It rang several times and finally someone picked up.

"Hello?"

I half whispered into the phone that I held lightly against my ear. "Hi. Is John there?"

"John?"

"Yeah."

There was silence on the other end. Damnit. Wrong number. In a mild voice, I said quickly, "I'm sorry. I must have gotten the wrong number." I mumbled the last part in a slur of words and I cursed myself for waiting all these years to call.

"Nah. Hold on." Over the phone I faintly heard someone yell, 'YO JOHNNY! PHONE!' followed by someone's voice I hadn't heard in a long time. 'JOEY! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH MY PHONE, MUCH LESS ANSWER IT. IT MIGHT BE SOMEONE IMPORTANT." I chuckled at his voice and waited for him to answer.

"So John, am I someone important?" I chuckled lightly and added in, "5 years and you still haven't changed phone numbers. I remember that. I remember that old fashioned school boy."

"Excuse me, who is this and where did you get this number?"

"Uncle John! When did the attitude kick in? It must have offically taken affect after I left. Too bad. I would have liked to see that in action. I'm a little hurt you haven't shown me your little edgy side." I smiled into the phone well aware he couldn't see it but sense it. John was a close friend of an old acquantance, but as far as I was concerned, we were related by blood. He was my uncle, my second father, my rock. He had been the one to pick up the pieces and help me deal with my unorthodox life.

The next thing I heard almost caused me to go deaf temporarily. "JULIET. IS THAT YOU? PLEASE LET IT BE YOU. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Oh god, Juliet? Is that really you?"

"Yes, yes. Miss Juliet Lee at your service. And Uncle John, since when have you been known as Johnny? Forgot to tell little me about your little name change?" I joked half heartedly into the phone.

"Uh sure. I was going to tell you. RIGHT AFTER YOU LEFT WITHOUT A TRACE FIVE YEARS AGO. Yeah. I think that was when I made this life altering decision to add two extra letters to my name."

I laughed a nervous laugh and took a moment to recollect my thoughts. I tried to dodge it at first, but then I realized the silence wouldn't go away unless I spoke first. "I'm sorry John. I really am. I just…couldn't stay there any more. You remember how it was like. They were all right. I wasn't strong enough to stay there so..I left." The last part came out as a pathetic whimper. I cursed myself for that. Vulnerability sure was a bitch.

His voice softened a bit and he managed to get half a word out but I took this moment to speak before he threw me a pity party. "Uncle John…no pity extravaganzas for me today. You don't even have to like me after all these years. I just…wanted to hear the sound of your voice. That's all I needed. I needed something real. Someone…real."

And then, he spoke. But with difficulty and hoarseness. "Juliet. Please. Don't hang up the phone."

For that fleeting second, I felt something rush back into my heart. But of course, it was brief. Nothing had ever lasted longer than that fleeting second in my lifetime.

Feeling uncomfortable with myself, I decided to reenter this conversation. I tried dodging the apprehension in his voice and mine as well. For the life of me, I couldn't get myself to express real emotion. "So. John. What have you been up to? Last time I checked you were trying your hand at opening up your own business joint. My memory eludes me and I really can't remember what it was for."

"Juliet, you don't have to do that for me. You don't have to pretend. Remember who I am? I can read you, silly girl."

Damnit. Busted.

I swallowed and began again. It became increasingly hard for me to speak to him. "Please. Let me have this. Let me pretend everything's okay. Let's forget 5 years ago, 10 years ago. Please. Just talk to me. Talk to me like I'm somewhat the embodiment of normal."

"Hardly. Dear, you'll never be close to normal. But I can play it like that if you want me to. But come on, a business joint? Juliet, you sure have been gone a long time." He laughed into his phone and suddenly realized that he was missing an essential question from that he had not yet asked.

I could sense it was coming. He was going to ask it.

"Where…are you?"

I knew it.

"Oh, somewhere between hell and reality. New York, I think it is. Where the smoke billows high and where the scrunge will never be enough."

His tone changed somewhat dramatically. I wasn't sure if that was bad or good at first. "Oh Jules. You've got to be kidding me."

I was confused by his tone and decided to let him have whatever joke he was trying to get me to follow. "Yes. You've caught me. I'm a liar, no less. Where I really am is in the middle of Alaska, sitting in an igloo, calling you from a pay phone."

Silence. "Huh?"

I rolled my eyes and spoke once again in a slightly louder voice. "Nevermind. I see my humor is not appreciated. Well, John, yes. New York it is."

"Juliet. New York, hmm? Well I suppose it might spark interest in you if I told you I was somewhere in New York chasing down cabs and ruining lives."

My interest peaked. He was in New York. I had not seen him in 5 years. Five years. I was just a bright eyed 15 year old then and arriving in New York had been one of the most frightening expreriences of my life. I had fled from my home, my life, my structure. I secretly accepted the offer to attend Columbia University with only my sister and my mother in tow of knowing and I made them swear to secrecy to keep it a secret and play dumb. But, hearing John's voice after all this while had made me regret my decision.

I couldn't speak. So he did.

"Juliet, please. Tell me something good."

"Okay. I'm in New York. And so are you. Good?"

"Better than good. Juliet, I have to see you. I have to remember what it's like to embrace my favorite little girl."

"Oh daddy. Such hallmark moments."

"You know Juliet, you're about the only person I know to ruin one."

"Ouch. Feisty. But well taken. I like it. Keep it around, old man."

"Juliet Fiora Lee, where do you come off calling me 'old man'?"

Excuse me? Did he just call me by my full name? No. No one does that except for my own mother. My flesh. He's going down. Old man is goin' down.

"John, I hope you just didn't flag me down and call me by my full name. Way outta line, old man. Way. Out. Of. Line."

"Are you pulling authority? Or trying to? Well, let me pull rank, age, and authority on you, my dear. I'm older. So therefore I'm wiser."

"Please. Don't make me laugh. I may choke myself to death over your mindless proclaims."

"Okay. This is new. Bickering with a teenager."

"Unc, you'll have to remember, I'm no teenager. I'm on the brink of 21, good sir."

"Yeah. I must've let the years slip away from me. Juliet, you must come to see me. And promise you'll stick around for awhile. Don't go skipping off again."

"John, it could take hours to get to you. New York isn't exactly the size of a pea, I can't actually just step outside and transport myself to you." I rolled my eyes at his antics.

"New York City. The Plaza. Close? Far? Should I send a car?"

"A car? What the hell are you talking about? Who are you anyways? Johnny Cash?"

"Nice to see the wit hasn't gone."

"I'm sure you're pleasured. Well, The Plaza…is semi close."

"Semi close, huh? Fair enough. Meet me here."

"Unc, I don't know.."

"Just be there." I had learned many years ago never to defy that voice. Lesson learned well apparently.

I hesitated at first but spoke up after a bit. "Okay. Which floor?"

"Conference room B, 5th floor."

I nodded and suddenly feeling stupid that he could not see me, I managed a small 'Bye.'

His voice, however, was louder and booming. It softened a little as he spoke his last bit of goodbye into the phone. "Bye little girl. I missed you. I really did. I hope you know that. That's why I hope you'll come to see your old uncle."

I closed my eyes and took a gulp of air. "I know. I missed you too." And with that, I swiftly hung up the phone and put it back on the counter above my head. I was crouched on the floor like a little child, clutching a small, green phonebook.

I slowly stood up to change out of my sweatpants and sweater deciding that my first impression in 5 years better be good. I returned five minutes later and picked up my keys to leave.

I took another gulp of air and sighed.

Here goes nothing.

CHAPTER 4