Chapter Three: The Phone Call

As Brittany drove down the highway, she felt more and more exited. She was about the leave Texas and make the trip back home to LA. She couldn't wait. She missed her family so much. Her sister, who meant everything to her, and Alvin, the love of her life. She was nervous about seeing him again, but would endure any kind of humiliation if it meant getting her man back. She loved him more than her pride, and now she wondered why she ever left in the first place.

She looked over at the gas gauge and realized that it was almost on empty. She turned off the highway, and pulled into the nearest gas station. She took out her charge card and put it in the machine. Once she gassed up she wanted to call her sisters, but she looked over at her phone and realized her battery was dead. She had left in such a hurry that she forgotten to bring her car charger.

She looked over and saw a payphone at the little gas station. She got out of her car and looked through her purse for some loose change. She found a couple of quarters at the bottom of her purse and took them out and put them in the payphone. She dialed home and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello," she heard her sister Eleanor's voice.

"Ellie, it's Britt," she said.

"Hey, Brittany," Eleanor said. She remembered the conversation she had with Jeanette just a few days and wondered what is was Brittany wanted to take about. "Before you start yelling at me, I just want to say..."

"Forget it, Ellie," she said. "I'm not mad. I just called to tell you that I'm coming home."

"That's great," Ellie said. "Have you talked to Alvin? He's been so down in the dumps since you left."

"No, I haven't talked to him," Brittany said. The wind was starting to blow as she tried to keep her hair out of her face.

"Don't you think you should?" Eleanor asked her.

"I guess so," Brittany said. "I'm just scared to call him. What if he's mad at me. I have been avoiding him."

"Brittany, he's not going to care about that. Just call him and let him know."

"Alright, I will," Brittany said. "I'll see you soon, alright?"

"Bye, Britt," Eleanor said.

Brittany hung up the phone and just stood there for the longest time. Then she just walked away, her fear taking over. Instead she walked into the little one stop in the gas station to get some sacks to munch on for her trip home.

At the Miller house, Eleanor was in the living room looking through one of her cooking magazines when Jeanette and Miss Miller came in the room. "Eleanor, you're going to be sorry you didn't come with us."

"No, I'm not," Eleanor said, getting up of the couch. Her smile was a mile wide, and her mother and sister could tell she was excited. "I got great news."

"What?" Jeanette question.

"Brittany's coming home," Eleanor said excitedly. Jeanette was as excited and hugged her sister at the news.

"What did she say?" Jeanette asked.

"Not much," Eleanor said. "She only said that she's was coming home. I can't wait."

"It's will be nice to have all my girls home," Miss Miller said.

At that moment there was a knock at the door. Jeanette went to answer it. "Oh, hi, Simon," Jeanette said.

"Are you ready to go?" Simon asked her as he walked in. She wore a blank look on her face, like she didn't know what he was talking about. "The art exhibit?"

"Oh, no, I almost forget," Jeanette said. "With the news of Brittany coming home..."

"Brittany's coming home?" Simon asked. "Alvin will be happy about that."

Jeanette didn't respond to that, but Simon could tell that she didn't want to talk about his brother.

"Just let me go change, and I'll be right back." She gave him a quick kiss and ran upstairs.

"I'll be waiting," Simon said.

It didn't take long for Jeanette to get ready. She came down the stairs ten minutes later. "Okay, let's go." Jeanette grabbed her purse and left with Simon.

At the Seville house Alvin was again sulking in his room. It had been nearly six weeks since Brittany left to go visit her friend Celia in Texas. The more Alvin thought about it the more depressed he became. Since the day she left he had been a total mess. He couldn't eat or sleep. All he could think of was the hurt look in her eyes on the day she left.

He tried to get his mind off of her, but nothing worked. Everything he did to keep busy and everywhere he went reminded him of her. He sat there staring at her photograph for the millionth time that day. That's when the phone rang. He let it ring several times before picking it up.
"Hello," he said in a sullen voice.
"Alvin," came the sweet voice of an angel.

"Brittany?" he said, his voice lightening. "Is that really you?"

"Yea," she said. "I just want you to know that I'm coming home."

He could hear the sound of cars racing back and forth. She must have been outside somewhere. "You're coming home?"

"Yea," she said, her voice low. "Alvin, we need to talk. I mean I really want to see you."

"I wanna to see you, too. I've missed you. I want you to know that thing that happened with Missy..."

"Forget about it. I don't want to talk about her. I just want to come home."

"I can't wait. Just tell me when you're flight comes in. I'll pick you up."

"No, I'm not flying. I'm driving back. I'll be home in a few days. I'll call you. Okay? Bye, Alvin."

"Bye."

So she's coming home. He was so excited. He knew he would get her back now. He would make her understand.

"Hey, Alvin," Simon said, coming into his bedroom.

"Hey, Si, how was your date with Jeanette?"

"It was fine," he said. "In fact, it's not over yet. I just came home to change clothes. I'm taking her to dinner. So, who was on the phone?"

"Brittany," he said, stunned by the news. "She's coming home."

"Yea, I know. Jeanette told me. So what did she say?"

"Just that she wants to talk," Alvin said. His demeanor had perked up. "You know what that means?"

"What?" he questioned.

"I'm going to get her back," he vowed.

"Well, she's the one that called you, so you're half way there," Simon said and smiled at the good news. He looked at his watch and saw that it was getting late. "Well, I better get going. See you later."

"Later," he said, and looked over at Brittany's picture with a warm feeling in his heart.

Alvin went to bed that night feeling quite satisfied with himself. Brittany was coming home. That's all he could think about as he drifted off that night.

Two more days passed. Alvin and boys went about there normal routine. Always in his thoughts were Brittany. She hadn't called again, but he wasn't worried. She promised to call him as soon as she arrived home, and she always kept her promises.

He was in the kitchen. It was his day to mop the floor. He was half way done when he heard the phone ring. He dashed to the phone, hoping it would be Brittany.

"Hello? Brittany?" he said, anxiously answering the phone. There was a pause.

"No, Alvin, it's Eleanor," he heard the voice on the phone say.

"Oh, hi, Eleanor. Theodore's not here."

"I called to talk to you." He looked confused. "I have to tell you something." A cold chill consumed him. "It's Brittany."

"What about Brittany? She called the another day and said she was coming home and..."

"Alvin, please, listen." He could hear the shakiness in Eleanor's voice. "There was an accident. Brittany's in the hospital. They found her in the woods. She's hurt bad, Alvin. I'm just so scared that she might..."

"Eleanor, don't say it. What hospital is she at?"

"Mercy on 4th and Green."

"I'm on my way. Don't worry, Eleanor. It will be alright." Alvin dropped the mop right in the middle of the floor and grabbed his car keys. He headed for the front door at warp speed. That's when he crashed into Simon coming through the door.

"Hey, Alvin, where's the fire?"

"Can't talk now, Simon," he said.

He left Simon there wondering what was truly going on. It must have been something important.

There's chapter three. I hope you all liked it. I know there was sort a cliffhanger at the end. Be here next time for His Worst Nightmare. Remember to review.