Exceptional She finally got the phone call she had been waiting for One man's journey to get clean : Mary's phone call by Mustang Patty

She woke from some dream that disappeared as her head left the pillow. As always, the television was on; her water glass sat by her side. She felt sad and empty like she mostly did. It was going to be a long day. Looking at the kitchen clock as she poured herself a cup of yesterday's coffee, she realized it was still early. Placing the much-needed caffeine in the microwave, she watched as the timer counted down from 60. Being awake before 5 in the morning wasn't unusual for her. She treasured these early hours of the day as she settled in with her steaming cup. She could watch the sun come up; sometimes that helped to ease the loneliness she always seemed to feel. Pulling her sweater around her, she went to the window and opened the blinds. As usual, her mind went to her loved ones. Her daughter lived on the east coast, and the sun had been up for a few hours there. She knew her daughter was at work with the kids stowed in daycare. The life her daughter lived was steady. She didn't have to worry over that. She could smile and relax as she thought of her two grand babies. Her heart was never far away from visions of their smiles. Her husband was somewhere in the middle of the country. The load he was under should deliver sometime tomorrow, and then he would look for another to head her way. They weren't together in the same place for more than a few days at a time, but the phone calls filled part of the void. It would be nice to see him when he got in. The loneliness would abate for a bit. Her mind went to her son then, and immediately felt a lump in her throat. Gary was firm in the grip of an addiction. He lived a life she never imagined or wanted for him. Her fervent prayers had yet to be answered. She wanted to find a way for him to get off the drugs. He was too old to use their insurance to get into a rehab facility. Lord knows, drug dealers didn't carry any health plans. She knew free programs existed; she just didn't know how to connect him with one. The sun had yet deemed to peek above the horizon. All she could see were the dark shadows of the buildings across the way. Facing the east, she prepared to wait for the light to appear. Her phone began to ring. Recognizing it was her son's ringtone, her heart jumped to her throat. It wasn't entirely unusual for him to contact her this early in the morning. He usually texted though; phone calls were reserved for something important. What could be going on now? With some trepidation, she touched the screen and lifted the cell phone to her ear. "Hello?" "Hi Mom. How are you doing this morning? I hope I didn't wake you." His voice sounded different. He almost seemed to be hopeful. Could it be he had some positive news? "Good morning, Gary. No, . . .you didn't wake me. You know me; I'm always up at the crack of dawn." "I have something to tell you, Mom. I think it's going to make you happy." "Well? Don't keep your mother hanging." "I found a rehab that will take me. They are on their way to pick me up. I'm going to get clean, and get 'outta this mess I've made of my life." His voice choked at the end. "Oh. Oh!! Really? Oh, Gary! This is the best news! Will they be there soon? Do you need me to do anything? THANK GOD!" As her tears began to fall, she could hear his sobs on the other end of the connection. She heard him trying to get himself under control so he could talk. "The van should be here within a few minutes. I don't have all the details. Do you think you could just keep praying for me? I'm going to need all the help I can get." "Of course, I'll pray for you. It's like breathing. I just do it." She felt her face forming a real smile. It was the first smile she had had about Gary in a long time. Her heart was full of hope. She didn't want the phone call to end; but she knew she needed to let him go at some point. "Mom, thanks for never giving up on me. I'm not only doing this for me; I'm doing it for you. I want you to be proud of me again." "I am proud of you, Gary. I know this won't be easy, but I know you can do it. If the people I watch on 'Intervention' can do it, so can you. She could hear his watery chuckle. "Mom, only you could come up with a tv reference at this particular moment." Her smile came back to her face. She could hear the old Gary. A real glimmer of hope sparked in her heart. "Is the rehab there in Minneapolis or are they sending you somewhere else? "I'll be here in Minneapolis. I'm not sure of much else. Oh, there it is. I can see the white van they told me to look for. It looks like they're here." "Call when you can. Work hard, and stay on track. My prayers will be for you every minute of every day." "I know that, Mom. I love you." "I love you, too" As she touched the screen to disconnect the call, the sun was just peeking above the horizon. Recognized Author Notes This story carries a piece of my heart. I, like Mary, am waiting for a call just like this one.

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