All My Sins

An Apple

"Hello."

Maureen's chest went hollow, it was really him. But Marshall answered declaratively.

"Hi." Her voice flowed through the phone like a spring breeze, warm.

"I wasn't sure you'd call." He came out honestly, as if he could breathe again.

"I'm not sure what to say."

"I was surprised that you didn't already have a phone." He said.

"I used to." She stated nonchalantly, but Marshall wondered. And then he was glad to have gotten her the phone.

"Why not anymore?"

"My parents couldn't afford it at the time, and I guess I just never asked later on." This perplexed Marshall, he had driven through the suburbia and seen the Doc family house. Based solely on appearance, finances and expenses seemed a very distant burden.

"I don't think I can keep this." She admitted.

"You can. I want you to have it." He persisted, appreciating her modest reaction.

"I suppose I ought to be thanking you then, Marshall."

Hearing her whisper his name through the phone was sweet, and even as an older man Marshall found himself smirking at the sound, practically giddy in the moment.

"You're welcome, Maureen."

A few solitary seconds of silence passed in which both were at a loss for what more to say, while at the same time clinging to one another through the line.

"What are you doing?" She asked and Marshall smirked audibly.

"I'm sittin' on the couch, talking to you." He told her.

"Oh."

"Whatchu doing?" He asked back.

"Same thing I was the last you saw me. Lying in bed."

"Are you glad to be back in your own bed?"

"Not necessarily." She answered carefully, Marshall bit his tongue.

"It's pretty comfortable." He told her cheekily, tickled at the memory of his short power nap after stopping by for her while she was in the hospital.

"Mhmm, right." Her short hum through the phone was relaxed. "My mother is attracted to you."  She followed up boldly.

"Afraid of the competition?"

Maureen giggled, "I bid you good luck with that."

"Why do you say that, though?"

"She filled her friend in on your little night cap yesterday evening." He could tell she spoke with a swift selection of words, as if she had already written these lines, as if she had read them before, which intimidated him. However, he attempted to adapt to her collected dialogue.

"I came to see you." He corrected and received her silence like applause.

"Well, thank you." She was left to kind submission.

"Suppose I made a good first impression?" It all sounded so stupid, so arrogant coming out but  deep down he felt as though he could not compete with her. Though much younger and inexperienced, the superior brightness of her mind blinded him.