Fading Echoes

Special Chapter 2.1

The tension in the room was thick as I glanced at my phone again, hoping for a message or call from Greggy. Nothing. I had tried reaching him earlier, a couple of times actually, but no response. My texts—"Are you on your way?" and "Dinner's ready"—sat unread, the ticking clock mocking me with every passing second. It wasn't the first time, though. Lately, his long hours at work had stretched into a regular routine, leaving me feeling more alone than ever in the evenings.

I sighed, setting down my phone, knowing exactly what his reply would be when he finally answered. Meetings. Again.

"Mommy, where's Daddy?" Lui's small voice cut through the silence, his wide eyes looking up at me as he toyed with his fork. His plate of spaghetti and meatballs sat half-eaten in front of him.

I knelt down beside him, gently brushing back a lock of his dark hair, trying to keep the sadness from creeping into my voice. "Daddy's still at work, sweetie. He's... in a meeting."

Lui's lower lip jutted out slightly. "But he's always in meetings. Why does Daddy have so many meetings?"

I swallowed hard, my heart aching at the question. How do you explain something like that to a child? How do you tell your son that work was pulling his father away more often than not? "Well, Daddy's job is really important, and sometimes it means he has to stay a bit longer to make sure everything gets done."

He blinked up at me, his young mind trying to process the explanation. "But... I miss him." His voice was so soft, so innocent, and it hit me square in the chest.

"I know, sweetheart." I smiled weakly, feeling the sting behind my eyes. "I miss him too."

Lui tilted his head and reached for my hand. "Maybe... if we call him together, he'll come home faster?"

I chuckled softly at his innocent logic. "Maybe. Let's try, okay?" I pulled out my phone and dialed Greggy's number again, letting Lui watch the screen eagerly as the line rang and rang. But just like earlier, it went straight to voicemail.

Lui's face fell, and I kissed his forehead gently. "He'll call back soon, I promise. Why don't we finish your dinner while we wait?"

"Okay, Mommy." He sighed, poking at his food before taking another bite.

Hours passed, and eventually, Lui had drifted off to sleep, snuggled on the couch with his favorite blanket. I sat beside him, staring at my phone, wondering if Greggy would ever respond. And then, finally, it buzzed with his name flashing across the screen.

"Hey, sorry I missed your calls," Greggy's voice was apologetic but tired, the sound of rustling papers and distant chatter in the background.

I exhaled slowly. "You didn't even check my messages, Greggy. It's past 10 already."

"I know, I know... I've been in back-to-back meetings. I barely had time to breathe today," he replied, sounding frustrated. "I hate it too, Irene."

"You've been saying that for weeks," I said quietly, the exhaustion in my voice evident.

There was a pause on the other end before he sighed. "I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"Greggy, it's not about making it up to me. It's about being here. Lui's starting to notice. He's asking for you all the time... and I don't know what to tell him anymore."

Another silence, longer this time. When he spoke again, his voice was softer. "I'll be home soon. I swear. I love you, lovey"

I bit my lip, feeling a mix of relief and sadness. "Okay. Drive safe."

As I ended the call, I looked down at Lui, fast asleep beside me. I brushed a hand over his hair, thinking of the family moments we were losing. Hopefully, "soon" meant something real this time.