Splicing of Changes

Chapter 21

"Monroe its me." The caller says. I check and see it's a number. Of course, it's a number. He got a new number; he always does this.

"Been a while, right? How have you been?"

"I should ask you that." I hear Zach chuckling.

"Alive. That's all I am saying." I say chuckling myself.

"That's all that is necessary for me to hear." Zach sighs replying.

"So, which hole did you climb out of this time?" I ask Zach knowing he kind of vanished for a few months now. He like to refer to this period as a 'hole' he got himself into.

"You're funny. I have missed you." The sincerity in Zach's voice when he says he missed me is hauntingly honest.

"I have missed you too."

"Then let's make a deal not to lose contact for so long ever again. Deal?"

"You sure you can keep up? Busy schedule and all." I smirk saying that because I know he would disappear again. And I will talk to him again when he comes back with a new number of course. What he does with his old number? Where he goes? I don't know.

"Monroe! Listen I uh I was hoping we could meet..." Zach's tone become serious.

"I can't..." I hope he hears the regret laced in my voice. Because I do miss him.

"I know. I heard. How have you been with all this?" That shocks me a little. But knowing our town and being it was my parents I am not so surprised.

"Good. Believe it or not." I say laughing lightly.

"I would imagine so." Zach replies laughing.

"Thanks for getting it." I say sincerely because he knew how everything was at home for me at least until last year, before dad got busy with his campaign. The campaign helped me but only a little bit.

"Of course. And Monroe. Take care."

"You too buddy. Take care. Also, could you not disappear for this long next time?" I ask knowing full well he will not give me a straight reply.

"You know me so well Monroe. It's almost uncanny."

"Is it though?" I smirk.

"Until next time. Stay alive." This is Zach's special sign off.

"Until next time." I say and hang up the phone then I sigh.

Zach is my friend. He is not a very conventional guy as you can imagine. Seeing as he literally disappears for days on end. But we formed a friendship somehow. And he helped me out a lot. He also knew about how my parents were. He never asked me questions I could not answer, instead he listened whenever I needed to vent. Or anything of sorts. I was there for him as well. So, we know each other pretty well you could say. I have a rough idea where Zach vanishes off to, but I never asked him about it. And he never told me directly. Also, he has a weird habit of calling me by my last name. Probably because he knows me since we were in middle school. But we became friends later on. I am not sure its just a thought.

I turn to face Diane and Lee sporting a smile. Talking to Zach makes me happy. I guess he is some sort of a connection to well my hometown. Not my parents. Don't want that. But the town where I grew up, where I have so many memories, both good and bad. Is it weird that I miss the town, yet I do not miss my parents or the house? I walk back to the car, as I stepped aside to take the call. To get privacy also to not disturb them. They both look at me and then at each other. Okay. That is weird.