9. NINA'S FATHER
With no hope of finding Nina's whereabouts, Laura was deeply disoriented. Not knowing what to do. She parked the car and entered the busy promenade. She needed to calm down and think calmly about what else she could do to find the fugitives. She sat on the terrace of a cafe and ordered a soda.
“Where could they have gone?” She wondered over and over again, without waiting for an answer. When she was calmer, she thought that Nina's father should know that his daughter had run away and might be in danger, despite having escaped in the company of another young man who seemed responsible to her. But it was excruciating for her to have to accept that she had not been the mother to whom a judge gave custody. She was solely responsible for what could happen to her.
But, painful as it was, she had to inform him of Nina's disappearance. She was his daughter too!
In great dismay and shame, she dialed the father's number on her mobile phone, and she looks forward to hearing the voice of her ex-husband, whom she had not seen practically since she made their divorce legal.
Moments later, she heard Nina's father's familiar voice, and she was about to not respond because she did not feel strong enough to admit her failure. But she resigned herself to being censured by her ex-husband because she could not delay the sad news any longer.
“Hi, it's me, Laura, and I have bad news to give you.
“Hello, Laura ... How is Nina?”
“ It's precisely about Nina ...”
“Something has happened to her. Laura, don't alarm me!”
“Your daughter has run away with a young man, and I have no idea where they may have gone!”
“Escaped? Do you mean she is not with you?”
“Unfortunately, it is so!”
“What happened? I can't believe Nina was able to do something like that! Have you argued?”
“No, it's for other reasons, but I can't explain them to you now.”
The two remained in dramatic silence. Nina's father was trying to take charge of the situation and find a suitable response.
“Where do you think it may have gone?”
“We were spending a few days on vacation in a town on the coast. They must be in some coastal town, but I have no idea which one.”
Again there was a dramatic silence because the father was trying to make a decision.
“Laura, I'm going to take the first plane that flies to where you are. Wait for me at the airport, and we'll look for her all over the coast if necessary. She's just a girl; we can't let something irreparable happen to her!
“Sorry, I'm the one to blame! If we find her, maybe she'd better live with you. Nina doesn't love me, but she adores you!”
“Let's not talk about that now, we have to find her first, and God grant we have nothing to regret!”
“I'll be waiting for you at the airport.”
Laura hung up the phone, and for a moment, she had the feeling that she had not spoken with her ex-husband, but with an understanding, serene man, capable of making quick decisions and even finding him friendly. He was not the same man she had divorced: depressed, weak, bored, and virtually powerless. It had certainly changed.
”That is not my ex-husband, he is someone else!” she thought without recovering from the initial astonishment. “Not a reproach, nothing!” He hasn't made me feel guilty, I can't believe it! Yes, I'll wait for you at the airport; I want to meet this new man!
“Where could they have gone?” She wondered over and over again, without waiting for an answer. When she was calmer, she thought that Nina's father should know that his daughter had run away and might be in danger, despite having escaped in the company of another young man who seemed responsible to her. But it was excruciating for her to have to accept that she had not been the mother to whom a judge gave custody. She was solely responsible for what could happen to her.
But, painful as it was, she had to inform him of Nina's disappearance. She was his daughter too!
In great dismay and shame, she dialed the father's number on her mobile phone, and she looks forward to hearing the voice of her ex-husband, whom she had not seen practically since she made their divorce legal.
Moments later, she heard Nina's father's familiar voice, and she was about to not respond because she did not feel strong enough to admit her failure. But she resigned herself to being censured by her ex-husband because she could not delay the sad news any longer.
“Hi, it's me, Laura, and I have bad news to give you.
“Hello, Laura ... How is Nina?”
“ It's precisely about Nina ...”
“Something has happened to her. Laura, don't alarm me!”
“Your daughter has run away with a young man, and I have no idea where they may have gone!”
“Escaped? Do you mean she is not with you?”
“Unfortunately, it is so!”
“What happened? I can't believe Nina was able to do something like that! Have you argued?”
“No, it's for other reasons, but I can't explain them to you now.”
The two remained in dramatic silence. Nina's father was trying to take charge of the situation and find a suitable response.
“Where do you think it may have gone?”
“We were spending a few days on vacation in a town on the coast. They must be in some coastal town, but I have no idea which one.”
Again there was a dramatic silence because the father was trying to make a decision.
“Laura, I'm going to take the first plane that flies to where you are. Wait for me at the airport, and we'll look for her all over the coast if necessary. She's just a girl; we can't let something irreparable happen to her!
“Sorry, I'm the one to blame! If we find her, maybe she'd better live with you. Nina doesn't love me, but she adores you!”
“Let's not talk about that now, we have to find her first, and God grant we have nothing to regret!”
“I'll be waiting for you at the airport.”
Laura hung up the phone, and for a moment, she had the feeling that she had not spoken with her ex-husband, but with an understanding, serene man, capable of making quick decisions and even finding him friendly. He was not the same man she had divorced: depressed, weak, bored, and virtually powerless. It had certainly changed.
”That is not my ex-husband, he is someone else!” she thought without recovering from the initial astonishment. “Not a reproach, nothing!” He hasn't made me feel guilty, I can't believe it! Yes, I'll wait for you at the airport; I want to meet this new man!
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