No Strings

Chapter 43--Boys Calls on Girl

I almost fell down the stairs when I heard the phone ring. It never rang this early in the morning. I caught my balance on the banister and went down to grab the phone.

I wanted to scream,"What?" into the phone but instead found my voice had broken into a business tone. "Hello, how may I help you?"

I heard a yawn from the other end and then a "Besty?"

"Huh?" I said in an equal stupor.

He didn't answer for a while. No coffee nearby I guessed.

"I wanted to hear your voice this morning. Not used to you..." the phone cut off for so long I thought he'd hung up. But the clock on the phone was still running. Then it occurred to me he might be falling asleep.

"Get some coffee," I said.

"The coffee here stinks," he said, "Can you make your breakfast? Maybe I'll wake up then."

I stumbled into the kitchen. I held the phone in one hand and then got down a cereal bowl and the cereal. I put down the phone so he could hear it click against the table. I poured the cereal and milk into the bowl. I picked up the phone again.

"Better?" I asked.

"Take a bite?"

I crunched into the cereal. I couldn't lean my head in the same way, but I found the phone as consoling.

"Is it working?" I asked. I didn't know why I was doing this nor why I wasn't annoyed at him.

"Better... a little. Let me drink the coffee I have."

He hadn't called like this before, but I knew he was busy. I found it comforting. Better than the empty house.

I could hear him swallowing.

"The coffee tastes better," he said.

I was beginning to wake up. Even without coffee, the sound of William's voice was doing the trick. I wondered when I had become so reliant on him. My therapist said it was bad to lean on the person in a love relationship for everything, but this couldn't be so bad. I had been going out and having fun on my own.

"Besty?" he asked.

I snapped out of my mini trance.

"When are you coming back again?" I asked.

I had to lift the phone away from my ear. The plastic was making it sweaty.

"Huh?" he asked. He paused for a long time and then took another gulp. "Oh... it's going to be longer than I thought." His voice had a soft sigh.

I nodded in reflex and then realized this was a phone call. Somehow, I thought he was in the kitchen with me for a second.

"Besty?..."

"Yes?" I asked, snapping out from falling asleep. Maybe I needed that coffee after all.

"How about you? How are you doing?"

"In the summer there is going to be another submission chance," I said.

"What are you working on?"

"Not sure yet, but it's going to be announced next week."

I heard another gulp and then some kind of crunching.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Toast," he said.

"Not your usual craving?"

I heard a noise of disagreement.

"I can't make it unless I'm there... this is what the hotel is serving, so I have to go with it."

He was cross. I couldn't blame him. This project was wearing him down. The back and forth made me wonder if I should quit work and be there to support him. But I already knew the folly of such thoughts.

"Are you sleeping?" I asked.

"Not very well. This apartment is worse than the Kim Jong Il project."

"Oh?"

"The decorator is complaining to me that the wall is not flat. I told her that as the architect I have nothing to do with making the wall flat or not. Plus she wants to use floral patterns which is against the image the contractors have for the building."

I nodded though I knew he couldn't see it. I finished my breakfast.

"I have to stay here another week. I'm sorry Besty. I know it's not fair... when we're..."

"It's OK. I understand."

I gulped down the milk. I went to the refrigerator and heated up the leftover coffee.

"You're not making the coffee in the coffee maker?" he asked.

I was surprised he would know. But then the only time I used a microwave in the morning was to reheat coffee. He always thought it was a sin against coffee.

"I made too much last time."

I yawned. The microwave beeped. I stirred the coffee with a spoon and then tested the temperature. I put it in for another two minutes.

"I wish I could have drank it for you," he said crunching again.

It occurred to me now that I'd made enough for two people. Maybe it was reflex.

I took a gulp of the coffee. The smell was enough to wake me up. I closed the microwave. I sat back down at the table. We didn't say anything for a long time. I could hear the occasional crunch or gulp. And something like silverware in between.

I could almost see William leaning forward and back in his chair in time with his gulps and crunches. I was realizing how much I had missed him. But I couldn't tell him. It was the wrong time.

"Besty?" he asked.

"Ummm?" I asked.

"I have to go... the cellphone is ringing on line two... I think it's the decorator complaining about the wall again."

I wanted to say it then, but still didn't.

"OK."

"I'll call again as soon as I get the chance," he said.

"I'd like that," I said without realizing my words. The coffee cup was near to empty anyhow. I didn't want to drink the grains in the bottom.

"Bye," he said.

"Bye," I said.

I didn't expect to hear from him again, but he continued to call almost every morning. Only one morning he missed because of a business breakfast. I never knew people could call each other everyday. I always thought it was too obsessive.