out my cell phone and read his text message.

Gunner: Meeting ran late. Heading to dinner with client and Bill.

“Who’s Bill?” my mother asked.

“The owner of the architecture firm. If he says jump, Gunner will jump.”

My mother giggled. “Well, he won’t be out too late. I heard his daddy saying they have to fix the pump outside the well house, so they’re getting started early in the morning.”

I nodded my head. “Yeah, Jeff called earlier to talk to Gunner about that.”