Out of Time

Carpool Lane

The relief was imidate. Kicking off her shoes she glared at the evil bastards that kept her feet in a healed prison for almost 8hrs. With a sigh, she smiled as the cool tile floor of the break room soothed her aching feet. A tall and skinny black man sat at the table texting furiously, you could practically see smoke at his thump swipes. Greeting him she took out her bag of carrots from the fridge and joined him at the table.

"Hey, guuurl." He cooed in his ever so sassy way. Never looking up from his phone. 

"Heeey" she cooed back, giving him an unseen saucy wink. "I thought your shift was over, what are you still doing here?"

"Just waiting for my ride, he doesn't seem to be answering his phone and you best believe my black ass ain't goin' on no bus. Mmm no."

"Too good for the bus, Q?"

"Are you serious?" He blanched. "This Queen best be treated like the Queen I am or you obviously don't know who you're dealing with. I am Quitman Ray Brown and hear me roar." Snapping his fingers he settled back in his seat shoving his phone to the side.

Rolling her eyes, she chuckled at his extra display. Feeling her own phone vibrate in her purse she pulled it out and instantly rolling her eyes she sent the caller to voicemail.

"I was pretty bummed you weren't in my section today, it was so boring without you. I miss you!" She frowned.

Rrrrr, Rrrrrr, Rrrrr, her cell phone began to vibrate once more, turning in circles as it rang. Glancing down at the phone Sofia let out a sigh sending it to voicemail once again. Taking a bite from her carrot she continued to stare at the phone as it started back up.

"Are you going to answer that or what? This is like the fourth time it's gone off. It's giving me a headache."

"She'll get the hint."

"Gurl, give me that."

Snatching her phone from the table he slid an exaggerated finger across the screen and answered the phone. "Leather & Lube, this is Karma how can I help you get kinky today?"

Stunned, Sofia just stared at him, jaw near to the floor looking like a gaping fish.

"It's for you." Handing the phone over towards her, smiling deviously as he held it out. Glancing down to the phone, and like a bucket of ice water thrown at her face, she came to her senses.

"I don't think she thought it was funny" he whispered innocently.

Glaring at him he just laughed as she grabbed the offered phone, Helen's voice still in rant, probably didn't even notice that no one was answering her back. Maybe she could just hang up the phone and... Banishing the thought she sighed.

"I'm at work, couldn't you have just left a message?"

"No, I could not have." Helen snapped back on the line. "Did you think that was funny, hmm? What if this was an emergency? What if-"

"Is this an emergency?" she asked suddenly alarmed and ashamed but that quickly faded when her sister answered, and left her annoyed once more.

"Fortunately for you, no. I need you to pick up Casey from school."

"Are you serious? You do know that I'm at work, meaning I can't just leave at any moment just because you called."

"Just do it Sofia, stop being so difficult."

"I'm being difficult?" she scoffed, unbelieving how her sister could say such a thing. Difficult? Really? "What are you doing that's so important that you can't pick up your daughter?" The line went silent as she waited for her sister's answer, with every millisecond she felt her annoyance grow. "Well?" she prompted.