Fae pressed the receiver to her ear, pulse drumming loud in her head. The faint hum of the line seemed to stretch forever. Then her mother said, "Fae. I should've realized it was you."
The Anchor could picture her mother standing in the foyer, where the phone sat snugly in its base. Numbers were always displayed on the wide screen, and the phone could also track the caller's location. It was unclear whether her mother had been in a hurry and didn't have time to check the caller ID, or if she did and was simply putting on a farce.
She was willing to bet it was the former, whoever was judging by the slight breathiness in her tone.
She swallowed. "Yes, mother, it's me."
Fae's mother hummed in that way she always did when she couldn't be bothered to answer with words.
"C-Can I speak with father?" She managed to croak out, her voice wavering not just with nerves but with the fear that twisted deeper than she could admit.
