𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 | an apocalyptic novel ©

Chapter 14

Dialing Home

1995

Maxine

"Mom?"

"Oh my, Maxine, my baby..." I hear my mother wince on the other end. It hurts me to hear her like that, she probably imagined I was already dead.

"I- I'm alright," I try to calm her down while my eyes trail over my shoulder to Ryle leaning against the side of the community tent where the pay phone is located on the outside.

Just... feeling like I'm in love?

After meeting him a little while ago.

"Where are you, are you okay, we've seen the news of the Bronx, have you arrived safely at Louise's?"

Ten minutes – given the few pennies Ryle gave me, make it seven at most – I don't have more to call my mother.

"Mom, I have to make this quick, okay?" I cut her off mid-sentence, to get to my point in her oh-I'm-so-worried-talk. "I took the subway to the Bronx, the tunnel was caught in a flood, I am safe in a camp where they rescued me, I don't know where Louise is or what happened to her. All I know is that I am okay and missing you an incredible lot."

There is silence at the other end of the pay phone and I almost assume my mother hung up since she can get salty when someone interrupts her. But then I hear a sigh – or more, a choked sob.

"No, mom... please don't cry..." I sigh. Once my mom starts to cry, it is quite difficult to get her to calm down. And I can't waste these remaining five minutes on that. Five minutes usually are a lot, yet right now they seem so little.

I suppress the urge to cough, not here, not now, I can't allow my mother to find out I have been affected.

"I'm okay, I'm j-just worried about my baby,'' she forces out and I have to hold back my tears from simply hearing the pain in her voice.

1,200 miles of distance are between us, at this point, I'd kill for an embrace from my family.

"I met someone," I blurt out. That makes me and her gasp at the same time. I didn't think I'd say it. "A friend," I try to smooth out.

"What's their name?" I hear her ask through the speaker, this time her voice is closer to the phone, perhaps because she is walking somewhere secluded. It's typical of my mom, she always keeps situations around love away from my father until they are official.

"Ryle..." I whisper, internally hoping that Ryle, still leaning a few ten feet away from me, doesn't hear it.

"And?"

And what... I'm in love?

I tangle my fingers in the cord of the pay phone.

"I think I love him." Redness creeps up my cheeks the moment I say that. I'm not denying it anymore at this point.

Am I getting flustered about something like falling in love?

"That's sweet to he-"

My mother's words are cut off.

I wait for a moment, maybe it was only a disruption of the connection.

But she doesn't reply anymore.

Five minutes are over already?

A part of me is slightly bummed about that fact, I didn't even manage to say a proper goodbye.

Sighing, I hang the phone back into its suspension and leave the payphone cell.

I'll be okay.

I catch up to Ryle again.

"You look better, happy," he says after giving me a scrutinizing gaze.

Happy, yes.

Maybe I am. And maybe a telephone call isn't the only reason.