Why didn’t you come home for Christmas?, We-Write #13: The Host

This is my first attempt for WeWrite entry to @freewritehouse's and @zeldacroft's WeWrite challenge
https://steempeak.com/wewrite/@freewritehouse/we-write-13-the-host
The fabulous prompt section was written by @ntowl.

This Week's Prompt

The Host
by @ntowl

The silver orb gleamed in the light. Resting on a long metal tube extending from a circular base, nothing had ever terrified Jonathan more. He glanced at the clock. Three minutes left. He rolled his chair closer to the desk, grasped the tube in his right hand, and pulled the orb closer. A wave of heat flashed through him and he dabbed his forehead with a towel in his left hand. The roaring in his ears grew louder as he double checked the status on the monitors. A quick high-pitched but not unpleasant beep, beep, beep broke through the noise in his head.

"Two minutes to go Jonny. Ads are rolling now, I'll start your introduction when they end. You'll go live immediately after, just like we rehearsed yesterday," Steven's calm voice came through the headphones Jonathan wore.

He nodded, eyes wide.

"Jonny? You there bud?"

"Yes."

"We must have an audio issue. I can barely hear you. Damn! I knew we should have run a few more tests. Ok, give me a sec-"

"It's ok," Jonathan said louder, and swallowing hard. "I-I just lost my voice there a bit." He dabbed his face and released his death grip on the microphone. It's shiny surface reflected a distorted version of himself stretched around the sphere, broken in spots by the mesh that let his voice travel through.

"Yeah, that's better. Look, I know it's your first live show and your nerves are probably on edge."

You have no idea, Jonathan thought as his heartbeat began pounding in his ears.

"Everyone's nervous their first time. But you're here for a reason, remember that," Steven paused, "Time check, thirty seconds. Take a couple of deep breaths, shake out the nervousness and be ready to go at the end of your intro. We've already got ten calls on hold for you. They warned me you'd be popular! No catching up on my reading during your show. Time check, fifteen seconds. You got this bud, right?"

"Yes. Yes I do," he said sitting up taller in his chair, dabbing his forehead again. "No problem at all..."

"Awesome! Remember I'm here for you behind the scenes, keep an eye on the system chat in the bottom left corner of the screen. Time check, intro rolling..."

The bumper music played in his ear and a man with an unbelievably deep voice told the audience how lucky they were to be listening to the internet radio station KFLY and their newest host. The introduction ended and Jonathan miraculously became Jonny.

"Hey everyone. This is Jonny James on KFLY radio and I'm so glad you could join us for the premier of Everything and Anything. I'd like to jump right in and take some calls rather than bore you with the overly pedantic babbling I tend to do. Sooooo, Caller one. Tell us your name, where you're from, and whatever it is you want to share tonight."

My Continuation

Away from Home
by @myrockandocean

“Hi, Jonny?”

“Yes, welcome to Everything and Anything! Hello Mam, what’s your name?”

“My name is Abby. Thank you for taking the call.”

“Welcome to our premier Abby, we are here to listen to you.”

Abby took a deep breath, her voice started to crack. She couldn’t hold it anymore. All these months spent looking for an answer.

“I am... I am glad to speak with you tonight. I... I read your book and I can imagine how difficult it was for you.”

Jonny knew this thing will happen and no matter how many breathing exercises he has done, he knew someone will bring back that story again and put him on a panic attack mode.

“Thanks Abby for your nice words. I come to realize that everything in life shall pass, no matter how difficult it may seem. But tonight we are here for you! Tell us your story!”

She tried to find her words back, “I knew how hard it is to move on. I am so touched with your story, Jonny, that you almost died during that robbery in your own house.” She started to sob.

“It’s alright and I am ok now. Is there anything I can help you tonight?”

“Ah... yes!”, Abby opened a letter she kept for so long, “Jonny, I would like to read a letter from a dear friend of mine.”

“Yes, please.”

Abby started to read, “This could be my last note I can write before the surgery. I long to see my son, my first and only son, who fled from our home when he was 14. I long to hold him in my arms and to beg him to stay with me for a few more days.

I wish I could tell him how sorry I was when he couldn’t see his father again. I hope that he would forgive me, it was all my mistake.

It was me who drove his father to the sanitarium and got him locked up. I didn’t want my son to be beaten up by his father again...”

Jonny cannot believe that this night could turn bad this quick.

“Abby, I can relate to what happened to that boy. Abusive parent is a real problem and it gives a huge trauma in a child’s life. Before you continue that letter, would you please tell me about the son?”

Abby said, “I don’t know him personally, but I know who wrote this letter. Her name was Alice and she was in the hospital where I work as janitor. She was hospitalized there for 11 months and we became a good friend.”

“Alice?”, Jonny asked.

“Yes, her name was Alice Linningston. She was married to Thomas James. I was with your mother that night before the surgery and she gave me this letter. She told me that all she wanted was to see you for Christmas once again”, Abby began to cry. “It was last year... and it was the last Christmas for her...”

Love from us x
Let’s take some time to call & spend time with our loved ones. Photo taken during an afternoon stroll in Montpellier.