C10 UNSEEN BONDS.

“Is Jack safe?” Laura’s voice was barely a whisper, the question slipped from her lips as if voicing it could ease the tightness in her chest.

Her heart beat a frenzied rhythm.

She took a deep breath and cast one last glance toward the street as she forced herself to step back into the cozy, softly lit cafe.

Her mind raced as she approached the counter, her thoughts tangled and pressed. She needed answers.

“Fred took the child away in his vehicle,” she finally said, her voice quivering as she locked eyes with Jerry. “Why would he do that?” The question lingered in the air, carrying an undertone of desperation that she couldn’t hide.

Jerry’s brows shot up, his surprise evident as he turned to look at her.

“Fred? When?” He asked, blinking away his shock.

He glanced at the line of customers but didn’t seem in any hurry to attend to them; something about Laura’s expression held him in place.

Laura clenched her hands, willing herself to stay calm, though unease gnawed at her like a relentless tide.

Fred was respected in Inwood, a man people looked up to, someone who always seemed to have his hands in every town affair.

But why would he have taken Jack? Laura continued to think to herself.

Jerry shrugged as he tried to distract Laura.

“Fred’s known around here for keeping an eye on things. Always wants to be in the middle of whatever’s happening.” Jerry explained. “Maybe someone told him what was going on, and he thought he should step in.” He added as he resumed filling a cup.

His attention was still glued to Laura as he continued.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Laura whispered as she tried to comprehend and understand, but some aspects of the current turn of events still felt even more disturbing, and unfit.

She inhaled deeply and tried to rid herself of the increasingly intrusive images that kept replaying in her head.

“Hi, could you please attend to me now?” A customer’s voice interrupted, and a hint of impatience broke through Laura’s fog of worry.

Laura blinked, momentarily startled as reality snapped back into focus.

“Oh… yes, ma’am, right away,” she stammered, reaching for the menu with slightly trembling hands. “I’m sorry… I was, uh, just trying to sort out an issue.”

She offered a polite smile as she handed the menu to the woman, then moved quickly to serve her.

But as she worked, her thoughts kept drifting.

Why would Fred, of all people, take Jack?.

There was something that her gut instinct screamed out was wrong, and there was this unsettling feeling in her heart that informed her that she would not be able to just walk away from this.

***

Fred drove in silence that was almost too heavy to bear. His hands firmly gripped the steering wheel and his jaw was fixed.

Anger simmered beneath the surface, his eyes fixed straight ahead as Jack sat quietly in the backseat, and glanced nervously at Fred’s reflection in the rearview mirror.

The car hummed along the quiet streets until they finally pulled up to Fred’s company, a sleek building that looked as cold and imposing as the man himself.

The moment the car stopped, Fred stepped out quickly, then pulled open Jack’s door, gripping the boy’s hand as they walked inside together.

Jack’s small fingers felt clammy in his grip, but Fred barely noticed, his mind clouded with fury.

“Wait here,” Fred commanded, his voice edged with a harshness that made Jack flinch.

He placed the boy in a seat at the reception, where the polished floors and elegant decor seemed to swallow him up.

Jack looked around with wide eyes as Fred strode away, his back rigid, each step filled with barely contained rage.

“Maggie!… Maggie!” Fred’s voice boomed through the hallway as he stormed into her office, shoving the door open without so much as a knock.

An attractive woman with a curvaceous figure and sultry gaze looked up, visibly irritated by the intrusion.

“Yes, Fred… What’s the problem?” Her tone was dismissive, and she lazily stood, her posture both defiant and alluring.

Fred’s eyes narrowed.

“Meet me in my office now!”, he ordered and turned sharply to head towards his office as he expected her to follow.

Maggie watched him leave, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as she gathered her things and made her way up to his office.

She shut the door behind her, and the air between them grew tense and charged.

“Maggie,” Fred began, pacing the room as his voice rose with every word, “how many times have I told you to keep our child out of sight? Away from everyone?”.

Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes slightly.

“Relax, Fred. Why are you speaking to me like this? Did I do something wrong?” She stepped closer, her voice softening, but Fred wasn’t swayed.

“We’ve discussed this. Again and again, I’ve told you… I provide for you, I provide for Jack, and in return, all I asked was that you keep him out of trouble,” he snarled, his face contorted with anger. “He was nearly beaten up today! He was stealing!”.

Maggie’s eyes widened in shock, her hands trembled slightly as she struggled to process his words.

“Jack? stealing? Why would he do that? Who would he even steal from?” Maggie asked as she stared at Fred and waited for his response.

Fred scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping him.

“Maybe if you’d been taking care of him like a real mother should, he wouldn’t need to steal.” He glared at her, each word landing like a slap. “What do you even do with the money I give you?” He asked.

‘Fred, I do look after him,’ Maggie stammered, her voice trembled in the midst of his penetrating stare.

“No, you don’t!” His voice thundered through the room. “You spend my money on yourself… on - on alcohol, on clothes. Is that what you call taking care of our son?” Fred lamented.

Maggie lowered her gaze and her cheeks flushed with shame.

“I’m sorry, Fred. I am. I promise it won’t happen again,” she whispered, reaching out to him, her fingers brushing against his hand in a desperate plea.

Fred’s face softened ever so slightly, though his voice remained stern.

“No one can know about this child. Not anyone. I need you to take care of him quietly and far from here. Do you understand?” He yelled.

"Very well, I comprehend," Maggie said and shook her head rapidly in compliance before attempting to pacify him.

She looked on as he dipped his hand into his pockets, retrieved a roll of money and shoved it into her palms.

“Use this to put him in a cab. Send him home and make sure he’s safe,” Fred instructed, taking a deep breath as he stepped back, a mask of calm returning to his features.

“Thank you, darling,” Maggie purred, running a hand lightly over his arm as she took the money. She gave him a sly, inviting look before turning to leave. At the door, she cast a final glance over her shoulder, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

“I’ll be back soon.” She whispered with a smile on her face.

Fred watched her go and his eyes traced the curve of her silhouette.

His anger melted into something else as his gaze lingered.

“Maggie,” he called after her, his voice dropping to a murmur. “When he’s gone, come back. We’ll continue this… privately.”

Maggie’s lips curved into a smirk as she winked, then disappeared down the hallway.

She found Jack still sitting quietly in the reception, his head downcast. His face brightened slightly when he saw her, but the look of shame was still evident.

“Jack,” Maggie said sharply, her voice tense with a mix of anger and guilt. “What on earth were you thinking?”

“mom… I was hungry,” Jack whispered, his small voice filled with remorse. He avoided her gaze, staring down at his hands. “I told you this morning I was hungry… but you left without giving me anything.”

Maggie’s expression softened for a brief moment, guilt pricking her heart.

“I’m sorry, baby. I - I was in a rush, and I forgot.” She pulled him close, enveloping him in a hug. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

Jack looked up, a hesitant smile breaking through.

“A nice lady helped me, mom. They tried to hurt me, but she stopped them.” he revealed.

“A lady?” Maggie’s interest was piqued. “Who?”.

“She said her name was Laura. She works at the cafe here in Inwood,” Jack replied, pride coloring his voice as he mentioned his savior.

Maggie’s eyes narrowed slightly as she processed the name.

“Well, I’ll have to thank Laura soon, won’t I?” she murmured as she led Jack outside, flagged down a cab and pressed some money into his small hands.

“Go straight home. Lock the doors and don’t open them for anyone until I get back, okay?”. Maggie said to him as he went into the vehicle.

She watched him climb into the back seat and waved as he drove off into the afternoon haze, and only when he was out of sight did she finally turn back toward the company.

Back in Fred’s office, the air between them was thick with unspoken words. Maggie closed the door softly as her eyes locked with his.

“Hey, handsome,” she purred, her voice dripping with seduction as she walked toward him slowly, her heels clicking against the polished floor.

Fred leaned back against his desk, unbuttoning his collar as he watched her approach, a wicked smile tugging at his lips.

“You’re such a naughty girl,” he whispered as she slid into his arms, running her hands over his shoulders.

The tension in the room crackled as their lips met, the intensity between them igniting into something wild and unrestrained.

Maggie pressed closer, losing herself in his touch, in the thrill of forgetting, even if just for a moment, the tangled mess their lives had become.

***

Heavy knocks land on the door continuously…

“Oh no! Someone’s here,” Maggie whispered, her eyes wide with surprise as she glanced back at Fred, who was still lost in the moment.

The knock grew louder and Maggie pulled away out of fear.

Fred noticed her reaction and quickly snapped out of his daydreaming, and they both scrambled to get their clothes.