HEJ, MY LOVE

MIRACLE

Miles away from Bertrand's location, Jonas lost it. The man didn't know what to do with himself as he paced.

"Jonas, you need to get some sleep."

"I can't."

"Go and see Sierra at least," his father said.

"Dad, how can I look at my wife in the eyes and tell her that our son is still missing. I might as well die now."

Jonas was dramatic, but who wouldn't react the same way?

"Jonas, it's not you're fault."

"I shouldn't have left. I made a mistake. I swear if anything happens to Leone, I'll kill him and the Gauthiers."

"Jonas," his dad slapped Jonas' cheeks with both hands. "Stop talking nonsense. Go and see your wife. Let the police do their job. Your sister is competent. Let her help you. Rely on us for once."

"That's all I do, dad. Rely on everyone."

"No, you are cordial and scared to bother like your wife, but families are there for that. Your mom and I are here to be bothered by you. Now go to the hospital. I'll call you if there's anything new. Also, change clothes. You smell as though you sweat your life's reserve away."

At that instant, Elsa came running up to them, "we've got them. We found Leone, Jonas."

Jonas went directly to the hospital, where Leone was transferred. Bertrand was taken into custody and brought to Stockholm.

Leone had to go through a battery of tests before Jonas was allowed to see him. The man's eyes ached. He hadn't shut them and was incapable of blinking. He advanced to the room where a nurse and a police officer kept Leone.

The doctor briefed Jonas before he entered, "he was dehydrated, and the toxicology report shows he consumed a solution close to Melatonin. We can suppose the person needed him to stop crying and sleep. He has no signs of psychical abuse. He has a small skin irritation on his bottom due to the dampness of his diaper. Other than that, your son is psychically well as for the restㅡ."

The doctor's words rang like a déja vu.

"Thank you, doctor, may I see him."

"Yes, of course."

The doctor opened the door, and Jonas entered the room where Leone slept. He touched his boy's head. He could not hold back the tears of relief as the man breathed for the first time since the night before.

How could someone do this to a child?

Again Jonas forgot he was one of the lucky ones. Over hundred seventy-five thousand children were abducted per year worldwide. Twelve per thousand were either kidnapped by a parent or relative. Of course, no one imagines themselves a victim of such an act.

Jonas continued to caress his child's almost bald head and waited. The sensation of his father's hand upon woke the boy. He opened his eyes, the place was so bright, and someone that looked like his father smiled at him.

"Hey."

"Paㅡpa," the boy sat up and wiped his eyes.

Was the nightmare really over?

Leone's lips quivered made a lower case n before the boy broke down, "papa, papa," Leone grasped his father and sunk his head in Jonas shirt, "papa, it was horrible, why papa, where were you? The bad person, the bad person, said he was my dad. Oh papa, don't ever leave me again."

Jonas could only guess what his child tried to express. Leone had a lot on his chest, "and Rufu papa, Rufu is asleep. He'll never wake up. I know he won't. And mama, that bad person did something, mama, mama."