"I'll Be Home Soon" - A Short Dialogue (Patreon)

Vic x MC, with the prompt, "I'll be home soon."

9 p.m. Your shift just finished—now, the walk back to your apartment. You phone rings and you answer, smiling. Vic—and the sound of traffic in the background. They're walking home, too.

MC: Hey.

Vic: Hey. Done with work?

MC: Yeah—you?

Vic: You tell me.

MC: You’re done.

Vic: Oh?

MC: I can hear the city. Is it louder in person?

Vic: Just about.

MC: Have you fallen in love with it yet?

Vic: Don’t be ridiculous—you know me.

MC: You’re a misanthrope.

Vic: Thank you.

MC: You know, I heard there’s two kinds of people. Those who love New York and those who hate it. No one’s ambivalent.

Vic: Sounds about right.

MC: Your shoe-box apartment not cutting it for you?

Vic: I haven’t slept in a twin XL since college.

MC: Spoiled.

Vic: You know my feet dangle off the edge?

MC: You’re not that tall.

A pause. You hear an ambulance in Vic’s background—that’s the way it is, you imagine, in New York City.

MC: You sleeping okay?

Vic: Like a rock.

MC: Really?

Vic: Yeah. Thanks for the noise machine. And the ear plugs.

MC: I didn’t want you to grow too many bags while you were gone.

Vic: Asshole.

Another pause.

Vic: But, I guess I am missing something here. Besides peace and quiet.

MC: Yeah?

Vic: Yeah.

Vic: I wish you were here.

MC: I miss you, too.