Feelings of Grandeur
Christian “Chris” Louies jerked awake from her drunken slumber as her phone buzzed to life with its shrill ringtone. Not for the first time, she cursed her aching mind, blaming the copious amounts of alcohol consumed the night before. Hangovers were the worse. She finally grabbed the phone after what was probably the fifth attempt at calling, and stared at the small front screen, distantly recognizing the number displayed. She grunted and flipped it open, an insult on the tip of her tongue.
“Oi, who—”
“Chris!” The voice sounded on the other end. “Is that you?”
“Who is this?” The person seemed almost desperate, though she couldn’t quite tell from the phone’s static.
“Chris, it’s Laura.”
“How’d you get this number?” She half slurred in confusion.
“Jona gave it to me.”
“Ugh.” Two years and her best friend had finally given up on her, it seems. “Well, you can tell Jona she owes me for the new number. Last thing I need is Gray call—”
“Chris.” The woman on the other end was sharp, and Chris had to roll her eyes, ready and waiting for the speech on respect and what not.
“I’m not calling that liar, Mo—”
“Gray collapsed.”
“—m. What?”
“The drugs, they finally got to her. After you left, she fell apart. I tried but… but…” A warble interrupted the woman.
“Laura?” Gray was one of the strongest people she knew. Drugs? As if. Gray would never… she wouldn’t…
“She collapsed. I… They said she had been unconscious for sometime before I found her. She had a head wound. Chris… You need to come home.”
“I—I don’t think…”
“There’s more. Chris, I’m not allowed to see her right now.”
“Is she not out of the clear?” Chris tried desperately to wipe away the fog hanging over her eyes. Water, that’s what she needed, something to get rid of this hangover. She winced as she stubbed her toe I the dark.
“I don’t know. No one will tell me anything anymore, not since he arrived.”
“He?” Gray didn’t like men. She hated most of them. Even the few times she tried to date always ended up in disaster. And if drugs had been involved, perhaps it was.
“Some guy showed up, waving papers around. He silenced the doctors. They won’t even tell us what’s going on now.”
“What kind of papers?”
“I don’t know. Apparently, he’s her emergency contact or something? The only person they’re allowing in right now is next of kin and this man.”
“I—”
“Please, Chris. No matter what happened between you two, she’s still your mother. And this guy, I don’t know, he seems… He seems odd.”
“Odd?”
“Chris… I think it might be your father.”
She froze at the words. “What did you say?”
“He said… some things. He also asked about you, seemed worried. Asked if you were going to be contacted as well, seemed happy when no one could find your current number. Jona gave it to me a few minutes ago. I’ve been calling ever since.”
“Is there any proof that he’s my… dad?” The word was unfamiliar to her lips.
“Just a hunch.” She was leaving something out.
Drugs and a possible father, something Chris never knew she’d have to worry about from the once great Gray. It was almost funny, the way she had once told Chris that her paths would lead to her becoming a loose woman, but look who had the upper hand now. “Ha. Haha…. Ha.” Why was she crying?
“Chris? Are you there?”
“Yeah.” She had asked about her father a million times and had never been given an answer. Now an answer stood before her. Well, stood almost halfway across the globe. “Um. I—A last-minute plane ticket costs a lot. It might take a couple of days.”
“I can wire you the money. I’ll call my bank now. Just… please. I know you two fell apart, but… she’s still your mother. And my best friend.”
“I’ll be there soon.” She supposed she did owe Gray for raising her. Even if she had thrown it all away in the end, over something as stupid as a shitty necklace.
“Thank you.” The line cut, and Chris dropped the phone down as she fell back into a chair. It took everything she had to escape Gray last time… did she really have the courage to do it again? Damn it, she’d have to call her job and hope she wouldn’t be fired.