Chapter Six
I jerked awake after hitting the ground. Rolling onto my back I groaned and blinked away the sleep from my eyes. The floor's cold but I still hesitate to get up. My alarm clock reads 5 o'clock. I have almost like a half hour to get dressed and down to work. I sluggishly get up and see my bed sheets are missing. I bend over the bed and stretch my head slightly and see that they're on the other side of my bed. My pillows are everywhere, one under my bed, one by the door, one in the hamper with my clothes from last night, and strangely one in my closet's top shelf. I smile at the destruction I unwarily did in my sleep. Then I remembered the dream that caused me to do this and I shivered.
A half hour later I'm dressed in a plain shirt and a tucked in tie along with my black buttoned vest and a suit case. The suit case is unnecessary for me but according to my temper toed boss, our cooperation is supposed to have a business outlook and a suit case fits the business image perfectly.
In the car on the way to work my phone buzzed. I half expected it to be Fay but when I answered a different voice spoke to me.
"I really hate today." My sister complains.
"René, hello to you too." I greet sarcastically.
"Yeah, yeah hi little bro." she says quickly. "Do you know what today is?"
"Uh?" I said distractedly.
A car beside keeps crossing lanes back and forth in front of me so I honk once, loud and long enough to get him his attention.
"Um no," I say into the phone honking again when the guy continues blocking me.
"Really Dom?" Rene says unbelievingly.
I narrow my eyes at the guy in the car in front of me.
"Really what?" I ask getting frustrated.
"Do you seriously not know or are you playing dumb with me?"
The car in front of me swerves to the left lane beside me and now blocks me from switching lanes and turning into my exit. I bite my lip.
"I don't know!" I shout irritated now.
The line is quiet on the other end as the car besides me slows down and finally lets me pass. I turn into my exit and immediately I feel guilty. I'm just stressed out right now. I shouldn't be letting my anger out on Rene, especially when I haven't talked to her in weeks.
"I'm sorry," I say through the phone. "I'm just not me right now."
Funny, I think to myself. Isn't that what Fay said when I first met her?
"No, I get it Dom, nothing's ever normal on dad's birthday."
I almost drive through a red light... but I stopped in time.
"What?" I yelled out.
"Yeah, it's November 3rd. Today is dad's birthday."
The light turns green again and as I drive forward, I'm not really paying attention to what I'm doing. I think about the coincidence of having dad show up in my dreams yesterday, creepy. I change the subject.
"Mom, how is she doing?" I ask generally concerned.
"Not good at all. She's even worse than last year." My sister answers. "You just had to leave did you?''
I drive into my company's parking lot and park my car in the employee's only parking spot.
"Come on Rene, you know I had to take this offer and besides, I've lived in that small deserted place all my life. I wanted change, you know?"
Rene didn't answer.
I got out of the car and reached in the backseat for my suit case.
"Don't be mad at me Rea." I say switching my phone from one ear to the other. "You know I'd be there with you right now but I've got other things going on you know?"
I can hear her sighing on the other end.
"Well whatever, how's that job you ditched us for anyway?"
"I'm at work right now and it's awesome, thank you for asking."
"That's not what I want to hear but yeah I'm glad to hear your having the time of your life out in Oregon."
"Right," I say sarcastically. "You and mom can visit though, maybe then you'd see how freedom really feels like instead of being cooped up in that little town eh?"
"Whatever, I got to go. Mom's running out of tissues."
"I'm sorry Rea but tell her I said hi okay?"
"Sure," she answered. "Later little bro."
"Yeah, you too," I reply before she hangs up on me.
I close my car door and lock it. Turning my phone on vibrate I walked into the building.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
