The Night Shift

5:43pm Sunday

                   

"Sel! I'm so glad you answered, I'm sorry I missed your call!"

"My phone charger wasn't plugged in and so my phone didn't charge and I didn't realise it was flat until I checked it like twenty minutes ago. I'm sorry!"

"Uh, this isn't Sel."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I must have dialled the wrong number, sir,"

"No, no. If you're looking for Selene, this is her phone. She's just in the shower at the moment."

"Oh, right. So this is Mr Bradshaw?"

"Yes,"

"Oh, it's uh, nice to meet you?"

"Um, sure, you too son. May I ask who you are?"

"Oh, I'm Brenner. A friend of Selene's. I talk to her to help her with her insomnia, because I uh work the night shift at the storage yard,"

"Right, it's okay kid, you don't have to explain yourself to me."

"Oh, right, uh thanks. Oh and Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Genius on that superglue prank,"

"Wha-, oh that. Yeah, one of my better moments. She told you about that, hey?"

"Yeah, and I know it's probably not my place to say, but I'm sorry for your loss. Selene said it was the anniversary today and I just wanted to offer my condolences."

"She, she told you about Quinn?"

"Yeah, I hope that's okay,"

"Yeah, yeah. No, that's fine. And thank you for your condolences, that's very kind of you."

"No problem sir, he sounded like a pretty awesome guy."

"Thanks son, oh Selene! You've got a call,"

"Who is it?"

"Some boy named Brenner. Oh and Brenner?"

"Yes sir?"

"Don't you dare hurt my girl."

"Dad!"

"I wouldn't dream of it sir."

"Okay, good. Just had to add that in there. Okay, Selene's attacking me to get her phone back. Bye Brenner!"

"Bye Mr Bradshaw!"

"Hello? Brenner?"

"Selene? Hey, how are you?"

"I'm, I'm okay I guess. You got my voicemail, I take it?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I missed your call. Turns out that my phone charger wasn't plugged in and so my phone didn't charge and I didn't realise it was flat."

"That's okay, sorry I was on radio silence for the last couple of days,"

"Don't apologise Sel, it's okay. I get it. You okay now though?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Sorry I cried in the voicemail, a little dramatic,"

"Ah little drama never hurt anyone,"

"How have you been?"

"Good, I missed our late night conversations though. Work was pretty boring without you,"

"Didn't you have Caelin with you?"

"Yeah, but he was all mopey and kept staring at the phone. I think he missed you too."

"Awe, he's such a sweetheart,"

"Hey I am too, I missed you too!"

"I missed you too Brenner,"

"So, your dad seems pretty cool."

"Yeah, it seems like parents just answer random phones, hey?"

"Ha, yeah. Seems to be it."

"So,"

"So?"

"Do, do you think it's time we actually met?"

"Like face to face?"

"Yeah, we could get coffee or something?"

"I don't drink coffee,"

"Oh,"

"No I didn't mean it like that! I just don't like the taste! I'd love to meet up though."

"Oh right, hot chocolate then?"

"Yeah! That sounds great."

"Wait, we never actually talked about where we were from. I'm in Roswell, Atlanta."

"No way, I'm at Alpharetta!"

"Wow, I kinda' expected us to be from different sides of the country,"

"Yeah, how's that for fate."

"You think we met through fate?"

"That or my uncanny ability to butt dial."

"That could be a contributing factor,"

"I'm very talented, I know. But fate sounds better,"

"You are actually. You were singing again when you called again."

"Really? I can't believe that, sorry for butt dialling again."

"Hey, doesn't bother me. You butt dialling me is the reason we meet remember,"

"Hey, I thought we were calling it fate."

"Okay, so should, should we meet then?"

"I mean, only if you want to?"

"Yes! I mean, uh yeah. If you want?"

"I'd like that very much Brenner,"

"Okay, well I guess I'll text you later with the details?"

"Yeah, sure."

"So, uh, I guess I'll talk to you later then?"

"Yeah, um bye?"

"Yeah, bye."

(...)