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“Thank you, little bird.” He wraps his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me close to him, kissing me. “I’ll be back later tonight.”
Then he leaves, and only once he is gone do I realize the gravity of what he is about to do. He does not know his uncle very well, but family is family, and going after his uncle is going to cause agreat disruption in the entire mafia family. His uncle made the first move, though, so he is justified; I just hope everything goes according to whatever plan he has pieced together.
The morning drags by, and I don’t hear from him. I try to read, and I try to watch a movie. I sit out on the balcony, and I try to enjoy the beautiful views. But inside, I'm a knot of anxiety, worried and tense, waiting to hear from Antonio. I just want to know that he is ok. I become more and more fidgety, pacing around the hotel room, like a caged animal, trapped and agitated.
I can’t take it anymore, and even though I don’t want to interrupt him, I call him.
The phone rings for ages, and he does not answer.
This makes my stomach tighten, the knot inside me growing larger.
I bite my lower lip and dial again.
Again, he does not answer.
He is busy or not in a position to answer his phone. I can’t overthink this.
But then I'm pacing again. If I could just go out and walk around, I might feel better, but I told him I wouldn’t leave.
When it grows dark outside, after the sun has set, and the day is over, and I have dialed his number more times than I can count without getting through to him, I'm past the point of being able to placate myself. I can’t just sit here anymore.
But who do I call? What can I do?
The only number I have is Kalo’s, and that will not get me very far at all.
What if he needs my help? What if something has happened to him?
I do my best to wait it out, but around one in the morning, I'm in such a state of worry that waiting is no longer an option.
My father is the only person I know who has a connection to Antonio’s family and the mafia, and that is where I'm going to go. Maybe he knows something. Maybe he heard something, or maybe he has someone he can call to find out for me.
I grab my handbag and rush out of the hotel to wave down a taxi. We drive through the city. The streets are still busy with the people who prefer the night.
In the back of the taxi, I'm plagued by dark thoughts about what has happened and where Antonio is. I don’t know what I would do if I lost him. Somehow, he has become such a large part of my life that the thought of being without him terrifies me.
The taxi pulls to a stop outside my father’s house. I pay the fee and climb out, rushing up to the front door.
The lights are still on inside despite it being so late. I knock and wait.
The door pulls open, and my father’s surprised face greets me.
“Seraphina, is everything alright?” he asks, with worry in his voice.
“Actually, not really. Can I come in?”
He steps aside to let me into his home.
“Can I make you some tea?” he asks. I nod and follow him into the kitchen.
I wait while he works, unable to start a feeble conversation about the weather, but not wanting to dive straight into a heavy conversation about Antonio being unreachable.
My father carries the tea through to his living room, and we sit down on his old sofas.
“Why don’t you tell me what is bothering you, Seraphina?” he asks.
"Antonio's gone. He figured out who took his friend and went after him. But something went wrong, and his friend was killed.This morning, Antonio found out who masterminded the whole thing that led to Kalo's death. He said he was going to deal with it and left the hotel. But he hasn't come back yet. He promised he'd stay in touch, but I haven't gotten a call or message since he left."
“Have you tried to call him?”
