Love of a Lifetime

Howie awoke slowly, eyes closed, as his arm reached across the bed, groping blindly for Destina's form, finding nothing but still-warm sheets and empty space.

His eyes opened wide, taking a few moments to adjust to the blackness of the room. Figuring that she'd left their bed to answer Nature's call, he pushed aside the growing dread in the pit of his stomach and rose to answer his own call.

"Destina?" he called out softly as he knocked on the bathroom door. At receiving no answer, he tried the knob and turned it, opening the door to darkness. 'Where the hell is she?' he thought to himself as he relieved his need.

He moved about the suite, turning on lights as he went, still finding no sign of her. The living area. The dining area. He even checked under the bed and in the closet, as well as the balcony.

Nothing.

When he noticed that all her clothes were where she left them -- and none of his were missing either -- he began to panic, fearing that she'd sleep-walked herself out of the room ... naked ... alone ... at night.

************

"Hullo?" Nick groaned groggily into the phone. His whole body ached to move from the severe ass-whooping that Brian had given him on the court earlier. His hangover from partying afterward only added to his malaise.

"Nick! Wake up!" Howie shouted into the phone, the fear in his voice unmistakeable.

"I'm up, D! What's wrong?"

"Is Destina in there with you?"

"What?"

"Nick. There's no time for games. Is Destina there with you?"

"No, man. She's not. She's not with you?"

"She was; but, now she's gone and I can't find her. Can you check your rooms?"

"Howie. Calm down. Maybe she just went down to the bar or something; ya know, just get some fresh air."

"I thought of that Nick. None of her clothes are missing and neither are any of mine."

"Hang on while I check my room." Nick said, urgency in his voice. Howie could hear lights being turned on and Nick's heavy strides throughout the rooms. The few minutes that it took Nick to search his rooms felt like an eternity to Howie -- an eternity that he would again endure as he asked the same of AJ, Brian and Kevin -- all of them giving him the same answer.

"Sorry, D. She's not here."

17