I Wanna Get Well

I sighed, slumping to the ground. I smiled slightly, affectionately tracing the words on the stone in front of me. After a moment of that I sighed again and dug into my small purse for my pack of Marlboro Reds. I lit one up with my lighter before letting a slow breath of now useless smoke. I looked back at the stone and smiled weakly.

“Hey Mom.”

The words of her tombstone were the only things offered to me as a reply. Melony S. Milligan. Beloved daughter, wife, and mother. Below that were the years she lived, making it seem like a simple forty-five years. As if nothing else seemed to matter except she hadn’t been able to survive as long as some of the people who were around her.

“I still miss you. I just wanted to make a quick stop to see you before meeting Parker at the shop.” I paused a moment, feeling my tears building up again. “I love you, and I’m sorry I put you here.”

I quickly stood, patted the stone once more, and hurried off. I left the cemetery puffing on my cancer stick. I began my three-block walk to the building that Parker worked at. He works at this place called Vengeance University. It’s some clothing design that he helps make designs for. It was a pretty cool thing from what I’ve seen. I even had a free shirt courtesy of his boss. I had met the man once and he was surprised to know I was related to ‘his best designer’. It was an awkward experience to be honest.

After ten minutes I flicked away my cigarette and stepped into the main lobby. The secretary, Abby, smiled at me and greeted me. “Here to pick up Parker?”

“Yup. In his office?” She nodded. I smiled to her and waved before heading through the glass, double doors. I headed down the hallway until stopping at the fifth door down on the left. I rasped lightly before poking my head in. Parker looked up from over his worktable, smiled, and beckoned me in.

“Hey Fee. How did work go?”

“I’m a waitress, how do you think it went?” I scoffed.

It’s been two months since I was released and the only breakthrough I had was being a waitress at this second hand diner by the pier. I had gotten an interview at a couple of other places, but when they questioned about my last two years of ‘vanishing from the world’; they politely told me they would call me if they had chosen me. None had. I guess they didn’t want the responsibility if I had a psychotic break at work.

“It’ll get better Fee. You just have to be patient,” Parker told me, continuing on his drawing. I frowned and slipped off my flats, hugging my knees to my chest. That’s exactly what he had been telling me since last month when I had told him I felt like I was running circles in my life. I wanted to tell him I sucked at the waiting game, I always have since Newport. But I knew better than to remind him of my hospitalization. It was still a sore subject between us. Besides, I didn’t want to mention to him last month that I felt like I was slipping into my sadness again.

“You gonna be a while?”

“Yeah, sorry. I’ll finish as quickly as I can though, okay?” I nodded, though he couldn’t see me. I always knew better than to rush him. I knew he enjoyed his work and we depended on his checks to pay for our two bedroom apartment. I felt bad for practically mooching off of him, but he laughed it off and said I could pay him back when I hit my big break. It wasn’t much of a stress for us though. His boss really liked him, like I mentioned, and paid him handsomely for his work.

I got onto his laptop sitting on the desk next to his workable. I minimized the iTunes screen he had open, playing the band Slipknot. I had barely remembered the band when he showed them to me. It made me feel strange when he reminded me I had been the one to show him them. How could I really forget something like that?

I opened Chrome and typed in Craigslist. I waited for it to load patiently. This was our ritual. If Parker still had any work to complete I would job search. Needless to say it hadn't helped much these last two months but I was desperate. I frowned when I noticed there was hardly anything new added since I had checked yesterday. One was watching after an elderly man but I had to have schooling. Besides that there was one inquiring for a maid position. I doubted I could qualify but I opened the link anyways.

Maid wanted. Huntington Beach, CA.

Requirements: able to clean, do laundry, make simple meals, willing to grocery shop (money will be given to do so), and willing to deal with a sometimes moody grown man. No schooling or experience needed, just someone who can handle my annoyingly lazy friend.

Starting pay: $10 an hour. (7 hours a day, Monday - Friday)

Please contact me at...

At this point the man's home number was typed underneath. A "Matthew S." was the name the man left. I blinked a couple of times, hardly believing it. It was almost like someone had handed me a golden ticket. "Parker!"

"What?!" he exclaimed, whipping around with wide eyes. I simply grabbed his chair and pull it next to me, tapping the screen. His eyes trailed over the text and began to have a grin grow on his face. "This is perfect!"

"I know! It's finally a job I, at least, have a chance at," I chirped, also grinning widely. I noticed it was literally only posted fifteen minutes ago and my heart soared. It was heaven sent.

"Then I suggest you call this guy and see if someone else hasn’t stolen the job yet, " Parker remarked. I nodded quickly and pulled out the simple flip phone Parker had added to his plan. He promised a better phone next paycheck but I had been happy enough to have what I did. I quickly typed in the ten digits and hit 'call', anxiously waiting. Parker had paused his music and offered a thumbs up. I gave a smile just as the phone was answered.

"Hello?" The husky voice that greeted me gave me shivers. I wasn't used to such a voice. It was deep, but almost velvety to the ears.

"Hi, I'm calling about the job listing posted for a maid." I meant to place it as a statement but it came out more as a question. A sigh of relief came from the other end.

"You don't know how happy I am to hear that. Sorry, I just figured no one would be even willing."

"It's fine. If anything I have an annoying little brother I had to deal with growing up to prepare me for this." Next to me Parker let out a 'hey!' causing me and the man to chuckle.

"So can you see me soon about meeting up and talking about the job?" I looked at Parker's computer to see it was only two thirty in the afternoon. Parker was already shutting down the computer by this point, letting me know he was finished for the day.

"Uhm, sure. Where did you have in mind?"

"Are you anywhere by the pier?" When I confirmed I was he told me, "Then how about the Starbucks on the pier? I can be there in ten minutes."

"I can be there in five," I informed thinking of Parker's car we always took home. "Oh, is it okay if my brother comes with me?"

"I don't see why not." I grinned, happy I could have my support come with me. "Alright, see you soon..."

"Phoenix," I informed when I realized I hadn't offered him my name yet.

"Alright, Phoenix. I'll probably just get a drink when I get there so just listen for a Matt. You can't miss me."

"Alright, thank you." With that we gave our goodbyes and hung up. Parker smiled at me as he slung his laptop case over his shoulder and picked up the drawing he had been working on.

"Ready to go?" I nodded, informing him of where we needed to head. "Okay, just let me drop this off to Zack and we can head out. Here, you can go and start the car."

"Okay." With that I took his keys and we headed out of his office. We broke off in separate ways to head to our designated places. I gave one last smile and wave to Abby before heading over to Parker's vehicle. I didn’t notice before that there weren't many vehicles here. Besides Parker's there were only three others. I assumed one was his boss's, one Abby's, and some other worker. Maybe everyone else was at lunch. Then again, it is Friday so they might have taken off early and these four were just overachievers.

Soon Parker came out and climbed into the car whose engine I had started. Soon we were heading to the pier, hopefully about to meet the man who was finally giving me my break.