Page 8 of Remember Home

Lily heard the phone rang and spit in the sink as she brushed her teeth. Teachers were heading back in to the schools tomorrow to begin setting up for the new year. Truthfully, she was excited and dreading it at the same time. She was ready to fill her days, but also enjoyed sleeping in and her freedom. Picking up the phone, she stared at the caller ID, confused at the numbers and erratic spacing on the display.

“Hello?”

“Lily? Is this Lily Hogan?”

“Who’s this?” she asked curtly, immediately wondering who could be calling her this late. She didn’t recognize the voice and a flurry of thoughts went through her mind. Bill collector? Salesman? Prank call?

“It’s John,” he began and felt himself trembling in nervousness. He hadn’t felt like this since he disarmed his first bomb. Sweat ran down his back and he felt like his heart was beating ninety miles a minute. “It’s John Griffin. I got your letter today; do you have a moment to talk or is this a bad time?”

“Oh! Oh, I think I need to sit down,” Lily breathed in the phone feeling light headed. He called! This was weird and scary, yet exhilarating at the same time. “You called? I wasn’t sure if you could text or email.”

“I’m sorry, I…I don’t have a cell phone here. There are too few plugs where I am at,” he explained. His voice was rich and warm through the phone.

“No, it’s alright. I’m glad you called. This is much easier to communicate, isn’t it? How are you? You got my letter I see,” she continued, stammering on, and grimaced feeling stupid at the comment.Of course, he got your letter silly, he has your number now – remember?

“I’m sorry, I’m nervous. Oh, I am botching this up royally and yet here I keep talking. I’m still talking. Okay, anytime now. Shut up, Lily,” she muttered nervously. “Hi there,” she finished lamely and heard him laugh softly on the phone, making her tummy clench.

“It’s okay. I understand. I’m pretty petrified right now myself just hearing your voice and I can’t explain it. I don’t know how long I have on this phone card, but I wanted to talk to you. I can’t tell you how much your letters and gifts have meant to me. It’s meant everything, especially today,” he stopped and cleared his throat.

Frozen.

The bomb flashed in his mind and he heard Ethan Minter’s screams in his mind. He needed her voice to drown them out. He could feel himself hitting a breaking point and was ashamed that he might actually cry. She was so darn nice, and he felt so undeserving and very brittle right now emotionally.

“What happened today? You said you needed to talk? It was something bad, wasn’t it? Tell me, I’m here and can listen, John.” He heard her voice, the peaceful soothing tones combined with a southern lilt that was making him yearn for more. He shook his head negatively and sighed, knowing she couldn’t see the gesture through the phone.

“I can’t,” he uttered thickly, it was too fresh – too raw. He would be humiliated if he broke down and felt himself wavering on the verge of it. Hot tears burned in the back of his throat as he cherished her gentle voice. “Let’s talk about anything else. Please.” There was a silence on the other end of the line for a moment that terrified him more than the bomb earlier today. “Lily? Are you there?”

“Yes. Let’s start with introductions and the basics, instead of fumbling along, not knowing what to say. Tell me about yourself,” her voice soothed patiently in his ear.

“I’m thirty-eight, single, brown hair and hazel eyes.”

“I’m thirty-two, single, brown hair and brown eyes.” He heard her voice read back almost the same description and frowned. He’d not given her much to go on, nor had she. It was hard thinking of a way to describe yourself. Ruggedly handsome? A goofball that has a quiet sense of humor? A tired soul looking for peace and comfort? He was at a loss and imagined she was as well.

“That doesn’t tell each other much,” John said truthfully. “Does it?”

“No, but,” she admitted, her voice soft in the receiver. He heard a tremor in her voice as she spoke, honestly. He liked that about her. No games, no guessing. “I’m scared. I don’t know you, you know? Hearing your voice makes this feel real.”

“No. I know, but I– John took a deep breath, opening up and baring his soul to the woman on the phone. “I’m a very simple guy with not a lot to say. Today was a hard day, probably one of the hardest I’ve had in a long time. I love the trees. I miss them the most truthfully, and never thought I’d ever say something so silly. This place is so barren and dry I feel like I’m losing any contact with home anymore. I think that is what touched me so much about your letter. I felt like someone understood and it meant a lot to me. I know I’m rambling and I swear I’m not crazy, but then that’s probably what crazy people say,” he stopped, hearing her giggle, and smiled.

“I really like your letters and can tell you are a nice person. I could use some niceness in my life, and I could use a friend too. I like that you understand just how wonderful circus peanuts are in a world that hates them.” He could practically hear the smile in her voice as she teased him. He felt himself smile and closed his eyes in a brief happiness for just a moment. “Circus peanuts are awesome, aren’t they?” he agreed.

“Twinkies too.”

“Amen to that! You know what else is pretty darn wonderful?” he chuckled.

“What?”

“Hearing your voice. I like it. You have a kind voice to go with a kind soul.”

“You too-”

“TEN MINUTES REMAINING.”

Lily’s sweet voice was interrupted mid-sentence by a computerized voice command that chimed through the receiver, and he grimaced. He didn’t want to hang up the phone and was tempted to buy another phone card. Searching his wallet, he saw that he’d used a lot of his cash already and frowned. It would have to wait for just a few days. He’d settle for brief respites from his routine if he had to.

Lily heard the warning and took a deep breath. If they were both nervous, nothing would get said, and she would still have her unanswered questions or have to wait for another phone call or letter. It was either time to put up or shut up. She had questions and craved to know more about the man.

“John, tell me why you asked if I was single. Why did you care? How did you break your finger and is it hurting you? Do you need anything?” she blurted out quickly, feeling the timer winding down. “Do you have email? Can you send a photo? That sounds so shallow, but I want to match the voice with the man? Just to be able to picture who I am talking to, so you aren’t some stranger anymore. This is terrible. I feel like we are playing twenty questions on the dating game - when I just want to talk about little nothings with a friend that truly understands me,” she finished.

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