False Alarm

I was on the ferry — half awake, half human — listening to yacht rock and feeling oddly… fine.

Not tired. Not braced for impact. Just fine.

Then my phone buzzed.

Caller ID: Sorento Bay Lobby.

The condo.

The front desk.

My stomach dropped straight through the ferry deck.

Gino and Wanda had left two days earlier. I’d talked to Dad yesterday — blood pressure up, a couple of AFib blips on his at-home heart monitor. The cardiologist said not to panic unless it kept happening. Appointment in two weeks. Probably stress. Going through Mom’s things. People in the house. Too much everything.

Still — the front desk calling?

Turns out it was Dad.

Calling from the lobby phone.

There was a Verizon outage.

He just wanted me to know in case I was trying to reach him.

Good news delivered in the most heart-attack-inducing way possible.

I love him.

But Jesus Christ.