have you…
26 July 2012 5:02
[Julia, where are you? If you’re having problems, I’ll come and get you. Why does it always go straight to your voicemail?]
26 July 2012 5:20
[Has something happened to you?]
26 July 2012 5:30
[Something must’ve happened to you. I can’t see any other explanation.]
He took his time, but he’d finally asked himself the right question.
26 July 2012 5:47
[If something has happened to you, I’ll never forgive myself. I should’ve asked Ray to accompany you.]
26 July 2012 6:11
[I’ll continue to write to you in case you can read my messages. I’m looking for you and I will find you.]
26 July 2012 6:28
[Is everyone asleep in this city? Nothing and nobody will stop me moving heaven and earth.]
26 July 2012 6:56
[Julia, I’m going mad with worry.]
26 July 2012 7:19
[Ray didn’t find out much from the airport. He has a list of the stewardesses on your flight and is contacting them, because it must’ve happened on the plane. I’m afraid someone has kidnapped you, that they wanted to get at me through you. I’m so sorry, Julia.]
All these messages one after the other allowed me to imagine Daniel’s night. I could sense his anger, his turmoil and his questions. I imagined him restless, pacing up and down, and waking Ray in the middle of the night. I could feel his concern starting to show, growing and overflowing. It hurt to know I’d made him go through that, but at the same time I was pleased he was concerned and about everything he was doing to find me, because that proved he liked me. Even if he didn’t say it like that and even if he brought everything back to himself yet again, thinking that anything that happened to me was aimed at him.
26 July 2012 8:46
[We spoke to one of the stewardesses. It seems that you were taken ill, but the idiot didn’t know which hospital you were in. We’re calling them all.]
It was 9.10 am when I called Daniel’s number. He answered at the first ring.
"Julia?!"
I could hear in his voice that he was stressed, but also relieved.
"Hello Daniel, I…"
"Where are you?"
His voice was its usual smooth self once again.
“The American Hospital."
"I’m on my way. I can’t wait to see you again, Julia."
(Silence).
"Me too Daniel."
Barely five minutes after I’d hung up, someone knocked at the door. Here already? No, it wasn’t Daniel who entered the room but Vincent.
"Hello! How are you?"
"Fine."
"You don’t seem thrilled to see me. Am I disturbing you?"
"No, not at all. I was expecting someone else. But I’m pleased you’re here."
"Would you prefer me to leave if you’re expecting someone?"
"No, stay. Did you rest a bit?"
"As you can see", he said with a wide smile, lifting his head, sticking out his chest and extending his arms out horizontally. "Rested, showered and changed!"
"Fresh as a daisy!" I said, laughing.
"Is there anything you need?"
"No, thank you."
"Do you know when you can leave?"
"Should be this evening. I’m waiting for the doctor to confirm it."
"Good, so we can…"
He was interrupted by the noise of the door being thrown wide open. Daniel burst into the room, his face tired but smiling. But when he saw Vincent, he stopped dead, his face contorted, staring daggers at me.
"What is this young man doing in your room?" he asked, approaching the bed and turning his back to Vincent.
"Daniel, I’d like to introduce Vincent."
"I didn’t ask who he was, I asked what he’s doing here!" he shouted without turning round.
"Would it kill you to be pleasant?! You can’t just turn up here not knowing anything, full of assumptions, and be rude.”
While I was talking to Daniel, I discretely moved my head in response to Vincent who, a few metres behind Daniel, had indicated that he could leave the room if I wanted him to.
"So come on, explain. What do I need to know?"
Vincent slipped away.
"Why did you react so aggressively? Vincent was sitting next to me on the plane, he helped me
26 July 2012 5:02
[Julia, where are you? If you’re having problems, I’ll come and get you. Why does it always go straight to your voicemail?]
26 July 2012 5:20
[Has something happened to you?]
26 July 2012 5:30
[Something must’ve happened to you. I can’t see any other explanation.]
He took his time, but he’d finally asked himself the right question.
26 July 2012 5:47
[If something has happened to you, I’ll never forgive myself. I should’ve asked Ray to accompany you.]
26 July 2012 6:11
[I’ll continue to write to you in case you can read my messages. I’m looking for you and I will find you.]
26 July 2012 6:28
[Is everyone asleep in this city? Nothing and nobody will stop me moving heaven and earth.]
26 July 2012 6:56
[Julia, I’m going mad with worry.]
26 July 2012 7:19
[Ray didn’t find out much from the airport. He has a list of the stewardesses on your flight and is contacting them, because it must’ve happened on the plane. I’m afraid someone has kidnapped you, that they wanted to get at me through you. I’m so sorry, Julia.]
All these messages one after the other allowed me to imagine Daniel’s night. I could sense his anger, his turmoil and his questions. I imagined him restless, pacing up and down, and waking Ray in the middle of the night. I could feel his concern starting to show, growing and overflowing. It hurt to know I’d made him go through that, but at the same time I was pleased he was concerned and about everything he was doing to find me, because that proved he liked me. Even if he didn’t say it like that and even if he brought everything back to himself yet again, thinking that anything that happened to me was aimed at him.
26 July 2012 8:46
[We spoke to one of the stewardesses. It seems that you were taken ill, but the idiot didn’t know which hospital you were in. We’re calling them all.]
It was 9.10 am when I called Daniel’s number. He answered at the first ring.
"Julia?!"
I could hear in his voice that he was stressed, but also relieved.
"Hello Daniel, I…"
"Where are you?"
His voice was its usual smooth self once again.
“The American Hospital."
"I’m on my way. I can’t wait to see you again, Julia."
(Silence).
"Me too Daniel."
Barely five minutes after I’d hung up, someone knocked at the door. Here already? No, it wasn’t Daniel who entered the room but Vincent.
"Hello! How are you?"
"Fine."
"You don’t seem thrilled to see me. Am I disturbing you?"
"No, not at all. I was expecting someone else. But I’m pleased you’re here."
"Would you prefer me to leave if you’re expecting someone?"
"No, stay. Did you rest a bit?"
"As you can see", he said with a wide smile, lifting his head, sticking out his chest and extending his arms out horizontally. "Rested, showered and changed!"
"Fresh as a daisy!" I said, laughing.
"Is there anything you need?"
"No, thank you."
"Do you know when you can leave?"
"Should be this evening. I’m waiting for the doctor to confirm it."
"Good, so we can…"
He was interrupted by the noise of the door being thrown wide open. Daniel burst into the room, his face tired but smiling. But when he saw Vincent, he stopped dead, his face contorted, staring daggers at me.
"What is this young man doing in your room?" he asked, approaching the bed and turning his back to Vincent.
"Daniel, I’d like to introduce Vincent."
"I didn’t ask who he was, I asked what he’s doing here!" he shouted without turning round.
"Would it kill you to be pleasant?! You can’t just turn up here not knowing anything, full of assumptions, and be rude.”
While I was talking to Daniel, I discretely moved my head in response to Vincent who, a few metres behind Daniel, had indicated that he could leave the room if I wanted him to.
"So come on, explain. What do I need to know?"
Vincent slipped away.
"Why did you react so aggressively? Vincent was sitting next to me on the plane, he helped me
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