Past Redefined

PART FORTY-EIGHT

Christopher Rodriquez' POV

"Sky and Olivia have gone to meet Ashley's parents and get the diary... London!" I said.

"Oh... Iowa..." Martin said at the same time.

"Iowa?" I asked him back and he nodded.
"How do you know that?" I asked him again.

"Well, I gave her their number..." I glared at him and he just skipped without pausing. "... And for security purpose, I trace all your calls..."

"You trace our calls?" I asked but he just continued like he didn't hear a word.

"And I think you should change your idea about Sky's gift? Jewellery, really?" He was saying and I rolled by eyes.

"Well, the main picture... I checked and the call was to Iowa..." He said and paused to look at my face.

"Martin, are you sure?" I asked as my mind drifted away into something even bigger. I walked past him.

"I do this for my living... Wait! Aren't you from Iowa?" He asked and I turned to walk towards my room.

"Book the next flight to Iowa..." I said, in a rush. "Nope! Book two tickets."

"I have work here... I am not leaving!" Martin cried.

"It is not for you!" I shouted and sighed, rushing in. "Ask Stephen to get ready. Don't say anything else."

~

"To the airport..." I said and Stephen nodded, starting the car.

I tried contacting Sky but it never got connected. As we stood in the line for boarding our flight,

"Are we going to Iowa?" He asked and I nodded as I was on call with Gina about work.

"Anything wrong?" He asked and I gulped down, shaking my head in negative.

Throughout the flight we sat in silence. After reaching Iowa, when we were walking through the lobby, I tried to call Sky again. After what felt like hundred years she picked up and I stood still.

"Hello..." She said and without a pause, I fired her with my question. "Are you at Iowa still?"

"Erm... Yea! I'm at... a friend's place." She said, hesistantly. "I met his mother at the airport and just dropped by." I could feel my heart starting to sink.

"Sky... Don't do this! Don't tell me it is..." I begged her, only to hear a familiar voice. A voice that I earned to listen to...

"Olivia... Come here, dear!" Her voice continued and I was dumbstruck.

"Mom!" I mouthed and I could evidently feel that I was sweating like hell. I walked to sit in the lobby with the phone held to my ear closely.

How much did I miss this?
I better not miss a single word.

It has been six years... And suddenly it felt like a long time... Suddenly, I wanted to be with them... Look at them... Smile and Laugh and...

"Do you hear them, Chris?" Sky asked getting me out of the trail of thoughts.

It took me few seconds to realize what I was doing. It hit me hard that I cannot be there. I was afraid that my mother would not even like to see me.

I made the choice to leave. Right or Wrong, there is no going back. I gulped down and closed my eyes as I said it.

"Sky... I'm at the airport. We are leaving in the same flight you booked. Come back."

"Oh! You are here..." She said and I heard my daughter. "Dad? Put the phone on speaker."