Future Short Stories

When I am 35.. (Courtney&Jack)

Beep! Beep! Beep! I curse the Gods as I roll away from my husband, who I am shocked to find still asleep. 6:32 A.M. My alarm clock read. Ugh, shit. I slowly trudge into our bathroom taking in my appearance. My blonde hair that I threw up into a bun last night is now a knotted mess. Last night's makeup has made me look like a panda. Noticing one of my cheeks is stiff and rough to the touch I have made the conclusion that slept well enough to drool. Taking a look back at my husband, I see a giant puddle on his chest. Laughing, I turn back to the mess that is me and decide to take a quick shower.

After my shower I scamper over to my closet. Just an array of black or dark clothes, I guess some things don't change after twenty years. I slip on a light blue shirt and a pair of black pants and my low rise converse, my favorites. Sliding out of my bedroom, I walk down the hallway taking in all the pictures framed up on the walls. Prom 2016. A collage of Jack and I's random pictures of each other. Our wedding. First born, Lilly. Second born, Chris, he looks like his grandfather.

Making it to the kitchen I grab a package of pop tarts from the pantry and plop them into the toaster. While that's in there, I run back upstairs and wake up Jack so he can get the kids ready for school since he doesn't work tonight, thank God. Returning to the kitchen, quickly snatching the pop tarts from the toaster and my purse from the counter, burning my hand in the process, I rush out the door. Hoping in my trusty truck that I got when I was sixteen, the truck roars to life and I pull out of the driveway seeing the sunrise afraid to wake my neighbors with the exhaust. After getting out the small town of Oostburg I head North on I-43 towards Sheboygan.

I arrive to work and pull into my usual spot in the parking lot. Sheboygan Central High School. I am the art teacher. Work goes much slower today, but I don't mind as I chat with my students and other staff. When lunch rolls around, I quickly run out of the building and down to McDonald's to pick up some chicken nuggets and a frappe and scurry back to school before my next class.

Two more hours pass and I'm walking back out to my car to head home. 3:16 P.M. My phone reads as I start up my truck and roll my way back to the interstate. Trying to brighten my mood on the commute home, I throw in my old Machine Gun Kelly CD. Shocking myself as I still remember every word, smiling, thinking about the "Lace Up" tattoo I got before the first concert of his that I went to when I was eighteen.

Making my way into the driveway, I park and take the keys out of the ignition. I walk through the door hearing laughter and screams. Smiling to myself knowing Jack is probably lying across the kids on the couch, putting all of his weight onto them. I was going to have some fun with this. I set down my purse and sneak into the living room, putting a finger to my lips as the kids see me. 3 ... 2... 1! I pounce on top of Jack, snaking my arms around his upper body and dragging him to the floor so our weight doesn't crush the kids. I holler out in laughter as his weight is crushing me, but it's not the first time, this would happen ALL THE TIME when we were younger. Oh how I love this man.

8:57 P.M. We sit down for dinner. The kids and I are sick of eating mac 'n' cheese, even though we know their dad can it all day, every day. Instead, we order pizza. Chris and I getting a pineapple and sausage pizza to ourselves, meanwhile Jack and Lilly just get pepperoni, losers. Once the pizza arrives, we discuss what the weekend will bring, with the kids bickering for a good half an hour as Jack and I finish off the pizzas. Swallowing the last bite of pizza I halt the frantic yelling from both ends of the table, deciding that we will be going camping up North. Mostly because Jack wanted to go hunting as soon as bow season started.

The night concludes of us rushing the kids off to bed, wishing them a good night and residing to our own room. Changing into our PJ's, brushing our teeth, and all of that other stuff. We crawl into bed slipping under the covers and into each other's arms, exchanging a sweet good night kiss, an 'I love you,' and with that the room gets dark. The last thing I see before I let myself submit to my exhaustion. 10:24 P.M.