Coffee

Part Thirty-Four: Collapse

They sent her away upstate to be rehabilitated. Max said goodbye to her for everyone and promised her job would be waiting for her. All night I tried to rid myself of guilt like Iggy suggested, but I simply couldn't. Max once more walked me home and left and I laid in bed awake more than half the night.

The constant thoughts of Max and Lauren whirling around my head made everything in side me flip upside down. I've felt sick ever since. This morning is no exception. Walking to the Dam, my heart just pounds hard in my chest- the rhythmic drum of my body plays and chants loudly as I walk down my street as I normally do.

For whatever reason, my body shifts and my mind snaps as I take a left turn down a narrow side street in between two homes that are the epitome  of wealth and arrogance- their lavishly white painted bricks, gold painted trim around their frames and overly sculpted statues in the back garden just make me want to vomit slightly. Every time I pass these homes when the owners are out, just listening to them blather on about stocks and private schools and lake house makes me want to cut my ears off and carve out my eyes so I don't have to witness fits of passion. The saddest part of it all is their back gardens are overgrown and weeded. They care very little about it.

Turning right, I meander down Park Street and continue on. It's rather chilly this morning. My tan leather jacket hardly warms me up and my red knit sweater and black skirt and stockings hardly help. Today reminds me perfectly of days back in London. The chill that was constantly in the air and the gray clouds that went along with it. It was as if the world was in a snow globe and inside of making it snow when it shook, it made it cold and rainy. I didn't mind it the because when the sun was out- everything was made up for it. My phone starts going off and it's Max.

"Morning." I try and sound cheery, but my voice is as mellow and morose as the dark graying sky.

"Good morning, Baby. Hey, are you on your way in?"
He frantically asks.

"Yes...." I'm not late am I. Looking to my phones clock- I'm actually a few minutes early than normal.

"Great, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, how can I help?"

"Cute. Love it....um, could you possibly run the Leeson Building over on Vets and check on a Mr. Davys. Transport is headed to get him, but he's experiencing so irritation and I was wondering if..."

"I'll check on him. Text me the address." I take a left and head up two blocks and then East four. I look at the address as I go and I can hear Max wheezing slightly in the background. "How was your night?"

"Well...radiation was more of less a party at Chernobyl and my sleep was nonexistent."

"Your pillows did help you?"

"Not at all. Didn't even want to lay down flat on the mattress- I pretty much propped myself against the wall and tried to fall asleep, but it was unsuccessful." I feel terrible for him being unable to sleep. He more than anyone needs it. He's always working up on his feet and uses all his energy running around to help every single person in the Dam whether he was paved or not.

"I'm really sorry you didn't get any sleep. You should've called me."

"I didn't want to wake you."

"I was wide awake myself. Didn't sleep a wink last night- just sat up scrolling through pictures on my phone and listening to Beethoven." I sigh and can see the Leeson building before me. "Anyway, I'm here now so I'm just going to check in on Mr. Davys and then I'll be into work."

"Take your time today. No rush. Okay?"

"Okay." We hang up and I walk inside the five story beige painted brick building. Warner Leeson built the building back in '73 and it was originally a business building. Each floor was for a different company that needed space. However back in 2003 it switch over to being a homing complex when a lot of the business needed to expand and have more than just one floor to themselves. They shot in small apartments and the over all care for the building went down hill. Walking into it, I realize very quickly that the elevator is broken and the only way to get to Mr. Davys' 4th floor apartment is by stairs. The stairs themselves creak and are hardly supported anymore. They're uneasy and have holes in a ever other one almost. Green illuminating lights flicker from the sconces on the walls- the brass fitting of the light holder dusting over and dust burning on the dying bulbs.