The sound of the rain beating against the French windows wasn't the one that broke the silence of the dead night. Beneath the pillow the phone had been stubbornly ringing, stirring me awake, jerking my consciousness in the worst manner imaginable.
I didn't need to look at the screen of the device to know who had to call me at this time of the day.
"Hello?" I heard my hoarse voice expand in the void. This was dangerously becoming a habit, these almost secret calls in the wee hours, even when there really was nothing to talk about.
"Were you sleeping?" He was almost shocked, and had the nerve to ask.
"Yes. No. Does it matter?" I had to clear my throat, irritation evident at the ugly sound. The grogginess wouldn't leave me for another ten seconds.
"Sorry."
Just one word and something in the professor's speech pattern made me instantly alert, a frown forming on my face.
He was unusually somber if not melancholic, but that wasn't what was striking about it. I surprised myself at the easy observation. I didn't realize I had already become sensitive of his moods now.
Taking in the limited light in my space, I blinked again and again as I focused my sight on the plastic constellations pasted on the ceiling.
The feelings he was unintentionally channeling through the call were disconcerting, weighing me down with the tangible heaviness.
I convinced myself that he hadn't meant to seek for me, that it just happened to be an accident that I was the first person he was able to reach. And I couldn't ask him what was wrong because it wasn't in my nature to prod though I certainly tried, mouth open with the question hanging between us.
"My dad," he sighed the words, not elaborating since there really was no need to. It was easy to assume that the professor's influential father wanted his way with things again.
"I see."
I sincerely wished I could be more emphatic however I had always been short in that field.
But he had accepted the company which seemed enough for him.
"Don't worry about it," I added in attempt to cheer him up, anyway not sure if it was the right thing to say. It was an embarrassingly standard operating procedure statement, and I cringed to myself at the mention of it.
Finally, the angry storm had ceased its torment, quiet slowly returning in this little house. Time passed slowly now as eternity seemed to stretch while I waited in my bed for an answer that might not come.
He didn't say anything to acknowledge the hope in things but there was comfort in his silence and a sense of calm in the absence of words. I figured it was actually him who was doing me a favor.
"Thank you for answering the call."
Shadows had stilled and my breath stopped for a very short second. How could such gratitude be so impacting like this?
My response came a little too late.
"Anytime."
Anytime.
At the back of my mind I knew that the word was going to haunt me from then on, like an unwanted promise I was bound to keep.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sweetie," the professor mumbled as if it were an afterthought, still slightly pensive.
I couldn't resist a pout. I still hated to be reduced to such pun.
"Go to sleep, Cat. It's late. Bye."
The call ended but that was also when I started having his dreams.
I didn't need to look at the screen of the device to know who had to call me at this time of the day.
"Hello?" I heard my hoarse voice expand in the void. This was dangerously becoming a habit, these almost secret calls in the wee hours, even when there really was nothing to talk about.
"Were you sleeping?" He was almost shocked, and had the nerve to ask.
"Yes. No. Does it matter?" I had to clear my throat, irritation evident at the ugly sound. The grogginess wouldn't leave me for another ten seconds.
"Sorry."
Just one word and something in the professor's speech pattern made me instantly alert, a frown forming on my face.
He was unusually somber if not melancholic, but that wasn't what was striking about it. I surprised myself at the easy observation. I didn't realize I had already become sensitive of his moods now.
Taking in the limited light in my space, I blinked again and again as I focused my sight on the plastic constellations pasted on the ceiling.
The feelings he was unintentionally channeling through the call were disconcerting, weighing me down with the tangible heaviness.
I convinced myself that he hadn't meant to seek for me, that it just happened to be an accident that I was the first person he was able to reach. And I couldn't ask him what was wrong because it wasn't in my nature to prod though I certainly tried, mouth open with the question hanging between us.
"My dad," he sighed the words, not elaborating since there really was no need to. It was easy to assume that the professor's influential father wanted his way with things again.
"I see."
I sincerely wished I could be more emphatic however I had always been short in that field.
But he had accepted the company which seemed enough for him.
"Don't worry about it," I added in attempt to cheer him up, anyway not sure if it was the right thing to say. It was an embarrassingly standard operating procedure statement, and I cringed to myself at the mention of it.
Finally, the angry storm had ceased its torment, quiet slowly returning in this little house. Time passed slowly now as eternity seemed to stretch while I waited in my bed for an answer that might not come.
He didn't say anything to acknowledge the hope in things but there was comfort in his silence and a sense of calm in the absence of words. I figured it was actually him who was doing me a favor.
"Thank you for answering the call."
Shadows had stilled and my breath stopped for a very short second. How could such gratitude be so impacting like this?
My response came a little too late.
"Anytime."
Anytime.
At the back of my mind I knew that the word was going to haunt me from then on, like an unwanted promise I was bound to keep.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sweetie," the professor mumbled as if it were an afterthought, still slightly pensive.
I couldn't resist a pout. I still hated to be reduced to such pun.
"Go to sleep, Cat. It's late. Bye."
The call ended but that was also when I started having his dreams.
