Party-line

They’d been on the telephone for an while when he heard light breathing. He held his breath as she continued talking.

“You should tell your kid sister to hang up your other phone,” he said, irritated at the idea of someone eavesdropping on their conversation.

She paused before answering, “We don’t have another phone.”

“Then where’s that…” he started to protest, when he suddenly heard the unmistakable click of the telephone receiver in his kitchen being place on the cradle.

Sitting in the upstairs hallway on that phone, he knew he was the only one supposed to be at home.