to be determined
an excerpt

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The light filtered in through the dirty window illuminating the whole room causing dust particles to dance joyfully before landing with the even promiscuity of dust. A hand came out from under the covers of the lump on the bed and flailed in the air for a few moments before somehow managing to close the curtain. Covering my eyes I waited for a few moments before I was fully adjusted to the brightness. The mattress squeaked and I didn’t want to move, yet. Every muscle screamed at me abuse. Just then Clyde rolled over next to me and asked in an inquiring voice,
“Addison?” I rolled over in response and grumbled, pretending to be asleep. I could feel his figure press against me and his arm come around my shoulders. The moist breath was now teasing the hairs on the back of my neck. I allowed myself to relax and attempted to clear my mind. I couldn’t help my eyes wandering around the room. It looked as if a laundry volcano had exploded. The piles of clothes on the couch had proceeded to litter the rest of the room from weeks of being pushed aside in an effort to watch TV. Stretching my legs further into the section of the bed that was cold eased my feet a bit. I took one piece of the lavender satin sheets and ran it between my fingers, savoring the soft silky feel. It reminded me of the first time Clyde and I met.
I smiled to myself and turned into his arms, kissing him softly, tenderly, savoring every taste and little stolen little moment. I began to feel his arms creep up my sides and decided it was enough.
“Ok, time for breakfast” I felt his arms retreat in disappointment and reluctantly slide out from the covers. Clyde, yawning,
“I’ll get the kids, you head down.” The pores in his skin stood up in little prickles on his bare arms and I watched his muscles flex as he raised them above his head and arched backwards, doing his natural morning routine. I eventually slid out of bed and squeezed into my favorite sweatshirt, slipped on both slippers and headed downstairs. I saw two happy faces surrounding the counter, looking up at me expectantly.
“Morning Elena, morning Joel.” I patted each head as I walked by; Elena’s straight black hair compared to Joel’s reddish brown locks. I immediately went into the kitchen and set the kettle for tea. While I waited for the water to boil I looked around the kitchen. We had just had the new cabinets put in and the counter redone. I spotted a pile of dirty dishes that had been left out and proceeded to mop up the crumbs with a napkin. The water had finished boiling so I walked over to turn it off. I pulled out my favorite mug, the one Clyde gave me for Christmas, and filled it with steaming hot liquid ;tea bag, spoon, swished several times, egg cup, Splenda. The process had become routine. I turned on the TV. And sat down. Two overly makeuped faced peered down at me and spoke the news.
“It’s going to be mostly sunny with a slight chance of rain. And now here’s Meredith with the local news. The screen panned over to a woman standing in front of a school.
This fateful morning at 7:36 am Jimmy Bowler brought his grandfather’s pistol…” the smell of eggs rose to my nose and I began to loose interest. My stomach grumbled and I realized I hadn’t had a proper dinner last night.
“Addison, the omelets are almost ready”. I moved from the couch to the table and sat down.
“…two dead and 14 injured…”
“Joel, could you come to the table please, you’re breakfast’s getting cold”. I chimed in.
“Joel, listen to your father and bring the salt to the table, please.” I always loved mornings, not the actual part of waking up, but the blissful promise of a new day. When the birds are chirping and the sun shines with the laid back sleepy faces of my two children. There’s so much that happen in the promise of a new day. It’s like a peaceful vacation, a little taste of bliss before you begin your toils of everyday.
“…we’re sorry to report the loss of three more individuals to the…”
“Elena, could you turn that off please?” having my finished breakfast I thanked Clyde and excused myself. I walked upstairs and closed the door behind me. I took off my sweat shirt, stripped and got into the shower. The hot water pouring down my back cleansed my thoughts as well as by body and melted away my thoughts like ice.

Clyde
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Addison upstairs, the kids just left their plates on the table, I sighed and started to clean up. It was my one free weekend since my promotion and all she wants to do is relax. It’s been two months now and the company’s been flourishing. I just got assigned a new secretary. A personal assistant! Sometimes, and I guiltily admit, I call her to schedule appointments that I don’t really hold, just to flex my power. Usually though whenever those appointments come around I just sit there and tell Julie that it was a scheduling error. Sometimes we go out to lunch for a lack of something better to do. I remember when Addison and I used to be like that. Actually, one moment in particular.
It was cloudy out and I had just gotten off my break and decided to pass my time in an art gallery between shifts; it was close and the most interesting thing there. I walked inside and was instantly bombarded by the bright reds and yellows, blends that portrayed all sorts of emotions that confused and delighted my senses. I wondered aimlessly for a few minutes, the abstract sculptures in the center of the room, paintings on the walls. I was so engrossed in the colorful images that I didn’t notice the woman walking across in the opposite direction. We collided as two meteors impacting the moon. Books flew everywhere and I could spot several of my papers floating gracefully out of my briefcase. As we both exclaimed sorry and bent down to help the other with their fallen possessions our heads impacted a second time.
“Sorry!” she exclaimed “I’m so sorry, I completely didn’t see you.” Then she paused and looked at me a moment. Her red-brunette hair ruffled and her teeth sparkling as she smiled. “I believe we’ve met before, It’s Addison, remember? From your sociology class.? Bremshire ’86! I thought you looked familiar” her voice, even today reminds me of wind chimes. Twinkling so carefree in the wind with out a care in the world. I even remember the purple jacket she wore with her green under blouse and those ridiculously outlandish scarves. I hesitated a moment and then caught her smirk and quickly followed up.
“Uh, yeah, yeah! I remember. Professor Sphindle, how could I forget?” I smiled uneasily and marveled at her grace; how she underwent a head-on collision and seemed not even the least bit frazzled, except for straight reddish- brown hair.
“Hey, we should grab some lunch and reminisce sometime, you free?” inside I knew I wasn’t, I had 2o minutes until I was supposed to be at my next shift.
“Totally! That sounds like fun! I was just on my way out to lunch anyway” I lied. With my brief case in one hand and her purse in my other we made out way down the street and turned left into my favorite eatery.