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fandomweekly2020-09-03 06:48 pm
iluvroadrunner6) wrote in fandomweekly2020-09-03 06:48 pm
Entry tags:
[#065] Like Walking into a Museum Somehow Out of Time (Original)
Theme Prompt: #065 – Long Distance
Title: Like Walking into a Museum Somehow Out of Time
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 662
Summary: Ben is struggling with missing his wife.
“Whose idea was this again?”
Lindsay chuckles on the other end of the phone line. “I’m pretty sure we decided that one together.”
Ben grumbles as he slumps back against the couch, doing his best to keep his voice low. “Well, I was an idiot and clearly can’t be trusted to make decisions.” He’s been stuck in Indiana for a couple of months now, trying to convince his father to come out to California to live with him. It’s to the point where his father can’t fully live on his own anymore – things are just too messy – but he’d like to have at least his father be a willing participant in this journey.
“Have you talked about California yet?”
“We’ve been working on it.” Ben scrubs his face. “I’ve made it clear that it’s a this or a nursing home, and that I can’t just relocate my family here to keep an eye on him, but he’s stubborn about it.”
“And you’re probably plenty stubborn back.”
“I’m not that stubborn.”
“Mmmm-hmmm.” The answer is noncommittal like she’s just answering that way to avoid turning this into a fight, but he also knows that answer to mean she disagrees with him.
“I’m not.”
“Let me put it this way, Ben, you are your father’s son. For better or for worse.”
“I hate you.”
Lindsay laughs. “I miss you too. And I know you’ll convince him to come back with you soon.”
Ben nods. “I’ve already started packing up some of the houses, putting things he won’t miss into storage. Eventually, I’ll get him there; it’s just frustrating to keep having to go through the process of wearing him down.”
“I bet,” Lindsay sighs. “Do you want me to talk to him?”
“Do you think he’ll listen to you? I’m not kidding, that’s an actual question.”
She laughs. “I think it might help if you focus more on what Dad’s moving to rather than what he’s leaving behind.”
Ben rubs his eyes. “How do I do that?”
“Celia’s got FaceTime on her phone.” Celia, their middle daughter, was starting to get to the age where a smartphone was more than just a means for games. “You know she’s his favorite.”
“He does not have a favorite grandchild.”
“He absolutely has a favorite grandchild. It’s all over his face every time he sees her.”
Ben huffs again, before getting up and making sure his father wasn’t listening, taking his afternoon nap. “What time does she get out of class?”
“Around three our time, so that’s five your time.”
“I’ll text her and see if she’s free.”
“Good.” Lindsay sighs as she leans back against the couch. “I really do miss you, though.”
“I miss you too. I didn’t think it would take this long to get Dad to agree to this.”
“Neither did I,” she sighs, but he can hear the smile in her voice. “But, I’ll be sure to prepare a nice welcome for you when you get home.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really, really.”
“Do I get any hints?”
“Maybe.” She pauses. “If you convince your dad to concede to the move, I will send you a massive hint.”
He groans. “You’re trying to kill me.”
“Or maybe I just have a lot of faith in you.”
He shakes his head. “I’m never going to get home now. You’ve jinxed it.”
She laughs again. “You can do it. I believe in you. Just talk to your father. Because I have a feeling, that’s the thing you’re not doing.”
“I talk to him every day.”
“Yeah, maybe. But are you talking to him.”
He grumbles again before closing his eyes. “Fine. I’ll talk to my father.”
“Good.”
“After I bribe him with Celia.”
“Smart man.” There’s a pause. “I gotta get back to work. But I’ll call you tonight?”
“Yeah, I’ll talk to you then.” He smiles as he starts to get up. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” she murmurs before hanging up the phone.
Title: Like Walking into a Museum Somehow Out of Time
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 662
Summary: Ben is struggling with missing his wife.
“Whose idea was this again?”
Lindsay chuckles on the other end of the phone line. “I’m pretty sure we decided that one together.”
Ben grumbles as he slumps back against the couch, doing his best to keep his voice low. “Well, I was an idiot and clearly can’t be trusted to make decisions.” He’s been stuck in Indiana for a couple of months now, trying to convince his father to come out to California to live with him. It’s to the point where his father can’t fully live on his own anymore – things are just too messy – but he’d like to have at least his father be a willing participant in this journey.
“Have you talked about California yet?”
“We’ve been working on it.” Ben scrubs his face. “I’ve made it clear that it’s a this or a nursing home, and that I can’t just relocate my family here to keep an eye on him, but he’s stubborn about it.”
“And you’re probably plenty stubborn back.”
“I’m not that stubborn.”
“Mmmm-hmmm.” The answer is noncommittal like she’s just answering that way to avoid turning this into a fight, but he also knows that answer to mean she disagrees with him.
“I’m not.”
“Let me put it this way, Ben, you are your father’s son. For better or for worse.”
“I hate you.”
Lindsay laughs. “I miss you too. And I know you’ll convince him to come back with you soon.”
Ben nods. “I’ve already started packing up some of the houses, putting things he won’t miss into storage. Eventually, I’ll get him there; it’s just frustrating to keep having to go through the process of wearing him down.”
“I bet,” Lindsay sighs. “Do you want me to talk to him?”
“Do you think he’ll listen to you? I’m not kidding, that’s an actual question.”
She laughs. “I think it might help if you focus more on what Dad’s moving to rather than what he’s leaving behind.”
Ben rubs his eyes. “How do I do that?”
“Celia’s got FaceTime on her phone.” Celia, their middle daughter, was starting to get to the age where a smartphone was more than just a means for games. “You know she’s his favorite.”
“He does not have a favorite grandchild.”
“He absolutely has a favorite grandchild. It’s all over his face every time he sees her.”
Ben huffs again, before getting up and making sure his father wasn’t listening, taking his afternoon nap. “What time does she get out of class?”
“Around three our time, so that’s five your time.”
“I’ll text her and see if she’s free.”
“Good.” Lindsay sighs as she leans back against the couch. “I really do miss you, though.”
“I miss you too. I didn’t think it would take this long to get Dad to agree to this.”
“Neither did I,” she sighs, but he can hear the smile in her voice. “But, I’ll be sure to prepare a nice welcome for you when you get home.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really, really.”
“Do I get any hints?”
“Maybe.” She pauses. “If you convince your dad to concede to the move, I will send you a massive hint.”
He groans. “You’re trying to kill me.”
“Or maybe I just have a lot of faith in you.”
He shakes his head. “I’m never going to get home now. You’ve jinxed it.”
She laughs again. “You can do it. I believe in you. Just talk to your father. Because I have a feeling, that’s the thing you’re not doing.”
“I talk to him every day.”
“Yeah, maybe. But are you talking to him.”
He grumbles again before closing his eyes. “Fine. I’ll talk to my father.”
“Good.”
“After I bribe him with Celia.”
“Smart man.” There’s a pause. “I gotta get back to work. But I’ll call you tonight?”
“Yeah, I’ll talk to you then.” He smiles as he starts to get up. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” she murmurs before hanging up the phone.
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Thanks for reading.