Odes of Autumn | A Narnia One-Shot Collection

I'm Glad You Called

October 2nd Prompt: Early Night

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Peter tossed his pencil across the desk.

Perhaps a little too aggressively.

"That won't help you find the answer." Professor Kirke stated matter-of-factly, not so much as glancing in Peter's direction.

Peter stared indignantly at the older man adjacent to him and considered for a long moment whether or not to say something smart in reply.

Professor Kirke sat quietly, peering through his spectacles at the latest paper and puffing his pipe, fully immersed in his reading yet somehow fully aware of Peter's every move.

"The exam is two weeks away." Peter finally sighed, dejected fatigue plaguing his voice. "I'm supposed to have pages of medical terminology memorized, and I can't even spell right the words I do know."

Digory cast a smirk over his paper in Peter's direction.

"Walk away from it for a while then. Maybe your books need a break from you too."

"Sounds like something Ed would say." Peter huffed, though his brow twitched in subtle amusement at the thought of his brother's cheeky quips.

"The pipe always clears my mind." Professor Kirke offered without offering.

"Thanks...but no thanks. I think I'll take a walk instead. Excuse me, sir."

Vacating his desk, Peter took his leave from the study, and wandered the halls with no real destination in mind.

"Of course, you had to choose a career in medicine, didn't you?" He chided himself, only half-serious. There was no reply to be heard other than the melancholic patter of rain on shingles overhead.

Peter stopped in front of a window, gazing through the rain-streaked glass at the quiet street below.

Dusk had arrived and a sea of umbrella-toting businessmen from downtown were hurrying home.

Peter's mind began to wander to another window within a long hallway where he once spent many hours gazing out over another sea, one vast and clear that sparkled in the sun. A world, so distant from his own in moments like these, yet the place his mind would often escape to.

He hung his head.

As much as he hated to admit it, he knew "escaping" to Narnia would not help make life here any simpler.

"Mr. Pevensie?" A voice called, pulling him back to reality.

"Yes, Mrs. Macready?"

"There's a telephone call for you in the study."

Peter's heart leapt, his countenance instantly brightening

Thanking Mrs. Macready, Peter rushed back to the study.

The phone lay on its side at the edge of Professor Kirke's now vacant cherrywood desk.

Peter's fingers shook with anticipation as he reached for the old phone.

"Hello, this is Peter, who is this?"

There was a moment of static and Peter held his breath.

"Peter! How are you, my boy?"

Tears sprung into Peter's eyes, blurring his vision. He sat down hard and blinked furiously to regain his sight.

"Father? How...you're-" Peter stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. "I'm doing well. University is a little harder than I anticipated, but I'm getting by."

Mr. Pevensie's warm chuckle rolled through the phone into Peter's ear.

"I'd be a little disappointed in our higher education system if it wasn't kicking you in the butt at least a little bit."

Peter laughed, almost out of relief, as tears rolled down his face.

"I miss you, dad."

"I miss you too son. Say, that's why I called you in the first place! I will be passing through town, and my next train stops in London for about an hour. Would you be up for an early night coffee?"

"Tonight?!"

"Yes, tonight." Mr. Pevensie laughed again.

"I would love- I mean, of course; when do you arrive?"

"Should be pulling into the station in about 25 minutes."

"I'll be there." Peter replied firmly as he stood and glanced at his watch.

"See you soon then."

With a click, the line cut short, and Peter was already halfway out the door.

Tossing a jacket over his shoulders, Peter dashed into the street.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew his mother would have a fit if she could see him now, running in the cold evening rain without even a scarf for warmth.

But he didn't care.

The train station was unusually busy for such an hour. Men in uniform crowded the platform, pushing and shoving as they made their way from one platform to another.

Peter maneuvered as best he could among the press of bodies, straining in every direction for a glimpse of his father.

Just as the end of the platform came into sight, a strong hand gripped Peter's arm, pulling him around and straight into a bear-like embrace.

For a moment, all the exams were forgotten, all the frustration over spelling and medical terminology melted away.

"It's good to see you."

Peter nodded his head and hugged his father tighter.

"I'm glad you called."