To Have, To Hold, and To Leave: A Bryce Hall FanFiction «completed»

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As the movies played, I settled into the bed, looking at the clock. "Oh, Bryce should be picking the kids up any minute now." 
"Text him and let him know that he can just bring JJ here. Josh isn't home," Nessa added, popping a fry into her mouth. 
"Will do," I replied, picking up my phone. "Oh, perfect timing. I have a call. Hello?" 

"Hello, Mrs. Hall. I've got JJ Richards, Isaiah, and Annalisa here in the office with me," the receptionist at the school replied. 
I sighed. "Bryce should be there to get them soon. I'm so sorry that he's late. Our other son started his new preschool today, and they get out at the same time, so he's probably just running a little behind. I'll give him a call."
"We've given his cell phone a few calls already. He let us know that you were on bed rest, so we tried to avoid calling you, but we didn't want to bother your emergency contact," she said.
"Um, okay. I will send someone up there to come and pick them up. Gosh, I am so sorry," I apologized, hanging up.

"What was that about?" Nessa asked. 
I shook my head, dialing Bryce's number. "Bryce isn't at the school to get the kids yet." Before I could even finish dialing the number, my phone was ringing again. "Hello?" 
"Mrs. Hall, this is First Steps. We know that this is Owen's first day, so we're trying to cut you guys a little bit of slack. It's been about fifteen minutes, and Owen is the last student waiting here this afternoon."
"I'm so sorry. I'm not really sure what's going on, but I will get someone up there to get him right now. Again, I am so sorry," I apologized again. 
"Not Owen either? I'll leave now. I can get the older three, and I'll see if Josh can take a little break from his day with Jasmine and get Owen. I'll keep you updated, okay?" Nessa said, easing a little bit of my anxiety. 
"I appreciate you more than you could ever know," I thanked her, watching as she grabbed her purse and left the house. 

Now, to deal without the other cause of my anxiety. Where in the hell was Bryce? I called him once, and it went to voicemail immediately. "Bryce Michael Hall, this isn't funny. If you changed your mind about calling off the divorce, that's fine, but you cannot let our kids just sit at the school instead of picking them up. I am beyond disappointed in you. Call me soon. Now."
I called again, and this voicemail was way less pleasant. "Where are you? I cannot believe that you would do this. I swear to God if you're with Addison right now, we will be signing those divorce papers quicker than you can put your pants back on. God, I was just starting to trust you again!"

Nessa called before I could call Bryce again. "Hey, Ness."
"Hey, have you gotten ahold of Bryce yet?"
I chuckled wryly. "Nope. I've called twice so far. We'll see how long it takes for him to return them. I'm livid. He's never going to hear the end of this."
"Keep me updated. I have the kids, and Josh is on the way back to your house with Owen. We'll find Bryce. Don't worry." 
"It's hard not to worry. I'm stuck in this bed, and there's nothing that I can do about it. What if I'm sitting here extremely pissed off and something's wrong with him?" I asked, feeling my heart begin to race in my chest. 
"Don't think like that. Everything will be fine. I'll be there soon," she assured me before hanging up.

I threw my phone across the room. Now that I had kind of calmed down my anger, my fear was the only thing that remained. I couldn't lose him again, especially not when I had just gotten him back.
"Breathe, Kate. What would Bryce say to you right now?" I asked myself. "Take a deep breath. Tell yourself that this is a- I can't. I can't say it." I threw my hands up in frustration. "You are having a panic attack, Kate. This is just a panic attack. God, what would he say next? I don't remember what he would say next."

I heard the front door open downstairs, and Josh's voice rang out. "Kate? Are you in your room?"
"Yes!" I called back, choking on a sob. 
I heard him bound up the stairs with the patter of Jasmine and Owen's little feet following as fast as they could carry them. "Are you okay?" Josh asked, stopping quickly in the doorway. 
I shook my head. "Nope. I have no idea where my husband is."
"We're gonna find him, Kate. Nessa should be back with the kids any second now, and she's going to watch them all while I drive around and look for Bryce. We're gonna call everyone that may know where he is. Don't stress," he reassured me, crossing the room to hug me. 
"I can't thank you guys enough. I really appreciate you guys," I whispered as I hugged him back. 
He chuckled softly. "You had to have known that you would be stuck with us when Nessa chose the house next door to yours."
"Very true," I chuckled back as I heard the front door open again. "Nessa's back."

Nessa came up the stairs with the three kids following closely behind her. All five of the kids climbed onto the bed, and Josh wrapped his arm around Nessa as they stood together next to the bed. 
"Alright, kiddos. We are going to head downstairs and get started on some homework," Nessa announced, clapping her hands together. "Uncle Josh is going to go find your dad, okay, guys?" 

The kids groaned, heading back downstairs, and Josh and Nessa both stared at me, searching my face for a reaction. 
"I'm fine, okay? Please just go find Bryce. I have to know if he's okay or not. I don't think that I'll sleep tonight without knowing."
"Like I said before, we're gonna find him, Kate," Josh repeated before they both left the room.
Someone had better. I didn't want to lose him.