Voices

"Oh hell. What's the harm," said Jack to no one in particular. He picked up his phone and dialed the number. All he wanted was to hear a familiar voice.

No. That wasn't true. He wanted to hear her voice. Just her voice. Even if it was only for second. Even if it was just her voicemail message. He needed to hear her voice.

It rang three times before she answered.

"Hello?"

"Lindsay? Hey, it's Jack. How are you?"

"I'm good. Just doing my thing," she said. "So what's up?"

"Honestly? I was just feeling a little home sick. I wanted to hear a friendly voice."

"Oh. Well, if anything, I do have that," said Lindsay, a nervous giggle in her voice.

There was a brief pause. It was weird, he knew. Maybe he shouldn't have called.

"Yeah," he said. "I don't know. Maybe it's weird that I called you, but when I hear your voice...I dunno."

"Oh," she said. "Well, how have things been out there for you?"

"It's been good. I've got a few job offers and I should be working within a week or so. That's about it. Nothing major."

"Well that's good."

Boy, this was awkward. He had so much that he wanted to say to her. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her, even though he wasn't sure why exactly. He wanted to tell her how much  he thought about her everyday. Maybe, he even wanted to tell her that he was in love with her.

But he wouldn't. He couldn't say any of those things to her. Not yet. He wasn't ready. And for her, he wanted to be ready.

"Well, look, you're probably busy or something. I should let you go for now."

"Oh," she said. "Okay"

There was a hint of disappointment in her voice, like she had expected something more. He could hear it in the silence that followed. There was more on the tip of his tongue, but he pushed it away.

"Well, I hope you have a great night."

"Yeah. You, too," she said.

"Bye."

"Bye."

Jack hung up the phone and held it in his hand. He looked down at it for a few moments, then pocketed it with a sigh.

He looked out of his window and thought about Lindsay. He could see her face and he could still hear her voice in his head. He sat down, resignedly, on his couch and looked down at the floor shaking his head.

And when he looked up, he glanced at the empty space next to him on the couch. He imagined her next to him.

"I love you," he said, to no one in particular.