Light Up the Room

Mondays fucking suck, I mean it’s not even the day itself that I dislike it’s the end of the weekend that everyone dreads coming to an end.
Jackson was feeling especially clingy today and he was putting up a bit of a fight when I was dropping him off at daycare. I had to get Tim one of the high schoolers who worked there to help me get him inside with the promise of a movie. When I got to the station I was informed that our guest today had cancelled last minute and we’d have to improvise the show. I assured my boss that I could find things to fill the time I was a professional at winging it.
“Good afternoon everyone I’m sorry to inform you that Craig Owens will not be in the studio with me today so we’ll be doing things a little different today. We’re going to start off with a game and I will tell you three news stories and you will have to try and correctly guess which one is a complete lie. I have my lovely assistant Zane helping me and he’ll be here if you need help.” “No pressure,” Zane added. “So our first caller is Hayden, so here are you’re stories, the first is ‘A man in New York died over the weekend after trying to be a superhero and falling off a three story building’, ‘An Old Navy in Michigan was robbed, but money wasn’t taken all of the mannequins were nowhere to be found’, and finally a man is suing a tattoo artist in Portland after he let him get a tattoo of a penis on his leg and not stopping him and tattooing him was he was highly intoxicated,”. Zane started laughing hysterically “I kind of want that last one to be true because that is amazing,” he managed through the laughter.
“Oh god I’m going to say that the second one is a lie,” “That is correct! It was a fake story supplied by a Michigan high school paper that went viral, tell him he wins Zane.” “He wins a fifty dollar gift certificate to McGillan’s Pub, that sir is a lot of drinks so enjoy responsibly,” “Yeah don’t get drunk and get a penis tattoo, we’re gonna take a little break, here’s ‘Loverboy’ by You Me At Six”. My phone vibrated in my pocket it was a text from Jaime, “Was that a legitimate story, pics or it didn’t happen”. “I assure you it was a real story, Google it”.
We continued the show in a similar fashion playing games and answering Twitter questions, “Well guys that’s it for me tonight I hope your Monday was as great as a Monday can be and have a safe night” I grabbed my bag and made my way to the garage where my car was parked. Tim was surprised when I got there early to pick up Jackson because normally I was at least ten minutes late, generally because of guests or something like that. Jackson was very excited to tell me about a new friend he’d made, it was a boy named Oliver and he just moved here from New Jersey and his favorite ninja turtle was also Michelangelo and they were both going to be in Kindergarten together.

Since I’d failed to go grocery shopping over the weekend I had to go tonight and Jackson was extremely excited riding in the cart was one of his favorite things to do. “Why do they put things up this high? It’s a form of discrimination” I muttered to myself while I reached for a box of cereal that was at the very top. A tanned arm reached out and grabbed it with ease; I turned to thank whoever it was and saw Jaime grinning down at me. “I never noticed how short you were, I think you might be shorter than Vic,” he teased me setting the cereal in my cart. “Haha very funny like I didn’t hear those jokes all through high school, although those were better than the Native jokes that I received” I replied while pushing my cart down the aisle, Jaime walking right beside me. “That’s what you are! I’ve been trying to figure it out since I met you, but I didn’t want to ask that felt kind of awkward.” “So do you just wander grocery stores or are you here for a purpose?”
“You haven’t noticed, I’ve been stalking you since we met,” he said with a creepy face. “Just kidding I’m here with Vic grocery shopping for the house and decided to roam because Vic told me I was a distraction, I’m not bugging you am I cause I can totally leave”. “No Jaime it’s fine I do most of my shopping with a five year old I’m sure you can’t be much worse” I replied while grabbing some boxes of pasta. “Obviously you’re underestimating me”. I just laughed as I got the last of my stuff and made my way towards the register. “Jaime there you are, I’ve been looking for you. Hey Tess hope he wasn’t too much trouble”. “No not at all since I’m apparently a midget he got the stuff off of the top shelves that I couldn’t reach and was very helpful”. “Ha told you I could be useful!”. Vic rolled his eyed and turned back to me, “So we’re having a little party at my parent’s on Friday you should come, you can even bring Jackson.” “I’d love to what time? I generally get off at about six and then I have to go and get Jackson from daycare”. “That should be perfect we’ll probably start at like seven so whenever you get there will be fine.” “Alright I’ll be there.” “You’d better or we’ll find where you live and come and kidnap you” Jaime said with the most serious face. “I promise I’ll be there,” I assured him with a smile.

On my way home I realized something, I had flirted with Jaime. I hadn’t flirted with a guy in such a long time and he flirted back with me knowing I had a kid and everything. I put my head on the steering wheel after I’d parked in the driveway, it’s not like I didn’t want to date, but Jackson was my priority and some no most guys didn’t understand that and wanted a girl that could focus on them. I don’t even know what I would say if he asked me on a date, probably yes I mean he was attractive and sweet. “You’re overthinking this Tess, he might not even like you that much, he might just be flirty,” I said to myself in the middle of my kitchen while putting my groceries away.
Even after I got Jackson to bed there was one thing I couldn’t deny, I was attracted to the first man in a long time and his name was Jaime Preciado.