Answering The Landline
The silence in the kitchen didn’t last for very long. The shrill ring of the old landline telephone echoed loudly from the hallway table.
Only family members used that specific number for emergencies. I set my mug down slowly and walked toward the noise with deliberate steps.
I cleared my throat to ensure my voice sounded steady. I picked up the receiver on the fourth ring just before the answering machine could engage.