Finding Her Time

“Hello,” Mitch waved his hand in front of Claire’s face, “Wake up, Claire. Get back to reality.”

“Hmm, what?” Claire responded in a rather dreamy expression.

“Oh what a welcome, I get!” Mitch slapped a pizza box down on the kitchen counter, “Here, I’m doing you a favor by bringing your pizza to your house personally, and you don’t have the decency to come out of dream world to pay me. Someone’s going to have to pay me, remember? ”

Mitch laughed at Claire’s face. Her eyes were glazed over and cloudy like she wasn’t in this world. Sometimes Mitch joked that she should wear an “out of my mind, be back soon” sign on her head when daydreaming. It was almost like she wasn’t even there.

Her mouth was curved in a small, secretive smile. The only improvement to the situation was that she wasn’t reading. It seemed that she was attempting to do homework, but she got muddled over a question. So instead of thinking really hard about the question, she once again got herself lost in a 19th century day-dream.

Coming out of this day dream, Claire replied to him, “Why would we pay you when you eat half the pizza yourself?”

“Ha! I knew you were listening,” Mitch flipped the lid of the pizza box open.

Lifting the pizza box up, he moved it under Claire’s nose, allowing the scent of a well-made, cheesy warm pizza to tempt Claire. He grabbed a plate and a slice of the pie and began to eat. And this, Claire thought, is why the Pizza Palace owners should never have hired him.
Her best friend smiled at her and said, “Well, aren’t you going to pay me yet or at least eat a slice yourself?”

“Let me get my dad first,” she replied, “It takes him a while to get out of his study and away from working on his new invention.”

“That’s the one thing you two seem to have in common,” Mitch observed, “You both live in your own fantasy worlds which is why you order take out almost every night. Not that it matters much to me what you eat so long as it’s pizza. Because you always give me some generous tips.”

Claire could have commented back, but she was on the mission of getting her father. He was so focused that Claire was almost afraid to disturb him. She knocked twice on the door and left. He’d come upstairs for what remains of the pizza later. As she arrived in the kitchen, Mitch was just turning to leave.

“Going so soon?” she asked, “We’ve barely started supper.”

“It’s a slow night, but who knows if Nancy is going to need me again. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. We’ll take my truck?” Mitch held out his hand as Claire rummaged her wallet for twelve dollars.

“No, we are not taking your truck,” she held the twelve dollars out; “We are walking. Tomorrow will be a lovely spring day, and I’d fancy taking a walk to school. Besides, your truck reeks of pizza.”

“Alright fine, we’ll walk,” Mitch shrugged, “Have fun with your novels tonight, Claire. Don’t forget to do your homework.”

“I do not intend to forget to do my homework,” Claire scowled, “Thank you, Mother, for reminding me.”

“You are indeed very welcome, Miss Silver,” Mitch mocked an English accent and a deep bow for Claire before leaving through the front door.

Not knowing whether to laugh at her friend or to be annoyed with him, Claire shut the door. The rest of her night went on slowly by. She restrained herself from reading anymore of her novels by watching the BBC channel that she was fortunate to receive on her television. Bringing two slices of hamburger pizza to the couch, Claire turned to BBC 1 to watch an episode of Sense and Sensibility.

Mitch was right, she thought to herself. Up in her bedroom, her bookshelves were full of old novels. Charles Dickens, Jane Austin, Emily and Charlotte Bronte, and Elizabeth Gaskell, all had a dedicated spot on her shelves. Their novels were the most intense and captivating. Mitch wouldn’t understand the depth of Claire’s love for these books; he never reads.