Maybe It's Been You All Along - Alex Turner

68

  The house lay silent with the exemption of one rattling ring that echoed off the high rise walls and sunk into the various pieces of furniture. The darkness of night enveloping the world and leaving only the white-blue wash of the moon to illuminate the quiet buildings like a visual lullaby to sooth them all to sleep. Alex groaned grumpily was the ring continued to blare by his ear. Knowing it was a phone call he reached an arm out and snatched his phone off the bedside table and forced himself to stay awake for the duration of the call. His eyes burned at the blinding bright light shining onto his face. Squinting to the point where his eyes were almost shut, barely able to read the name as he sighed and placed the phone to his ear; sighing in relief as the brightness of the phone died down as he moved it from his face.

  "Hello?" he mumbled, refusing to rub his eyes so that it would be easier for him to fall straight back asleep the second the call was over.

  "Hey," a soft voice came through. It was the only one that made waking him up at such an hour worth it.

  "Oh Rosanna, sorry love, didn't know it were you," Alex said and rolled onto his side, pulling his duvet up over his exposed shoulders. The late autumn air like ice against his skin.

  "Sorry, I was just calling to let you know that they had to change my flight so now I've got a connecting in New York instead of heading straight to LA," Rosanna apologised. She was much more awake than Alex was, being eight hours ahead of him. "So I'm gonna land a couple hours later than I was before."

  "That's alright love," Alex hummed. "I'll still come get ya."

  "Sorry did I wake you up?" Rosanna asked, guilt laced in her tone. She internally face palmed herself for forgetting that she and Alex were currently in different time zones. It had been about a week since she finished her month away in Paris and already she was on her way to visit Alex in LA.

  "It's alright," Alex said.

  "What time is it?"

  Alex checked his phone for the time and winced. "Two in the mornin'."

  "Fuck, sorry baby," Rosanna swore, "I'll let you go back to sleep. Sorry for waking you."

  "Don't sweat it love," Alex smiled as his eyes began to grow heavier and heavier. "I'll see ya at the airport."

  "Okay," Rosanna smiled. "Sweet dreams," she said, a little playful in tone as Alex thought about being able to kiss her in a matter of hours.

  "I love ya," he mumbled into the microphone and hummed in delight as she told him she loved him back. It always felt surreal. The second she hung up, Alex collapsed back to sleep and didn't wake for a good six hours. He woke up the next morning excited beyond words that he'd soon be sharing the house that was once 'theirs' with the love of his life once more. Too many years had he lived with nothing but his own company, the ghost of her moving in and out of the empty rooms. Only one of the chairs at the dining table had been used, the rest left to gather dust unless he had guests, now, one more would be occupied — even if it was just for a week. For the first time in years, that house felt warm and welcoming. No longer a cold reminder of the day she left.

  He hated doing it, but Alex forced himself to clean the entire house. Everything had to be perfect for her arrival. He couldn't stop smiling like a little child at the idea of sharing that space with her once more. Their house. Finally no longer missing its other half.

  Rosanna was arriving in the evening now instead of the afternoon, Alex already anticipated that she was going to be tired out of her mind so prepared food that he left in the fridge so as soon as she got back she could eat and go straight to sleep. He drove in the Cadillac to the airport and waited patiently at the gate with a bouquet of flowers for her. A boy in his early twenties approached Alex as he waited and asked for a photo. Feeling a little awkward having been there to pick up his not-yet-public girlfriend, Alex took the photo and hid the flowers behind his back, wishing no one recognised him so the day could just be between him and Rosanna.