A New Life (River Phoenix)

Nightmares In A Donut Shop

Days later I awake to a ringing phone.

I'm overtaken by a flush of weakness as I feel the bed lift up where River had once been laying.

Without opening my eyes, I listen to his footsteps grow further away and the phone silencing.

"Hello?..... Yeah..... When? .... Wait, today?... Oh fuck. Okay, I'll be there." River says, his voice awakening with every word.

He rushes quickly into our room and turns on the lights; the color behind my eyelids flashing from black to light yellow.

"Wake up!" He screams, sounding more like a child than an adult. "Wake up! Right now! No time to waste!"

I flutter my eyes open and look at him; he's standing with his hands on his hips in a shirt much too big for him and plaid pants.

"I have a thing." He says.

"A thing?" I ask.

My eyes squint to adjust to the light.

"Aleka's Attic preforms at the Hardback Cafe." He explains.

"Since when?"

"A while. I forgot it was today." He answers.

I puzzle my face.

"Don't people usually preform at night? It's morning." I say.

He shuffles through a box of clothes; he still hasn't found the motivation to unpack his things.

"Yeah, but we have to practice and stuff. I told everyone you would come." He smiles.

I adjust myself and sit up; my skin heats under the sun that shines through the window.

"So I get no say in this?" I ask him.

He doesn't answer.

Instead, he just smiles and removes his shirt, unbuttoning a grey and blue flannel and throwing it around his shoulders.

I examine his bare body just long enough to get a good look; it was clear he wasn't using.

His chest and shoulders were still as manly as before, meaning that he hadn't lost any weight from his addiction.

That's a good sign.

As much as I'd like to enjoy the view, I find the strength to head into the living room.

An envelope had been slid underneath the door with my name written on it.

From the second I picked it up, I knew it was my mother's handwriting.

"Have you seen my shoes?" River yells from our room, though I'm too distracted to answer.

In the envelope is a small written note from
my mom and a printed note behind it.

My mom writes:

Those records that you wanted; here they are. I hope it isn't too late to send them in. ☹ I hope I get to hear from you soon but I know you're busy. Maybe you can come home for a few days and bring that boy of yours.