Jonesy walked into his house from a long day at the hospital.
"Mary Ellen?" Jonesy called out and paused to hear her response. "Mary Ellen!" He walked into the kitchen and found a note on the kitchen table.
Jonesy, I have to work at the hospital today. I left about an hour or so before you told me you would be home. I'm sorry. I have to work a double shift today, so I will be home tomorrow sometime. I got a call from Katie today. She has some exciting news for you. Call her back. I love you Jonesy. I will see you when I get off. Love, Mary Ellen.
Jonesy put the note back down on the table, walked over to the refrigerator and got out the milk. He went over to the cupboard and took out a cup. He poured some milk into the cup and took a drink.
"Mary Ellen's at the hospital, I'm home alone again. I am not sure how much more of this I can take." Jonesy said to himself. He walked over to the phone, picked it up and dialed. "Hello, can I speak to Doctor Jones please? Thank you." Jonesy waited and listened to the elevator music playing in the phone. Finally Mary Ellen picked up the phone.
"Hello, this is Doctor Jones; who's this?" Mary Ellen said.
"Mary Ellen, it's me. I can't take this being apart. I need you to come home." Jonesy replied. Mary Ellen sighed.
"Jonesy, I told you in the note that I can't come home. I am working a double shift; I have to stay here right now." Mary Ellen responded.
"But I miss you." Jonesy said.
"Jonesy, I miss you too, but we just have to do this. Remember when you went to fight in Vietnam a decade ago, and I had to sit and wait for you to come back?" Mary Ellen questioned.
"Now Mary Ellen, you know that is not the same." Jonesy responded.
"No it's not. You only have to wait a few hours for me to get home, I had to wait for what seemed forever just to hear word about whether you were still alive or not. Now please, just call Katie. I will talk to you when I get home." Mary Ellen said and then hung up the phone. Jonesy looked at the phone in his hand and hung it up. He walked over to the couch. Jonesy looked over at the phone. He sighed and walked back over to the phone and picked it up. He dialed the number of his youngest child, and only daughter. It rang four or five times before the answering machine picked up.
"Hello. This is Katie Jones. If you are getting this message it means I am not home, but still want to hear from you. Please leave your name and telephone number so I can get back to you just as soon as I possibly can. Thank you." Jonesy sighed.
"Hi Katie, this is your dad. Your mom called and said that you had something you wanted to tell me. I just thought I would call and see how you are doing. I love you. Call me back when you get this." Jonesy hung up the phone and walked out of the living room.