City Of Dreams

Sixty

I wiggle my toes into the sand.

A wave comes over them, causing me to shiver.

My eyes adjust to the bright light of the cali shore.

I watch as surfers glide through the waves on their boards.

They cut through the water with little effort.

My eye catches on something at my feet.

I reach down and pick up the shell.

The outer part is cracked, but it's still beautiful nonetheless.

I imagine an ocean filled with these, just sitting there gliding through everything.

The waves crash around me and I take a deep breath.

I've never wished I was a mermaid more.

________________________

I dug the laptop out of Alex's desk, plugging it in and loading her email.

The mouse moves to the video of Darren.

I click play for about the twelfth time since I got it.

When I finish it, I close the laptop, unplug it, and put it back in the desk.

Realization slaps me in the face.

I sent Addie a blanket for her dead baby.

My legs rise and run.

____________________

I slam through the post office doors.

"Excuse me ma'am!"

I say, basically ramming myself into the front desk.

"Is there a package here that I dropped off a few days ago by any chance? Addressed to Addison Blue?"

She typed something in her computer and shook her head.

"Says it made it to New York yesterday."

I scream with my mouth closed and run outside barely managing a 'Thank you' as I left.

Why did I rush making that?!

I could have waited!

She just got pregnant!

I'm such a mess up.

I climb up the stairs to my room, exhausted and panting by the time I arrived.

"Great job."

________________________

Alex sends me a text.

Alex: You got another email.

I cringe.

Charlotte: What does it say?

She pauses.

I watch the little bubbles in the bottom of my screen.

Alex: It's from an Oak?

My heart stops beating.