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Where’s My Phone?
Meredith woke with a jolt. Not her sheets. Not her bed.
‘Where’s my phone?’
Despite the blazing square corona on the far wall, the room was still fairly dark.
Hotel.
Ivy’s wedding.
She rolled to the side of the bed where the nightstand was and slid the drawer open.
‘Yikes! Where’s my phone?’
Meredith sat up. She hadn’t crawled under the blankets. She hadn’t changed into her pajamas.
‘No, you just flipped out because a perfectly nice guy took an interest in you.’ She got up and opened the curtains. ‘Now, retrace your steps.’
She looked from the door to the boots at the foot of the bed. Her purse was bunched up on the stuffed chair aside the closet. She rubbed her weary head as she unzipped the purse and dug for her phone.
‘2%? Guess I’m not going anywhere for an hour or two.’
She plugged it in before she checked for messages. More work-related emails and some welfare check-ins from Ivy and Nancy.
“Well, as far as you know, I’m still asleep.” She closed the drawer without checking the time on the phone. She didn’t want to know. She didn’t care.
She wasn’t particularly hungry, so there was no point in calling for room service.
What was she?
Embarrassed? Panicked? Humiliated?
Numb.
‘Darn that Bobby. Still ruining my life after all this time.’
She still had time to kill while her phone charged. “Perfect time for a nice hot bubble bath.”
Meredith hung a “Do Not Disturb” placard on the outside door handle before locking herself in and sliding the chain into place again.
Toby was snoring loudly and thrashing around in his bed until he rolled over. His wounded forehead rubbed against the pillow.
“Ow!” He jumped up out of bed and ran to the bathroom. It wasn’t bleeding, but it hurt like crazy. “Oh, jeez, ow!”
The bandage had peeled off in the night. He should have put new tape on it after he cleaned it up before bed, but he didn’t have the energy. What happened at the game last night had really taken the wind out of his sails.
‘Well, what are you going to do?’ He fumbled for the rubbing alcohol. ‘She’s the one and you know it.’
He dabbed gingerly at the wound with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball and applied the ointment before taping more gauze on his forehead. ‘Oh, I guess I ought to have taken a shower before I did that. Well, that’s another thing you’ve screwed up this weekend.’
Toby took a shower, being sure not to get his bandage wet. He could wash his hair tomorrow.
“You’re reactive.” Toby muttered to himself as he squeezed the toothpaste onto his brush. “Reactive instead of being attentive. You need to think before you do things.”
He brushed thoroughly and rinsed his mouth. “No wonder you scared her away, you dope.”
“Toby, who are you talking to?”
He brushed his hair gently. “Nobody, Mom.”
“How’s your head?”
“It’s pretty sore. Is there anything here for headaches?”
“Acetaminophen. Red label. Should be on the second shelf.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Want some oatmeal?”
“Sure, I’ll be down in a minute.”
“Take your time.”
‘Hmm, yes. I need to take my time and be more careful. Meredith wouldn’t like some blundering buffalo wrecking things all the time.’ He wandered back into his room and searched for something to wear before heading down.
“Oh, there you are, dear.” His mom smiled. “I’ve got it just how you like it. Cinnamon sugar and apple bits, nice and thick.”
“Like oatmeal cookie dough. Thanks, Mom.” He gave her a hug before he scooped some into a bowl and poured egg nog over it.
“Are you going anywhere special today?”
“No, why?” He put his bowl down at the table and grabbed his mug. “Is there coffee?”
“Dad finished it off. Want instant?”
“No, I think I’ll have hot chocolate instead.”
“Well, aren’t we in a festive mood today?” She laughed as she reached into the cabinet for a packet of cocoa mix. “Maybe that knock on your head did you some good.”
“I don’t see how.” He filled his mug with water and stuck it in the microwave. “Why did you think I was going somewhere?”
“You’re wearing your Sentinels jersey. You usually save that for conventions and movie premiers.”
He looked down at the bright red jersey. He didn’t remember putting it on.
“Oh, this? I don’t know. Just felt like wearing it today.” The microwave beeped.
He took the packet from his mom and returned to the table with his mug of hot water.
“Wouldn’t have anything to do with that bear, would it?”
“Bear?” Toby ripped the packet right down the middle. Some of the mix fell into the mug. Most of it spilled on the table.
“Why, yes.” She laughed as she grabbed a towel to help him clean up the mess. “I saw it sitting on your shelf when I came to check on you last night.”
Toby swept the cocoa into a pile and spooned some of it into his cup. “Checked on me?”
“Mm-hmm.” She said as she wiped up the loose cocoa. “You were snoring and moaning and mumbling. Dad said he was going to bend a shovel over your head.”
“Did I say anything specific?” Toby stirred his hot chocolate.
“Sounded like you were saying ‘stupid’.” His mom patted him on the shoulder. “You’re not stupid, dear.”
“Sometimes I am.”
“Well, everyone is sometimes. You shouldn’t beat yourself up about it. It could have happened to anyone.”
“What?”
“Bonking your head on a car. It’s a wonder you don’t do it all the time. It’s such a tight space for a big guy like you.”
“Well, that’s what the lift is for. I can make space for myself.”
“Oh, of course.” She took the mess away. “Where’d you get the bear?”
“One of Ivy’s bridesmaids.” He poked at his oatmeal with a spoon. “She’s a Sentinels fan, too.”
“That’s nice. Did you get to talk with her about it?”
“A little bit. She felt sorry for me, so she gave me her bear.” He pointed at his forehead. ‘Is that all it was? Did she just feel sorry for me?’