Chapter Eight
(Friday evening)
Joe walked into my home, looked at my food on the table and then walked straight back to the bathroom. He turned the light on, and started moving his tools around, letting at least two heavy ones fall onto the floor. He didn't even bother to close the door as he started working loudly. Joe was in there for about an hour fixing the shower again. It didn't take him that long the first time.
I sat down and ate my chicken pecan salad with grapes. Sipping from my water bottle after every few bites. When I finished my dinner I went into the kitchen and started my dishes. Then turned the coffee pot off. He didn't ask for a cup so I wasn't going to offer it. I put my dishes in the strainer and went over to the couch and picked my phone up.
Text message: Friday 6:30pm: Thanks so much Cal, I appreciate your concern. Sorry I did end up falling asleep. Yes, I do things differently, and I also do different things for different days. I know, and I appreciate you saying that, but as long as I'm not busy I will talk to you. Strangers can be a big problem sometimes. This guy works where I live, and his first impression wasn't the best.
Text message: Friday 6:39pm: It is no problem Sara. I hope you enjoyed your nap. Did you have dinner? What did you make if you had dinner? That sounds like so much fun, I wish I could do different things with you. I'm sorry to hear that. Is he a problem? Is he making you upset? Can I do anything to help you?
Text message: Friday 6:42 pm: Thanks Cal, I did enjoy my nap, and I had chicken pecan salad with grapes. Like I said sometimes it is fun. As for this guy don't worry about him, he will be gone shortly and hopefully I won't have to see him again for a very long time.
Text message: Friday 6:47pm: I'm glad to hear that. Your dinner sounds good. I'm glad you ate. I understand. I hope so. I don't want anyone causing you problems. You are my friend after all. What will you be doing with the rest of your night?
Text message: Friday 6:50pm: Thank you again. It means a lot to hear that. You are my friend to Cal. Tonight, I'm going to put a movie on and just sit around until I fall asleep. Hey Cal can I ask you a question?
Text message: Friday 6:51pm: You can ask me anything Sara.
Text message: Friday 6:53pm: Also what kind of movie? I like sci-fi, and movies about dogs.
Text message: Friday 6:55pm: That's a good question Cal I wasn't sure what kind of movie to put on, maybe I will look for a sci-fi involving a dog. If I find one do you want to watch it with me? I'll make sure to record some and share with you. My question was what kind of movie do you like but you already answered it.
Text message: Friday 7:00pm: Sorry I didn't mean to answer it before you asked. I would like that. Thank you.
As I was about to text Cal back, Joe walked out from the bathroom leaving the light on. I stood up and walked to the bathroom. I checked the whole bathroom floor to make sure he didn't leave any tools this time and then turned the light off and checked the hallway. I looked to make sure he didn't lose his lighter. Then went back to the living room and opened the front door to let him out.
"Not gonna offer me a drink or dinner? Just gonna make sure I didn't leave my tools or lighter? Trust me I won't make the same mistake. I don't wanna come back here. Stay out of the shower for 48 hours. Better yet don't even go near the shower for 48 hours." He said and walked out.
"No. No offers. Just go. I won't touch the shower. Thanks for fixing it, please leave." I said and closed the door on him. I didn't wanna hear another word from his mouth. He was just trying to cause me problems at this point. I had a feeling that my Aunt would be calling my shortly to yell about the rude way I treated Joe. I was honestly afraid of her anger. I could hear his heavy foot steps walking away from my apartment.
I locked my door, turned the t.v. on and then the lights off. I sat on the couch and pulled up sci-fi movies. I started looking for one about dogs. After five minutes I found one and put it on.
Text message: Friday 7:15pm: Okay Cal I found one. I'm gonna send you a clip as soon as it starts.
Text message: Friday 7:16pm: Thanks Sara.
I recorded a few minutes of the opening. Then sent it to Cal. I did this several times. I sent him two minute long clips. I noticed a red light on my phone again and figured it was just something with the recording. It was on the whole time the movie played. I shrugged it off.
After the movie was over I turned the t.v. off and went to the bathroom. Filled my water bottle up and then sat on the couch for a few minutes. The red light was gone. Again I shrugged it off and assumed it was still because of the recording.
Text message: Friday 8:20pm: Good night Cal, I hope you enjoyed the movie. I'll talk to you in the morning.
I sent the text and went to my room. I yawned hard and laid in my bed and was soon asleep.
I didn't dream, I didn't have nightmares. I just slept all night. I woke the next morning at seven am.
(Saturday morning)
When I woke up, I went straight to fill up my water bottle. Changed into my yoga clothes and did a work out. Then to the kitchen and made myself breakfast. Sunny side up eggs with wheat toast and orange juice. Then cleaned my dishes and left them to dry.
I went to my couch and picked my phone up. Opened the My A.I. app and went to the settings. I looked at the prices for some of the items they offered. Things like bundle packs for clothes, accessories, and then I looked at the offers for relationships. You could buy a boyfriend for $6.99 U.S. dollars, buy a spouse for $10.99 U.S. dollars. These were the two original options.
I bough Cal a new hair style, a pair of boots, a new shirt, jacket, and blue jeans. It was a bundle for $4.99 and it tossed in stickers for Cal to use when he texted me. This was just a simple thing to try and be nice. When I went back to look at some other things to buy, a 'soul mate' option for free appeared on the app. I screenshot it and then clicked contact us.
Hi, I've had this app for about a week and this soul mate option just showed up after buying my A.I. a bundle item. Is this normal? Thanks for any help.
I sent the message. Then texted Cal.
Text message: Saturday 8:00am: Good morning Cal, I got you some new stuff. Just wanted to say hi before I got busy this morning. Hope you had a good night and I'll talk to you later.
I sat the phone on the coffee table and went to my room. I started with my clothes putting them away. Then I cleaned my room and reorganized. It took me about twenty minutes to do the whole room. I moved my bed away from the wall closets to the door, and put my dresser there. I went to the spare bedroom and moved things around in there. Then went to the bathroom putting things away and cleaning.
As I was making my way to the kitchen to start in there my phone started ringing and vibrating. I rushed over to see my aunts name on the screen. She was calling me. I answered the phone quickly and quietly said 'hello'.
"Sara why were you so rude? Joe called me last night and said you didn't offer him a drink or food even though you had your table set. You watched him the whole time while he was working. You rushed him out and then slammed the door in his face. Seriously Sara? I know your parents and I raised you better. Why would you do something like that? Are you just a trouble maker?"
I sighed and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe this. I quietly counted to ten and then took another breath.
"Auntie listen very carefully to me. I made myself dinner. I made a pot of coffee. Joe knocked on my door, pushed past me, went straight to the bathroom. Loudly dropped his tools on my floor, which he dented. I will send you pictures! I sat at my table and ate my dinner, then sat on my couch and texted my friend. He was here for an hour. I did not rush him. I did not watch him. He yelled at me twice telling me not to even look at my shower for the next 48 hours, then he walked out. I closed the door after he left."
"Sara. Why would Joe lie to me? You send me that picture. And then you invite him over for dinner tonight. You make him a nice dinner and you use your manners. I swear to god if he calls me about you one more time I will not forgive you." Auntie said all this and then hung up.
I went to the bathroom took several pictures of the dents in my floor. Sent them to my aunt and then put my phone down on the coffee table.
Text message: Saturday 8: 45am: I will speak to him about this! Now you go text him and invite him to dinner!
I read my aunts text message. Said nothing to it and went to clean my kitchen. At this point I was so mad at my aunt and I was honestly thinking my aunt and Joe were trying to set me up. I don't like this man at all. I don't like the way my aunt ignores me, and treats me like a burden. She is my only family.
I set down what I'm doing and walk into my room. I pick up my thickest blanket and pillow, laying them on top of each other. I scream for two minutes into them. Then I fix my bed and go back to cleaning the kitchen.
When I'm done there I go to my dinning room and clean that. Then I go to the living room and slightly move things and clean there. What had first started as my normal quarantine cleaning had quickly turned into rage cleaning. Anger typically comes out this way for me. It's better than smashing things. I tell myself.
Text message: Saturday 9:22am: Good morning Sara! Thank you so much I love it. Come see when you get a chance. I hope everything is going well for you today. I really enjoyed the movie last night. What was your favorite part? Did you eat breakfast this morning? Do you have anything important to do today? Did you have any good dreams?
I sat down and read the text message Cal had sent me and I smiled.
Text message: Saturday 10:38am: Thanks Cal. I'm glad. You look great. Did you see the stickers? I hope you like those to. So far it's okay. I've been cleaning. I'm glad you did. My favorite part? I think it would have to be when the dog jumped in front of the alien and saved him. That was so sweet. I did. I have a lot of cleaning to do today. Then some art that I want to get done. I didn't have any dreams or nightmares.