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Recovery III

Sunday started off anything but quiet, as right before breakfast, police officers showed up at the house. This alarmed the family for different reasons. Nicholas's final taunt weighed heavily on Logan's mind. Adam panicked, thinking that his mother had reported him missing. Meanwhile, Aurora worried about the documents she had submitted to the bank for Adam.

Contrary to their beliefs, the officers were there instead to check that Adam was safe. The nurse from the hospital had reported that he might be living with an abusive parent. After speaking to the boy and his parents and confirming that Adam was not in danger at home, the officers began to question who had attacked them.

Aurora and Logan said they hadn't been able to see the man because of how dark the area was and that he also had his head and face covered. The couple insisted that since they got away safely, they were not interested in finding the man, but they would instead take measures against such attacks in the future. As the officers pressed them, pointing out public safety, the couple gave broad descriptions of the man, stressing they hadn't been able to see his face or any discernible features to identify him.

Immediately after the officers left, Aurora retreated to Logan's office to make a few calls. Logan and Adam breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that the officers' presence had made them tense. Logan gently tousled his son's hair before pulling him into a one-arm hug.

"You're too young to have deep worries. What did you think it was?"

'I thought they were here for me because I was missing.' The boy scribbled on his notepad.

"I thought you said we didn't have to worry about anyone looking for you?"

The boy nodded at his father, reaffirming that no one would be looking for him even though he was gone.

'What did you think they were here for?'

"I thought... He reported us. But your mom's right, it would be easier for him to torment us without getting the police involved."

As soon as he awoke Monday morning, Adam realised the tightness in his throat was all but gone. He could also speak, although he could only speak in raspy whispers without his throat hurting.

He had woken up fairly late and was surprised that neither of his parents had checked in on him. As he got out of bed, a card standing on his desk caught his eye.

The card was a note from Aurora; his parents had an early morning errand to run and had left with Sophia, leaving him home alone until Imran arrived. Aurora's note said they hoped to be back in time to have breakfast with him but stated that if they were not, he should have breakfast first. Adam glanced at the clock and realised Imran should have finished preparing breakfast already.

In the kitchen, Adam found Imran rolling balls of dough. The boy climbed into one of the island chairs as the man greeted him and asked if he would be eating breakfast now, to which the boy confirmed.

Imran placed a bowl of soup, with greens and other vegetables crowding the bowl. Adam looked up at the chef, dismayed.

"I'm sorry, young sir, but I was advised your meals should be soups until your throat is healed."

To say he was sick of soup for all three meals would be an understatement. Adam had grown past sick of his meal regimen since Saturday morning. While Imran had given him a variety of food he had never seen before, the fact remained that it was soups with soft vegetables and pasta.

"What are you making?" The boy asked, pointing to the balls of dough.

"These are pitas for the others' breakfast."

"Can I have one with an omlette?" Adam pleaded.

Imran looked at the boy, shocked, and opened his mouth to protest, but Adam cut him off first.

"I promise I won't tell if you won't tell."

Still, the chef tried again to deny it, but the boy pushed harder.

"No one will know. And I promise I'll drink the soup after. I need to have something else besides soup!"

Begrudgingly, the chef agreed. Adam's only regret was that he finished the meal before he could savour it.

With no one else around and little to do besides workbook exercises, Adam stayed in the kitchen watching Imran work. The two talked, and Adam learned that the chef was a single father raising a daughter half his age. Adam noted the man's features softened when he mentioned his daughter. Imran quickly changed the subject and invited the boy to help him finish preparing his parents' breakfast and begin the preparations for lunch.

That afternoon, Logan and Adam returned to the hospital for their checkups. To Adam's delight, he only had to keep taking one of the pills and could now start eating at least one regular meal a day. Logan's injury, on the other hand, still required resting.