Together

A Phone Call

And here we have a chapter suggested to me by the lovely sofaroffbway It's an interesting one for sure looll. Enjoy/comment/vote xxx
-ab

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December 6, 2026

Patrick

I get a text from my wife after work, and I know that this is a status update on whether or not she'll be returning home on her regularly scheduled flight. As much as I'm enjoying the bachelor life, I really hope that she will be, as it's getting quite lonely coming home to an empty house every night, and it hurts to know that she's over in New York, living out her dreams, and I'm not there with her.

Harper: Looks like I'm going to be over here for a while. Annabelle, the regular Cosette whose appendix burst, now has an infected scar wound, or something like that. Anyway, I'll be at least another week before I'm home, but honestly, it could be up to two weeks.

Patrick: Oh dear. I hope she's alright. I miss you but I hope that you're having the time of your life over there. Let me know when I need to send Taylor's plane out to get you. She said that we can do that instead of paying for a commercial flight because she's an absolute sweetheart.

Harper: She's the best, awww.

Patrick: Yep! I miss you lots, lovie.

Harper: I miss you too, xxxx

I tuck my phone back away in my pocket, at that, but then, pull it back out. Perhaps, if Harper isn't going to be around for a little bit, then I should have some friends over tonight.

I invite a handful of friends over, some of whom I've not seen in quite a long time. It'll be nice to get together with my friends, mostly from university, and catch up over some beer, which I realize that I need to stock up on.

After a quick run to Tesco, I soon find myself back at home, picking up our living room before my friends come over in an hour or so. I'm going to order in a few takeaway pizzas to eat, and turn up some music. As dearly as I love Harper, it'll be nice to listen to something with an artist that isn't the 'Original Broadway Cast' of a musical.

When my friends start showing up, we immediately pop open our bottles of beer, and the party is just starting.

Within a few hours, most of us have had quite a few drinks, myself included. Joe, suddenly, gets up and starts dancing.

"I love this song," he exclaims, doing an interesting, painfully ungraceful twirl around the room.

We all laugh, then Finn stands up and starts dancing with Joe. Before I know it, everyone is dancing.

"I think I'm going to call this party, 'Patrick Alwyn's Belated Bachelor Bash of 2026,'" Finn suddenly announces.

I laugh. "That's a good name, bro."

Everyone in the room cheers together as we continue to dance until I suddenly hear a crash.

"Thanks Joe," I yell across the room. "I always hated that vase anyway."

Joe laughs. "No problem, bro."

Then, the party continues. Just like that.

As the night continues, I have another beer, then find myself on my phone, dialing Nessa.

"Hello?" she asks. "Patrick, is everything okay?"

"It's good. I just want you to tell Harper that I looovveee her," I slur.

"Oh," she replies. "Um, okay, buddy. I'll let her know. She's in the shower right now because she just got back from her afternoon show."

"Will you show me?"

"What?"

"Harper."

"No buddy, I can't do that," Nessa says, speaking as though she's dealing with a young child.

"But she's so hot when she's in the shower," I whine.

"Buddy, isn't it like, midnight back in London? You should be asleep I think."

"But my friends are all here," I tell her.

"Oh, okay. Well, I'd suggest that you get off the phone and go have fun with them then. You can call Harper later."

"Okay," I pout. "Bye Nessa."

"Bye Patrick."

I hear a click on the other line of the phone, then slam my phone down on the ground. "I miss Harper."

Joe walks over to me and gives me a hug. "She'll be home soon enough, then you'll miss your freedom," he tells me.

Suddenly, I hear Joe's phone ringing. When he answers, I can hear an angry Taylor on the other end, in spite of the fact that she's not on speakerphone.

"I've gotta go home," Joe says when he hangs up. He seems to have suddenly sobered up a little bit, probably just from fright. He's still noticeably drunk, though, slurring his words. "Taylor gave me a whole thing about setting a bad example for our daughter."

"Aw," I frown. "I'm going to miss you, big bro."

"I'll miss you too."

I give him a hug, then Joe saunters out of my house.

It isn't too much longer before everyone else leaves. By the time they're all gone, I'm regaining a bit of consciousness. I know that I'm going to be so hung over in the morning, so I set a few pain reliever pills on my nightstand, along with a glass of water, and go to sleep. I'll deal with Joe's broken vase in the morning. I don't know how I'll explain it to Harper, but she probably won't care too much.

Hopefully, at least.

I wake up in the morning to a text from Nessa.

Nessa: I hope you're a little less drunk by now. I'm going to save your butt and not tell Harper about our little phone discussion last night. She thinks I was talking to my little cousin. Please clean up your house by the time she comes home. She will be furious if she comes home to what looks like the remnants of a giant frat party.

Patrick: I'm going to be honest and say that I don't remember calling you at all, so I'm very sorry about that. I've got a pounding headache today but I'll get cleaning up once the pain relievers kick in. Thank you for not telling Harper.

Nessa: No problem. I'm sure you'll have a fun day at work today.

Patrick: For sure. I should never have thrown that party last night. Oh well.

Nessa doesn't reply to that text, so I set my phone down and start to get dressed. It's going to be a long day today.