Home Sweet Home | ✔

The Phone Call

Maeson sat on the windowsill overlooking her yard that was being covered in a fresh blanket of snow. She fumbled with her phone nervously while waiting for any call at all. She had woken up that morning with a dreadful feeling that settled within her gut. It had no intention of fading anytime soon. Dreading that she missed anything, she clicked the power button on her phone, the light almost blinding. Nothing.

timidly, she got up and shoved her phone in her pocket, if anyone called or texted her then she would surely hear it. She walked through her spacious living room and into her neat kitchen. There were a few baking trays sitting on the counter, cookies cooling off on them. Then she grabbed a large plate from the cabinet about the counter and set it down with a loud clank. Grabbing a spatula, she and transferred the cookies onto the plate. When that task was finished she reached above her sink and grabbed a bottle of wine that she was in the process of finishing. Maeson frowned and glanced at where she kept her wine glasses before shrugging. After she grabbed a cookie in her other hand she walked back to the living room, sitting where she was before.

The woman gingerly sipped the wine and took a bite of her cookie between drinks. Good job, Maeson she thought, grinning as she took another bite. Though she didn't make it from scratch she baked it and all that mattered was that she didn't burn them. Although she was a terrible cook she tried, they were at least edible, no one who ate her food got food poisoning, that was a plus.

As time passed she finished that bottle of wine and moved onto the alcohol in her liquor cabinet. Due to previous reasons she usually kept that on lock down. Once she drank too much she had the tendency to spill secrets and she was a cuddler. The first time she blacked out drunk she woke up the next day at her neighbors house. Turns out she cried about nothing and wanted to play with their cat.

Maeson winced as she took a drink of the mixed contraption she figured would be strong. Vodka, gin, and brandy mixed to give her a fast buzz. It was awful but durable. By no means was she an alcoholic but she enjoyed a drink every once and awhile when she was off duty. In this case she was on "vacation". Her supervisor told her she was working too hard and gave her the winter holidays off to relax. Said she was always working and never took a sick day.

Maeson set her drink next to her and stood up, swaying lightly. She stumbled over to the couch and threw herself down face first, letting out a heavy sigh. Originally she closed her eyes with the intention of falling asleep but the phone vibrating in her pocket made her open her eyes and sit up quickly. The buzzed woman took a moment to process her phone was going off before she pulled it out of her pocket and answered it, putting it up to her ear.

"Maeson Jones." She answered, leaning back on the couch.

"Maeson? It's mama." Her mom's voice sounded stressed and very defeated.

"Hey mom, what's up?" Maeson asked, guiltily. It had been years since she last talked to her mom.

"I'm so sorry." Her mom said. She started sniffling and was soon sobbing. "It's your daddy."

"Dad?" She asked, she could feel the buzz of the alcohol fade from her body as a cold sweat enveloped her. The gut feeling she had earlier came back stronger.

"He's in the hospital. He didn't want to worry you but he doesn't have much longer left. I know he would want to see you before he went, every Christmas he wanted his baby girl home." Her mom said through sobs, trying to sound like she was okay.

Tears found Maeson's eyes and they soon spilled over. Before her mom could even finish explaining the situation to Maeson she had ran upstairs and dug out her black suitcases from the hallway closet and struggled to hold the phone to her ear and carry along her three bags.

"I-I mean," Maeson stuttered, opening her closet and pulling out about all her clothes. "I live in Chicago, ma."

"Chicago?" Her mom asked, another sob escaping her lips.

Maeson let out a grunt as she held a lot of clothes in her arms, tossing them on her bed. "I'm packing right now mom, I'll be there in a day or two depending on traffic, how is he? What is it? Why didn't you call me, ma? I'm a doctor for fucks sake!"

"I know sweetheart but there are also doctors here, surgeons and other great specialists. He has a brain tumor, baby. We're doing all we can to make him comfortable."

Maeson let out a string of curses as she shoved all of her clothes, toiletries, and other necessary belongings into her suitcases, "I wish you told me sooner."

"I know, baby." She cried out. Maeson zipped up all her suitcases and heaved them onto the floor. She didn't bother to change out of her tank top and jeans, she only put a long sleeve over and put on her boots.

"I'll be there soon, I'm leaving now." Maeson said and parted ways with her mom, shoving her phone in her pocket. The woman struggled with the three suitcases, not wanting to go back for one. She almost threw her bags down the stairs, she was frustrated and angry that her did didn't want to tell her sooner. After she set her bags at the bottom of the stairs she went through the whole house to shut off any lights that were on or to turn off any appliances. Then she pulled on her winter jacket, a beanie, and her scarf before she grabbed her keys and tugged the bags out the door. She locked it behind her and then tugged her bags to her SUV. Her neighbor, the one she trusted, was taking her trash out.

"Hello, Nancy." Maeson called out, leaving her bags by her SUV and walked towards her neighbor who greeted her with a smile and wave.

"I'm going to be gone for a while, do you mind keeping an eye on my house? Calling me if anything happens? I have a family emergency back home." She breathed out quickly. Nancy nodded and Maeson went back to her SUV to put her bags in the back.

She got in and didn't bother to turn on the heat when she started it. Though she shouldn't be driving she was going to because in this situation she didn't give herself a choice.

Maeson pulled out of the driveway and made her day back home to Dalry, Louisiana.

*

*

High-key excited to start this story.

Date: November 30, 2017