Failing Upward

Chapter 6 (part 1): Lucky Charms

I jumped up. I was late for work--8:32 with a dot.

First day back to work and draggin' ass. Coffee bit my nostrils, and a heat wave prediction from Chet Sands, Channel Three's ace weatherman, bombarded my ear drums. Sherlock was up (or never went to sleep) and hadn't even attempted to wake me.

"Shit, I'm late," I said, stumbling out of the bedroom shoving my right leg in my jeans. I head butted Sherlock's stomach and rocked back on my heals, falling smack against the wall.

"Careful!" he said. "You sure you're up to going back?"

"I'm fine. I have to," I said, ticking off each reason on my fingers. "I have $23.54 in my checking, twelve cents in savings. I have to file the insurance today on my car and find out what I can get on contents for the house on my lunch." I caught my breath and shoved my other leg into my jeans. "It'll be a while before the insurance pays off-- if they do and if I don't end up in jail for arson." Amazing. Halfway articulate--and with no caffeine just the enticing aroma.

"I can pick you up."

"No, I plan to walk down to Johnson's insurance at lunch--" I added, "although I'm sure they'll cancel my policy after this."

"Listen even if you don't want a ride, you need money. Here," Sherlock said, reaching for his billfold and pulling out a couple of twenties along with his debut card.

I shook my head, ducking into the bathroom.

"I wasn't asking for money," I said, calling out as I shut the door.

"I know you weren't, but you need to eat," he said, pressing his mouth against the door talking over me while I piss. "You tell me that enough. Do me a favor, eat before you go in. You're already late. It's not like Mrs. Hudson doesn't know you slept in. She understands. The lady worships you."

"I need coffee," I said, flushing the toilet. "But you know I'm not a breakfast cereal person."

In the vanity mirror, I seemed normal. My black eyes had entirely vanished; I looked rough but not bad. I washed my hands then brushed my teeth with the extra Scooby-Do toothbrush Sherlock gave me that he probably bought because it was the first one he saw on the shelf. Stepping out of the bathroom stretching, my traitorous stomach growled "feed me," reverberating into the kitchen.

Funny, I thought as I stared down at my bare feet, I could have sworn my toenail came off when I stubbed it the other day. I must have been mistaken.

"You need more than coffee," Sherlock said, rummaging through assorted cereal boxes in the cupboard. He pulled them out, jostling each one next to his ear like a kid rattling his piggy bank. Then he'd checked the dates and frowned before lining them up on the counter like dominoes. "Maybe I should throw some of these out. Not enough for a bowl full in most of them. You like Cap'n Crunch?"

Of course all he had in his cupboard was sugar-laden cereal with ships and pirates. "That's good," I said. I was hungry.

I searched the inside of the fridge, blurry eyed. I slid the milk from the shelf over to the counter while Sherlock dug out a spoon and bowl from the dishwasher. Plopping down at the kitchen table, I smelled the milk and checked the expiration date before I poured a heaping bowl full of Cap'n Crunch. Expired yesterday and smelled a bit off, but I was ravenous; I'd eat cereal dry if necessary. My stomach yowled again, welcoming the first bite that according to the box"stays crunchy even in milk."

"Sounds angry. I think it wants its usual eggs and bacon," he said, plunging his hand deep into a box of Lucky Charms. "Mmm, green clovers!"

"What, no toy surprise inside?" I laughed--er, giggled. "This cereal's fine. Eggs and bacon another day," I said.