He listened to the long sigh and grabbed an apple from the tray he had brought in earlier.
„So,“ he said, chewing, „what are you going to eat?“ „Something unhealthy. Stop asking.“ He looked at his apple, considering. „You should eat some fruit,“ Sean said. „Yes, Pa.“ „Ha, ha, very funny.“ That was what he intended to say. It sounded more like „ferry fummy.“ „Eating apples again?“ Sean swallowed. Surprised, he raised his eyebrows. „No,“ he said. „Aw, come on, I know you, you can’t fool me.“ This time Sean sighed. „Okay, you got me.“ „Hah!“ „But you wanted to talk about Dom, didn’t you?“ „Yes.“ He sounded so timid, Sean pressed the receiver closer to his ear.
„Do you want me to just listen? Maybe I shouldn’t bother you with all these questions.“ „No. I mean I wanted to talk to you, after all. I would have told you if I just wanted you to listen. I just... I just miss him.“ „Does he know?“ „Sean! Of course he knows!“ „Does he? Are you sure?“ „Stop sounding like a goddamn therapist!“
Sean inhaled sharply.
„Look. Why don’t you call him?“ „Maybe he doesn’t want to talk to me.“ „Don’t be silly,“ Sean said. „All right. But his work. He’s filming right now.“ „If I remember correctly, so are you. What’s your point? That he doesn’t care enough to have the time for a simple phone call? Come on, you can’t be serious!“ Sean was exasperated by his friend’s words. „You’re right. I’m not.“ „See?“ He started to reach for another apple but decided otherwise and stopped himself.
„Did you eat something in the meantime?“ „No. I forgot.“ Sean could hear some sullen noises and smiled affectionately. „You really should eat sometime, you know. You’ll be skin and bones in no time.“ „Says the apple chewing man.“ „An apple a day...“ „Keeps the doctor away. I know that one, Sean.“ „I could visit you...“ „Now you’re being silly.“ „I’m dead serious.“ „No.“ A sigh. „I’m all right. Really. I’m just a coward, but I’ll manage.“ „Call Dom, or I‘ll call him.“ Sean threatened.
Sean listened to the breathing on the other end of the line. He stood up, walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of juice.
„Are you gnawing your nails?“ he asked suspiciously. „No! In fact, I’m eating crackers. Lousy crackers. Miss your cooking.“ „Aw, poor baby. Back to nutritious bachelor meals?“ „Oh, ha ha. I don’t have a lovely wife to take care of me.“ „You could have Dom...“ „He won’t play housewife. I tried to convince him. He scolded me.“
Sean stifled a laugh at the mental picture of Dom wearing an apron.
„Just because he loves you.“ „Oh, most certainly. What’s so funny?“ „Nothing. You know how to cook, right?“ Sean asked. „What’s your point?“ „Maybe you should play housewife.“ „Ha ha. You’re so funny.“ „No, I’m serious.“
Again, he was answered with silence. He sighed.
„Anything exciting happening right now?“ „I burnt my toast.“ „Silly! I meant in your life! You’re not very... Oh, how should I put this? All the other times you called you were bursting with excitement. You wouldn’t stop rambling about little things for hours!“ „I feel stupid, Sean. Look at me. I have enough work to do. I have a nice flat. A messy, chaotic, nice flat. I’m busy. And yet...“ „You’re sad. Simple as that. Oh wait, I think, Christine’s coming home.“
He walked to the front door, the phone never leaving his ear. She smiled at him when he swung the door open and helped her with her bags. He peeked into one of the paper bags.
„Huh, leek. Eeeek.“ „Fruits and vegetables are healthy, right?“ „Aw, shut up. No, not you honey... it’s... yeah. She sends you love.“ „Woa, thanks. I’m flattered.“ „You should be. Christine? He says ‚hi.‘ Yeah, I love you too, hon.“ „Jeez, if you want some privacy...“ „No! Just wait one more minute.“
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Pt. 2
Date: 2002-07-23 05:54 pm (UTC)„So,“ he said, chewing, „what are you going to eat?“
„Something unhealthy. Stop asking.“
He looked at his apple, considering.
„You should eat some fruit,“ Sean said.
„Yes, Pa.“
„Ha, ha, very funny.“ That was what he intended to say. It sounded more like „ferry fummy.“
„Eating apples again?“
Sean swallowed. Surprised, he raised his eyebrows.
„No,“ he said.
„Aw, come on, I know you, you can’t fool me.“
This time Sean sighed.
„Okay, you got me.“
„Hah!“
„But you wanted to talk about Dom, didn’t you?“
„Yes.“ He sounded so timid, Sean pressed the receiver closer to his ear.
„Do you want me to just listen? Maybe I shouldn’t bother you with all these questions.“
„No. I mean I wanted to talk to you, after all. I would have told you if I just wanted you to listen. I just... I just miss him.“
„Does he know?“
„Sean! Of course he knows!“
„Does he? Are you sure?“
„Stop sounding like a goddamn therapist!“
Sean inhaled sharply.
„Look. Why don’t you call him?“
„Maybe he doesn’t want to talk to me.“
„Don’t be silly,“ Sean said.
„All right. But his work. He’s filming right now.“
„If I remember correctly, so are you. What’s your point? That he doesn’t care enough to have the time for a simple phone call? Come on, you can’t be serious!“ Sean was exasperated by his friend’s words.
„You’re right. I’m not.“
„See?“ He started to reach for another apple but decided otherwise and stopped himself.
„Did you eat something in the meantime?“
„No. I forgot.“ Sean could hear some sullen noises and smiled affectionately.
„You really should eat sometime, you know. You’ll be skin and bones in no time.“
„Says the apple chewing man.“
„An apple a day...“
„Keeps the doctor away. I know that one, Sean.“
„I could visit you...“
„Now you’re being silly.“
„I’m dead serious.“
„No.“ A sigh. „I’m all right. Really. I’m just a coward, but I’ll manage.“
„Call Dom, or I‘ll call him.“ Sean threatened.
Sean listened to the breathing on the other end of the line. He stood up, walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of juice.
„Are you gnawing your nails?“ he asked suspiciously.
„No! In fact, I’m eating crackers. Lousy crackers. Miss your cooking.“
„Aw, poor baby. Back to nutritious bachelor meals?“
„Oh, ha ha. I don’t have a lovely wife to take care of me.“
„You could have Dom...“
„He won’t play housewife. I tried to convince him. He scolded me.“
Sean stifled a laugh at the mental picture of Dom wearing an apron.
„Just because he loves you.“
„Oh, most certainly. What’s so funny?“
„Nothing. You know how to cook, right?“ Sean asked.
„What’s your point?“
„Maybe you should play housewife.“
„Ha ha. You’re so funny.“
„No, I’m serious.“
Again, he was answered with silence. He sighed.
„Anything exciting happening right now?“
„I burnt my toast.“
„Silly! I meant in your life! You’re not very... Oh, how should I put this? All the other times you called you were bursting with excitement. You wouldn’t stop rambling about little things for hours!“
„I feel stupid, Sean. Look at me. I have enough work to do. I have a nice flat. A messy, chaotic, nice flat. I’m busy. And yet...“
„You’re sad. Simple as that. Oh wait, I think, Christine’s coming home.“
He walked to the front door, the phone never leaving his ear. She smiled at him when he swung the door open and helped her with her bags. He peeked into one of the paper bags.
„Huh, leek. Eeeek.“
„Fruits and vegetables are healthy, right?“
„Aw, shut up. No, not you honey... it’s... yeah. She sends you love.“
„Woa, thanks. I’m flattered.“
„You should be. Christine? He says ‚hi.‘ Yeah, I love you too, hon.“
„Jeez, if you want some privacy...“
„No! Just wait one more minute.“
He kissed her soundly on the cheek.