Not Crazy | ✓

thirty nine

a n t o n i o

Antonio instantly received Francis' call and he wasted no time in picking it up. Next to him, Jacqueline laid on the bed, unconscious, as he looked at her, all the while praying that she'd wake up any moment.

"What happened to her? Why did she faint? Is she alright? Is the condition critical? Will she be-" Francis started bombarding him with questions one by one.

"Her parents came to meet her," Antonio interjected and told him, sighing.

"What?" Francis almost screamed in disbelief. "Her parents?"

"Yes, her parents," he confirmed, remembering the conversation that had happened earlier. "I was sent outside her room but I eavesdropped on them. And let me tell you, it's one hell of a story because even I did not know the stuff they were revealing."

"Just tell me what happened, please. I know that Jacqueline has a very rocky and bumpy relationship with her parents so this is worrying me quite a lot."

So Antonio launched into the whole story, telling Francis that Jacqueline's parents were leaving Paris forever and how they had rudely talked to her and reminded her about the shame she had brought upon them. And then lastly, he dropped the biggest bomb: that she had a little brother.

"Wait wait wait," Francis stopped him as he gasped. "She had a little brother as well? When did that happen? How did this happen?"

"Well, when two people have sex, the female gets-" he jokingly responded to lighten the mood, but Francis cut him off.

"I know how babies are made," he deadpanned. "But. . . ugh, I'm just so shocked. I mean if this is my reaction, I can simply imagine what must be Jacqueline's."

"She fainted," Antonio reminded him as he glanced outside. "So yeah, that's a reaction," then after a slight pause, he said, "See, she's been so different these past few days. In fact, since she messaged you, I can see something in her. It's like the hidden happiness in her emerging out. But today's event will revert her back to her old self for a while. I mean finding out that you had a baby brother who died, that is not something you can forget easily."

"He's dead?" Antonio earned another gasp from Francis.

He shook his head. "Obviously. Isn't that what had implies?"

"No, I get it. It's just that it is to much for me to take in as well. And the fact that I can't be there for her is also bad," He clarified and then disclosed with a sigh, "I'll be leaving in a week or so."

"But your injury?"

"I know," he said. "But our tour guide doesn't want anymore trouble. Our parents are also worried. The two others who got injured along with me, their parents are freaking out. We'll be healed a lot by then, so that's why they want us to leave."

"Oh," Antonio said despondently.

He had no reason to be sad as such, because he and Jacqueline could still converse and message on the phone like before. But he was, as he had this tiny shadow of hope that they might meet each other somehow. That was impossible, he knew, that's why this was only a faint thought in his mind and not a plan being made into action.

"Are you sad, huh?" Francis asked in a joking manner. "Will you miss me?"

"Ms Leroy will," he curtly replied, ignoring the joke in it. "But, before you leave, I'd like to say something. Well, more like ask."

If she can't, then I will.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"I want to meet you," he said, sucking in a huge breath. "I know that this is a very odd preposition, but I want too."

"Uh yeah. . . sure, no problem. I'll, um, give you the hospital name whenever you want it," He hesitantly answered. "That, that'll be good."

"Once Ms Leroy wakes up," Antonio got up from the chair and made way towards the kitchen. "I'll talk to you later then."

"Uh yeah, sure, bye. Do tell me when she wakes up."

"I will. Bye."

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