As soon as Charles left, I flashed upstairs and set my alarm for five to seven. Instead of taking a nap, I filled my tub with hot water and took a soothing bath. I was smart about things; I took my phone and a book in with me. There was no way I was getting out of the tub before I needed to.
I had finished washing up and had just laid back to enjoy my book when the phone rang. I chuckled softly while drying off my hands. I expected Charles to interrupt me, he seemed to say one thing, and always did another.
“Hello,” I grumbled into the phone.
“Hi April, is everything alright?”
I recognized Brad’s voice right away. “It is… what’s up?” I asked with a smile. I’ve learned long ago that people can hear your smile over the phone.
He lightly sighed. “Charles just called me; I don’t remember giving him my number. Anyhow, he told me that he left early so that you could take a nap, and he suggested that I allow you to sleep.”
“What?” I grumbled.
“Actually, he suggested that I don’t call you, and that I allow you to sleep. If I didn’t call you, and I didn’t show up… you may take it as me standing you up, and there’s now way that I’d do that to you.”
“What are you saying Brad? Are you cancelling?” I asked. I was miffed, and I wanted to rip a strip out of Charles.
“I’m calling to give you the opportunity to cancel. I told you, I’m selfish, and would love to visit until you kick me out,” he said with a light chuckle.
I snickered and then demanded, “Well then get off the phone and get over here.”
He laughed a hearty laugh. “What would you like for dessert, and would you still like some apple cider?”
I shrugged and replied, “It doesn’t matter about dessert, but why the apple cider?”
“You had tea or apple juice with your lunch; I figured apple cider would be a nice twist. At the Keg, you took a sip of Cheryl’s apple wine, and I noticed that you didn’t enjoy it, I thought that the cider would be a welcomed change.”
It was so sweet of him to pay such close attention to my likes and dislikes, and I felt kind of guilty for being suspicious of him. “I’m sure I’ll love it.”
“Great! I’ll be there by seven.”
“I’ll see you then,” I laughed and hung up. I felt a lot better after talking with him, and decided against calling Charles; I didn’t want to be in a bad mood when Brad got here. I got out of the tub and put on a black tank top and my purple scrubs. I bought them when I was in college and I love them, they are the most comfortable pants I own. In college my friends called me Grape or Graple because I always wore purple; it is and always has been my favorite color.
Every year, Father and Mother used to buy me a purple Christmas bear; I would flash downstairs and dig into my stalking for it. When I was six, Father teased me and said that Santa forgot my bear; I remember crying and flashing to my room, I was heartbroken. I didn’t care that there were gifts under the tree, I wanted my purple bear. Mother ran upstairs and carried me down; she was rubbing my back and telling me that Father was teasing me. The moment we walked into the living room, Father pulled it out from behind the couch and apologized to me, he never did that again.
I haven’t received a bear since Mother’s death; I’m not sure if it was Mother who picked it up each year, or if it hurts Father to continue the tradition. A lot of things changed after Mother’s death. Father helped me buy my house, and on the day that I moved in; he brought all my bears and books. My one guest room has them all in it. I’m hoping that one day I’ll have a little girl and I’ll give them all to her.
