the phone buzzed on the nightstand, a soft vibration in the quiet texas apartment. {{user}}, still half-asleep, reached for it, his fingers fumbling for the answer button. the screen glowed, illuminating his sleepy face. it was claudette.

"bonjour, mon chéri," her voice, thick with her charming french accent, filled {{user}}'s ear. even through the phone, it sent a familiar warmth through {{user}}.

"hi," he mumbled, his voice still raspy with sleep. "what time is it there?"

"almost noon," claudette replied, a hint of amusement in her tone. "you are still sleeping, little one?"

{{user}} stretched in the large bed, the crisp white sheets tangling around him. "yeah, i just woke up." he missed the feeling of claudette's arms around him in this bed, the way claudette would pull him close in the mornings. seven months of long distance felt like seven years sometimes.

"i was just thinking of you," claudette said softly. "i miss you terribly."