Grace's POV
That night, Chester didn't come to bed. I woke up startled to find that he wasn't in bed, but I calmed myself with the assumption that he had slept on the couch or maybe even in Sophie's room. I had calmed down from last night and was ready to apologise and make amends.
I pushed aside the covers and sleepily rubbed my eyes as I walked into the living room. I looked around, but Chester wasn't there, nor were there signs of him having entered the kitchen.
"He must be with one of the girls." I thought as I skipped up the stairs to Sophie's room. I poked my head in around the door, but only Sophie was there, still fast asleep like a little angel.
My heart started to race. I moved quickly to Charlotte's room, but Chester wasn't there either. I began running all around the house and frantically searching in the smallest places, as if somehow he would fit in them and hide away, as if this was all some sort of pretend game.
"Chester?" I called, the panic rising in my voice. "Chester? Where are you?"
My eyes filled with tears are I realised he wasn't here. I hadn't meant for anything to go this far. I was just hurt by his comments, I didn't want him to leave.
I sat down on the floor, at the foot of my bed and bit my lip to prevent myself from bawling. I looked down at my feet, which were blurry due to film of tears across my eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.
"Mommy?" A little voice spoke quietly. I looked up and spotted Sophie, standing at the doorway.
"Hey baby." I whispered, as my voice quivered. She tilted her head in confusion, but walked over to me anyway. I opened my arms and she climbed onto my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck, nuzzling her head into my shoulder. I held her close to me as I forced my tears away, but they managed to slip down my cheek anyway. Sophie pulled away as she felt a tear on her cheek.
"Why are you crying?" She wiped a tear from my eye with her tiny finger. I couldn't help but smile at her attempts at comforting me.
I stroked her little hand as I bit my lip, holding back an answer and all my tears.
"Where's Daddy?" She asked innocently.
"I don't know, Sophie.." I turned her head back on my shoulder and held her tight so she wouldn't see the tears which now rolled freely down my face.
Hours later, Charlotte, Sophie and I were still in our pyjamas. Charlotte lay on her baby mat, entertained by the bouncing toys above her, whilst Sophie and I lay nearby her, mindlessly colouring in a page of her activity book. I mainly just watched the two, gnawing at hangnail on my thumb. I couldn't keep my mind off of Chester and where he could be.
Suddenly, I heard my phone ringing. I had sent Chester several messages and now hoped it was him calling to tell me he had just gone to get groceries.
As I reached the phone and checked the caller ID, my heart sank. It was Mamrie.
"Hello?" I chocked back my tears.
"Hey Helbig." She paused. "You okay?"
I couldn't hold it back anymore. I sobbed softly into the phone. "No. No, I'm not."
"Hey, don't cry, Gracie. I'm coming over, alright? Just hang tight."
"O-okay." I stuttered.
Before I could even process what was happening, there was a knock at my door and the familiar red head was standing at my doorstep with a concerned frown on her face.
"What's the deal?" Mamrie asked as she took me in her arms and patted my back.
"C-Chester's gone." I spoke into her shoulder.
"Gone? What do you mean gone? He can't just disappear for no reason." Mamrie lead me to the couch, where the girls were.
"Hey girlies." She cooed and Sophie wiggled her fingers back at her.
"We had an argument last night and when I woke up, he wasn't anywhere to be found. I called him several times and he's just not responding." My crying had calmed down, I was just struggling to breathe as I spoke.
"Calm down, Gracie. I'm sure he's just clearing his head." Mamrie held me in her arms like a little girl.
"You think so?" I looked up at her with hopeful eyes.
"Yeah, don't stress. I'll chill with you until you feel better, okay?" She patted my shoulder.
"You're the best, Mames." I gave her a small grin.
"Mommy?" Sophie stood up and leaned against the couch we were sitting on.
"Mhmm?" I tucked her hair behind her tiny pixie-like ears.
"Where's Daddy? I want Daddy." She look at me with her large, round blue eyes.
"Me too, peanut. Me too." I leaned over and pulled her onto my lap and kissed her forehead.
