Disclaimer, you know.
That evening dorothy spent sitting in front of the radio. Right now, it was nothing but static. She had dinner in her room, a nice serving of roast beef with potatoes and carrots. When she had cleaned her plate, she turned the radio back on and was met with the sound of someone drinking a rather large drink it seemed.
"Alex?" dorothy asked.
A moment later the sound of choking and coughing.
"Dorothy!" he replied still sounding like he was gasping for air.
"did I interrupt something?" dorothy asked.
"I just got back from dance lessons, forgot to bring my water bottle." He said.
"How'd you manage that?" Dorothy asked.
"I got back home from helping your aunt and uncle rather late and had to rush." He replied.
"Ah, what was wrong with the truck?" She asked.
"something with the engine, think it got a tad too cold." He replied.
Dorothy sighed and picked up toto and pockets from the floor. Both of them were still quite curious about the radio
"Toto and pockets wanna say hi." Dorothy said
"Hi." Alex said
A moment later dorothy heard the squeaking of a chair. Toto and pockets both barked and meowed respectively.
"alex, I really wish you were here." dorothy said.
"I wish I was there as well, it's so…" he said trying to think of a word to say.
"Boring?" Dorothy asked.
"that's one word to describe it." alex said
"shall I go on?" dorothy asked.
"no, please don't, let's change the subject." Alex said.
"okay, so…school?" dorothy asked.
"exhausting, but now I spend most of my time in my uncle's office because I got kicked out of the library." alex said.
"What did you do?" Dorothy groaned.
"started drumming with pencils and you know how strict the school librarian is." Alex replied.
"Just once?" Dorothy asked.
"Yep…apparently, I don't get as much leeway without you here." he said.
Dorothy sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Trying to think of a comment, only to find that she couldn't.
"I honestly don't know what to say about that." Dorothy said sighing.
"I'd rather you just not make a comment, at least not over the radio where people might be listening." Alex said.
"right, both aunts have radios and you never know when one can be tuned in." Dorothy said.
"exactly." he replied
Both sides went quite for several moments. Dorothy's little corner having fallen nearly completely silent and still, save for the humming of the radio. Until she finally spoke.
"alex?" she asked.
"still here." he replied.
"I really do miss you guys, you, ellie, oddly enough I miss Maddie constantly popping in unannounced." Dorothy said.
"she hasn't done that all week actually, I think she's busy with a hat project, not sure though." Alex said sighing.
"anyways, how's Annabella?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"she misses you, but she won't admit it, she does ask about you on occasion." Alex said.
"are you talking to dorothy?" came Annabella's voice in the background.
"Hi Annabella." Dorothy said.
"hi dorothy!" she screamed causing the radio to emit a high-pitched wail.
" okay sis, no need to scream, she can hear you just fine." Alex said sighing.
"yea, I can hear you loud and clear." Dorothy said.
"oh" came Annabella's response.
Dorothy giggled and smiled. toto then barked into the microphone.
"hi toto." Annabella said.
"Annabella what are you doing in here, you're supposed to be in bed." came Mrs. Teaks voice.
"but mom!" Annabella groaned.
"Hi Mrs. Teak." Dorothy said.
"Oh, hey dorothy, how's California?" she asked
"it's been nice, uncle bill is finally up and walking, as is uncle Ned, but I'm going to be honest, I'm beginning to get homesick." Dorothy said sighing.
"well, don't worry I'm sure the next few months will fly right by, now, Annabella, you should be in bed." Mrs. Teak said
"But mom!" came Annabella's reply
"no buts young lady, you have an appointment in the morning." Mrs. Teak said.
"Annabella, listen to your mother please." Dorothy said.
The next sound was Annabella groaning.
"Annabella, now's not the time to complain, you do have an appointment and I imagine dad will be up here in a moment and ask mom what's taking so long to check on you." Alex said.
"well…good night dorothy." Annabella said.
"good night Annabella, sleep tight." Dorothy said.
"Don't let the bed bugs bite." Came uncle bill's voice from behind causing dorothy to jump.
"bill Hugson? Is that you?" came Mrs. Teak's voice.
"yes." He replied.
"Uncle Bill, I thought you weren't supposed to use the stairs yet." Dorothy said.
"and you think just because a doctor told me not to, that I'm going to listen?" He asked
"bill, you never know when your sister is going to be listening in, she hooked up her radio you know." Mrs. Teak said.
"I expect nothing less from Emily, but I only came up here to check on dorothy, she seemed upset earlier and hasn't left the room since she came up here earlier apart from getting her supper." Bill said.
"oh dorothy, don't tell me you've started sulking!" alex said, his tone changing to a worried one.
"Alex, you know me." Dorothy said.
"I know, that's why I'm worried." He replied.
"BILL HUGSON!" came the voice of Melinda.
"wow…Mels can really shout." Mrs. Teak said.
"yep…well, it was nice talking to you…but I imagine I'm about to get an earful from Melinda." Bill said hobbling off.
"well, dorothy it was nice talking to you, have fun, like I said, I'm sure the next few months will just fly right on by." Mrs. Teak said.
"g'night Mrs. Teak." Dorothy said.
A moment later the sound of Mrs. Teak walking out and the bedroom door shutting was heard.
"okay, we're alone, ish." alex said yawning.
"alex?" Dorothy asked.
"yes dear?" alex asked.
"I love you." She said.
"I love you too." Alex said.
"And I really can't wait to see you again." dorothy said.
"it's just a few more months, and I'll have a surprise ready for you by then." Alex said.
"is it another plush kitten, I actually have the one you sent me for valentine's day sitting vigil on the radio." Dorothy said.
"it's a surprise, telling you would ruin the point." Alex said.
Dorothy couldn't help but grumble about this.
"anyways, at least before you leave you'll get to enjoy yourself at that carnival." Alex said.
"I guess, you won't be there though." She said sighing.
"well, you always find a way to make the best of a situation." Alex said.
"yea, I'm sure, but talking to you over a radio is no substitute for actually being with you guys." She said with a bit of a sniff.
"no, no its not." alex said.
"alex, I wish you could be here with me, but I know it's not possible, and I can't wish you here." dorothy said.
"yea, I'd rather not try to explain that." Alex said
Dorothy sighed and took a deep breath. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"Alex, I have to ask, what were you doing at the farmhouse? the only person there worth talking to, really, is ace." Dorothy asked.
"dorothy, the only reason I go there, is for a chance to talk to you, mom doesn't want me staying inside all the time waiting next to the radio." Alex said.
"so, you go to my aunt's house and wait there instead." Dorothy replied.
"naturally." Alex said.
Dorothy sighed, just talking about home was beginning to make her miss the Kansas prairie.
"oh, and the surprise Mr. Griffiths got for trot, a bunch of dolls, I recall her saying that she and betsy would take a picture of them and send it to you with a letter, your aunt helped them with the address." Alex said.
"I look forward to it." dorothy said.
"dorothy, it's been what, three months?" alex asked.
"it feels like much longer." dorothy said.
"I know, and the longer you're away…" but that was as far as he got before dorothy cut him off.
"I know, and it really is becoming hard not to think about it." she said.
"well, at least you can still talk to us over the phone, and you can talk to me over the radio." Alex said.
"True." She replied
"and, like I said, at least before you leave you'll get a chance to enjoy yourself at that carnival, rides, games, music, the unhealthy food that otherwise your aunt and uncle would probably never approve of." He said with a yawn.
Dorothy couldn't help but giggle at this. There was one thing about alex, and that was that he could always find something that she found funny.
"yea, I guess that is a good point, though alex, you should go to bed, you're already an insomniac as it is." Dorothy said.
"I know, well, it was nice to finally talk to you again." alex said.
"yes, honestly alex, I feel like if it weren't for you trying to find abstract ways to keep me positive, I would be worse off than I am now." She said.
"I love you, kitten." He replied.
"I love you too, my big wolf." She replied.
"I'll talk to you again as soon as I can." He said.
"I look forward to it." she said starting to smile.
"well, g'night." He said.
"sleep well." She replied.
At that moment, the radio went dead, nothing but static. Dorothy sighed and switched the radio off. Picking up her pets, she sighed and walked over to the bed. she felt a bit better now, having talked to alex, however at the back of her mind, she hoped Mrs. Teak was right, that these next couple of months would just fly on by.
