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A man answers the call instead. “Yes. Who is this?”
Rian is startled by the unexpected angry voice on the other end, but quickly gets his shit together and says, “I’m Brandon’s dad, Rian. I’m calling to confirm a playdate with Toby and Stephanie this Saturday. I can call later if—”
“Are you fucking her?”
The venom in the man’s voice surprises Rian. He briefly swerves into the other lane, but quickly recovers and pulls up to a bus stop, taking the phone off Bluetooth. He scrambles out of the car.
“Who is this? Is this Colton? My kid is in the car, you moron. No, I am not … doing anything with Stephanie other than occasionally taking the kids to the park. Why would you even assume that?”
The silence that follows unsettles him further. He forces himself to calm his voice. Make it small and non-threatening. Just like when he talks to his husband. “I would like to speak to Stephanie, please.”
The call cuts off. When he dials Stephanie’s number frantically several times over, every single consecutive call goes straight to voice mail. He panics and calls 911. It is humiliating, trying to explain why he assumes that someone not taking his call should warrant a visit by the police.
He tries to calmly relay what had rattled him so much about the incident, but his plea is ignored. He is told not to prank call the emergency number again. Yes, Rian is fully aware he sounds crazy. There is a tiny voice in his head telling him he is being ridiculous. He is overreacting. He is projecting. He is embarrassing himself.
But that voice sounds awfully like the voice of his own husband, hence why Rian ignores it completely. Something is reallyoff. Ri is sure of it. What is he supposed to do? He’s never been in this position before.
He paces outside the car anxiously until Brandon squeals. Rian gets back in the vehicle and buckles his seatbelt. He looks over his shoulder at his son.
“What do you think, buddy? Should we go check on Toby and his mom? You know, Just in case…”
Upon hearing Toby’s name, Bran grins and reaches out with gimme hands. “Done deal, partner.” Rian drives off with a sigh.
He feels extremely uneasy pulling up to Stephanie’s luxurious home minutes later. The house is dark, even though it’s dusk outside. He leaves the motor running and decides against taking Bran out of his car seat, opting to park right at the stairs leading up to the front door.
Suddenly, he feels like a complete idiot. For all he knows, Colton could have been digging in Stephanie’s bag and picked up her phone when he called, and like a petty shit, had simply turned it off.
Is he blowing this whole thing out of proportion just because he has made it up in his mind that Stephanie might be in trouble, because…well, because he is?
Rian pushes his doubts to the side and knocks on the door. Nothing happens at first so he rings the doorbell that echoes cringingly loud throughout the seemingly empty home.
Quick steps are fast approaching the door.
Fuck.Well, if he is wrong, he will apologize profusely and pretend he is there to check about their playdate and that’s all.
Stephanie answers the door and the look in her red-rimmed eyes instantly reassures him, he has been right on the money. He would have rather been wrong.
She sucks in a ragged breath, and her horrified expression tells him that the situation he has just willingly involved himself into is still ongoing.
Rian whispers, “Are you alright? Should I call the cops?”
She shakes her head and mouthsThank you.No.
They stand there pinned to the ground. Steph doesn’t tell him to go. The urgency of the situation only grows as shuffling steps become louder and louder, announcing the approach of her husband. She takes a deep breath, and finally mouthsplease go,then says out loud,“I’m sorry but Toby isn’t feeling well. I think it’s best we don’t meet up for our play date tomorrow.”
“Who is it, Stephanie?” Colton yells angrily from somewhere closer to the front door.
“It’s just Rian, darling.” Her voice wavers and she stifles a sob.
Rian impulsively reaches for her trembling hand and squeezes it in his. Her fingers tighten around his briefly.
Stephanie shakes him off abruptly, moments before Colton yanks the front door wide open and grabs his wife’s elbow, dragging her roughly back inside.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing in my house?” he hisses, getting in Rian’s face.
Well, he tries to, however, he fails miserably. Rian is a head taller than the stocky angry man who is jabbing a finger into his chest, attempting to intimidate him.
If the situation wasn’t so completely out of hand, he might have chuckled at the pocket-sized moron, who clearly has some airs of grandeur.
