Bikeriders Serenade

A Father's Instinct

A few weeks after Lori moved to Italy, Austin was jolted awake in the early hours of the morning in Los Angeles. An unsettling feeling gnawed at him, making it hard to shake off the sense that something was wrong with Lori. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, contemplating whether to call her.

*What if she’s in trouble? What if she’s hurt?* The thoughts raced through his mind, making it impossible to find peace. He glanced over at Lucy, who was peacefully asleep next to him, her face relaxed and calm. He didn’t want to disturb her, but the worry for Lori was overwhelming.

After a few moments of internal debate, Austin slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed, careful not to make any noise. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. He grabbed his phone from the nightstand, the screen illuminating his face in the dim light.

As he made his way downstairs, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to check on Lori. He tiptoed through the hallway, trying to avoid the creaky floorboards that had seen better days. Once he reached the living room, he sank into the couch, his heart pounding as he dialed Lori’s number.

The phone rang, and he anxiously tapped his fingers against the armrest. After what felt like an eternity, Lori’s voice finally came through, slightly groggy but cheerful. “Hey, Daddy! What’s up?”

Relief washed over Austin, but he couldn’t help but scold himself for worrying so much. “Hey, sweetie! I just wanted to check in. I woke up feeling like something was off.”

Lori chuckled softly, her laughter easing his tension. “I’m fine, I promise! Just adjusting to the time difference. I had a long day of rehearsals, and I might have accidentally fallen asleep on the couch.”

Austin couldn’t help but smile, his heart lightening. “You scared me for a second there. I thought you might have gotten lost in a pasta shop or something!”

“Not yet! But I’ll be sure to send you a postcard if I do,” she teased.

They continued to chat, and as Austin listened to Lori’s stories about her new life in Italy, he felt the weight of his worries lift. It was comforting to hear her voice, filled with excitement and adventure.

After a while, they said their goodbyes, and Austin settled back into the couch, grateful that his daughter was safe and thriving. As he made his way back upstairs, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he would be seeing her soon—after all, a surprise trip to Italy was still on his mid.

A few hours later, the sun began to filter through the windows, and the household was slowly waking up. Lucy stretched and yawned, feeling the warmth of the morning sun on her face. As she got out of bed and started her morning routine, she noticed Austin wasn’t beside her.

“Baby,” she called out, “did you wake up in the middle of the night? I got up to go to the bathroom, and you weren’t in bed.”

Austin, who was in the kitchen brewing coffee, turned around and smiled softly. “Yeah, I couldn’t sleep. I woke up with this feeling that something was wrong with Lori.”

Lucy’s expression shifted to concern. “Oh no! What happened?”

“It turned out to be nothing,” he reassured her, pouring two cups of coffee. “I called her, and she just fell asleep on the couch after a long day of rehearsals. She’s trying to adapt to the time difference.”

Lucy sighed in relief, a smile spreading across her face. She walked over to Austin, wrapping her arms around him. “As long as she’s okay, that’s all that matters,” she said, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Austin leaned into her embrace, feeling grateful for her support. “I know I can be a bit overprotective, but it’s hard not to worry. She’s so far away.”