The Bar Stool

Just a bad dream.

"Have I ever told you how amazing your lips are?"

"Only a million times," I laugh leaning back against Tanners chest. The tub around us it lit with candles and the water is sprinkled in bubbles.

"Let's make it a million and one then?"

"How about you just rub my shoulders and let me relax?" I sit up just enough so there is space for him to work his fingers down my back.

He doesn't reply, buts moves his wet hands over my shoulders and rubs the skin and muscles to ease. Up and down my back until I have to stop him before I fall asleep.

I feel almost too relaxed as I step out of his tub and wrap my towel around me.

I flick the lights on and rub the thin layer of fog from the mirror only to discover not Tanner but Axle climbing from the tub.

I panic. I turn around and find him standing there with his wicked grin. Tattooed skin and Tanner's voice when he speaks asking if I'm okay.

I must be fuck dreaming.

"Tayzley are you okay?" He asks again and it's still Tanner's voice but Axle's fucking body.

Like in the movies, the image around me breaks and shatters into a million pieces, replacing his voice back with his face.

I sit up looking around and I'm in my living room. The rolling credits to a movie display on the TV and Tanner's puzzled face describes it all.

"It was a bad dream..." I wipe the sweat from my forehead. "Just a bad dream."

"I see that. Maybe we shouldn't have watched Insidious then."

"No it's fine." I sigh. "What time is it?"
He pulls out his phone and checks.

"Almost nine. I should get going, big day at the shop tomorrow." I see him type away in his phone and stick it back into his pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I stand up and nod leaning into kiss him on his lips when he kisses my forehead instead. "I'll text you." He says before putting his shoes on and leaving.

***

When I walk into work Jules is nothing but smiles. Never have I seen her so calm and collected especially on a Monday.

"Do you have really bad gas or are you just in a good mood?" I ask.

"Good mood, very good mood. You may want to sit down." Huh? I squint at her, I was going to put my bag away, but if I need to sit this must be good and important. So I sit giving her all my attention.

"Shoot."

At first she paces, her hands in front of her folded together ready to move every which way as she spills why she's so happy. "Okay," she sighs happily. "I have two things to tell you. One being I am now the manager of this fine establishment. They called me today to congratulate me!" She claps her hands together.

"That's amazing Jules! You've been here for almost five years you deserve this." Then the smile across her face becomes even wider and I watch as her hands slowly rub over her stomach and I instantly, as like I already knew, jump from my seat and squeal, but not too loud.

"You're shitting me?" I laugh and she follows along. She pushes her glasses up with own hand and smiles wide.

"I'm almost a month along." I nearly choke.

"You've known this long and you didn't tell me? Have you gone mad?"

"No," she snickers. "I found out Friday, so don't get all crazy mother mode on me that's my job."

I sigh, normally I don't do this and normally this doesn't happen but I hug Jules pulling her into a warm hug. "This is so exciting do you know how long I've been waiting for this!?"

"Only about two years," she chuckles and steps back.

"That's right! Knowing you, you probably have names picked out let's hear them."

As the day goes by she tells me every detail, every name idea. Everything. And she tells me with the biggest smile I've ever seen on her.

***

I'm still questioning the weird dream I had the night before as I close up the salon for the night. I need to know why it was Axle I was seeing and not Tanner. Was my mind just playing these tricks on me because it can or was it trying to tell me something?

I hadn't told Jules because afraid to say it out loud. I'm not even sure if I want to tell Carly or Bella even. Could it be because somehow, somewhere deep down I'm starting to develop feelings for him?

No.

It can't be that.

It must be something else.

On my drive home I try my hardest to piece out this dream, but I can't. It leaves me confused and stumped and mostly stressed the fuck out.

My anxiety decides to come into play and cause an eerie pain to take over the pit of my stomach almost causing me to get sick on the door step into my house.

My mother greets me when I enter. Saying dinner is in the fridge. I don't know what it is today, but everyone seems to be happier than me. She's smiling ear to ear and is sitting straight up in the recliner as I pass her.
"How was work?"

"The usual as always." I still have yet to wonder why she's dressed in such nice clothing and for once has lipstick on her lips. I turn to her look her once up and down. "What's with all the smiles today?" I question out loud to myself.

"Your father asked me to marry him again..." She blurts out.

(Very very short chapter. But I just felt like this is where it should have ended. Haha.

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