voices. • the third book in the mute. series • muke au

control.

"What?" I question, wondering where he suddenly got the idea.

"Well, you've told me so much about Luke, and about April. In my most honest opinion it seems as if they need you. Perhaps even more than you need them, it isn't fair for you just to disappear out of their lives. And they can help through this experience, they will inspire you. They will just make this process easier. Just have them visit, they can see you and you can see them."

"Y-Yeah, I guess." I say softly. There was nothing more in the world I wanted to do right now than see them. I was just surprised and a little hesitant.  I mean, I practically begged Luke to leave the last time he visited, and if April comes...what will she think? She has no idea what is happening, she will be so confused. She doesn't understand why I'm here, and she doesn't need to. But seeing me here, will she think I abandoned her? That I don't want to see her?

"Trust me Michael, you'll feel so much better after seeing them." he assures.

"Okay." I reply softly.

"Call them now, I have a telephone by the window." he gestures to the window, hidden by stacks of grimy, old books. "If you can find it..." he jokingly adds making me crack a small smile.

I finally do find it, being careful as I moves the books out of the way. I dial quickly, some dust flying off of the old phone that looks as if it haden't been touched in years. My hands slightly shake as I wait for an answer, growing nervous. How do I apologize for what I had done the last time I saw him?

"Hello?" a voice questions. The same voice that makes my knees weak and my mind race. Although I still feel the need to verify that it was truly him.

"Luke?" I ask nervously.

"Mi-Michael? Hi, um, is something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to talk to you..." I tell him, my throat going dry.

"Oh." he says, as if he's surprised.

"I'm so sorry, about everything. I love you, I miss you, I didn't mean anything I said before. I-I don't want you to forget me..." My voice shakes.

"Michael, I could never forget you, even if I tried." he says causing me to smile softly.

"I uh, I'm seeing a new therapist, he's actually helping." I say, eyeing D. Marten, wh was too engulfed in his book to hear what I was saying.

"Really? That's great Mikey." he says happily

"Yeah, it is, um, do you think you can, like, come?" I ask, stuttering, "Come and visit me? Please?" I ask him nervously.

"Of course, I want to see you so bad, I really miss you." Relief rushes through me, after all I did to him, he still want to see me. He still misses me.

"Can you please bring April? I know it will be hard for her to understand, but, I j-just really need to see her. I need my family back." I explain, getting choked up again.

"Yeah, yeah of course I'll bring her." he assures me.

"Can you come tomorrow?" I ask, now getting a little antsy to see them.

"Yeah, we can." he says and I grin like a mad man.

"Thank you." I breath. "I love you so much kitten, I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"I love you more." he says and I can basically hear his smile, causing my heart to flutter.

I don't know if I can wait until tomorrow.

~

"Mr. Clifford? You have a visitor." a nurse enters my room, interrupting my reading. I suddenly become nervous, and excited.