there's been a mistake

a short story

The phone rings. Laura answers it. 

Laura: Hello? 

She hears a man clear his throat before speaking. 

Fritts: Hi, is this Miss Knox?  

Laura: Yes, speaking. 

Fritts: Hi, this is Dennis Fritts calling from Willows Senior Living. My assistant left a note saying you called earlier asking about your father, Albert. 

Laura: Yes. Thank you for getting back to me. 

Fritts: Well, I’m very sorry but we’re a little confused. I think there’s been some kind of mistake. 

Laura: Mistake? 

Fritts: Yes, a mistake. Your father isn’t here.  

Laura: What do you mean? 

Fritts: I mean he’s not at this facility.

Laura: Did he go for a walk or something? 

Dennis Fritts clears his throat again. 

Fritts: No, ma’am. I mean, he’s not here and he never was. He’s not in our system and no staff member has heard his name before. There is no Albert Knox here.  

Laura’s grip loosened on the phone, almost letting go.

Laura: I’m confused. 

Fritts: As are we. 

Laura: But I dropped him off last week. I signed papers, I helped organize his room, I spoke to the nursing staff. This has to be some kind of mistake. 

Fritts: I don’t mean to be insensitive, Miss Knox, but are you positive it was this facility? Green Gables is right down the road from us. 

Laura scrambled her mind, trying to think if she was positive it wasn’t Green Gables. No. Her mind was clear. She remembers. She remembers being with her father that day. She remembers because she’ll never forget the look on his face and the words that he spoke.

Albert: Do I have to?

Laura: Do you have to what?

Albert: Stay.

Laura had been emotional for months, knowing that this moment was inevitable.

Laura: I’m so sorry, Dad.

She got emotional again for the umpteenth time.

Laura: No, it wasn’t Green Gables. I’m positive. It was Willows Senior Living. That’s you.

Fritts: That’s me, yes, but no. I mean, no you mustn’t be positive. He doesn’t exist. Not here anyway.

Laura: I don’t understand. This can’t be happening. He has to be somewhere.

Fritts: Well, I hope you find him, Miss Knox. If there’s anything I can do to help…

Laura: Yes! Find my father!

Fritts: Ma’am, please calm down. There’s no need to get upset.

Laura: Are you serious? My father is missing and you want me to calm down?

Fritts: He’s not missing, just misplaced. And I’m only suggesting that getting upset isn’t going to help the situation.

Laura was not in the mood.

Laura: Listen, Fritts. My father is there. He has to be. Stop playing games with me or I’ll call the police.

Fritts: That’s fine, Miss Knox. You can call the police but I promise you this isn’t a game. There’s simply been a mistake. Your father isn’t a resident here.

Laura takes a deep breath and tries to start over.

Laura: What about the other residents? Have any of them seen him? Talked to him?

Fritts: I highly doubt it. Half of them can’t even make a coherent sentence. I wouldn’t trust them.

Laura: I just… I refuse to believe this. I know I left him there. This can’t be a mistake.

Fritts: But it seems that it is.

Laura: Okay, well… uh… okay. Let me try to figure this out and I’ll call back later.

Fritts: Okay, Miss Knox. I wish you well.

Dennis Fritts hangs up. He clears his throat and calls a man to his office.

Fritts: Timmy, please get Mr. Knox ready. It’s time. The police will be coming and there can’t be witnesses.

THE END.

Thank you so much for reading. Take care.