Fantasia

XLIII

"Everything okay with you?"
Eddy glanced at Theo chomping away on his sandwich, a smear of butter or something on his left cheek. How was that guy eating?
"Why?"
"You seem... determined. Or just different, I don't know."
"I'm good, don't worry."
Eddy was probably the most okay since he'd started working here.
"Uhh, so something exciting happening in your life? Have you met someone? Has it something to do with all those mysterious calls?" Theo's tone changed from slightly concerned to curious.
"Actually, yes!", Eddy answered and took another mouth full of his canteen fried rice.
"Do tell details, man! What's she like?"
"Huh? Who?"
"That girl you've met! Don't play dumb on me."
Eddy groaned upon realizing what Theo was hinting at and simutaneously cursed himself for not noticing earlier. "There is no girl."
"What, didn't you just say you've met someone?"
"It's nothing like this.", Eddy explained, thinking about how to tell Theo about his encounters with Brett without being admitted to a mental facility after, "I kinda met an old friend of mine. And he made me realize some stuff."
"And there I thought Eddy Chen is finally seeing someone else than his work place", Theo sighed dramatically.
Eddy rolled his eyes. "Dude, you're such a teenager! I am, for the record. He's not working here."
"Still think that'd be good for you. But I mean... you meeting your old buddy doesn't sound bad either, so..." Theo's smile was genuine. "I'm glad for you!"
Eddy grinned back. "Thanks for looking out for me, mate." They were friends, but not super close, so it moved Eddy that Theo cared for him.
"It is very good to be talking to him again."
"Cool!"

Since the last two phone calls had been a miss, Eddy was wrecking his brain, listing up numbers about who he could call or contact next while his fingers were writing reports for his clients on autopilot. If Brett had graduated from the con, he was most likely working as a musician to some degree, be it a music teacher or even in an orchestra. Maybe Eddy could go through different websites of some orchestras in Australia and see if he'd find Brett's picture or name? Although, if Brett was listed somewhere, why hadn't Eddy found him through his google search? The same went for lists of violin teachers and other professions. Wasn't the internet like the phone book for all sorts of things and people nowadays?
Eddy scratched the back of his head. Going through names of orchestras seemed like a good enough plan anyway. If Brett really wasn't on any list, maybe someone who Eddy couldn't recall, but had known back in his AYO days would be. And maybe this person would know Brett.

Just when his brain had formed this plan, Eddy noticed his muted phone lighting up, showing an incoming call. Gabriel. Brett's former schoolmate.
He looked around quickly to check if all his bosses and teamleaders weren't lurking around behind him before he took the call.
"Gab! Hi!"
"Eddy! Good thing you're answering your phone", an actual awake and thus civilized sounding Gabriel greeted.
"Thanks for calling me, mate!"
"Is this a good time? I have news about the assignment you gave me."
No, it wasn't. But who the hell cared? Eddy let his eyes wander through his surrounding again before he meant, "Hold on a sec, I'm just gonna step out quickly."
He got up and made his way to a deserted staircase with light, fast steps.
"Alright. Go ahead!"
"I went through my contacts this morning and damn, I guess I've never cleared my phone or something! I reckon I've got numbers from half of our highschool class", Gabriel exclaimed excitedly.
"Wow, that's actually really great news."
"Right? I went ahead and called a bunch of them already."
"Wha- You did?", Eddy asked, surprised. He wouldn't have thought that guy'd go through so much trouble just to help Eddy find his former best friend.
"Yeah. That's why it took so long. Most of them have lost touch with him though, like you and me."
"Most of them... so you're saying."
"Have you met Eliza?"
Eddy rubbed his forehead while trying to remember someone carrying the aforementioned name. "Don't think so. Was she in your guys' class?"
"Yeah. Had a massive crush on Brett back then. And guess what? She still has Brett's phone number!"
Eddy's eyes widened upon hearing Gab's revelation. "Dude! That's awesome!"
"Right? We don't know if it's still a valid number though. She sent me the digits, but I figured I let you do the honors."
"Man, that's... I don't know what to say! That's great! Wow... thanks Gab! Really!"
"No worries. Tell Brett he should call me if you reach him, all right?"
"Sure thing! Thanks again!"
"I'm gonna text you his contact. Keep me updated!"
"'Course! Thank you so much, Gabriel! Like, really. You're a life-saver!"
"Wow, wow. Bro, way to be dramatic", Gabriel laughed raspily.
"You have no idea how much that means to me. Like-"
"Okay, okay!", the other interrupted, "Hang up and call Brett already! I bet you have to go back to work too? Because I definitely need to run now. Got a meeting with a potential client coming up."
"Alright! Thanks again! Good luck!"
"You too, Eddy."

Patience had never been his forte, but Eddy swore the fifteen seconds it took for Gab's message to arrive were the longest in his life. But there it was. Brett's phone number, lighting up from the screen of Eddy's device.

Eddy gulped, copied the number into his phone app and pressed on the green button without any hesitation. He heard his own heart beat going through the roof as he pressed his phone against his ears...