When Charlie didn't show up to work on Tuesday and I saw Nathaniel moping around at lunch, I figured something had gone on with them at home. I didn't ask, feeling as though I wasn't quite close enough to the family to go prying just yet.
On Wednesday, I was halfway through my second-last class of the day when a yell echoed from the corridor and my students looked up in surprise. When the yelling continued, I moved from my desk to the door, pulling it open to find Nathaniel in a heated argument with his other dad, Ben.
"Nathaniel? Ben? What's going on?"
"Mr Nelson, can you make him leave, please? I don't want to see him." Nathaniel begged, coming over to me. I looked between the two of them in surprise.
"Um..."
"Please?"
"Don't worry. I'm leaving. Nathaniel, please tell Charlie to call me." Ben huffed and stalked off. I was left standing in the hallway with an increasingly distressed Nathaniel.
"What's happened, Nathaniel? Do you need me to call your dad?"
"No. I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It's just tough at home right now."
"Okay." I laid a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at me. "If you want someone to talk to, I'm happy to listen."
"Thanks, Mr Nelson." Nathaniel half smiled at me and turned away. I watched him go, more confused than I had been.
Heading back into my classroom, I made a mental note to call Charlie that night and check what was happening. It was my job to ensure all my students were safe and happy at school. And Nathaniel was one of my students, not directly, but he attended the school so it still counted.
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Charlie didn't answer his phone, despite my calling him four times so, after dinner, while Imogen was putting Abby to bed, I grabbed my car keys.
"Imogen?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm heading out for a bit. I shouldn't be too long."
"Where are you going?" Imogen stuck her head out from the bathroom to look at me.
"To Charlie's. Something's up with him and he's not answering my calls. I just want to check that he's okay."
"You're a good friend, Nick. You know where he lives?"
"Yeah. I, uh, looked it up in the student files."
"Student files? He's a teacher."
"His son; Nathaniel, is a student there."
"Oh yeah. Well, give him my best wishes for whatever it is to be over."
"Will do. Love you, Imogen." I kissed her briefly before turning on my heel and heading out to the car.
"Love you, baby." She called behind me. I smiled to myself as I pulled out into the driveway, the sound of Abby's giggles still echoing in my ears. She'd been in a cheeky mood all afternoon and when Imogen took her into the bathroom for her bath, she decided to turn our bathroom floor into a shallow pool with her splashing.
It didn't take me long to find Charlie's house, the windows blackened except one on the second story. I grabbed my phone and tucked it into my back pocket as I made my way across the front lawn. After ringing the doorbell, I waited for a few moments before finally Nathaniel yanked the door open.
