seven pounds

o2: old memories

michael

"So if there is one thing that I have learned," I stated, informing all the people in the training class I was teaching, "and you all should remember this when it comes to winning these contracts: Three steps."

"First, tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em. Step two, you tell 'em. Step three, tell 'em what you told 'em." I smiled as the room filled with laughter.

I was a very successful engineer at a business I had worked my ass off at, to become CEO of: Apogee Aeronautics.

"We are gonna close by reminding them that old girl has a 3-percent better impulse from sea level to vacuum, and if they pass on that, quite frankly, they deserve another Sputnik." I paused as the room once again filled with laughter. I looked down at my vibrating phone which illuminated a text message from my lovely wife, Sarah:

"Where are you? We had dinner plans." I mentally face palmed myself for forgetting.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I have a very lovely, very hungry woman at home waiting for me." I told the class before I gathered my things and left.

"Sarah?" I called out as I looked for her throughout our beach house. I finally found her on the back deck, enjoying a glass of wine as she stared out at the beautiful ocean view. It was something she did often, but this time, I couldn't help but stand and take in her beauty. Something about her seemed more mesmerizing than usual. She seemed to be glowing. She looked like an Angel.

"Everyone at work kept saying it was daylight-savings time." I chuckled, lying to excuse my tardiness.

"You were supposed to be here a while ago." she didn't take her eyes off of the ocean.

"I kept saying it wasn't--"

"This happens allllll the time. It's always work before everything else."

"That's definitely not the case, but I'm sorry." I apologized as I tried to land a kiss on her cheek, but she dodged it.

"No, I'm angry with you," she said as she gazed up at me, trying to hold back a smile, "and I'm gonna be angry all night long."

"I'm angry with you." I mocked as i swooped her up off her feet and spun us around.

"What are you doing?" she giggled loudly.

"How about that? How about I'm angry with you?" I stated playfully as i smiled broadly, taking in the moment.

■■■

Michael jolted up from his sleep, startled by his phone ringing on the coffee table next to the plush, grey sofa he had, hours before, resided on for a nap.

"Hello?" he groggily answered the phone.

"Hey, it's me... It's your brother." Michael's brother stumbled over his words, choosing them carefully so he wouldn't say the wrong thing and trigger something within him.

"Where are you?" his brother asked.

"I'm at the beach house." Michael responded nonchalantly.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course."

"Listen.. why'd you disconnect the landline?"

"The phone broke." Michael said as he thought back to him throwing the phone across the room after his conversation with Ezra. "I don't need it anymore." the line went quiet for a moment.