Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18: THE UNANSWERED RING
May 14th.
Diane’s birthday.
Michael had always sent flowers. He had always made the requisite phone call, bracing for the inevitable guilt trip about how his gift wasn't quite right.
This year, he bought no flowers.
He made no call.
At 7:00 p.m., they were in the kitchen. Emma was chopping carrots. Michael was washing spinach.
His phone sat on the counter.
It began to vibrate.
The screen lit up.
Unknown Caller.
They both knew who it was.
The buzzing rattled against the granite island.
It was loud. It was demanding. It carried the weight of thirty-five years of programming.
Michael stopped washing the spinach.
He looked at the screen.
Emma stopped chopping. She didn't say a word. She let him choose.
The phone buzzed. And buzzed.
Michael reached out with a wet hand.
He didn’t decline the call. He didn't answer it.
He simply flipped the phone facedown on the granite.
The buzzing stopped a few seconds later.
He picked up a towel, dried his hands, and picked up a knife to help Emma with the carrots.
“You okay?” she asked softly.
“Yes,” he said.
He chopped a carrot.
“I realized today,” he said quietly, “that when I feel guilty... I’m not grieving the mother I have. I’m grieving the mother I wanted.”
Emma reached over and placed her hand on his back.
May you like
He leaned into her touch.
The phone did not ring again.
