Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“I agree,” my mom said. “We’re family. I’ll always be there for both of you.”
“Thanks, Mom. Dash has turned into a crybaby. I see a tear forming,” I teased, giving Dash a minute to compose himself. “Bye, Mom.”
“Be careful, Dash. Text me when your flight lands,” she said in another turn in our relationship. Our family unit just grew stronger.
The following Monday evening.
Dallas, Texas
Who knew how much I enjoyed the quiet? And honestly, props to me over how far I’d come emotionally in the last five months. No matter how hard my dad tried, he hadn’t destroyed the inner fabric of my being. The negativity was gone. I was growing and developing into the person I always hoped to be. A good guy with values and honesty. Dash was the conductor, orchestrating the power of healing inside me. I truly hoped I was helping him in the same ways too.
Dash. His name echoed over all the restored spaces inside me. Since he’d made me believe that this was my home too, my soul found contentment by simply breathing in the Dash-infused scents surrounding me. From the front door, the closest entry from my parking spot in the driveway, to the kitchen stove where I stood right now, I was in a familiar, secure, loved territory.
I peeked underneath a foil-wrapped plate, still warm, so Amelia hadn’t been gone all that long. Tonight’s dinner, a plate of her homemade from scratch tacos and tamales. My absolute favorite. My taste buds watered at the sight. She was slowly bringing me into her native flavorings, which were spicy, earthy blends, something I’d never been exposed to before. I loved it so much, and Amelia was the queen of landing an excellent meal every single time.
After checking the refrigerator to see if she had left more, I pulled out a second plate, putting it close to the first. No reason for it to grow cold. I’d eat both of them soon enough. I went through my normal routine, stopping by the laundry room and undressing, then on to the bedroom to wash the day’s grime from my body. I stopped short when I saw a new box on my side of the bed. Based on size and shape, something I’d gotten very good at judging due to my employment, it was a cell phone.
I shook my head and grinned. My guy had to go big, hitting it hard right now, because there was no way he’d make it as a lower income individual. The box called to me like a siren, guiding me in that direction. A Sony Ericsson box. My ass hit the bedspread as I lifted the box, shimmying off the lid. Inside was a ridiculously nice gadget-filled cell with a full keyboard and camera lens along the back. There was no way this was a free-with-contract device.
The phone had some weight to it with a row of lenses along the back, a plastic flap covering them. What would I ever do with so much phone? Back inside the box, different compartments held earbuds, a charger, and an instruction pamphlet. A handwritten note fluttered from the folds. It held an easy-to-follow guide on how to start the device and what the different key combinations meant.
With a press of the power button, I started the phone and waited for it to begin. The charge was one hundred percent. Dash had thought of everything. Of course, he had, when didn’t he?
I tossed the phone aside and took a quick shower, letting my hair go wild, before grabbing my athletic shorts. The entire time, my thoughts remained on how much it cost. How long of a contract did he have to sign? Did it have the same video game options Dash’s phone had? I hoped it did. I’d enjoy that feature. Except the cell needed to go back. My old phone was good enough. It had a long life still to go.
As I pulled up my shorts, the musical ringtone startled the shit out of me. I’m ashamed to say it took a second to figure it out. My mind first went to a new fire alarm tone because Dash loved music. I feared for the tacos before my own life. Then, I was drawn to the bed on the second ring. I leaped there and answered on the third peal.
“Why did you get me this phone?” I asked in lieu of a standard greeting.
Dash’s immediate chuckle said everything I needed to hear. “I don’t know why, because you’re generally ungrateful for my efforts, and maybe that your old phone barely works. We’re going to need better communication while being apart like this.”
In theory, I agreed, but wasn’t willing to let my side of this argument go. “Then call me on the landline,” I suggested.
“No, it’s not my preferred way to communicate with you. I’d only have a few hours when you’re off at night.” The way he said those words made them sound reasonable and thoughtful, which they weren’t at all.