I should have believed him. I should have fucking believed him.

Two months ago we had this conversation. It was the first time Peter told me he had any suspicions.

“Ames?” He politely asked at the breakfast table.

“Yeah bud?” I asked about to fill my mouth with pancakes and strawberries.

Timidly, he uttered, “Is there a ‘Suit Man’ living in our neighborhood?”

“Huh,” I said with my mouth full, “I mean yeah probably. There are a lot of other families in this neighborhood. I’m sure there’s at least one guy around here who needs to sport a suit for work, ya know?” I continued to shovel my breakfast a little quicker now as the time inched closer for me to catch the school bus.

“Even guys who wear purple and yellow striped suits?” Peter glared at me this time when he asked that. His eyes were almost looking desperate, like he needed my validation.

I wanted to reassure him. Peter was only 7 and didn’t know what to make of the world. I stopped my breakfast and smiled, “I mean, it’s a little eccentric for a suit, but it’s very plausible for a man to be wearing something like that and live in our neighborhood. You have no reason to be stressed, bud. People wear weird stuff all the time. Even you!” I pointed to his bright aqua pajamas decorated with clown prints and primary colored polka dots. His hair was comically flowing every direction since he was fresh out of bed. “I mean, looking at ya now, you look pretty ridiculous!” I chuckled.

Peter pouted and sloppily fixed his hair. “Okay,” he said defeated.

I kissed him on the head and left for school. Peter followed me to the window to wave goodbye as I hopped on the bus. But I noticed, right before I got on, he didn’t seem to be waving at me. His gaze was averted to what almost seemed to be right next to me. I didn’t think much of it when I left.

“I guess he has an imaginary friend,” I said to myself.

But for the rest of those two months, Peter tried to get me to see the “Suit Man.” One day, we were out to get groceries at the convenient store down the road. I was about to grab some mac and cheese when I felt a soft tug on my sleeve.

“Turn around,” Peter whispered.

“Huh?” I turned immediately to see what he was talking about. But all I saw was the cashier in a grey t-shirt and jeans completely glued to his phone. “It’s just the cashier, bud.”

“Shoot,” he quietly muttered, “The ‘Suit Man’ was right next to him.”

Another time I remember him trying to catch “Suit Man,” was the day of his birthday. We threw a superhero themed party and invited all his kindergarten class. He looked so full of joy. He was so blissfully happy. As a party game, they all wanted to play ‘Eye Spy’ for a bit. I left them to it as I went to go get his birthday gifts. When I came back, arms full of boxes and bags, I heard on of Peter’s friends say, “I Spy with my little eye...something...purple and yellow!”

I set the presents down and curiously looked at Peter. To my shock, him and the entire kindergarten class, all stare at the house across the street. Peter, with no emotion, proceeds to say, “Is it the ‘Suit Man’?”

I go to the window and frantically look everywhere.

Nothing.

“Yeah but I guess he’s gone now!” Yelled Peter’s friend.

I turn back to Peter and all his friends. “So I guess everyone can see your imaginary, huh?” I asked impatiently. I regret that now but at the time, I was getting annoyed.

“I think he’s following me, even at school,” Peter quietly stated while still looking out the window.

His birthday was a week ago. I stare out the window everyday, waiting for him to come home. But more so, I’m waiting to see “Suit Man.”

Tonight, I decided to go to the house across the street. I march toward the front door of that house when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that there is something popping out of the trash can. As I turn around, to my horror I see the corner sleeve of a purple and yellow suit with a note attached. “You should have believed him.”