I'm Just Here for the Dog | Jeff Wittek

Chapter III

  March 16, 2019

  I woke up in the morning to a pounding headache. The room was spinning, noises were louder, my eyes were sensitive to light, and I just wanted to throw up.

  The last time I was this hungover, it was my sophomore year of high school. I dragged myself out of bed to get water. I opened the cabinet and placed the glass under the ice dispenser in the fridge and pressed the water button. I pressed the glass against the back and water came out.

When the water hit my tongue it felt like I had been through an apocalypse and hadn't had water in two weeks.

  I took an Advil and noticed I still had the dress on from last night, so I decided to take a shower.

  The water against my skin made me forget about my headache and all my senses being heightened. I stepped out of the shower and realized I had missed call from David. I wrapped a towel around my body and FaceTimed him to see what he wanted.

  "Hello," he said, answering while looking at his laptop.

  "Hey sorry I missed your call, what did you need," I asked, throwing my phone on my bed and walking over to my dresser.

  "Jeff just told us that he has never been to Chicago, so we decided to take a last minute trip home."

  I slipped on a pair of black workout leggings, taking in everything David had just said.

  "Who's we," I asked, skeptical.

  "Jeff, Jason, Natalie, Cass, and I," he responded. "And possibly you."

  I slipped on a sweatshirt that I stole from David.

  "Okay," I said, picking the phone back up.

  "Really," David said, shocked. "I'll book your flight."

  "David you don't have to do that."

  "I know but I also know that since you're a medical student you can't really afford anything right now."

  "Dave..."

  "Come on, just let me do this one thing for you."

"Fine," I said, sighing. "When do we leave?"

I walked over to my closet to get my suitcase and backpack.

"You should get here at about five in the morning tomorrow," David said.

  "Morning?!"

  "It was the only flight available."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

  I stuffed as much as possible into my two bags including textbooks. Luckily, I was starting spring break tomorrow so I wouldn't have to email all my professors about not coming to class. I also couldn't afford to miss classes. I was actually excited about going home. I missed my Ina (mother).

  My mother is the exact reason why I wanted to become a surgeon. When I was eight years old my father decided to leave my mother, younger sister, older brother, and I. My mom was a surgical resident at the time so my grandparents practically raised my siblings and I. The last time I actually talked to my father was last year when he told me his new wife and him were expecting. When my siblings and I went to meet our new brother we didn't say anything to our father and our step-mother, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was our mother's best friend in high school and was even her maid of honor in her wedding. No one thought my father would marry her.

  Regardless, I was excited to go home or at least I think I am.