Suicide Helpline

9 | d a y s | l e f t - m o t h e r

"Ma'am, can you please calm yourself down? For one thing, I highly doubt that you have the money to sue me and for the second, who is your son?"

"You don't recognize my voice?"

"No, ma'am. I'm afraid not. Are you sure you are alright? Would you like me to get the police on the line for you? They can probably do a better job at finding your son than I can. While I'm at it I should probably ring up the hospital. Perhaps you are in shock. That would explain the illusion that I know your son which, I must say, is highly improbable"

"Jaxon. Benjamin. Alexander. Taylor. That is not how you speak to an adult superior to your age. I am not delirious you inconsiderate boy. It has been a while since we have spoken but I can't say that your attitude has improved since when we last met."

"We...we last met? I'm sorry ma'am but how do you know my full name?"

"You always did have a thick skull behind that handsome face of yours but I'll spare you the confusion. This, the person you were previously insulting, is the mother of your best friend and client."

"W...wait. Hang on a second. Mrs-"

"Caliente. Indeed. Mrs Caliente, very concerned and worried mother of her child Shane Caliente who appears to have dropped off of the face of the earth according to those blasted news stories."

"I...I am so sorry Mrs Caliente. I did not realize who I was speaking to."

"That's quite alright. I can barely recognize you boys these days either. You've both grown up quite a bit. I see you on the television on all of those chat shows and I can barely get my head around the fact that I helped raise those two boys. You've both gotten so handsome. It's such a shame that you do not keep in touch anymore."

"We've been...busy."

"Too busy to talk to your own parents? I am not the only mother worried out of her mind. When your mother heard of Shane's disappearance she automatically assumed that you were with him."

"Wh...why on earth would she assume that?"