***This post takes place DURING the previous post Hear Me Out****
Seamus sends Owen a text message asking for another Tire Fire from the 10 Alarm. His plan was to burn the rest of the fever out of his body.
ShayBus: Hey bring me a Tire Fire home tonight please.
ShayBus: BTW L emailed me .. she might email you too. Heads up. Just .. wow.
Owen is just about to clock into work for a delivery shift. No apron today, just a Thrifty's baseball cap on his head and Staff button he's attaching to his hoodie. He takes the keys to the delivery van off the hook and decides to move his phone from his back pocket before driving so he's not sitting on it. As he pulls it out he sees 2 notifications. One is a the text from Shay, which he reads and then and then inhales sharply. Then he noticed the gmail notification from L and exhales slowly. He stares at his phone intensely and then taps away back to Shay.
Owenit: Yes TF NP. And holy shit yeah me too. Haven't read yet. Is is bad?
Seamus begins to move his clothes from the washer to the dryer. He’s the sick one, and no one will bother him. Hearing the phone in his jeans, he turns the dryer on and reads Owen’s text. Biting his lip he considers what to say, but being Seamus he doesn’t then consider how to say it. Hopping onto the washing machine, he types his reply quickly.
ShayBus: She did grey goose and extacy, got pregnant, had a baby the baby died and she is back with mr Horatio and both have the virus
Owen had been tapping at the punch card clock with his timecard waiting for the reply. A cashier walked up waiting to clock out but stood back practicing social distancing.
"Um...Owen...are you uh done there?" She pulled her apron over her head "Or can I sneak in?"
Owen tossed a glance back "Oh shit sorry Lydia...." He stepped an equal distance back in the other direction "My hands are clean.
Lydia stepped up "So are mine...and chapped to all hell. Kid you better clock in or you'll lose a whole 15." She stamped her card and stepped aside again. Lydia was a few years younger than his own mom and a maternal force at work, always. She was a portly short black woman with curls tight to her head, contained somewhat by a headband and usually was ridiculously over accessorized with her own homemade beaded jewelry which of course she sold right off her body to interested parties. Since the Covid crisis her arms and neck were strangely bare.
Owen nodded vaguely as he read Shay's reply and then he almost dropped his phone looking positively bewildered and winded.
Lydia stared at him "Owen? You ok? Is it your brother? Your sister?"
Owen rubbed his hand over his face and then shook it out like it was filthy. Bad habits. He was struggling to reply "No...it's an....old friend. Fuck...."
Lydia hovered "Do you need to go home honey? I can get Paul..."
Owen waived her off "No no...I just need to clock in and work....I'm sorry."
"No kid it's ok. Take your time. I'll tell Paul to initial your clock in so you're not docked. Lots of orders today,"
Owen nodded and then stepped up and stamped his time card before replying to Shay "I'm glad you warned me." was all he typed back.
Lydia backed herself out of the room looking concerned but giving him space.
Owen rolled his head back and groaned and then grabbed the clipboard to check his route. The first delivery on his list was to L's old address at their uncle's home. He smacked the clipboard against the punch clock "Motherfucker...."
Seamus continued to sit on the washer and when Owen replied he shrugged as if Owen were there to see it. He quickly replied. “No problem. Just be careful if you have to deliver there cause they got it.” he sends it and sighs, wondering if he should go and get his laptop or not.
Owen had wheeled the dolly full of boxes several times to the van and separated his orders into piles with attached invoices. He slid the side door shut and settled into the driver's seat feeling his front pocket vibrate. After sanitizing his hands he pulls out his phone and answers Seamus "Yeah no contact. Don't worry bro. I'm ok." Then he took two more deep breaths and opened L's email. He should say something to her before just calling from the street like a stranger.
No comments:
Post a Comment