radicalducati IN DISTRESS
IN DISTRESS
Antonio stood in his balcony, his phone in hand, as he stared at it, dying to see the call answered. His mind was like a storm of worry and confusion, his thoughts circling Angela. He had tried to call her multiple times, his messages growing increasingly frantic as the hours passed. Each unanswered call only fueled his anxiety, as he wondered why she wasn't responding, where she could be, and if she were safe? What if this was related to the strange call asking him to meet up? He was breaking down and suffocating with worry.
As the minutes turned into hours, Antonio's worry gave way to frustration, then anger. Why was she doing this to him? She had read his message then why is she not replying if she is safe? Suddenly, his mind raced with possibilities, as he thought of someone he could call to find out more about Angela's whereabouts. Her friend? Her sister Kerry? Or her brother Jace? Definitely Jace, however, he knew that if Angela wasn't answering her own phone, she might have told Jace not to tell him anything and if she wasn't with her family at the moment. His call would only alert the teenager, and he would rather not worry him unnecessarily. Angela is all that Jace and the twin nieces depend on. He thought about calling Angela's sister, but he knew that she would not give him any helpful answer.
Antonio walked restlessly back to his room and dropped on a sofa in silence, head buried in his palms, his mind still reeling. After a few minutes, he finally reached a decision. He would call Jace. After all, he is the only one who could actually know Angela's whereabouts, someone that could help him understand what was going on with Angela. He picked up his phone, his hand shaking slightly, and dialed Jace's number. He had never felt so anxious making a phone call before. The first call went unanswered, as did the second and third. Antonio felt his frustration mounting, his heart racing with each unanswered ring. “Come on kid, pick up!”
Finally, on his fourth attempt, Jace answered the call. Jace had suspected something must be wrong for Antonio to call his phone. “Jace, it's Antonio. I've been trying to reach Angela all day, and she hasn't answered any of my calls. Is everything okay with her?” Antonio blurted out, his voice betraying his mounting anxiety. Jace paused for a moment, the silence on the other end of the line sending a chill down Antonio's spine. Did I frighten him? I hope I did not make matters worse?
“I don't want to worry you, Jace, but I'm really concerned about Angela, I am sure she's okay, it's just that I haven't been able to reach her on the phone,” Antonio said, his voice strained. Jace finally found his voice. “She left this morning, didn't say where, and she hasn't been back since. And…she seemed really distracted, like her mind was elsewhere before she left.”
Antonio took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "Listen, Jace, I don't want you to worry. I'm sure everything is fine." Antonio continued, trying to reassure Jace, even though he could feel the heavy breathing from his own nostrils. He was panicking. He was sure Jace could hear it too, it was so loud and embarrassing. “I'm going to keep trying to reach Angela, okay? Maybe she just got busy and lost track of time. But if you hear from her, please let me know.” Antonio continued.
Jace's voice softened slightly. “Yeah…sure. And…look, I don't mean to sound nosy or anything, but I don't think she will ignore your calls if you guys didn't have any fight before now.”
“I have never said this to anyone but trust me Jace, I kept my promise, I never hurt Angela, I am so confused right now…you have to believe me.” Jace let out a sigh. “I trust you… I will call her and see what happened.”
"Thanks, Jace. I will also appreciate it if you get back to me as soon as possible, I love her man. I am distressed.”
As Antonio and Jace spoke, a cacophony of giggles and squeals erupted in the background. “Uncle Charming! Uncle Charming!” the twins' voices shouted in delight. Jace sighed loudly. “Sorry about that. The little monsters won't let you go until you give them some attention.” Antonio smiled, feeling a brief respite from his worries. “They really are little monsters, aren't they? Hey, put them on the phone for a second, will you?”
Jace's chuckle carried through the phone. “Sure.” There was a brief rustling sound, and then a small, excited voice piped up. “Uncle Charming! We miss you!” one of the twins cried. “When are you coming to play with us again?”
Antonio couldn't help but smile again, this time broad. “Well, it's been too long since I've seen my little princesses, hasn't it?” He teased them. “You left this morning and promised to be back!” Lia snapped, taking over the phone from Liya. “How about I come over this evening, and maybe go see a new Disney animation movie together?”
The twins squealed in delight at the prospect. “Yes! Yes! Can we watch the movie with popcorn?” Lia asked. Antonio chuckled. “Of course, we can watch it with popcorn! And perhaps some ice cream too.”
“Ice cream? Yay!” they exclaimed in unison, their voices carrying through the phone. “How about I pick up some pizza for dinner, too?” Antonio added, feeling his spirits lift slightly.
The twins' excitement was palpable as they continued to chatter into the phone, their enthusiasm infectious. “Pizza? Yum!” they exclaimed, their giggles filling the air.
“Looks like you've got two little groupies here, Mr. Antonio.” Jace's voice sounded in the background. Antonio's smile broadened. “Well, I'm honored to have such dedicated fans,” he said, his voice lighthearted. “You better come visit soon, Uncle Charming!” the twins shouted, their voices echoing through the phone. “We love you!”
Antonio chuckled. “I love you two too. And I'll see you very soon, okay?”
“Okay!” they exclaimed in unison, their joy palpable even through the phone line. Jace's voice returned, slightly muffled, as he spoke to the twins. “Alright, you two, say goodbye to him now. He's got important things to do.”
“Bye, Uncle Charming!" the twins called out in unison, their voices barely distinguishable from one another's. Antonio laughed and waved his hand even though they couldn't see him. “Bye, girls. I'll talk to you soon.”
The line went quiet for a moment as Jace stepped back onto the phone. That was the most normal phone call he ever had, it's actually like he had a family, people who cared so much for him….he was actually loved. He felt his eyes wet. Suddenly Jace's voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Thanks for indulging them, Antonio. They're a handful sometimes, I am happy to see you get along so well with them, you really have changed.” Antonio's face went pale with self-awareness. “You are right, it's all because of Angela… I could feel emotions, and I am not furiously fucking a blonde right now”. He laughed in tears. “Dude you should work on your perverted mind”. Jace snapped in disgust.