One hand clenched tightly around a slender piece of paper which was touched tightly to her chest, while in contrast the other hand shook so badly that it threatened to drop the phone which was lightly pressed to her ear.
Room for one deep breath, enough time for the thought to just hang up to appear at least a dozen different times, and then it began to ring.
More nerves, more time to question, and only the supporting hand at her back kept her from hanging up right then and there and never using the number on that wisp of a paper ever again.
Too soon there was a soft click of the phone being picked up on the other line, so very far away both by time and distance now, and a voice that was achingly familiar answered. "Hello?"
It was unlike her to be so nervous, the one who had volunteered to be the first to call, the one who had so rarely hesitated in what she wanted before, no matter who it hurt. A soft nudge at her back forced her to speak just before the person on the other end was about to hang up. "Dad?"
The intake of breath on the other line was so great that it was audible not only to Emily, but also to Maria, standing much farther from the phone. There was some background noise then a much louder click as the phone was shifted to speaker mode and a woman's voice was apparent. "Emily, is that you?"
A nod, then a slightly cleared throat when she remembered they couldn't see her, hadn't seen her, not in so long. "Yeah, mom, it's me."
There was a jumble of words and chaos from the other line that took a moment to settle. "Emily…"
"It's been so long…"
"We'd all but given up-"
"Don't say that John!"
"No, no, of course not."
Finally, there was a pause, full of over twenty years of pain, and then her mother spoke again, "We're so glad to know that you're all right."
Emily dearly wanted to explain. To say how stupid she'd been, how at fifteen the only option had seemed to run away after her older brother's death, how she'd been so depressed and had hoped that being away from all the pain would make everything better. How Manticore had made everything worse. She settled for something far lacking, "I didn't know how to get in touch with you before." It was mostly true.
There was a click again and this time it was her father back on the phone. Gruffly he began, "Doesn't matter right now. Do you need money, a ticket home, a sector pass, anything?"
"Actually, dad, I think it's better you come here." Deep breath, squeeze Maria's hand because she understands for the most part, "There's someone you're going to need to meet. You and mom."
"Right. Where exactly is here?"