Page 75 of Second Chance

“Shit,” Tony says again. “I’m so sorry. I—”

“Is everything all right?”

Abruptly, tears start to burn behind his eyes, in his nose. Colette and Emilio’s eyes are too heavy on him.

Tony escapes to the hallway. “Daniel’s missing.” It’s no easier for it being the third or fourth time he’s said it. “He never came home last night, and we don’t know if—the professor, the one who was killed—”

“Oh, fuck.”

Tony’s never heard Pa say the f-word. It sounds wrong. Upsetting.

“I guess I forgot to come to work with everything…”

There’s an impatient, guttural sound from the other end of the line. “You’re not coming to work today, kid. Or for the rest of the week. Stay in Rhinebeck. Do what you gotta do. Your ma’ll be there soon.”

“She doesn’t have to—”

“She’ll be there soon.”

Tony doesn’t bother trying to protest.

Returning to the kitchen, Tony tells Colette, “I have to get back to the apartment, my parents…”

She nods. “We should probably be there, anyway. In case he comes back. Or the police do.”

Tony gives Emilio a once-over, still slumped on the kitchen chair with deep bags under his eyes, listening to their every word. “You got a laptop you can bring, Mr. IT expert?”

Emilio looks up, shocked.

“C’mon, man. You gotta get out of this house for a bit. Anyway, if you did do it, better we keep an eye on you, huh?”

Colette gives him a look, but Tony meets her gaze, defiant. Emilio knows what they’re thinking anyway. They can at least give him the respect of saying it out loud.

“Such a soft touch,” she mutters. “Just like Daniel.”

They wait around for as long as it takes Emilio to find his laptop and charger, to put on shoes and a clean T-shirt. Colette even lets him sit in the front as they drive back to Rhinebeck.

Tony’s ma makes it to the apartment ten minutes after them. At a conservative estimate, she’s brought half the food in Target.

“Ma,” Tony protests as he lets her in.

She drops all her bag to hug him. “Tony, baby, why didn’t youcall?”

“I didn’t think…” He rests his chin on top of her head. “I’m not thinking straight.”

Case in point, the door’s still open, and the cat’s peering around the corner, interested in the scent of freedom. Tony pulls away to shoo Worf inside before closing the door.

“Oh, I forgot to bring treats for him.” Ma sounds crestfallen, like it’s actually a failing on her part.

Tony takes her jacket and picks up three of the four grocery bags. “We have cat treats. And food. You didn’t have to—”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” She immediately starts handing him things for the fridge. “We’re not leaving you alone with this; are you kidding? Come on. Give me that.” She takes the eggplant she saw fit to bring out of his hands, puts it on the counter, and shuts the fridge. “Go lie down, baby. You look dead on your feet.”

Between waiting up for Daniel last night and waking up at three, Tony’s running on caffeine and nerves at this point. She’s not wrong.

He peeks out into the living room. Colette and Emilio stare at Emilio’s laptop screen together, going over whatever it is they’re looking for.

“Hey, Colette?”

---