Sam--short for Samantha, if you please--has been living in Crawley, Maine for about a year in her grandfather's lighthouse. A promising advertiser, she works from home and the local coffee shop, where she gets her daily hot chocolate fix. For her, l...
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The next morning, the airhorn that was my alarm startled me from deep dreams of frothy foam, deep blue waves, and scratching whiskers. Stomach rumbling, I shoved my frozen feet unceremoniously into the slippers warming by the vent and shuffled into the kitchen.
I set the kettle on the range and as I waited for the water to boil, I popped open a frozen breakfast sandwich and set the microwave to a minute. Pulling the magnetic list off the fridge, I added to my to-do list as I retrieved the hot sandwich from the nuker and bit into it. Ice cold egg met my teeth and tongue.
"Dang itttt."
I threw the sandwich back on the plate and set it for thirty more seconds. My teeth still slightly ached as I bit into the now completely thawed sandwich. The whistle of the kettle drew me from my food-induced reverie and I poured the boiling water over the chamomile packet sitting in my chipped Grumpy Cat mug.
A faint "mrow" from behind the kitchen door snagged my attention from my tea. Grabbing the chipped porcelain bowl and the can of tuna from the counter, I opened the creaky outside kitchen door.
"Hello, gorgeous."
I cooed to the battered black cat sitting serenely on the door mat. Her nub of a tail swished impatiently as I upended the can into the bowl.
"Here ya are, darlin'. Bone apple teeth."
The mlem, mlem noises Frankie made as she chomped away made my heart happy and I grinned from ear to ear as I gently ran my hand down her back. The hair on the back of my neck raised again and I looked around at the coast line and cliffside. A few seals bobbed in the rocky harbor, but other than that, it was as still as any other morning.
Shrugging, I continued to pet Frankie as she licked the bowl clean. Backing out from under my palm, she pressed her side into my leg and head butted my hand for scratches. Giggling, yet obliging, we stayed there for a while, reveling in each other's company. Sooner, rather than later, it was time for her to go and she gave me one more affectionate headbutt before wandering off to whatever she was going to do that day.
I watched her go, then headed back inside to the warmer air. I headed straight for the kitchen sink. Already, my throat was getting scratchy and I could feel a couple sneezes building. After drying my hands with a towel, I grabbed the lint roller and ran down my pant legs a couple times before meandering over to my phone sitting on the charger.
A bright flash of the red notification light told me that I'd missed something either last night or this morning. Swiping open my phone, I saw a text from Sally.
What time are you coming in? I have a big group planning on coming in and it's gonna get a little crowded later on
I looked at the clock ticking above the doorframe. Eight o' seven.
I'll be there in 15, will that be good?
Her response was immediate, apparently it was a slow morning.
