"Come on, Charlie. Open up for mummy"Alice said, making swooping noises as she guided a small spoon of mashed banana towards her son's mouth.Charlie, now eight months old, giggled and clapped his chubby hands, his big blue eyes - so much like Carson's - twinkling with delight. He opened his mouth wide, accepting the spoonful of banana with a happy smile."That's my good boy," Alice smiled, wiping a bit of banana from Charlie's chin. "You're getting so big!"Baby toys were scattered across the floor, and a pile of job applications littered on the coffee table. It wasn't much, but it was alot.Alice glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. She had a busy day ahead - looking at daycares, job hunting, and somehow managing to keep Charlie fed, changed, and happy through it all. Being a single mom wasn't easy, but looking at Charlie's smiling face, she knew it was worth every challenge."Alright, little man," Alice said, lifting Charlie out of his high chair. "Let's get you cleaned up
Carson:Carson stared at his phone, willing it to ring. He'd been trying Alice's number for the past hour, but it kept going straight to voicemail. With each failed attempt, his heart sank a little more."Come on, Alice," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Where are you?"He looked around his hotel room, which was a mess of clothes and papers. A half-packed suitcase lay open on the bed. Carson had never been the best at organizing, and his current emotional state wasn't helping.With a sigh, he tossed his phone onto the bed and went back to packing. As he folded a shirt (badly), his mind wandered to Alice and Charlie. His son. A little boy he'd never even met. The guilt hit him like a punch to the gut."I'm going to make this right," he said to the empty room. "I have to."Carson knew it was a long shot, but he had a plan. Alice had once mentioned that her family lived in Manchester. It wasn't much to go on, but it was a start. He'd booked a flight for the next morning, ho
Carson lay in the unfamiliar hotel bed, staring at the ceiling. The room was dark, but the glow from the street lights outside seeped through the thin curtains, casting strange shadows on the walls. He'd been trying to sleep for hours, but his mind wouldn't quiet down.He turned to look at the digital clock on the bedside table. 11:47 PM. Carson sighed. It was going to be a long night.Sitting up, he switched on the lamp. The sudden light made him squint. The room came into focus - a small, tidy space with bland hotel art on the walls and a desk in the corner. His suitcase sat unopened by the door, a reminder that he was far from home.Carson got up and walked to the window. He pulled back the curtain and looked out at the Manchester night. The city was still alive, even at this late hour. Cars moved along the streets below, their headlights cutting through the darkness. In the distance, he could see the lights of tall buildings, each one a possible home to hundreds of people. Was Ali
Alice stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down her best blouse for the hundredth time. Her stomach was doing flip-flops, a mix of excitement and nerves making her hands shake slightly."You can do this," she told her reflection, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "You've got this, Alice."From the living room, she heard Charlie's happy babbles. The sound made her smile, easing some of the tension in her shoulders. She walked out to find her son playing with his favorite stuffed elephant, drool dribbling down his chin."Oh, Charlie," Alice laughed, grabbing a tissue to wipe his face. "What am I going to do with you, huh?"Charlie responded with a toothless grin, his chubby hands reaching for her face. Alice scooped him up, breathing in his baby smell. For a moment, all her worries melted away."Wish Mommy luck, sweetie," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Today's a big day for both of us."She set Charlie back down and checked her watch. It was time to go. Alice
Today was the day. He finally had a lead on Alice's whereabouts, thanks to his sister Mia. He couldn't believe his luck when Mia called last night with the news."I found her old address in the staff records," Mia had said, her voice crackling over the phone. "It's from when she worked as a maid for us. 42 Willow Lane, Manchester."Now, as Carson stood in front of the mirror, trying to tame his bedhead, he repeated the address like a mantra. "42 Willow Lane. 42 Willow Lane."He threw on some clothes, not caring if they matched. Who cared about fashion when he was this close to finding Alice and Charlie?The hotel lobby was quiet this early in the morning. Only a sleepy-eyed receptionist and a cleaner pushing a mop bucket were around. Carson nodded to them as he rushed out, the cool morning air hitting his face.He hailed a taxi, an old black cab with a dent in the front fender. The driver, a burly man with a thick gray mustache, turned to Carson with a friendly smile."Where to, guy?"
Alice's New LifeThe alarm clock buzzed loudly, jolting Alice awake. For a moment, she felt confused, wondering why she was up so early. Then it hit her - today was her first day at the Grand Manchester Hotel."Oh my goodness," she muttered, her heart racing with excitement and nerves.She jumped out of bed, trying to be quiet so she wouldn't wake Charlie. But as she tiptoed to the bathroom, she heard a familiar gurgle from the crib."Of course you're awake, little man," Alice said, smiling as she picked up her son. "You always know when Mommy's trying to sneak around, don't you?"Charlie grinned up at her, his little hands reaching for her face. Alice's heart melted, as it did every time she looked at her baby boy."Okay, sweetie," she said, kissing his chubby cheek. "Let's get us both ready for our big day!"Getting ready with a baby was never easy, but Alice had it down to a science now. She managed to shower, dress, and do her makeup while keeping Charlie entertained with toys and
Back in London, Mr. and Mrs. MacPherson sat in their large, fancy living room. The room was quiet, but their minds were noisy with worry. They hadn't seen Carson in days, and they had no idea where he was or what he was doing."I just don't understand," Mrs. MacPherson said, twisting her pearl necklace nervously. "Why won't he tell us where he is?"Mr. MacPherson sighed, putting down the newspaper he'd been pretending to read. "I don't know, dear. But he's a grown man. We have to trust that he knows what he's doing."Mrs. MacPherson frowned. "But what if he's in trouble? What if he needs our help?"Just then, the phone rang. Mrs. MacPherson jumped up to answer it, hoping it was Carson. Her face fell when she heard Mia's voice instead."Oh, hello Mia," she said, trying not to sound disappointed. "Have you heard from your brother?"In her own apartment, Mia bit her lip. She hated lying to her parents, but she had promised Carson she wouldn't tell anyone where he was."No, Mom, I haven't
Carson was filled with hope and anxiety when he woke up.It had been a week since he put the ad in the local paper, and he has heard nothing. But today felt different somehow. He couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling that something positive was going to happen.He got dressed quickly, choosing a blue shirt that Alice had once said brought out his eyes. As he looked in the mirror, Carson barely recognized himself. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes and stubble on his chin. But there was a fire in his eyes that hadn't been there before."Today's the day," he told his reflection. "I can feel it."Carson headed down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.while he was sipping a cup of coffee, he couldn't help but overhear a conversation over the bar stand by the waitresses."Did you hear about the new Health and Wellness Coordinator?" one of the waitresses was saying. "I heard she's really good."Carson got interested in their conversation. He didn't know why, but somethi