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Sabrina’s eyes darted to the clock for the hundredth time that evening. A new worry gnawed at her. Did Freddy agree that she needed to go? When he said it went well, did that mean he was glad she already planned to leave, and the meeting confirmed what she expected?
Fuck, that thought hurt, but it shouldn’t. That was what should happen. It would be a good thing.
“Sabrina,” Patrick called up the stairs to her.
Sticking her head out the door, she called back, “Yeah?”
“Is Freddy up there with you?” he asked.
“No, why?”
Something vile swirled into an ominous blob in Sabrina’s stomach. This wasn’t right.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs as Patrick climbed with Holly right behind him.
“Everything okay with your mom’s situation?” he asked when he found her standing in her doorway. Holly stood behind him, chewing on her lip and looking nervous.
“Yes, we’re... we’re working through it. Thank you for asking.” Was this it? Was he about to fire her? Did he want Freddy here to cushion the blow? Or did he want to ensure Freddywasn’there to make the situation more awkward?
Patrick gave her a sad look. “I’m glad to hear it. Let us know if you need anything, but uh, are you sure Freddy’s not in there with you?”
“Yeah, I’m sure, and his car’s not here, and Holly would have seen him come in.” That feeling in her stomach was getting worse, like she could hurl at any moment. “What’s going on, Patrick?” she asked.
“He’s not answering his phone, and we really need to talk about the follow-up from the DS meeting,” Patrick fumed. “I’ve called him three times already.”
The blob solidified into a solid knot of terror in Sabrina’s stomach. She thought back to the brief text Freddy had sent her about the meeting, realizing it was the last she’d heard from him. “When was the last time anyone heard from Freddy?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Patrick sighed heavily. “He left the meetings almost an hour ahead of me. It’s not like him to just disappear like this.”
Sabrina’s mind raced. Freddy was always so reliable, so communicative. Something wasn’t right. She stepped into the hall and paced, her mind conjuring up various scenarios that all ended with him lying dead somewhere.
She shook her head, trying to dislodge the morbid thoughts. Patrick and Holly stared at her. Freddy was fine. He had to be. But even as she tried to reassure herself, the pit in her stomach grew deeper, more insistent.
Sabrina’s stomach churned as she relayed her last interaction with Freddy to Patrick. “I haven’t heard from him since right after your meeting at Dynamic Solutions. He just sent a quick text saying it went well. That’s the last I heard from him.”
Patrick’s voice tightened. “Did he mention anything else? He was planning to stop by that fancy cheese shop for you afterward. Did he ask you what cheese you wanted or say he was going anywhere else before coming here or going home? I just assumed he’d already be here by the time I got back.”
The revelation hit Sabrina like a punch to the gut. Freddy had thought of her, wanted to surprise her with her favorite cheese. A wave of affection washed over her, quickly followed by a surge of fear.
“He... he didn’t say anything about that,” Sabrina stammered. She picked at her fingernails before asking the other question she needed an answer for. “Am I fired? This isn’t like Freddy at all, but things have been different, and I mean.” She looked up at the two people in front of her. “Do you think he’s laying low until I’m gone, so he doesn’t have to say goodbye?” It felt wrong, but it would be better than continuing to picture him dead in a ditch.
“What the fuck?” Patrick rubbed at his brow as Holly stepped up and placed a hand on his arm. “No Sabrina, you are not fired. My clown of a brother pulled out more professionalism and charm than I knew he was capable of and convinced DS that we needed to keep you, and they needed to keep our contract. Is that what this is all about?” He gestured to the room behind her. “You’re staying here because you plan to leave?”
She shrugged. “It made the most sense.”
Patrick swore again, and Holly stepped even closer to him. “I have no fucking clue what the deal is between you and my brother, but I saw him do something I’ve never seen him do before. He was serious today. Dead serious. He stepped up and took control of that room, and I can only guess it was for you. He demanded I let you stay behind today, too. Told me he’d quit if I let you go from the company. He would never ‘lay low to avoid you.’ Ever.” The vehemence behind Patrick’s words surprised Sabrina.
“Then where is he?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Patrick agreed, his own concern evident. “I’m about to call Mom and Dad, see if one of them can swing by Freddy’s place to check there.”
Sabrina nodded. “Okay. Let me know what they find out?”
“Of course. Try not to worry too much, Sabrina. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.” But she could tell from Patrick’s expression he was lying. He was just as worried as she was.
Sabrina retreated back into her room, but she couldn’t shake the dread that had settled over her. She stared at her computer screen, the half-finished manual forgotten. Her mind raced through possibilities, each one worse than the last.
What if Freddy had been in an accident? What if he was hurt and alone somewhere? The image of him lying injured, unable to call for help, made her stomach churn.
