Phoning Home

“Do you know someone named Raphaella?” Cassidy asked, looking down at the call display on her cell phone lying face up on the kitchen table.

Tom’s mouth made a perfect circle, “Oh,” he said, eyebrows raising. “I think that’s my mom.” The phone rang again, vibrating on the table.

“Should I answer it?” Cassie asked, looking at him, brow rising.

Walking toward the device as it sounded a third time, he nodded.

Reaching down with her right index finger, Cassidy slid it across the green arrow on the bottom of the screen on her phone, connecting the call.

“Thomas? What the heck is going on? Why are you with a nurse? Is everything okay?” came the panicked voice of his mother through the speaker.

Leaning down closer to the microphone, Tom held up a hand to silence Cassie, “Mom,” he said warmly, voice calm, “Everything is fine,” he reassured.

“What’s wrong with your voice? You don’t sound fine,” she replied.

“Cassidy’s phone is old and I left mine back at the school, I just wanted to let Tess know in case she was looking for me and I couldn’t remember her number, so I used yours by mistake,” he said with a chuckle.

“Cassidy is the nurse? Are you hurt?” she queried. “What happened to my baby boy?”

“I’m okay, just tired, been taking an extra credit crash course on human anatomy the last couple of weeks and it’s taking a toll on me,” he answered, grinning up at Cassie.

“You sound far away,” she commented.

He rolled his little eyes, “Mom, it’s just the phone and the fact I’m tired,” he explained.

“You didn’t even say goodbye when you left,” she complained.

He let out a long exasperated sigh, “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “You were out so I asked Tess to say goodbye for me.”

“It’s not the same, you’re my special little guy, my baby,” she replied affectionately. “You know that right?”

“You have no idea,” he mumbled half under his breath, shaking his head. Cassidy smiled warmly.

“Sorry? I didn’t hear that,” Raphaella said.

“Nothing, sorry,” he answered.

“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re alright. I was so worried when I got the text from a strange number,” his mother stated.

“Because I don’t have my phone, could you please look up Tess’s number and text it back to Cassidy’s phone so she doesn’t worry?” he asked.

“Of course. I’m pleased you two are getting along together. It gives me some small measure of comfort with my children being so far away from home,” she replied. “It’s important you look out for your sister.”

“I know, but Tess is pretty capable,” he answered.

“I know,” she replied.

“Okay, so, I have to get going,” he said.

“You should call more often, you and your sister both, I miss my babies,” she lamented.

“Mom,” he protested.

“I know, you want to go,” she said, letting out a sigh.

“And don’t forget to text Tess’s number please and thank you,” he said, nodding.

“You know, with your father away, I should come down for a visit with you and your sister,” she suggested, excitement in her voice.

“No!” he blurted, raising his hands up in a halting motion.

“Maybe next weekend?” she offered.

“You know, exams are coming, and with all the studying and whatnot, you know, it probably wouldn’t make for a great trip for you,” he hastily countered, trying to discourage her.

“Nonsense,” she replied, “Next weekend I’m coming down there to see you and your sister, like it or not,” she informed, tone direct.

Recognizing the determination in her tone, he knew there was no point in arguing. Once she made up her mind, there was no swaying her. “Fine,” he said, elongating the word.

She chuckled, “Excellent. I’ll send you your sister’s number and you can let her know I’m coming and I’m not leaving until I’ve seen both of my children. I love you,” she said, followed by a couple of kissing sounds.

“I love you too,” he answered, returning the lip smacking sounds.

“Please thank Cassidy for the use of her phone and remember to use protection,” she said.

“Jesus Christ mom!” Tom exclaimed, embarrassed by his mother’s candor.

“As a health care practitioner she knows the value of playing safe,” she cautioned.

“Oh my god, I have to go,” he said, cheeks aflame.

“Bye,” Raphaella replied.

Sweeping his hand across the red arrow on the screen. Looking up at Cassie, he shook his head, “I am so sorry,” he offered, the color bright in his cheeks.

“It’s okay,” she assured, grinning. “Your mother sounds very nice and obviously she cares for you, it will be good to see her,” she added.

Standing up, Tom spread his arms wide, palms up and snorted. “There’s just this one little wrinkle,” he said.

Cassie frowned, “What?” she asked, unsure of the point he was trying to make.

“She doesn’t exactly know that I’m a little shorter than the last time I saw her, like by about six feet,” he answered.

“So you weren’t always this small?” she asked.

“Nope,” he said glumly.

“How? Like how did you get so tiny?” she inquired, eyes alight. The phone on the table made a tinging noise. “Test message,” she explained.

“It is a long story,” he said, shaking his head slowly from side to side. “Could forward that previous message to Tess now? He asked, smiling up at her and glancing toward the phone.

“Oh, yes, sorry,” she replied taking the device in her hands and sending the text to the number provided by his mother.

“What is the number?” he inquired after she had dispatched the message.

She read it out.

He frowned, he wasn’t even close. “I wonder how I screwed them up,” he mused, pondering while trying to commit Tess’s number to memory.

“Can you tell me how this all happened?” she queried.

He grinned, “Sure, I guess we’ve got some time while we wait,” he answered, walking closer to the woman.