Standing By

Brookings Concert Hall

(Tim)

My alarm went off annoyingly early the next morning. I stretched a lazy arm out and poked at buttons until my alarm shut up and then buried my face right back in my pillow.

Luckily, I'd anticipated an unwillingness to get up and had scheduled a second alarm. Five minutes later, it beeped at me again and I sat up, rubbing my eyes. God, I was so tired. I rolled a kink out of my neck. I really didn't feel very rested. At least I didn't recall any nightmares.

With a great sigh,I stumbled blindly over to the coffee maker and tried to start a pot to brew while I was taking a shower. I put the coffee pod into the brew cup and wandered off towards the bathroom. I turned the shower on and started to jump in only to remember I was supposed to wake Chance up. I meandered towards his room. Hmm. Why's the coffee pot not making my coffee? I paused and pushed at buttons. It gave an unhappy gurgle and shot off a spout of steam. Oh. Water. Water would be helpful. I went back into the bathroom to get a cup of water and filled up the pot. There we go, now we're brewing coffee!'

Satisfied I was on my way to caffeine, I went back into the bathroom. I used the toilet then put one leg in the shower. Oops. Chance. Lord, I could hardly think this morning. I gave the adjoining door a couple of knocks just in case he was up and walked in.

He was just walking out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel vigorously on top his head, trying to dry his hair, I suppose. He peered at me over the towel's corner and startled, dropping it and yanking it back up and over himself. "Tim!"

"Sorry," I said blearily. Like I cared or could see him anyway. I hadn't even put my glasses on. "Adam had wanted me to check that you were up. So consider this your official check."

"Yeah. I'm up. And Tim, you could have considered some pants yourself," Chance advised dryly.

Had I—I looked down at myself. Yep, sure enough, I was standing in Chance's room in just my birthday suit. Mildly embarrassing. "Eh... oops," I mumbled. "Sorry."

He waved me off frustratedly and I slunk my naked butt back into my room. I needed a shower in more ways than one. Get cleaned up, wake up, clear my head, and kick my brain in gear. I finally made it all the way into the shower successfully and gave myself a good scrubbing. By the time I got out, I did feel more alert and even managed to dress myself without putting my pants on my head.

When I was all ready for the day, I tapped on Chance's adjoining door to see if he was ready. Getting no answer, I tapped harder, lest I catch him naked again. Once was more than enough. And I didn't think he'd be as forgiving a second time. I knocked a third time before giving up. He'd get there when he got there. I swung the door to the hallway open and found him conversing with a droopy-eyed Austin.

"Hey guys," I mumbled, barely moving my mouth off the coffee cup I was drinking from.

"Mmf," Austin grunted at me, eyeing my coffee.

"Morning." Chance looked more awake than Austin or I seemed.

Adam's door slammed and he came out of his room. "Good morning!" he told us brightly, earning two scowls and one cordial, "morning" from Chance.

"Where's Rob?" he wanted to know.

"Haven't seen him," Chance answered after a few seconds of silence from the rest of us.

"Austin?" Adam prompted.

Austin lifted his head from the wall he was leaning against. "Huh?"

"Where's Rob?"

He rubbed at an eye. "He's up. Lookin' for his shoe, I think."

Adam nodded. "Wait up here for him. Tim, Chance, let's go on downstairs. Taxi'll be here in..." He glanced at his watch. "Six minutes. Austin, either help him find it or give him yours. We gotta get a move on."