During the Thunderstorm (Natural Disaster) ✔

Chapter Three

When Ally went to grab her phone to inform her friend Penny she had landed safely in Dallas, she had a missed call and a few messages. From her father. Something lodged in her throat. It had been a few days since she had spoken to him.

It had been longer since she had seen him. Through video, that was.

However, the ache remained fresh in her chest. Her heart was being squeezed too tight, exhausted to beat from time to time.

It had been like a rejection, what her father had done, leaving Nina and her for a job in Peru. Despite that, she longed to hear from him, how he was doing, what had he done. She yearned she wasn't forgotten by her father and the little messages expressed that.

However, at the moment, she didn't have the energy for them. It didn't matter how much she craved to read them.

She ignored them and searched for Penny's contact with shaky hands. She took a breath as she typed.

Ally: Hey, just landed in Dallas.

Penny: How was the flight?

Ally had to think over her reply for a few seconds, her head was a mess. She didn't know whether to tell the entire story or just stick to a bit of the truth. She didn't even know whether to mention her father or not either.

Ally: It was good.

Penny: Good?

Ally: Yes.

Penny: Did you get drunk before boarding?

Ally: Lol. No. I spoke with someone the entire time, I got distracted.

Penny: OHHHHHHHH.....

Penny: 😉

Penny: Tell me more.

Ally: It was a grandmother, visiting her grandchildren from Australia.

Ally: You'd be amazed how many stories a grandmother can tell about only one child.

Ally: She has seven.

Ally: We only got to her second grandchild before we landed.

Penny: Disappointed in you.

Penny: I thought you were talking about a fine specie man.

Ally: Kidding.

Penny: Wait, there was a fine spice man?

Penny: Tell. Me. Everything!

Penny: Wait, I'm gonna call you.

Penny: I need to hear this live.

Income call from Penny.

Ally hesitated but then, Penny wouldn't judge her. She would definitely be surprised and disappointed it was no other than Nina's ex-boyfriend.

"Hey," Ally answered the phone a bit breathless. Probably for having to trudge from one gate to the next one. Her carry-on was still heavy and overweight.

"I need details. Was he hot?" Penny asked.

Ally rolled her eyes in amusement. "Is that all you want to know?"

"No," Penny answered. "But that's a good introduction."

"Not everything is about the physical."

"Bullshit. I call that bullshit. You get attracted through the eyes. Liking the person is another matter. Besides, what you might consider as attractive and hot, I might find it uninteresting."