Looking to fix a shattered Life

APPLE, AARDVARK, ADOLPH

Thursday. Patrick watched the clock above the color copier next to the door of the breakroom. Time was not his friend, not his confidant, not his champion. Time was mocking him, slowing its hands down, making minutes passing seem like endless hours. Patrick's head pinballed between the clock and his phone, back and forth, back and forth in a frustrating rhythm. Mindlessly kicking the side of his desk and flicking a ballpoint between his thumb and index finger, he just needed to talk to Kevin or better yet to have him here in the office but Kevin was cloistered away at a conference in Scottsdale and incommunicado. Something had to give and it did. The cap on the pen popped off and sailed through the air, hitting Owen squarely on his cheek.

"Hey, watch it with that nervous tick. You're going to put my eye out", Owen said as he retrieved the cap from under his desk. "Your concentration this week has been terrible, we have nothing to show for our efforts for the last three days. Can we try and get something accomplished?"

Patrick gave a sheepish apology and went back to a lackadaisical effort on their new project. He glanced at his phone every few minutes but there was nothing, no text, no missed call. Patrick was falling into a funk heavy with doubt and anxiety, questioning how well things had gone between him and Kevin over the weekend. He was determined to undermine every wanton look, every heartfelt emotion Kevin shared with him.

The voice from behind startled him. "I am suppose to give you these," Amy from HR handing him a folder full of papers. "They keep sending these to the wrong address."

"What is this?, Patrick asked flipping through the first few pages.

"Kevin's insurance claim for his out of pocket expenses. These need to get completed and back to me so we can close this claim and get his check cut. He is flying home tomorrow and said you would probably see him first before anyone else in the office so please get him to sign these and get them back to me. And I don't need any explanation and I'm not asking any questions, not my business." Amy spun around on her heels and headed back across the tiled floor, her stillettos making a sharp clicking sound that vibrated off the glass office and ceiling tiles.

"So you guys are back on?", Owen asked with mild curiosity.

"Well yes, I mean I know I'm on and I think he wants to be on so we're sorta back on but not definitely back on, so I would say at this point partially on", Patrick tripped over every word as he looked through the file.

"Well has he given you his letter sweater or his class ring? Did he pin you?", Owen said with a sarcastic laugh.

Patrick ignored him as he continued to snoop into the file. "Look at this. It says Kevin A. Matheson. Do you know I have no idea what Kevin's middle name is. That's kind of amazing that I don't know that right?"

"Pass him a note in gym class", a reply Owen threw over his shoulder as he headed towards the break room.

Patrick sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal for dinner. Next to the box of Lucky Charms were his phone that hadn't rung and the folder filled with Kevin's insurance papers. He heard the yawn of the front door open and close which announced Augustine's arrival home.

"Is that the only thing that passes for food in this house?", he asked dropping his messenger bag onto the table nearly hitting the cereal box. "Hello, Earth to Patrick."

"Sorry, sorry, my mind's drifting. It's weird that I don't know Kevin's middle name. It begins with an A. We've been through so much together and this little thing I don't know about him", Patrick said wistfully. "I really want us to take the time and really get to know each other all over again."