He chuckled. “The last two times, I drove you home myself, but you probably don’t even remember that. But if you’re going to keep our good buddy Scott in the Uber business, you should just hire him as your personal driver.” The guy named Scott had made a habit of staying close to the pub, knowing that I was developing a habit as a usual pick up.
“Well, at least the two of you are profiting handsomely with my alcohol issues. It’s quite a racket you’ve got going. Now, can I have that beer?”
He let out a long breath and poured me another drink. “I’m doing this against my own good sense.” Then he put the beer down in front of me.
“Good man.” I lifted the glass and took a heavy pull.
“Take it slow.” He narrowed his eyes as he went to the phone to call my ride. My bike would have to be sent for later, but that was the way most of our nights had ended over the past few months. As long as I could drink away my troubles, the world could crumble down around me. I couldn’t give a shit.
Chapter Two
Lexa
I took my bag out of my locker and shut the door as my coworker Kathy approached with her keys in her hand. “I can’t believe we lucked out with a day shift. Tonight’s going to be wild, but we’re out of here while the sun’s still up.”
“You know it. There’s nothing like a full moon and gorgeous weather to keep us on our toes in the ER. This is my last day shift for a while, though. I’ll be pulling nights for the rest of the week, and we’ve still got one more good night of full moon glory before it wanes.”
“That turnaround is going to be rough, Lexa. I don’t envy you.” I didn’t mind it so much, but I smiled and agreed with her.
It wasn’t like I wanted to have much downtime, anyway. It was lonely at home with Shawn gone, and my parents had been distant since his death. I was afraid if I slowed down I’d start to get depressed again, and that was the last thing I needed. I’d accepted that Shawn wasn’t coming back and that he would want me to move on and be strong.
I pulled my hair from the elastic band that held it out of my face, and the long jet-black strands fell like curtains on a stage. Kathy shook her head. “It’s not fair for someone so pretty to have great hair, too.”
“Thanks. I wish I didn’t have to tie it up to work. It’s been rough on it. My hairdresser says it’s unnatural abuse. I have to remind her it’s necessary.” I raked my fingers through and massaged me scalp as the tension eased in my forehead.
“Well, if that’s abuse, I’ll take it.”
We walked through the double doors and to the back elevator where we rode in silence until it opened up at the parking garage. We had the same routine each time we worked together, so I walked her to her car, and she waited to get in until I was at my door, then we called across to each other a goodbye before ducking inside our cars at the same time. One could never be too safe, and after one of our coworkers had been beaten and robbed, we’d been told to use the buddy system.
I hurried out and made my way to the freeway. I had a dinner date with my parents, and if I were lucky, things would be more upbeat than usual. It had been all doom and gloom and death and blame for months now, with both of them grasping at whatever they could to get by.
I pulled into their long drive and parked, seeing that my father was kneeling in the shrubs out front. Gardening had become one of his hobbies to cope, but mother had taken up day drinking and going through old photo albums.
Dad stood to welcome me with a puzzled expression as I got out of the car. “Where’s Bre? I thought she would be with you.” My oldest and best friend Bre was driving in alone so she could bail if things got too bad. We never knew what to expect from
my mother since she’d had a few bad episodes of tears and mourning.
“She’ll be along soon. She had somewhere to go before, and we couldn’t meet up.”
He gave me a warm smile and led me in. Dad had been much more affectionate than Mom, who acted like my brother was the only child she’d ever had. Dad had smothered me as if I might die at any moment.
“So what’s this good news you and Mom have for me?” I hoped it was something about them going away on vacation, but I couldn’t get as lucky.
“I’ll explain over dinner. She wants to be present.” He held the door and waved me in, and as he went to clean up, I looked for Mom.
My parents’ house, which smelled like baked lasagna, was too big for them, but they’d decided to keep it after my brother and I had left home. Dad found projects to work on, and even though he’d never been much of a handyman, he liked that it filled the time between gardening. The very idea of it embarrassed my mother, and she’d already explained to all the neighbors that it was his grief causing him to act out.
I walked upstairs and found Mom in the guest room staring out the window. It had once been Shawn’s old room until he’d moved out. She’d taken over both of our rooms and turned them into guest rooms, taking out all of our personal things we’d left behind. I wondered many times if she had regretted it, and then I noticed she was smiling.
She noticed me walking in and came away from the window. “Did you have a good day at work?”
“It was okay. Nothing too awful. Tonight’s sure to be-”
“Dinner will be ready soon; I’ve got everything in the oven.” She leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek and then walked out. I followed, but didn’t continue what I was saying. She wasn’t listening and had never had much interest in my work as she did in the money it made me.
As I followed her downstairs, the aroma of our dinner became more prominent. “Smells delicious.”
“It was your brother’s favorite. I had the cook make it before she left, and I’m reheating.” She walked over to the sink and washed her hands before she took out a big bowl of salad which she tossed with her hands as if she’d made it herself. That’s the way she’d always done it, and I cringed every time. I heard Bre’s car and then walked into the other room to greet her.