— Wren —
I dialed the first number I could think of and waited for the other person to pick up. In the background, I could hear the unmistakable sounds of someone devouring a meal.
"What's up?" My younger sister Spencer answered, her words slightly muffled, possibly because she was chewing.
"Is mom home?" I inquired.
She let out a chuckle, a mix of humor and resignation. "Is she ever?"
I sighed, feeling a sense of frustration creeping in as I raked my hand through my hair. "Do you know when she will be?"
"Yeah."
The silence on the line hung heavy, prompting me to press for an answer. "Are you going to tell me..?"
Spencer's response came with a hint of reluctance. "Like 6 or 7 Washington time but she probably won't want to talk to you. No offense."
"I know," I replied, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. "but it's important."
"Holy shit, are you crying?" Spencer's typically fast-paced questions suddenly took on a tone of genuine concern.
"I need to come home, Spence," I admitted, my voice quivering.
"Why? What happened? Are you pregnant? In jail?" Spencer's rapid-fire inquiries continued, making it clear she was grappling with a mix of curiosity and worry.
"Spence, I just- please tell mom to call me, okay?"
"You got it, dude." Despite her attempt to sound cheerful, I could tell that she was genuinely concerned about me, and that was the last thing I needed.
"Thank you."
"I'll order your plane ticket tonight," Spencer declared, her determination shining through.
"You don't have to," I argued, even though I knew she would insist.
"Love you to the moon, Wren."
"Love you back, Spence."
