If Only...

BREAD AND BUTTER

I tenderly part my eyelids and let the new morning's light in.

I rub my heavy eyelids, taking the day's atmosphere in with a few deep breaths. Last night inadvertently flits by my head first, and the shy smile comes, slowly yet certainly. Shaking my head at myself, I turn to my right.

"Morning, Rosie--"

I jerk up in bed.

"Rosie?" I look around my room, but I'm the only occupant. And it seems like it has been that way for a while now. My eyes land on the clock instinctively.

Mother of--

8:43!

"Shit!" I kick the sheets off of me and drag my slumbering body into the living room. Too many thoughts are in my head . . .

"Rosie?"

Upon finding it empty and catching movement from the corner of my eye, I turn toward the kitchen.

Danny and Stella are sat at the table, sipping coffee and talking.

"Hey! . . . " Stella greets me in a dactyl and looks down from my face. I do the same, to find myself wearing a knee-length white chemise, bare footed, my legs trembling. All normal, but I had a guest now. A guest who dearly loves me even after everything I did to him, and doesn't even expect an answer presently. Which reminds me that I am currently in search of one.

"Where's Rosie?" I shift, crossing my arms against my chest.

"At school." Danny answers, smiling only at my face.

Oh.

"Uh . . . Thank you, but . . . why didn't you wake me?"

"You came home late last night." He shrugs like it explains everything, and takes a sip of the coffee. It smells really good.

"Well, Stella's here." I whine, but I don't know what for. Maybe I'm trying to show him that I'm not a complete mess?

Even though you're standing in front of him half-naked having no idea where your kid's at?

Excuse me? I know where my 'kid's at'. And I am not half-naked!

"Stella's a zombie, so. . . " Danny smiles cheekily, and Stella slaps his arm.

"Very funny. Why don't you go take a shower, put on something nice?"

"Why?" I frown, still whining.

"We're going out." She waves me off into the room with her free hand but Danny invites me to have coffee first.

"No, I'll be out in five." I smile in gratitude at both of them, and then rush in.

Idiot.

I scold myself, when I'm under the shower. This was getting too frequent--the tardiness. It has never happened to me before. Ever since the day I left--heck, ever since I was old enough to spell, I've been organized. But this--whatever this is--all started four days ago.

The day I met Danny again. So it was a sign.

I exhale and breathe in the warm fumes, musing about setting an alarm after all. But I don't like them. They're just too loud and . . . alarming. Why would I want to wake up to a potential heart attack?

And besides, why would I need one when I have him? I just need to ask him to wake me up once he's up.

And that's when it hits me. Today's Friday. We're going there tomorrow.