Snowdrop

V

Back to Phil

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I sat back in my wheelchair. Dan had left so abruptly, and he had such pain in his chocolate eyes. I didn't understand. From the moment he saw me, he was playing with the silver ring around his ring finger. He must be engaged or married,  I thought. I swore I could see tears in his eyes as he left. I sighed before wheeling myself to my bedroom.

I left the wheelchair at the foot of my bed and stood. My steps were sure and determined as I looked for Scott. I found him on the porch, a thin cigarette hanging between his lips. "Ah, Mister Lester. You should not be out of your chair." He said, exhaling the smoke through his nose. I faced him, my blue eyes searching the side of his slightly wrinkled face for any sort of answer.

When I found none, I spoke. "Scott, do you have any idea why Dan was so upset?" I asked gently, my fingers gripping the railing. Scott looked at me with a cocked eyebrow, his cigarette momentarily forgotten in between his fingers. "Yes, I do. But, alas, it is not my place to share that with you. Mister Howell will tell you when he's ready." Scott said vaguely,

His answer didn't satisfy my curiosity. "Well, you seem to know Dan pretty well. Do you have a phone number I could contact him through?" I asked gingerly, gnawing on my chapped lower lip. Scott smiled. He nodded and walked inside, dropping his cigarette on the ground. I followed him, my fingers fidgeting nervously against the leg of my skinny jeans.

"Here you go sir. This is his cellular number." After handing me a slip of paper with a phone number scrawled on it. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed the number, the phone cold against my ear as I shakily walked back to my bedroom. Just as I passed through the doorway, he picked up. "H-hello?" His voice sounded broken and gave away the fact that he had been crying recently.

"Hi Dan. It's me, Phil. Scott gave me your number. I just wanted to see if you were okay." I said softly, sitting in my wheelchair. I could almost hear the soft smile on Dan's lips. "Hey Phil. I'm fine, just some...family stuff." He paused, and I heard two other voices through him, one deep and smooth and the other holding a thick Northern accent.

"Look, I have my friends Chris and PJ with me. They're helping me through it. I gotta go." "Wait, wait, wait! If you ever need to talk, I'm here. Bye." Phil said gently. Dan returned the farewell and hung up. Phil sighed and tossed his phone on his bed. He gently rolled back and forth, his eyes trained on the wall. He stopped and looked at his left hand. A thin line of his skin was paler than the rest.

It's where he wore the ring. He didn't know why he wore it, or why it was important, but he knew it was important that he did.

Besides, it made him feel closer to Dan.