NOT GIVING UP ON FOREVER

Chapter 82

There was nothing from Randall. Nothing at all. No messages, no missed calls. Nothing.

Only the realization of this brought a fresh wave of tears to Anna. He was not online for two days, according to the messenger. Now he was off, and panic engulfed her. She texted him, asking him where he was and how he was, and begging him to answer.

One missed call and one message came from Teo: "Did you make it?" She wrote that the flight went well, she was at home and not fired.

Indeed, from Mark was if not a million, then a good dozen messages. He wondered if she'd flown to Milan, where she was, why she wasn't answering, what was going on, how and when she'd finally get back to Mining, and if he should call the police.

Without a moment's hesitation, Anna dialed Mark's number. But a girl, whose voice Anna immediately recalled, picked up the phone.

"Well?" the lady wondered in a provocative tone.

"I need to talk to Mark. My name is Anna. I'm an old friend of his. Um... I flew back from Milan."

"And?"

"And I need to talk to him!" Anna said and swore under her breath, shocked by the girl's haughty tone.

"Mark isn't home," the girl said irritably.

"Where is he?"

"Left."

"Where?"

"What do you care?"

"Oh, come on!" Anna shouted. "Are you that insecure that you would pour water for half an hour to get rid of me as if it would help to keep Mark under your skirt?"

They hung up.

"What a sheep!" Anna reacted loudly. "I'll talk to him anyway. Where had he found her?"

Anna began to copy and paste messages to all her friends who worried about her, telling her how she liked Milan, that she had forgotten her phone at home, that everything was fine and how thrilled she was, and that life was beautiful. Universal messages to calm down and cheer up.

Then she telephoned her mother, and after a half-hour's tirade of reproaches, chatted with her for three and a half hours more, telling her the details of her journey.

Elena ooh-ed and aah-ed, commented and joked, and Anna felt infinitely calm at heart that she was at home. That she could again hear her mother's voice, that tomorrow she would begin her pleasant working days, hoping that fate, in which she so believed, would put everything in its place.