Cloud to Cloud

Episode 3: Return to Civilian Life, But is it Civil?

The incoming call alert rattled the mobile device resting precariously on the bedside table. In the year since his medical discharge from the Army, he had grown lax about jumping out of bed in response.

From beneath a tangled pile of bed covers, Evan groaned. His hand jutted from the folds to silence the device.

With one eye open, still bleary from sleep, he read the caller ID blaring across the smooth screen. "Mother".

Evan groaned again and swiped his thumb across the screen to meet with the red phone icon. The thought passed his weary mind as to why they still chose to use the icon at all. No one alive had ever used a handset phone.

The alert silenced. Evan tossed the mobile device onto the bed stand once again. He rolled over and buried his face in the pale yellow locks of the woman sleeping on the far side of the California king bed.

A secondary alarm chimed menacingly, notifying Evan of a waiting voicemail message. The chirp lit his last nerve. Evan flipped over in the bed, sending tremors over the full surface of the mattress and causing his bedmate to grumble. He dropped his feet to the cool wood floor of the bedroom and rubbed his palms over his face. Snatching up the mobile device he finally noted the digital readout on the lock screen, ten a.m.

The woman beneath the covers lolled her head to face him. Her delicate features had seduced more than Evan's interest. The young model was well recognized as the newest face of GlobeNet's Wired Women campaign.

Her eyelids fluttered open to lazily reveal a pair of stunning blue eyes. Evan's thoughts had wandered far from the woman, yet her waking princess routine was such a part of her programming she failed to notice his lack of attention. A silent yawn parted pale pink lips. And a pair of slender, perfectly tanned arms extended from beneath the blankets. It was only as her palms fell on the empty space beside her she realized Evan's absence.

"Where do you think you're going?" She propped her head on her crooked arm, momentarily forgetting herself.

"Work beckons." Evan picked his way across clothing scattered over the floor.

Recovering from her annoyance the woman fluttered her lashes as Evan turned to her. "So early?"

The words could have been recorded, so eloquent was their execution.

"It is past ten." Evan offered.

He fastened the button on his dark slacks.

He wouldn't make it into the office until well after noon by this point, yet he should make the effort of an appearance at the downtown office anyway. It also made a good excuse to escape the apartment of his latest conquest.

"Shit." The woman kicked herself free from the plush comforter to reveal a pair of equally slender and tanned legs. "I'm always late when I spend time with you."

Evan disappeared into the adjoined master bathroom, leaving the door open.

"Ugh." The woman flopped onto her back letting her hair pillow beneath her head. "Must you leave the door open while you pee? At least put the seat back down."

Evan thunked the lid down, and returned to the bedroom following his basic morning rituals.

"Did you use my toothbrush again?" The woman loosely knotted the belt of her pastel satin robe. The garment barely served to cover her breasts, and the bottom hem stopped long enough to be revealing.

"I think we've shared enough fluids for it to not be an issue." Evan scoffed at the question. "But, no, rest assured I used my travel one this time."

"Happened to have it with you when we bumped into one another at the bar last night." The woman crossed the studio apartment toward the kitchen, and though Evan could not see her face around the dividing wall, he sensed the sarcasm in her voice.