Me: Rach?
Okay, now I’m starting to feel like my mom, panicking that she’s not okay.Pacing around my apartment does nothing to make me feel more calm.Neither does incessantly checking my phone to see that she hasn’t yet responded.
I can go over to her place and see if she’s there.Except I don’t know what apartment she’s in.What kind of friend am I?
I could go over and be like that guy from that movie who holds a boom box above his head and plays music until she comes out.Chicks seem to dig that.
Minutes tick by.No response.Then it’s an hour.Then it’s two hours.I’m going out of my mind.I haven’t eaten since the snacks on the plane.My body doesn’t know if it’s day or night.I certainly haven’t worked out today.None of that matters.
All I can do is worry that she’s not okay.I send a text to Xavier to see if Ophelia made it back home.She did.
Shit.Shit.Shit.
Out of desperation, I look up Oh Crap on ClikClak.There haven’t been any posts today.I hit the bio and follow the links to their website.There’s an emergency after-hours number.I startle when the voice is Rachel’s, only to realize it’s a recording.
"Thank you for calling Cramer-Romero Associates Pumps.You have reached the after-hours emergency line.This is for true emergencies only.If you are having a true emergency, please leave your name and number, and someone will get back to you within the hour.If it is not an emergency—in other words, if you don’t have sewage backing up into your house—please call again during normal business hours."
"Hi, this is Tyler—TJ—Doyle.I’m, uh, a friend of Rachel’s.I’m her neighbor, too.Um, well, we were just out in Vegas together.Not together-together, but she was there to see me play a game.Anyway, I haven’t been able to reach her since I got back, and now I’m worried she didn’t make it home.So, um, have you heard from her?Can someone let me know if she’s okay?Please?"
As soon as I disconnect, I feel like an absolute moron.Who calls the family business and leaves a message like that?
Chapter 29: Rachel
"Rachel, I need you to check the emergency line."
Gramps never calls me, so when he does, I know something’s wrong."What’s wrong?"I jump up off my couch, where I’ve been in an alternating state of reading and sleeping for the better part of the evening.
Jet lag sucks.
My phone has been on "Do Not Disturb," and the only reason Gramps’s call made it through is because I have three numbers that bypass that setting.Only two will ever ring my phone again.
"A call came in, and we need you to handle it."
"How am I supposed to handle it?You want me to call the guys and assemble a crew?Do you want me to video it?Why is it such an emergency?Are you sure—"
"Jesus, Rachel, just listen to the damn message."Gramps disconnects.
He didn’t have to be so snippy.
I call our number and then press the prompts that lead me to the mailbox.I’ve got a yellow legal pad and pen ready to write down details, as well as my laptop opened up.I’m ready to work.
The minute I hear Tyler’s panicked voice, the pen drops from my hand.I replay the message.And then I replay it again.I want to save it forever.
Or I could, you know, just call him back.
Indeed, there is a string of missed calls and text messages from Tyler.Whoops.
I dial his number.
"Rachel!Are you okay?"His voice is full of panic.
"Yeah, I’m fine.I hadn’t turned my notifications and ringer back on."
"I’m so sorry I didn’t check in sooner.I stayed up the entire flight back working on editing videos, and then I crashed.Like, I was so out of it.I woke up, and I couldn’t get a hold of you, and I didn’t know if you were safe—"
"TJ.Tyler, stop.Take a breath.I’m fine.I get it.That flight was brutal."I want to mention that we didn’t get much sleep the night before either, but I promised him it would stay in Vegas.I won’t even mention it.He doesn’t need to know I’ve been obsessing about our time together.I made a promise to him, and I’m going to keep it."What do you mean you didn’t sleep?"
"I’m an idiot.Everyone’s already told me that."
