Chapter 24 Rafael

Rafael sat at the kitchen table, his heart pounding as he scrolled through his phone, desperately searching for a message from Andrew. Rafael's worry heightened as he continued to receive no response to his attempts to contact him via phone calls and messages. He found himself at a loss, unable to understand what was happening with Andrew regarding their relationship. Was he seething with rage towards him, or was he peacefully sleeping, drained? The desire to meet him at the Love Nest burned within him. It was clear Andrew didn't want to be bothered. At least he could have responded with a no.

The overwhelming excitement of sharing his promotion at work and finding out who wrote the letters was almost bubbling out of him. He called Andrew again to see if he wanted to meet at the Love Nest. It was already eleven thirty. He might have taken some meds for the pain. His mother had said he went to the emergency room, so maybe they prescribed something.

Rafael: I have some good news for us. Are you okay?

Rafael anxiously waited at the table, his eyes fixed on his phone screen, hoping for a message from Andrew. He had to see him, so he decided to track him down.

As Rafael drove his car to Andrew's home, he couldn't shake the worry. His heart pounding in his chest; his anxiety grew with each passing minute. As he pulled into the driveway, he noticed Andrew's car parked there, a sight that only deepened his concern.

He knocked on the door, calling out Andrew's name, but there was no answer. The silence was deafening. Desperate, Rafael pulled out his phone and called Joe.

"Joe, it's Rafael. Have you heard from Andrew? He's not answering his phone, and his car is here, but he's not."

Joe's voice was calm but tinged with concern. "No, I haven't heard from him. I'll be right over."

Within minutes, Joe arrived and used his key to unlock the door. Together, they searched the house, calling out for Andrew. The living room, the kitchen, the bedrooms—each room was empty. Rafael's worry turned into a gnawing fear when they found Andrew's phone lying on the kitchen table.

"Why would he leave his phone?" Rafael muttered, picking it up. "He never goes anywhere without it."

Joe looked around. "I don't know, Rafael. This isn't like him."

Rafael's mind raced with possibilities, each one more troubling than the last. "What if he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Joe placed a reassuring hand on Rafael's shoulder. "Don't jump to conclusions. We'll find him. Maybe he just needed some time alone."

"He went through a lot today. My father punched him at my place."

"Why?"

"I invited Andrew over for dinner and my father showed up as angry as yours had been."

"Poor Andrew. He might need to be alone for a while."

Rafael nodded, though his worry didn't abate. He took Andrew's phone with him as they left, hoping it might provide some clue to his whereabouts. As he drove away, Rafael couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

As soon as he got home, he sat in his recliner and took out Andrew's phone. He went through his messages. After Rafael's message, Andrew had called his former roommate Cedric. They spoke for thirty minutes. He wondered if he had visited Cedric. It was too late to call. He sent a message to Cedric on Andrew's phone.

Rafael: Hey Cedric. This is Rafael, Andrew's boyfriend. I couldn't reach him and found out since he left his phone at home. Now I have the phone and am trying to find him. Do you know where he is? I'm worried about him.

Cedric: Hi! Andrew was fine a few hours ago when I talked to him. He's not here, but he probably went driving.

Rafael: No, his car is parked in his driveway and he's not in the house.

Cedric: Someone could have picked him up.

Rafael: I guess. Thanks.

Cedric: Tell him to call me when you find him.

Rafael: I will.

Rafael got up and paced in a circle while he wondered if he had lost Andrew because earlier, he had wanted to keep their relationship a secret. There was no reason now to do that, and he wanted to tell him, but he was nowhere to be found. He had hoped to tell him before filling out the paperwork for the hostage incident and his new job.

Gabriella was up and ready for work, so Rafael took his coffee with him on the drive to the Blue Star Diner. He walked her inside and searched for Andrew. He went behind the counter and found Jonathan.

"Hey, have you heard from Andrew?"

"No. He took the weekend off. Is something wrong?"

"I can't seem to find him or connect with him."

"Sometimes he visits his former college roommate, Cedric."

"I checked with him and he's not there."

"He might need time out after what happened yesterday."

"That must be it. I wanted to make sure he was okay."

"If I hear from him, I'll tell him to call you."

"Thanks."

Rafael left the diner and drove to the police department. He walked into the department, the familiar hum of activity surrounding him as he made his way to the office to fill out the paperwork on the hostage incident he had helped resolve. The memory of the crisis was still fresh in his mind, but he felt a sense of pride knowing he had played a crucial role in ending it safely.

As he finished the last of the forms, Chief Moreno approached him with a warm smile. "Rafael, can I have a word with you in my office?" the chief asked, gesturing towards the door.

Rafael nodded, following the chief into his office. Once inside, Chief Moreno closed the door and turned to Rafael. "I wanted to personally commend you on the outstanding job you've done on the force," he began. "Your quick thinking and bravery during the hostage situation were exemplary. Because of your efforts, your promotion comes with a substantial raise."

Rafael's heart swelled with gratitude and pride, creating a powerful set of mixed emotions. "Thank you, Chief. That means a lot to me."

The chief continued, "You've been an incredible asset to this department, Rafael. Your dedication, your skills, and your ability to stay calm under pressure are invaluable. We're lucky to have you."

Rafael smiled, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. "I appreciate that, Chief. I'm just doing my job."

Chief Moreno paused for a moment, then added, "There's something else I wanted to talk to you about. My son, Chris, is gay. He's been struggling with accepting himself, and I was hoping you could talk to him. Let him know that it's okay to be who he is."

Rafael was taken aback but nodded. "Of course, Chief. I'd be happy to talk to Chris. It's important for him to know he's not alone and that it's okay to be himself."

The chief's expression softened with gratitude. "Thank you, Rafael. It means a lot to me and will to Chris."

As Rafael left the chief's office, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. Not only was he making a difference on the force, but he could also support someone in a deeply personal way. It was moments like these that reminded him why he loved his job and why it was important that he be open about his relationship with Andrew.