Syrtis

V.

April 29th, 2018
Sunday, 8:30am

The vibrating phone against her abdomen woke Jessica woke up with a start, and she hastily removed the phone from under her stomach. How it ended up there she had no idea. She sat up, pulled her big grey tee shirt downward to cover the upper parts of her thighs and answered with her eyes closed.

“Yes?” She said in mid yawn, pressing the phone to her ear.

“Nobody wants to see your earwax oh ma.”

“Her sense plenty.”

She removed the phone to see a video call with four different boxes with her friends staring out of them. “Eight in the morning? Really?” Their laughter caused her to roll her eyes and flop back down on her pillow.

“Yesssss. You've been busy so we let you be but the wedding is in six weeks. And the bride still has things to do,” Marcia said in her usual high and mighty I'm-better-than-everybody tone. She was lying down on her bed and clicking away at another phone.

“Give her a break, hoe. She's been around so just say what we called her to say,” Grace retorted. She was wearing a blue lace dress and her face was laid to perfection. “Y'all hurry up, I have to go to church.”

Jessica listened to them go on and on while trying to wake up fully. She had just noticed that Amin was not in the apartment. It was too quiet and it made her a little uneasy. Just like last night. She hissed her teeth subconsciously before remembering that she was on a call.

... listening to what we're saying?” Joy hissed her teeth and brought her phone closer to her face. “Jessica oo, stop dreaming.” She was walking around so her image was a little distorted.

“Babe. Are you okay?” Andrea inquired, with a cup of tea in her hand. She sat at a table, leaning against it with her elbow.

“I'm fine, just trying to wake up. What is it? What's so important that it couldn't wait till noon?” She placed her feet on the ground then into her bedroom slippers. The throbbing headache that began almost immediately caused her to sway a little but she steadied herself.

“You know, you don't have to stand with us—” she cut Marcia off.

“I was talking to Andrea. The bride? Thank you, please don't get on my nerves this morning.”

“Yeah, she's definitely hung over. Cia's annoying but we don't snap at her,” Joy laughed and Grace nodded, while looking in the distance. “What did you do last night sis?”

“That's none of your business. Andy, please say something. My head is ringing.” She sat at her kitchen table and hunched over it. The coolness of the chair beneath her thighs calmed her some, but she still wanted to kill both Amin and Bassam for making her drink so much. She was downing glass after glass of wine without thinking and they kept ordering it.

“We need to meet, so we need to set a day. There's been a slight change in plans and... I have something to tell y'all.”

“Pleassseeee tell me you're not pregnant,” Marcia gasped, placing one manicured hand on her chest. As usual, she showed herself the most dramatic of the group.

“That'll be cute. That would be really cute, seriously.” Joy started doing little hops and trying not to squeal.

“I'm going to kill Max.” Grace fumed, shaking a clenched fist in front of the camera.

“Guys please. I'm not disclosing anything yet, not until the meeting. Grace, please don't kill my husband. Set the day instead, use that energy for good.”