As Gabriella stepped away to answer her phone, Levi suddenly remembered something urgent and excused himself from the table as well. "I'll be right back, Dad," he said, his eyes darting towards the lobby where Gabriella had disappeared.
I watched as he quickly got up and followed in his mother's footsteps, leaving me alone with Jacob. Jacob, oblivious to the subtle tension that had settled over the table, continued to regale me with stories of happy memories, his eyes shining with excitement.
But my mind was elsewhere, my thoughts consumed by wonderings about what was unfolding beyond the table. Who was Gabriella talking to? Was everything okay? And what had prompted Levi's sudden departure?
I tried to maintain a facade of interest, nodding and smiling at Jacob's tales, but my heart wasn't in it. My attention was split between the conversation at hand and the mysterious phone call that had interrupted our evening.
Jacob, sensing my distraction, began to slow down, his stories trailing off as he gazed at me with a questioning look. "Dad, are you okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
I forced a reassuring smile, trying to shake off the unease that had settled over me. "Yeah, buddy, I'm fine," I replied, my voice a little too hearty. "Just enjoying the evening."
Jacob's eyes lingered on mine, searching for any sign of deception, but I kept my expression steady, not wanting to alarm him. Finally, he seemed to accept my reassurance and returned to his story, his words filling the silence that had fallen over the table.
But my mind continued to wander, my thoughts oscillating between Gabriella's phone call and Levi's sudden departure. What was going on? And how would it impact our evening, our anniversary celebration? The food on my plate, once savory and inviting, now seemed tasteless and unappetizing, my appetite lost in the midst of this growing unease.
Moments later, Levi returned to the table, his eyes red and puffy, tears streaming down his cheeks. My heart skipped a beat as I took in the sight of my son's distress. I immediately sprang into action, tossing the towel on the table and rushing to Levi's side.
"Levi, what's wrong? What happened?" I asked, my voice laced with concern as I wrapped my arms around him in a comforting embrace.
But Levi just shook his head, his body trembling with sobs. "We need to leave, Dad. We need to leave now," he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.
I hesitated, unsure of what was happening. "What's going on, Levi? We can't just leave without your mom," I reasoned, trying to keep my voice calm.
But Levi just continued to cry, his body shaking with convulsive sobs. Jacob, sensing something was amiss, got up from his seat and joined us, his eyes wide with worry.
"Levi, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Jacob asked, his voice filled with concern.
But Levi refused to answer, his tears flowing unchecked. I tried to console him, speaking softly and stroking his hair, but he just pushed me away, his eyes pleading with me to take him away from the restaurant.
The scene was starting to attract attention from the other diners, their curious gazes fixed on our little family drama. I felt a surge of embarrassment and worry, unsure of what was happening or how to fix it.
"Levi, please tell me what's wrong," I begged, trying to keep my voice low and soothing.
But Levi just continued to cry, his body wracked with sobs. I looked at Jacob, hoping he might have some insight, but Jacob just shook his head, his eyes filled with worry.
As the standoff continued, Gabriella finally returned to the table, her eyes scanning the scene before her. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice sharp with concern.
But Levi just continued to cry, his tears flowing unchecked. I looked at Gabriella, hoping she might have some answers, but she just shook her head, her eyes filled with worry.
As the tension continued to build, I knew we needed to get out of there, to find some privacy and figure out what was happening. I nodded to Gabriella, and together we managed to coax Levi out of the restaurant, his tears still flowing unchecked.
As we drove home, the atmosphere in the car was tense and somber. Levi sat in the backseat, his eyes fixed on the window, his gaze distant and unresponsive. He didn't utter a word, his silence deafening. I could see the pain and devastation etched on his face, his eyes red and puffy from crying.
I tried to reach out to him, to offer some comfort and reassurance, but he just shook me off, his body language screaming "leave me alone." I felt a surge of worry and concern, my mind racing with questions. What had happened to my boy? Why was he so broken and devastated?
Jacob, sensing the tension, tried to lighten the mood with some jokes. He cracked a few humorous remarks, trying to get a smile out of us. Gabriella laughed and played along, trying to keep the night alive. But I couldn't join in, my focus solely on Levi.
I kept glancing back at him, trying to get him to talk, to open up about what was bothering him. But he just wouldn't budge. His silence was like a wall, impenetrable and unyielding. I felt a sense of helplessness, not knowing how to reach my son, how to fix whatever was broken inside him.
As the ride continued, the silence became more and more oppressive. Gabriella's laughter and Jacob's jokes seemed forced, a desperate attempt to paper over the cracks. But I knew that Levi's pain was real, that something was seriously wrong.
I reached out again, trying to put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged me off. "Levi, please talk to me," I begged, my voice barely above a whisper. "What's going on? What's wrong?"
But he just kept staring out the window, his eyes fixed on some distant point, his face a mask of sorrow and despair. I felt a lump form in my throat, my heart aching with worry and concern.
What was happening to my boy? Why wouldn't he talk to me? The questions swirled in my mind like a vortex, pulling me down into a sea of uncertainty and fear.