Scrooge opened his door in darkness. The only voice around is his key colliding against the lock.

It's always so quiet.

His hand reached for the switch, but halted on its way when a thought hit him. It's a strange desire, especially sounded funny at this moment, when he just returned from Christmas dinner with his family. Donald, the lads, Gladstone, Grandma… everybody was there, and he was part of it. After so many years he had a family now, that made him very proud, though he would never admit it. This was one of his happiest moments.

That's why the thought felt so strange now.

He missed her.

Miss, he thought, what a word. Like part of you was lost somewhere, at some point in the flow of everlasting time. His heart was not intact; a piece of soul was misplaced. That was the moment when he suddenly had this lunatic urgent to hear her voice.

He picked up the phone and dialed the number before he could think twice. Then in the darkness he waited, part of him wanted the waiting tone to last forever, part of him wanted it to stop now. What should he say? What would she think? What was she doing? Did he look stupid?

At least he knew the answer for the last question.

The waiting tone stopped.

"Hello?"

He could hear his heart beat.

"Hello? Anyone?"

He opened his mouth, lips trembling, but didn't make a sound.

It became silent at the other end.

Scrooge fell back, found relief. That was enough, he thought, he couldn't ask more. So he straightened and decided to hang up the phone.

That's when he heard a sign.

"I miss you as well."

"Have a good night, Scrooge."

Then it's the off hook sound.

The house sank into silence again, leaving Scrooge holding his phone in the chair.