The Power of the Music

Little Girl

Chapter 69

Angeletta was lucky one of them had decided to answer the phone. They almost didn't.

She groaned as the rings woke her from her slumber. She buried her face in Tommy's chest as he too huffed at the early morning wake-up call.

"Angeletta, I have to answer the phone," Tommy mumbled in his hoarse morning voice as he tried to pry her fingers from his nightshirt.

"You don't have to," she retorted. "It's probably just my brother checking in for the thousandth time."

"And if that's the case, we wouldn't want to give him any reason to worry now would we?"

She sat up and rubbed her face as he rolled out of bed. "Let him worry. It will do him some good. He's been such a stick-in-the-mud since his kid was born. He used to be fun."

Tommy just rolled his eyes and picked up the phone. "Hello... This is he... Sir, I'm happy to hear from you. We've been worried sick!... Yes... Well, she just woke up, sir... What time?... Yes, sir, that is manageable... Could you give me those directions again so I can write them down?... Thank you... Alright, we'll be seeing you then I suppose... Goodbye."

"Who was that?" Angeletta asked stepping into the room clad in her day dress. "My brother making sure we're on our best behavior again?"

"No," he replied with a sigh as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "That was your father."

"My father? What did he want? Is he angry?"

"He didn't sound like it, no. He wants to meet us at this address." He handed her the piece of paper he had scribbled on which she studied vigorously.

"This is our old address. I don't remember the house, but I recognize the address. Why would he want us to meet him there?"

"I don't know. He's your father. Wouldn't you have some sort of idea?"

She thought for a moment but shook her head. "I've no clue."

"Guess we better find out then. Go get your things."

An hour later, they were headed towards Phantasma. Angeletta scooted closer to him on the bench seat. She wrapped her arms around the one of his that wasn't on the wheel and nestled her face in his shoulder.

"How can you do that?" Tommy asked with a chuckle.

"Do what?" Her voice was muffled from her lips being against his coat.

"Hold on to me like that? Two weeks ago, you hated the sight of me. Now, you're hanging from my arm like a opossum in a tree."

She huffed. "I suppose there's just a fine line between love and hate."

He rolled his eyes and smiled as he relaxed in the driver's seat. "Are you saying you love me?"

"Maybe," she sighed, "when you're not acting like a bigot, yes, I suppose I love you."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Well, I suppose when you're not acting like a spoiled brat, I love you too."

She started to protest but shrug it off. It wasn't long until they pulled up under a bridge in a questionable area of town.

"What are we doing here?" Angeletta asked as she got out of the car, pulling her jacket tighter around her.

"Your father said to come here, and there was some sort of secret passage way."

"Oh!" Angeletta exclaimed as she ran to one of the columns on the bridge. Her fingers felt around for a latch for a moment before she finally found one. The concrete door slid open, and she stepped in pulling Tommy behind her.