Dream's Intuition

Chapter 7 - some company

Chapter 7

            7AM, my alarm goes off and I jumpstart into action.  I lack the care in preparing myself for work as I previously had.  It was a matter of pulling my hair into a ponytail and grabbing what smelled the least foul off my bed room floor.  I no longer cared about caking my face with make up.  My obvious lack of self awareness manifested in Ken’s morning commentary, “Rough night? Or rough morning?  No, make that rough week.” 

I know he was trying to rib me but I was in no mood to jest.  A tight smile formed on my lips.  His bright smile turned to a serious note, “Listen, Fiona if you feel that you need to take some time to gather things, just do that.  You don’t look that great lately.”

“No I know I know, I mean when I’m here I feel sound, its when I am at home.  Things just creep up in here and I can’t get them out.”  I knock on my head, and a hollow echo sounds back: “I think too much.”

“Trust me, I know.”

 “She’s probably having the time of her life somewhere with some Greek god and I’m sitting here looking like someone in desperate need of sleep and clean clothes!”

“Yeah.”  Ken was nice, but he lacked that necessary nurturing capabilities to actually care.

“Hey thanks for listening!”  I send Robert an instant message to go for drinks, he quickly replies with a happy face.  This means I need to shop on my lunch break, I could afford to forgo the extra calories anyways.

“Wow, what a change!”  Ken points a stern finger in my direction.  I had come back from lunch in a cute black shirt dress and ankle boots.  I had run to the drug store, and picked up mascara and a brown eyeliner to smoke my eyes.  The look was finished by a dab of lip gloss, I was ready to forget about my worries.

            The moment Robert agreed to meet for drinks, I instantly felt my heart lift.  I just needed to talk and let a few things go, that is what I needed and then the apartment would not feel so weighted. 

            When I get to the pub, he’s sitting in our regular booth.  Today, he is dressed more casually, compared to his normal work attire.  He reminds me of the ambitious student I once knew.  He gets up and softly brushes his lips against my cheek and gives me a hug.  .

            Pitchers later and  there is nothing in the world that could ruin the great time that I was having.  “So what’s this whole thing you have going on,” I thrust my hand out towards him, palm out in an attempt to highlight his dress.  “I had a short day, so I went home to get more comfortable.  I know, it’s a little out of my usual.”  He laughs a little uncomfortably.

“No, I like it.  You look younger, and more like Robert.”

“Well thank you. You look a little drunk.”  I was. “No, I can still drink you under the table, my University days are not that long gone.”

“That is evident.  So what’s eating you kid?”  He always knew when to change the subject, he started the conversion in another direction to ease the tension.

“I miss Kay!”  The tears were forming again.

“She still isn’t home?  Christ, I thought she was back, just being her usual self.”

“I know!”  They begin to flow from the corners of my eyes.

“Hey, hey, hey, not here.  Who knows what she’s up too.  Remember last summer when she took off and she came back 3 days later claiming to be in love?  She probably found love again.  Don’t worry.”