No-show
Solas - Jamie Duffy
Adea
My first conscious thought was I had the best dream. I never pegged myself for a freak, but Goddess, maybe it was the jump in my sexual activity recently. A smile spread across my lips as I remembered the wet dream with the wolf. Women and their wolf mates never got in on. That wasn’t a thing. I’d blame it on my latest monster romance read and take the wet dream to my grave.
My room is filled with light. I don’t need to open my eyes to know this. My closed lids are not only warm, but the light filtering in makes it look orange. The outside world won’t even let me sleep in on my day off. Day off? My eyes fly open and shut again. Of course they’re crusted over. With how hard I cried last night, I knew this would happen. I peeled what I could off quickly then folded in half as I sat up. A groan falls from my lips and everything hurts.
Distantly, I can hear a muffled alarm. The room is spinning as I grab and pull at blankets and sheets. When I find my phone, it was literally under me. It’s blaring and when the screen lights up, I realize it’s the afternoon. Not only that, I did, in fact, have a shift at Big Foot today. I was supposed to work with the new girl, Shane’s sister.
Perfect.
There was no way she wouldn’t smell him on me. My cheeks warmed, and the embarrassment was already setting in. It was normal for wolves to smell of their mate, and I liked that, but I wasn’t mated. It would just look like I was some chick he met and was fucking for fun.
She wouldn’t be wrong.
Yeah, I’m not going to start on that spiral down into hell again.
No thanks.
I tapped on my phone and brought it to my ear. I held my breath as the Big Foot Java elevator music played through the speaker. My thumb dug into the skin of my index finger as I prayed she didn’t answer. I can’t explain myself if she doesn’t pick up.
“You’ve reached Big Foot Java, this is Mavy! How can I help you?” she sing-songed.
“Hey, it’s Adea,” I said.
“Oh, my gosh! I was wondering what happened to you,” she said.
“Yeah, I slept through my alarms. I’m sorry for the no-show. Are you okay?” I asked.
“Of course. Everyone’s been so good to me. They told me this isn’t like you and something must have happened,” she said, as she moved around. “Do you have customers there right now?” I asked.
“No, I’m cleaning up and restocking while it’s quiet,” she answered.
“I’ll be there within the hour,” I said.
“No, don’t bother. I’m going to start doing my till before the next girl comes in. Don’t worry and leave it to me,” she said.
“This isn’t like me. I appreciate your understanding,” I said.
“Of course, but now you have to make it up to me,” she teased.
“Oh?” I asked curiously.
“Duh. You left me high and dry. This was my first day working by myself. I’m new and this was mentally draining,” she fake sobbed.
“Wow,” I laughed.
“I just have severe depression and…,” she trailed off.
“Okay, okay. I get it. I definitely owe you one,” I smiled.
“Exactly! Let’s have dinner! I’m new to town and haven’t even been treated yet,” she pouted. That’s right, I’d just talked to her about possibly going out this weekend.
“I have plans today, but I might cancel. I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know if I can meet up,” I said.
“Yay! Oh! And just let the manager know you came down with something,” she said.
“I hadn’t even thought of that yet,” I groaned.
“And this is why you need girlfriends! We think of everything,” she exclaimed.
“Maybe,” I laughed.
“There’s a customer. Gotta go! Bye,” she sang, dragging out the e.
Dropping the phone to the bed, my eyes closed. That cold I’d experienced last night threatened to swallow me whole. Once again, I was alone with my thoughts and I needed to do something, anything, to run away from the darkness that beckoned me. I turned and slid my legs from the bed. There was an ache within me. I was sore, and I hated that it was a reminder.
Pushing off, I stood on my feet, and a jolt ran through my body. I gasped as I swayed on my feet. I was in pain. I had a million things I needed to do today, but before I could organize my thoughts, I needed coffee and a shower. Sadly, not in that order. Carefully, I walked to my shower, and turned on the water. I stared at the wall until steam fogged the mirror and surrounded me.
I dragged my feet into the shower. When I stood beneath the hot spray of water, my breath shook as his scent dimmed. I washed my face of the pity fest I’d had last night. Grabbing my loofah, I squeezed my bath wash into it and started scrubbing the rest of him away. I went to work and when I was done, my body was rubbed raw. As if I could scrub enough to be rid of Shane. I dragged my fingers along my scalp as I lathered my hair with conditioner.
The suds slide down my body. What is it about the shower that makes you feel like you’re alone with your thoughts? It’s like I’m barred from the world, free to cry, free to scream, but I just feel empty. After I rinse myself off, I step from the shower and wrap my towel around myself.
“Ady baby!” Gabe called from outside my door.
“Yes?” I asked.
“I bought us chocolate croissants! Come out before I have to leave for my shift,” he whined.
“Okay,” I shouted.
As I got dressed, I vanquished the sadness from my face, and smiled as I put my hair up in a wet bun. Today was a new day and confident bitch mode was activated. My heart wanted Shane, but my brain reminded me he wasn’t the only one out there.
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