The Storm

Chapter 11

Atlas

"Wait, Allie, slow down."

I'm in the middle of an important meeting as Sierra calls me, well, my daughter, sobbing. I have no idea what the hell is going on, but I'll do anything to find out what it is. Even if that means rescheduling a meeting.

"What happened? Where's your mommy?"

"Daddy," she hiccups, "you need to come get us."

I'm not quite sure what kind of panic is rising inside of me, but it's an indescribable feeling. My blood is either not flowing at all, or too fast. Can't tell which one it is.

When did that happen to me? When did hearing anyone cry start to shake me, start to fill me with panic? Apparently when you have a wife and kids, your own life no is longer the only one you feel obligated to somewhat take care of.

I shoot up from my seat in less than a second, leaving the meeting room without saying a word to Edward Curtley, the guy owning the hospital Sierra and I took Allie to a week ago. I was seconds away from buying that goddamn hospital, and now I'm not even sure he'll agree on a second meeting. It was difficult enough to get him to agree on this one.

But it doesn't matter.

"Allie, tell me what happened." I rush past Athena, ignoring her worried look when she hears my words.

Does she ever take a day off? I don't think Athena has ever asked for a couple of days off, so I might have to force her to go on vacation or something. Though, I like knowing at least one of my secretaries gets things right.

God, I don't even know where the fuck I'm going. Sierra isn't at home because she came in for work today, but I know she took the kids here. So they should be safe in our office, nothing could have happened there, right?

No, wait, wrong. Lisa happened in there.

Perhaps I should get us a new room for our office.

"Everything okay?" Athena asks, following me toward my office. Just as Athena's words leave her mouth, Allie hangs up the phone.

Maybe I'll have to update my "This is how I will die"-Status. Sierra is now no longer the only person being able to draw a goddamn heart attack out of me, my daughters are capable of it too.

"I have absolutely no idea. Is Sierra here?"

Athena nods. "The office."

We both bust through the doors, my blood now leaving my entire freaking body.

Allie is sitting on the floor in her more or less big play area, next to her Vienna. The two of them are playing with goddamn dolls. Apparently with a little add-on; Sierra's phone.

How did Allie learn how to use that thing? Neither Sierra, nor I have ever given either of them a phone to play with. No matter how much they've asked to play a game on it, they've never gotten it.

That must be my sister's doing. Either Winter or Summer. They're both phone junkies, so it wouldn't surprise me if they taught my daughters how to use a phone over the weekend.

Sierra's head shoots up from her laptop screen, slowly removing her airpods from her ears. "Aren't you supposed to be in a meeting?"

I let out a deep breath, needing a short moment to calm down before I can come up with words.

While I'm busy breathing, Athena taps me on the back before walking back to the front desk.

Closing the door behind me, I walk in deeper into the office. "I was," I confirm. "Until your daughter called me from your phone, crying."