Last Call
After Renly died Ishara bought one of those old phones the landlines with the ridiculously long cords so she cold curl up in bed and talk until she fell asleep. The kids were all tucked in and her patient was settled for the night. So she took the phone into bed and got comfortable. She had discovered this position where she could lay on her side and rest the receiver on her face.
The rain was a loud drum on the roof. It didn’t bother Ishara. She wondered whether the sound of it would go through the receiver. He never let it ring more than three times. It was like he knew she was calling. By now he did.
How many nights in a row had he talked her to sleep?
They never talked about anything important. Just benign little things. Something the kids did. Something that happened at his work. The weather. What they ate for dinner.
“It’s late.” He said as if her calling bothered him. She knew better than that.
“Then you should be in bed.”
His sigh rumbled into the receiver.
“Lemme guess you’re at your desk working, working, working.”
“Guess again.”
“Oh? Hmm. The couch?”
“Closer.”
“Are you in bed before midnight? Darcy Weatherfare I am shocked.”
“Guilty.”
“Slacker.”
He grunted into her ear but gave himself away with the telltale sound of paper rustling.
“You are working!” She accused.
“I never suggested I wasn’t. Don't blame me for the leaps your overactive imagination makes.”
“ Yeah. You actually relaxing? A leap indeed."
"Mhmm."
"Hey. Here's an idea. Put that work away and come over.”
“Not tonight.”
“When?” She whined.
“It’s too soon for us to be seen that way, Ishara. We talked about this.”
“I know, I know...but I’m sick of being lonely and heartbroken.”
He sighed. “I know.”
She fell silent so he picked up the conversation again. “How was Owen tonight?”
“He misses him.”
“Yeah.”
She could hear the pain in his voice and wondered if that was the wrong thing to say to him. But it was the truth. “He keeps looking for him.” She whispered feeling suddenly fearful. “I think he’s still in this house, Darcy.”
“Who?”
“Renly….I can feel him. He’s … he’s not right. He’s scaring me.”
“Ishara.”
“Don’t take that tone with me.”
“What tone.”
“I’m not crazy.”
“I never said you were.”
“I’m bringing a medium over here once I get this patient out on her feet.”
“Ishara.” There was warning in his voice.
“What?”
“No. No mediums.”
“Patti Hanesworth does wonderful work. There's nothing wrong with using a medium. Maybe he has something to tell me.”
"I wouldn't mess with that kind of thing."
"Oh what do you know?"
"I'm quite a bit older than you."
“He’s trying to tell me something. I have to hear him out.”
“What patient?” He changed the subject. It was no use arguing with her.
“Huh?”
“You said you had a patient there.”
“Oh yeah. I just got her today. Tonight actually.”
“Tonight?”
He sounded worried to her. “Owen found her.”
“What do you mean Owen found her?”
“In the yard. He was out looking for Renly and spotted this poor girl laying in the yard on the edge of the woods. In the rain. Pitiful thing.”
“Who is this girl?” There was quite a bit of concern in his voice now.
“Oh it’s perfectly alright, Darcy. Just some poor thing beat all to hell.”
“Beat all to hell by who? Or what?”
“Well I didn’t ask her that.”
“You didn’t - Ishara you can’t just bring people into your home like that. We talked about this. Renly didn’t like it when he wasn’t there either.”
“And now he'll never be here and you're not coming over either.” She snapped too quickly.
He sighed. “You just need to watch yourself.”
“You hate me.” She whined.
“Yeah. That’s it. I hate you.”
“Well I hate you back. So much.”
“I know.”
"Thank you for being concerned for me. You know I can handle myself."
"I know." A silence fell between them for a few moments so he spoke again. "So tell me about this patient.”
“Oh, she’s Veridian."
“Veridian, really?’
Ishara could hear the surprise in his voice. “Mhmm. Her name is Rylan Sor-”
“-ensen?”
“Wait, do you know her? I mean the Isles aren’t very big. What are the odds! You should come say hi!”
“I might. I think I will.”
“Splendid. What time will you come tomorrow?”
“I’m coming tonight.”
Ishara felt something like a surge of jealousy. It was wildly misplaced. Not that she knew that. “Oh I see. You know...It’s much too late for a visit, Darcy....”
“Ishara.”
“It sounds like one of the kids has gotten up.”
“Ishara.”
“I have to go.”
“Ishara don’t hang up.”
“I love you darling. See you tomorrow.”
She hung up.
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
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