Celine wasn't around, and August had to pick Reed up from school.
He gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary as he made his way to the elementary school on the east side.
He hadn't liked the school. It was too old, too worn, and the playground was... old. But that was the point. He had picked it because no one would see him there. Especially not Sean. He still believed Sean was Reed's father, even if no one had ever confirmed it. The thought made his stomach curl.
He didn't even want any form of confirmation at this point because wouldn't it be useless?
He had clearly seen the face of that man four years ago. He looked like Mason and Sean at the same time. And then Mason called him the next morning while he was still in bed with the man he thought was Mason. So who else, if not Sean?
Reed didn't deserve any of this. That's what made it harder.
As he waited at a stoplight, his phone buzzed. A news feed about Mason Glory and his fiancée Lilian and how August Farley had bailed on them after giving his word.
He sighed before reading it.
He initially planned to reach out to Mason and apologised, and... talk. All he wanted to do was talk. Talk things out with Mason. He'd come clean and tell him the whole truth... even if Mason had a woman by his side.
He put the phone down as he drove past the light and, minutes later, turned into the school lot.
His chest tightened. Reed.
He parked but didn't kill the engine.
A group of children ran past the gate, shrieking, backpacks swinging, joy oozing off their limbs like they didn't know the world was sharp and cruel yet.
Reed wasn't among them.
August stepped out, locking the door.
He scanned the yard. No Reed.
He knew where to look, though. Always behind the slide. Never the swing. Reed didn't like how the wind felt when it slapped him mid-air. He didn't like being out of control. August got that.
Sure enough, when he rounded the edge of the slide, there he was—with his protective helmet on and his knees curled to his chest. He wasn't crying, though. He looked like he had just stopped crying.
August crouched beside him. "Reed."
The boy didn't look at him. He just kept murmuring, soft and low, like a mantra. "He pushed me. Push-push. Fell down. Helmet hit. Helmet hit. Tell teacher. Teacher say Reed liar."
August's heart bled. They called his precious son a liar. "I'm here now," August said. "Okay? No more pushing. Let's go."
Reed didn't move. He just kept his head buried in his knees. Then, without warning, he reached into his jacket and pulled out something—crumpled white paper and a small candy.
He pressed it into August's hand.
August blinked. "For me?"
"He give to Reed," Reed whispered. "Big. Daddy. Give to Reed."
August stared at him, then looked down at the candy. "Oh, Reed, didn't I tell you not to take things from strangers? Show me who gave you this?"
Reed looked up, blinking slowly. Then he turned his head and pointed.
August followed the line of his tiny pointing finger, narrowing his eyes.
A man was walking out of the school main building, a drawing book clutched in one hand. At first, August couldn't see him clearly—just another adult, maybe a teacher or staff. But as the man stepped into the sunlight and looked up, August froze.
His breath caught.
The man looked like Reed. He looked like Sean. No… he looked like Sean and Mason blended into one. Just… an older version. A version from a better world.
August straightened up, flabbergasted. He felt light-headed. He was literally shaking for no reason. He didn't know what to think or feel—only that this man had Reed's face. The same cheekbones, the mouth shape, the lashes…. THE LASHES!!! The same haunted gentleness with an addition of grace to it.
And for a second, for a full, loaded second, August dared to hope.
Maybe... maybe this is Reed's father.
Maybe it wasn't Sean after all.
The man walked right past without so much as a glance.
But August couldn't let that happen. He stepped forward, reached out, and caught the man's arm. "Wait."
The man stopped and turned. He was so tall. His gaze fell lower on August, and his brow twitched with recognition. August Farley.
August felt the floor tilt. He too recognised the man. 'Isn't it gloves man from Mr. King's company that tried to claim my card?'
King didn't say anything. He didn't smile. He didn't scowl. He just calmly removed August's hand from his arm, detangling it like someone unbothered by confrontation. August was definitely being rude by grabbing him like that.
King's face remained unreadable though. As always, he was cool, calm and controlled. Like he knew how to stay still in a storm.
August swallowed. His voice came out low, unsteady. "I didn't know you were around here."
King's gaze shifted slightly. "Didn't know I owed you a location."
August flinched. But he nodded. It was fair.
"I wasn't trying to pry," August added quickly. "It's just… Reed… he pointed at you. Said... said you gave him something?"
A flicker passed through King's eyes. He looked at Reed, then back at August. "He hurt himself trying to calm down, so I took away the hurt and replaced it with a candy."
August nodded slowly. "He's... sensitive."
"I figured."
There was silence. A heavy kind of silence.
King shifted like he was about to walk away again and immediately August panicked. "Wait… uh... Could we talk? Another time? I just… there's a lot I'd like to understand. About… you."
King raised a brow. Shouldn't that be the other way around? He looked at him for a long, unreadable moment. Then, with a sigh that felt like a decision, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a pen, and handed it over to August along with the note in his hand.
August took it and wrote down his number.
August didn't like this. He would have preferred it if it was the other way around, that way, he would be the one to call this man whenever he wanted. Who knows if this man would even call him after now?
"I'm busy most days," King said, calm as stone. "But if I call you, do pick up immediately…. and talk fast."