A PHONE CALL Elaine Dong “Hello?” he sounded tired. “Hubby! What are you doing?” She loved calling him thar. It sounded so much more intimate. “Nothing much. Having supper at mamaé with friends.” She could hear some background noise. “Oh, who with?” “The usual, Eddie and Sean. How come you're still up?” Spurts of noise in the background. “I was studying and I thought of you. I miss you,” she S dialed his number. He answered on the 9* ring. cooed. “Oh, ok.” Anne understood that he couldn't J miss you with all his friends around. “Erm... I'll give you a call when I get home?” He really did sound tired. “Its ok, hubby. You must be tired. Besides, I've got an early class tomorrow. Love you. Call me tomorrow?” “Ok. Bye.” She put the phone back in its cradle and smiled contentedly as she drifted off to bed. “Uh-oh, your phone is ringing!” Eddie leaned over to see who it was. When he saw the caller ID, he said in a squeaky voice, “It’s Anne! Calling to say good night?”Jack ignored him. Maybe ifhe did not pick up the phone, she would hang up. But it kept ringing. “Answer it-lar!” “You answer it!” Jack thrust the phone at Sean. He shoved the phone back at Jack “No way! Your mess, you answer!” After the 8" ring, Jack sighed, “I'll just answer it. She has to sleep soon anyway.” “Hello?” He signaled his friends to be quiet. They snickered. “Hubby! What are you doing?” There was that babyish voice she was using again. It was really irritating. “Nothing much. Having supper at mamak with friends.” Eddie and Sean started making smooching sounds. “Sticky-lar, this girl,” Sean said in a mock whisper. Jack signaled him to be quiet. “Oh, who with?” “The usual, Eddie and Sean. How come youre still up?” “Ya-'ar, tell her to go to sleep-lar,” Sean whispered loudly again. Jack turned so that his back faced Sean. “I was studying and I thought of you. I miss you,” she cooed. Jack groaned inwardly. “Oh, ok. Erm... I'll give you a call when I get home?” He knew he had to get up early for her morning classes. Fingers crossed. “Tt’s ok, hubby. You must be tired.” He sighed inwardly, relieved. “Besides, I've got an early class tomorrow. Love you. Call me tomorrow?” “Ok. Bye.” By hook or by crook, he was going to dump her.