Page 596 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

Allison. Call me.

I groan, go to set the phone down,

but it somehow sticks to my palm

and won’t let go.

Weird.

Might as well check Andrew’s text thread while I still have it.

Just to make sure I didn’t miss a reply.

His last text is still from Saturday morning:

ANDREW

She’s sneaking Peanut M&Ms for breakfast.

She’s good.

Then mine sits under it from last night⁠—

10:41 PM.

ME

Just checking in. How’s Maria?

It remains unread, unanswered.

I remind myself he’s at the hospital.

His mother just had a transplant.

He’s probably sleeping in a chair, or arguing with Paola, or harassing the doctor, asking a million follow-up questions.

If something happened,

Andrew would call me.

If Maria took a turn, he’d call me.

If he needed me, he’d call me.

He would.

Last thing I need

is to drive myself insane over it.

I set the phone face-down.

Then pick it back up again and call him.

Because I am a fucking insane.

The phone rings.