Chapter 59
Victor
He’s gone. Tyson’s words are repeating over and over in my head. “No.” He’s wrong. I’ll call Cookie right now and prove it. “Where’s my phone?” I start frantically looking for my cell. Where the fuck did I leave it?
“Vic,” I hear Ty call my name as I run into the dining room to see if I left my phone on the table. Ignoring him, I continue looking; he’s wrong. Shit, there it is! I grab my phone off the table. “Vic,” Ty followed me into the dining room, Emma and Gabbi’s wails muted by the wall.
It rings…one…twice...voicemail. FUCK. I’ll just try again.
Ringing once…Emma and Gabbi stumble their way into the dining room, Gabbi holding Emma up on shaky legs.
Ty’s tears are flowing heavily down his face.
They’re all staring at me with sadness, possibly pity.
I press call again for the sixth time, hear that digital ring once…
twice…voicemail. Dropping my phone away from my ear, I end the call.
Staring at the device in my hand, my screen starts to blur.
I can feel the tears welling, and let my hand fall to my side, phone still attached.
“Vic, baby?” Gabbi calls me softly. All I can do is shake my head.
“No, Gabbi. You don’t understand. It has to be a mistake.” My voice heavy and cracking. Ty takes Emma from Gabbi’s arms. I lift my head to look at my wife and see her slowly approaching me. My chest is starting to collapse. I can feel the tightening. This can’t be right.
Gabbi reaches me and wraps her arms around me, her cheek against my chest. I can feel her shaking. With my arms wrapped around her, I raise my phone, reluctant to do the one thing that may make all of this true.
Gabbi feels me move and turns so she can see the screen of the phone with me. I click on the voicemail screen, seeing one voicemail from D. Gabbi looks up at me and meets my eyes before I look back to the screen and press play on speaker. We all hold our breaths.
D’s breaths are heavy, and his voice is cracking. He’s crying. He sounds like he’s trying to hold himself together, but it’s barely working.
Vic…um…hey man…I’ve tried calling a fuck ton of times, where the fuck are you?
I…um…I didn’t want to do this over voicemail, but I need you to know…
it’s about Cookie. Fuck, I don’t even know what I am doing.
SHIT! … I’m gonna call Ty and see if he can find you…
Fucking call me, man. We all need to…damnit… FUCK…just call me.
I can feel my heart shatter into pieces. My knees buckle, and I see the floor rising toward me quickly. Pain reverberates through my body when my knees hit, and I feel Gabbi sink to the floor with me.
He’s gone.