Page 266 of 5+Us Makes Seven

“Hello?” Laura answered.

I smiled, loving the sound of her voice.

“Hey, you. It’s not too late, is it?”

“It’s early,” she said then yawned.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, it’s like eight-thirty in the morning or some crazy shit.”

“That’s not early,” I said. “You need to get up and talk. Grab a coffee.”

“Nag, nag, nag. Even from halfway around the world, you’re nagging me.”

“You love it,” I said.

She sighed.

“I do. Hold on.”

“I don’t have much time on this phone,” I said.

“I’m back. What did you say?”

“Just that I don’t have much time on this phone over here. Afghanistan is crazy.”

“You doing okay?”

“Not really,” I admitted.

“So, traveling to some godforsaken country halfway around the world wasn’t a smart idea after all, huh? I think I remember telling you that.”

“It’s not bad,” I said. “Just strange and different. Oh!” I sat up in my chair. “You’ll never guess what happened. I almost got kidnapped by the Taliban!”

“Get out of here. You’re not funny.”

“I’m serious. When I went into the city on my own without a military escort to do some intel, they saw me and grabbed me.”

“How did you get away?”

The sound of water hitting water hit my ears.

“You are not going to the bathroom while talking to me, are you?”

“I’m sorry. Your phone is dying, and I couldn’t wait. I’m done now.”

“You’re something else,” I said, rolling my eyes just as I would if she were right in front of me.

“Tell me what happened, crazy woman.”

“Well, this guy rescued me. I don’t remember any of it. They knocked me out.”

“Is the guy cute?”

“Is that all you ever think about?”

“Does anything else matter?”

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