Cloud to Cloud

Episode 5: Home Sweet Home

As Evan entered his apartment, lights followed him from entryway into main living area. Cued by his mere presence, the screens hung on the walls blinked to life with images and videos of weather, current time, and news bulletins. As he moved from room to room, information followed, never skipping a beat as it streamed along Evan's side.

His life flickered over slimline monitors. Awards and ceremonies intermingled with family photos, vacation clips, and calendar entries.

He paused in front of a screen before entering the bedroom. Above the bed, weather reports and a flicker of local news illuminated the room.

An alert on his mobile device instantly transferred to the nearest screen, in the kitchen.

A pop-up window filled the center of cabinet-mounted screen. Bright blue text read: MOM.

Evan sighed at the alert but conceded there would be no further avoidance.

"Answer," he commanded into the empty space of the room.

His mother's image appeared in the expanded box on the screen. Her pale blonde hair lay neatly coiffed in a short pixie style framing her wrinkled but joyful face. Her bright blue eyes lit up, though they searched the room with mild concern.

"Evan, dear!" His mother's shrill voice cut through the silence of the apartment as the audio surround system picked up the signal.

"Hey Mom." Evan continued through the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and ducking his head into the lighted space.

"Evan, are you okay? I've been trying to get a hold of you all day!" The glint of joy shifted to one of worry.

"I'm fine, Mom. Busy day is all." Evan emerged from the refrigerator with a block of cheese and a container of cold meat slices.

"Busy?" The shifting expression on his mother's face transformed once more to one of mild annoyance. "Too busy to check in about arrangements with your dear mother."

Evan winced as he recalled the date. He set the meat and cheese on the granite countertop and returned to the refrigerator for a jar of mayonnaise and one of sliced pickles.

"Right. Well, all is well." Evan shrugged as he retrieved a loaf of bread from the pantry. "I did not forget our plans for Thanksgiving."

"Well, I certainly hope not." His mother's tone was still ripe with annoyance, though she seemed to be simmering down. "Evan, I wish you would at least look at a screen when I'm talking to you, dear."

Evan turned to shoot a smile at the screen across from the countertop as he prepared his sandwich. He continued to smile as he chewed around the slice of cheese protruding from his mouth.

"Evan." The knot between his mother's eyebrows brought a broader smile to his lips before he closed them around the remaining tail of the cheese. "At least chew with your mouth closed," the woman reprimanded.

"Yes, Mom." Evan mumbled around a mouthful. "I haven't eaten all day. You wouldn't want your poor only son to starve to death."

"Dear Evan." His mother rolled her eyes. Her sigh filled the surround sound system.

Evan completed the construction of his sandwich and returned the materials to their places. Sandwich in hand, he stepped through the archway from kitchen to main sitting room of the apartment.

His mother's face appeared in a new screen, this one over sixty inches, and in high definition, mounted across from the couch.

"Whoa." Evan mumbled around a bite of sandwich. "Now you have me questioning this latest purchase."