unconditional

9| hurt

I force myself to shake off the doubt and get started on the pancakes.

As I walk around the kitchen, gathering all the ingredients I need, I hear my phone ring. I try to balance the heavy bag of flour in one hand and use the other to grab my phone, but I almost drop it, making me curse loudly.

"I've never been one for multitasking." I grunt to myself as I put the flour up on the counter, finally looking down at the phone in my hand.

Which is not ringing?

It takes me a second to realize it's coming from Maddie's phone, which is wedged between the couch cushions, where she left it when I was hurriedly putting shoes on her feet last night.

Fishing it out from the cushions, I find it's an unknown number, but the screen flashes with the bold words 'Missed Call' before I can answer.

I take note of the three other missed calls from the same number.

Just as I set the phone down on the couch again, it starts to ring, the unknown number on the screen.

I knew scam callers were persistent, but I didn't realize they did this now.

Swiping the answer button, I hold the phone up to my ear and step back into the kitchen, opening the cupboard to grab down the baking powder.

"How can I help you?" I ask, rather curtly because I time don't have time for these people right now, and am met with something that sounds like a gasp.

"I can assure you that my car insurance warranty is in perfect shape, I do not have a virus on my computer, and none of my banking information has been leaked. Anything else I might need your assistance with?" I set the ingredient down on the counter, now on the hunt for the sugar.

The line goes silent for a moment, and just before I hang up, I hear a vaguely familiar voice ask, "Samuel?"

Raising my eyebrows, I try to decide if I know this woman.

"Yeah, this is Sam Olson. How can I help you?"

I nearly drop the bag of sugar when she says, "It's me, honey, don't you recognize my voice?"

Quickly putting the bag on the counter, I find my mouth oddly dry. "I can't say I do."

"It's Cagney, your mom! I've been trying so hard to reach you, sweet, but I could never get ahold of you-" she starts to rant, but her voice falls on deaf ears as she continues, her words becoming almost muffled.

I only resurface when I head Maddie call my name.

"Don't freak out, okay? I just- my ears are really hot and I can't see?" She says, and in an instant the phone call is the last thing on my mind, my limbs finally functioning as I hang up and rush into the bathroom.

I shut the shower off and pull the curtain open, seeing her sat on the floor again, her head on her knees.

"You okay?" I pull her out of the shower and into my lap, wrapping a towel around her when she shakes a little, her skin cold.

"Mhmm, I just need a second," she presses her forehead to my shoulder, her legs curled up to herself.

"Breathe," I instruct, rubbing my hand up and down her back, my other hand cupping the back of her head.

A minute later she lets out a deep breath, tilting her head up to look at me. "I'm all good, just panicked a little I think."

"I'd rather you do that than hit your head again." I press a kiss to her forehead, my heart tripping over itself as I try to relax.