Hold Me Daylight, Kiss Me Night-time

[2] Mind Over Matter.

DAY.

Mind Over Matter.

The phone jolted me to consciousness the next morning. Dim, murky light filtered through my sheer curtains, signifying some freakishly early hour. Around here, however, that amount of light could have indicated anything from sunrise to high noon. After four rings I finally deigned to answer, accidently knocking Freya (my cat) out of the bed. She landed with indignant mhew and stalked off to clean herself.  

The caller ID on my phone announced my friend Ava, I opened the phone expectantly waiting to hear her signature salutation "hey, what's happening?" followed by an update on a life so full she could have her own sitcom.

"Hello?"

"Hey, what's happening?" blast through the receiver, for an obscene hour in the morning, you could not deny that she had a fair set of lungs on her.

I rubbed my forehead "No" my response came swift and certain "I'm not coming in, I like sleep thank-you very much. And there is a very obscene dream that you interrupted and I should probably get back to that"

"You don't even know I'm going to ask that"

"Of course I know. There no other reason you'd be calling me this early, it's my day off, Ava"

Ava, the other assistant manager at my job, was my best friend, but she couldn't keep a poker face- or voice- to save her life. Her cool demander immediately gave way to her desperation.

"Everyone called in sick today, and now we're strapped. You have to do it."

"Well, I'm sick too. Believe me, you don't want me there." Okay, I wasn't exactly sick, but I had to find any outfit to wear tonight, something that required shopping. I faked a cough into the phoned "See, I'm contagious"

"Liar. You're never sick."

"Ava, come on, I met a guy last night after Chloe's. I have a date tonight, the kind that requires a serious wax."

"Great" she chirped "You can tell me all about it when you get here"

"No!" I cried.

"Welcome to my world, babe." she said flatly "We have no alternative, not if you really care about the fate of the store, not if you truly care about our customers and their happiness"

"Your losing me."

"So,"  she continued "the question is, are you coming to come over here willingly, or do I have to walk over there and drag you out of bed myself? You know I will, and I change you clothing too!"

I did a mental eye roll, chiding myself for about the billionth time about living two blocks from work. Her rambling about the bookstore (my current place of employment) had been effective, as she'd known it would be. I operated under mistaken belief that the store couldn't survive without me.

"Well, rather than risk anymore of you attempts and witty sexual banter-by the way thank god you straight, because you would make a terrible lesbian. I suppose I'll have to come over there. But Ava..." I tuned my voice hard "Don't out me on the registers on anything"

I heard hesitation on the end.

"Ava? I'm serious. Not the main registers."

"All right," she said at last. "Not the main registers"

"Promise?"

"I promise"

*        *       *

A half hour later, I stepped outside my door to walk the two blocks to the bookstore. Long clouds hung low, darkening the sky, and a faint chill touched the air, forcing some of my fellow pedestrians to don a coat.