Ricardo closes his eyes, listening absentmindedly as the puppies wander around, snuffling around the couch, pressing their wet noses against his hand where it's drifting over the side of the couch. He's talked to everyone he dares to talk to, listening to their suggestions and advice regarding the situation with Alicia. Now, all he can do is just support her and suggest helpful things here and there. He's truly starting to worry, gnawing on his fingernail, when her phone rings. He glances towards it but stays his hand, listening as she bounds through the house, as full of reckless energy as ever, and grabs at the device.
"Hey, girl!" she exclaims, teeth gleaming as she jumps onto the couch next to Ricardo, pressing a kiss to his jaw before leaning into the warmth of his arms to continue her conversation. "Yeah, everything's great, I'm enjoying my time off with my favorite guy." She pinches Ricardo's side with a grin, and he exhales sharply. She snuggles happier into him and continues chattering happily, before pausing, her brow furrowing. "Huh? You wanna talk to Ricardo? ... I mean, yeah, sure," she says slowly, twisting around to give him the phone, a confused look on her face as her pleasure is dampened by this unplanned on turn of events.
Ricardo blinks and holds the phone to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hey, Ricardo," a somewhat familiar voice greets him. "It's me, Mickie James." She speeds on, "Don't say anything right now. Just listen, ok?"
"Ok," he says, trying to smile at Alicia as she continues to stare at him.
"I'm pretty sure I'm one of Alicia's closest friends right now," she says. "We became close when we partnered together at Evolution. I'm trying to help her, but it's just taking time and I know you're worried, I am too. But Ricardo, don't give up on her. That'd make things even worse for her. I've been in a place very similar to where she's at right now. She needs support and love, and she'll come around, but she can't lose you in the meanwhile. Ok?"
"Yeah," he says softly. "I've been thinking along the same lines."
"Good, we're on the same page then. You and I, we'll keep our girl together, alright? I'll probably come visit once things calm down a bit. Just don't give up. It'll work out."
"Gracias," Ricardo murmurs, squeezing Alicia's hand as he returns the phone to her. Her smile is a little tremulous but as she begins talking to Mickie again, she calms down and sinks back into Ricardo's chest. He holds her and kisses the top of her head and tries not to dwell on how many signs he may have missed over the last few months, if she was crying out for help this entire time and he hadn't realized. He feels like he's drowning and the best he can do is trust in Mickie that between the two of them, they'll be able to get through this in one piece, with time.