Failing Moon

Hustle and Giggle

Josey lifted her eye lids just before their lips met, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sparkling glaciers the mystery man's eyes held. Instead, she was met with her sister's puppy dog brown ones looming in her face.

"Get up Josey, you're gonna be late!" giggling at Josey's sleepy lips perked, Emily made kissy faces at her sister.

"Oooo..I'm Prince Charming, kiss me!" Emily jumped into her older sister's lap, enjoying the rare chance to poke fun at her.

"Get off me, you dork!" Josey pushed her laughing sister on the ground.

Josey stifled a laugh as well. It was only Emily who could make Josey feel embarrassed and cheerful at the same time.

"Spend more time worrying about yourself Em, it's already 7, you're going to be late as well!" Noticing the time on her alarm clock as she turned in her bed to get up, she told her sister this. Emily was still trying to gather herself from her laughing fit.

"Alright, alright. Don't go back to sleep, today is the big day! I even made you breakfast!" Emily beamed at her sister.

"Is that smoke I smell?" Josey sniffed the air watching her sister freeze and then yell out.

"Oh my gosh, I forgot, the toast!" hurrying out of the room, Emily was squealing about the toast and Josey just smiled as she shook her head.

It's been 7 years since their parents passed away in their father's warehouse. Josey recalled spending months, perched outside the police station, in rain, snow, and blistering heat, begging them to solve the incident. Every time, she always got the same answer.

"Double suicide, that's all we can tell you." Josey would listen to these words from an officer and argue that it was impossible, but they would always tell her the same thing over and over again.

"Thats what the evidence shows kid, let it go, move on." Josey has never moved on, at least not in her heart.

Emilly brought Josey out of her thoughts, as she came back towards the bedroom.

"Okay, the toast is extra brown, but I put tons of jelly on it, so it should taste ok. I will get going now sis, make sure you eat, and text me what happens!" Emily said this, practically dancing with excitement, as she walked in their room really quick to grab her bag. They shared a small one bedroom rental as it was all they could afford.

"I will, it's not till 8:30, so I have plenty of time to get ready. Have a good day in school, and DON'T skip out on piano lessons, I'm warning you now!" Josey half snapped at her in a motherly tone. They struggled with money, but thankfully Emily's musical talent landed her free piano lessons from a talent show at their school.

"I wont!" Emilys words trailed until Josey heard the apartment door shut.

Getting out of bed, Josey suddenly jumped up and down. She was trying to contain her excitement that came from a text she received late evening yesterday. She had finally got an interview for a contract position at the very large pharmaceutical company about 4 blocks from their apartment.

Dancing around, she realized she needed to get going, she wanted to look perfectly professional. She knew nothing about pharmaceuticals, but the position was for basic office work anyway, so she felt she could handle that at least.

Josey hadn't put in her notice yet to the 3 different part time gigs she was juggling. She wanted to wait until it was a sure thing, and then she would quit which ever couldn't be done after hours.

Going into her closet, she pulled out a white dress shirt framed with a navy blue colored pant suit. It was her most prized and only possession, she ever spent money on for herself. She had help from Emily as well, who ran around handing out advertisement fliers for weeks, and then giving the little bit of money she made to her older sister for her birthday.

Tears welled up in Josey's eyes. They had struggled to make ends meet, but her younger sister has been so selfless through it all. Josey swore one day she would land a good job and buy her sister everything their parents couldn't give them. Josey prayed that day was today.

Hearing the phone ring, Josey grabbed it seeing it was the second person, she owed a lot to, calling.

"Hey, making sure I'm awake?" Josey asked Jared playfully.

"You know it! Good luck today, I actually will be by the company myself, later, to get some things signed. Maybe I will see ya there?" Jared had helped Josey get the interview through connections, meanwhile her friend CeCe worked there and was the one who submitted her resume. She owed both of them dinner.

"Maybe, hopefully I don't make a fool of myself. Cece said that the job they are hiring for is just basic office work, I have a little bit of experience working for the post office part time. Making copies should be a cinch." Josey didn't want her confidence to leave just yet as she said this, but slowly, she started wondering if that's all she'd be doing in an office.

"You'll do fine Josey, don't worry, but hey I gotta go, let me know how it goes okay?" Jared hung up before Josey could respond. She had gotten used to his way of saying goodbye, he doesn't.

Josey looked at the time on her phone and realized it's been a half hour between her thoughts and the phone call so laying her suit down on top of her messy comforter covered in cute smiling moon faces, she practically ran to the bathroom to wash her hair and attempt a bit of makeup.

When her hair was finally dry, and a bit of powder on her face, she applied a bit of playful red lip gloss. Smacking her lips, she pulled her thick black hair into a tight pony tail and went into the living room. It was a little past 8 and she knew it'd take her at least 7 minutes to walk the 4 blocks, and 10 mins to get registered.

Noticing the breakfast her sister had made, Josey felt bad and grabbed a quick bite of burnt toast and sip of grape juice. Slipping on the only pair of black flats that resembled dress shoes, she grabbed a small black purse hanging on the set of hooks at the door. Shutting the door behind her she prayed everything would go smoothly today.

What she didn't account time for, though, was running into her landlady standing out on the sidewalk that ran in front of several ground floor apartments like Josey's.

"Good morning Mrs. Bellard, what brings you by so early in the morning?" Josey asked with a light tone knowing her landlady was very emotionally touchy.

Not saying a word, the landlady handed Josey one of the several pieces of printed paper she was holding.

Not having time to read over it, as it looked like some kind of new rule notice, Josey folded it and stuck it in her purse.

"I'll read it the moment I can Mrs. Bellard, have a good day!" Estimating she just wasted 2 minutes, Josey started a fast pace walk as she left the Landlady standing there. Josey swore she heard her say something about a new tenant, but shrugged it off.