Make It or Break It

Chapter Twenty-Three: Taking Chances

Fernando didn't sleep that night as he tried to ignore the horrible feeling that something had happened to Riley and Aiden.

It certainly didn't help that his mother had turned up early that morning and was thrilled that the brunette was nowhere to be seen and hadn't come home that night.

Flori hadn't been prepared for her son's attitude towards her or the guilt she felt at his words; she knew that she had been hard on the brunette but she wasn't good enough for Fernando.

"How can you not care, a young woman and her child are missing, and it's your fault, if something's happened to them... I'll never forgive you," Fernando had spat at her when she had told him about one of his friend's daughters who was single.

Flori now sat quietly in the living room while her husband sat beside her, she watched as her son paced the room as if waiting for Riley to walk back into the house.

"He's just upset," José said to her as he tried to comfort her while Fernando ignored his parents, he knew his son was hurting and he was sure when he had calmed down that he would apologise to his mother.

Flori sat quietly and shook her head, she hadn't been given the poor girl a chance and now she was missing; if something had happened to Riley and her son then she was to blame.

"He's right... I was a little harsh with her," Flori whispered knowing that she had been far too interested in making her son happy that she couldn't see that he had been.

Fernando was so different with Riley than he had been with Olalla that Flori had a feeling that if she didn't do something then she would lose her son.

Nora was sitting quietly on the couch, she didn't want to play in her room; she wanted to know why her new mother and brother weren't here.

They all looked at the front door as the doorbell rang, Fernando couldn't stop himself from moving to pull the door open; he prayed that it was Riley and that she and Aiden were safe.

Flori clutched her husband's hand as she watched her son; she prayed to god that this was the young woman and her child.

"Mr Torres?" a man asked making the colour drain from Fernando's face as he looked at the police officer that stood at his front door; he felt horror fill him wondering what had happened to his girlfriend and her son.

Flori felt tears fill her eyes, as the police officer stepped inside, she regretted treating the poor woman the way she had; and now she knew Fernando would never forgive her.

The officer cleared his throat as the footballer looked at him, he didn't want to believe it, and he couldn't; Riley and Aiden were coming home safe, they had to.

"I was informed that a Ms. Montez was staying here," the officer said carefully making Fernando nodded, his throat dry and his knees feeling weak at what he could be told next about his girlfriend.

The Officer raised an eyebrow at Fernando who looked like he was about to pass out, he didn't know why the footballer looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Is everything alright Mr Torres?" the policeman asked as José moved to make his son sit down before he collapsed, he needed to be strong no matter what he was told next.

Flori couldn't stop the tears from falling, as she moved closer to Fernando who was quick to shrug her off.

"Is she alright?" José asked knowing that his son wasn't in his right mind and that his wife was going to pieces; however the officer looked amused as he realised what the family before him must have been thinking.