Barb, an everyday girl from the heartland, embarks on the trip of her life. Raul, a playboy from Argentina, trots the globe in search of pleasure. Two souls on very different paths collide in this touching tale of romance.
(This work is copyright protected and is intended for private, individual, and in-home use. Any public, not for profit use must contain the creator’s name and website: Samuel Petersen www.theearthstars.com.)
©2017
BARB AND RAUL
WRITTEN BY SAMUEL PETERSEN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Soft radio station jabber filled the empty space in Barb's gray cubicle. Her fingers type ferociously on the worn keyboard as an e-mail came to life on the computer screen. After a Matrix-esque sequence of letters and words rained down the monitor, she paused her robotic tapping for a moment. Re-reading the important document, Barb carefully corrected one spelling error and shuffled a few sentences around.
Just as she was about to continue typing the multiple recipients draft, a co-worker popped their head inside, "Hey Barb...I'm making a Chipotle run, do you want me to pick you up anything?"
"YES!" she proclaimed while spinning around wildly in her chair. "I'll get my usual..."
Jeffery, the guy she had a crush on, pointed back at her and recited, "Burrito bowl with the shell inside, extra brown and white rice, black and pinto beans, steak, fajita toppings, pico, corn, lots of sour cream and cheese; hot sauce, lettuce, and lemons on the side. Did I miss anything?"
Opening her arms, Barb smiled and said, "You know me all-too-well, Sir Jeffery of accounting!"
"Hey, I aim to please m'lady," he smiled back at her.
Spinning back around and reaching into her purse for a $10 bill, she softly whispered, "Oh, I'm sure you do!"
"What?" he asked. "I thought you said something."
Embarrassed, she spun back around, knocking her purse onto the mouse and keyboard as secrets and treasures from a faux-leather knock-off spilled out.
"That sucks," she proclaimed with a humiliated giggle and lightning reflexes as she quickly reclaimed her fallen possessions.
"Barb..." interrupted Jeffery.
"What?" she responded with red cheeks.
"It's on me today," he winked. "Besides, you're leaving in like a week for that fancy cruise. I want you to splurge while you're on vacation. Just don't tell anyone I paid for yours though...it's between us."
"Oh Jeffery, you're the best," she thanked him with praying hands and a gracious half-bow.
"Don't mention it," he said while slinking away from the cubicle. "I'll see ya in 30."
Barb sighed as she leaned back and accidentally rested her elbow on the mouse. Hearing a click and then a whooshing sound on the computer screen, she quickly turned around.
"SHUT...UP!" she yelled, only to rapidly lower her tone. Clicking through the computer screens, she realized a horrible mistake had just been made. "Please don't tell me I just..."
Her phone rang as she swallowed in horror. Closing her eyes, she held it a short distance from her ear.
"BARB!" screamed a man on the other line. "Get in my office immediately...and you better have a good explanation for what you just did!"
"I'll...I'll be right in," she solemnly spoke.
There was a click and then nothing but the dial tone. Barb hung-up the phone and then grasped the sides of her head.
"I'm such an idiot!" she said with tears starting to form.
Taking a deep breath, she fanned herself and cautiously touched her eye as she wiped away the emotionally breaching liquid. Her knees were weak and the inside of every joint burned with anxiety. Dreading the next few minutes, she mustered every ounce of grace and courage she could.
The hallway to her bosses office might as well have been a gateway to Hades with the wrath she was about to encounter. The cherry wood door was slightly ajar and his blinds were shut; however, she could feel the negative energy with every step. Delaying the inevitable for one last moment, she stopped at the cooler for a small cone of water. The clear fluid inside ceremoniously bubbled as refreshing liquid dispensed into her tiny paper container.
Her busy co-workers became white noise as she crumbled within herself. Ralph Hopski was not a very nice man and he always gave Barb a hard time. Even though she worked twice as hard as others within the company, he judged her harshly and always made negative comments. It irritated her beyond belief and she always wanted an opportunity to speak up to him.
Her blood started to boil as she remembered the times he called her lazy, incompetent, and irresponsible. He would often make snide comments about her weight while he was critiquing her job performance. It was wildly inappropriate for him to do that; however, because of her self-confidence issues, she never stood up to him. Well, maybe today was the day she would make her stand.
"Here I come Mr. Hopski," said Barb as she crushed the flimsy cup. Unfortunately, she didn't finish all the water and it splattered all over her light purple blouse. "DANG IT! You have got to be kidding me."
Just as she was wiping the water away, Mr. Hopski stepped outside his office, glared at her, pointed in annoyance, then motioned his finger for her to immediately come to him. Torn between sheepish intimidation and rage, Barb awkwardly walked into Ralph's office.
"Shut the door," he demanded. "And don't get your chubby fingers caught in it either."
"Yes sir," Barb replied out of routine.
She quietly closed the unnecessarily heavy structure and then made her way to his excessively rectangular desk. She stood at the foot of it as he leaned back in his grand office chair.
Running his hand over his perfectly combed-back hair, he condescendingly asked, "Do you realize where you work...BARB?
Stumbling over her words, she started to say, "Um, yes, I work at INNOVATION ADVERTI..."
"Um, wrong, not-so-Barbie-doll," he rudely cut her off. "You work at the top advertising agency, not only in Minnesota but the entire region as well. We don't simply demolish the competition here locally, but we crush Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. I mean we're even trying to break into the international scene."
Barb was on the verge of tears as she tried to explain, "I know that Mr. Hopski, but I..."
Once again cutting her off, he yelled, "So why did you send a half-written e-mail, containing no attachments, and two full pages of the letter 'm' to our new clients in Canada?"
"It was an accident sir," explained Barb.
"Oh, an accident...I would love to hear your explanation as to how this was an accident," he raised his arms and crossed them behind his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with food as well."
She was almost too distraught and irritated to speak at that moment. Barb always seemed to be in the middle of some disaster or another. Just when she thought things were going smooth...a frustration, annoyance, or accident would devastate her.
Instead of finding the courage to stand up for herself, Barb dribbled out a broken apology, "I'm...sorry...it will never happen again."
While she stared at the ground, Mr. Hopski linguistically laid into her, "Sorry...oh, you're sorry. Does your sorry take the fact back that I looked like a fool when I told the Canada account we had a technical glitch with our computers? Now they think were incompetent buffoons. I mean this is how clients are lost and hundreds of thousands of dollars flushed down the drain...not to mention my reputation. You know, ever since you've planned your stupid cruise, your work sucks. At this rate, everyone would be better off if your boat sank...at least then you wouldn't get unemployment because if this keeps up I will fire you. Now, get out of my office...you disgust me!"
Mascara turned to dark tears as they streamed down her face. Barb tried to grab a Kleenex from the box on his desk as she was standing up. It got stuck and only a small portion tore off as it lifted up and then fell to the ground.
"Seriously..." he said in irritation.
Leaving the box, she didn't say a word while exiting his office. Luckily there was a bathroom immediately to her left. Running for the nearest stall she instantly broke down as deep sobs painfully echoed.
After a few minutes, she heard the door open so she tried to quiet her crying.
“Barb...are you in here?” asked a friendly voice.
“Kay...is...that you?” she asked through recovering breaths.
Her tall and vibrantly red-haired friend from human resources leaned against the outside of the stall, “Hey girl, I heard about what happened. Do you want to talk about it?”
Stepping out, Barb hugged her best friend, “I hate Mr. Hopski...he’s such a jerk!”
“Oh trust me...I know!” said Kay.
Dabbing her eyes, Barb vented, “Who the heck does he think he is! I’m seriously going to report his behavior. He always makes fun of my weight and then relates it to my job performance...it pisses me off! Someone needs to put him in his place.”
“Well...why not you!” stated Kay with a smile.
“I’m not strong enough to stand up to him...I mean his dad’s the CEO. All they are going to do is find some way to fire me or disregard his behavior...at best he’ll get a slap on the wrist.” she said.
“You know what...you may be right, but if you don’t report it, then we’ll never find out,” explained Kay. “The more evidence against this dirtbag, the better.”
Barb’s tears were drying as she asked, “Can I think about it and make my decision tomorrow?”
“Of course you can sweetie,” said Kay as she gave her a comforting hug. “You just text or call me as soon as you’re ready.”
“Thank you for being such a great friend,” she said.
“You’re my best friend,” said Kay as she brushed Barb’s hair to the side. “Are you ready to face the world, or do you need a few minutes?”
“If you want to get back to work, I’ll be fine, I’m just going to clean up a bit.”
Grabbing Barb by the shoulders, Kay looked into her eyes and said, “If you need anything...and I mean anything, do not hesitate to ask...promise!”
“I promise,” she said with a reassuring chuckle.
“I got your back!” Kay smiled while exiting the restroom.
Barb grabbed a few paper towels, wetted them, then removed the dried on trail of mascara. Looking into the mirror, she fixed her hair and took several deep breaths. Staring into her own eyes, she imagined herself in a better light. Before college, she was involved in theater. Barb remembered the time she played the character of Shrek at her local children’s theater.
She didn’t care if the part was supposed to be played by a man. The director loved her strength and compassion, so he decided she was the best choice. Barb loved the stage and the idea of stepping outside yourself to portray a completely different persona. It was bold, brave, fun, entertaining, and at this moment, she realized how much she missed it.
Barb was 36 years old, single, and besides work, she didn’t have any hobbies or passions. The last 10 to 15 years, she had focused strictly on her career. Staring deeper into her own eyes, she began to question that decision. Did she pursue her work so diligently as an excuse? If you’re busy with things, the pain of being lonely isn’t so stinging.
Barb quickly shook her head as she wasn’t going down that route at the moment. Besides, she didn’t want to start crying all over again. Deciding to stick with the happy memories of acting and theater, she put on a smile.
“Only a couple more days, just hang on a couple more days,” she coached herself.
Prepared to endure the rest of the afternoon, Barb walked out of the bathroom only to run directly into Jeffery.
“Hey, I was looking for you,” he said. “I heard what happened from Kay, do you want to go to the break room and talk about it?”
Barb really liked Jeffery, however, she was embarrassed by the whole incident. In her head, she quickly debated what she should do.
“Sure, I’d like that,” she decided it would be a good opportunity to spend some time with him.
Making their way to the break room, Barb felt surreal. It must have been the adrenaline rush of a near disaster and she was starting to come off of it.
Luckily the room was empty as he pulled out Barb’s Chipotle. She didn’t feel much like eating at the moment, so she simply set the food in front of herself.
“What did Mr. Hopski say to you?” asked Jeffery.
“Well, he wasn’t happy,” explained Barb. “It was a stupid error on my part, I should have been paying better attention to the e-mail. Mistakes happen...I get that, but he just has a special way of letting his employees know how much they screwed up.”
“Well, at least you didn’t get fired,” he consoled her.
“True, but I almost did,” she stated.
Jeffery laughed, then happened to look at his watch and said, “Oh crap, I didn’t realize what time it is! I better get going.”
“Oh, are you sure,” she didn’t want him to leave so quickly. “I wanted to thank you for lunch though, that’s very thoughtful of you.”
“No worries,” he smiled at her. “Alright, I better get running.”
Barb watched Jeffery get up and start heading for the door. All of a sudden, it hit her...she may never have an opportunity like this again. Her moment of reflection in the mirror brought some perspective to her life. She was going to ask him on a date!
Without hesitation, Barb stood up and said, “Jeffery...wait!”
Stopping short of the door, he responded, “What...what is it.”
Making her way towards him, she awkwardly asked, “Um...so hey...I was just thinking because I’m flying out Sunday night for my trip...would you like to go out with me Saturday...for like dinner or something?”
Jeffery was obviously caught off guard as he scratched his head, “Oh, um, Saturday...well, like as friends or do you mean like a date?”
Not backing down, but still hesitant, she made her statement sound like a question, “Like...a date.”
He looked at his watch and then back at Barb, “Can I be honest?”
Her heart sank as she knew what was about to follow, “Of course you can.”
“I mean, I really like you as a friend, but I’m just not looking to date anyone right now,” he stated.
“No, that’s ok...I understand...I just, you know...just thought I would ask,” she crushingly responded. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
They chuckled and then Jeffery told her, “In all seriousness, you are an amazing woman. You’re one of the hardest workers here, you’re nice, happy, and you always put a smile on my face. When I say that I’m not looking to date anyone right now, that’s the only reason we’re not going out Saturday.”
“Really,” she found a little bit of peace.
“I’m going to tell you something that only management knows,” he whispered to Barb. “I’m moving to Florida after the new year.”
“Oh, well...that suck’s,” she couldn’t hide her disappointment.
“That’s the reason I don’t want to date anyone right now,” he explained. “My brother has a small accounting business and his health is not so good. I’m going to help him until he gets better.”
Barb was happy and sad as Jeffery was a really good guy. She was glad she took the risk and asked him, even though it didn’t work out.
“Aren’t you the saint,” she said while lightly punching him in the arm.
“I’ll tell ya what,” he started to negotiate while rubbing the arm she just hit. “Dinner will be my treat on Saturday...just you and me, as friends.”
“That sounds great!” she proclaimed. “I’m going to miss you so much...can I give you a hug?”
“Of course,” he said while they both embraced. “And I’m going to miss you too.”
Barb took a deep whiff of his extremely pleasant cologne and sighed, “Now, you better get going or else you’ll be late.”
“Budget meetings won’t run themselves,” he joked.
After Jeffery left, she sat down and opened up her lunch. It was warm, comforting, and delicious. She determined to take an extra long break today, especially after how she was treated by her boss.
Putting the rest of her meal in the company fridge, she headed back to her cubicle. The day was nearly over as she dreamed of her upcoming trip and dinner with Jeffery. Even if it was as friends, she was happy with the bold move she made. The afternoon slipped into early evening. Co-workers grabbed their jackets and wished each other good-night. With the time change in Minnesota, it started to get dark around 4:30pm in November. Not only was it cold, but the majority of people left work in the dark.
Barb was staying late to finish a few major projects before her trip. Standing up to stretch for a moment, she noticed Mr. Hopski’s light was still on. Quickly sitting back down, she decided to make haste and get out of the building as soon as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was run into him in the parking lot.
Hastily saving the remainder of her work, Barb poked her head over the cubicle again and saw that her bosses light was out.
“Oh great...when did he leave?” she asked herself.
Knowing that her cat needed to be fed as well as a few minor preparations for her trip were on the docket, she decided to risk it. Grabbing her coat and purse, she bolted to the elevator. Making her way to the door with no sign of him, the cold November air briskly greeted her. Cautiously jogging through the dark, she unlocked it with her fab.
Starting it immediately, she put the heater on full-blast. In an attempt to warm her cold fingers, Barb vigorously rubbed her hands together. The car's interior heated enough so Barb wasn't able to see her breath anymore. Just as she was about to back out and drive off, there was an extremely loud thud against the back of the car.
“Oh my goodness,” said Barb as she exited the vehicle.
The parking lot was dark as she made her way around the outside to see what happened. There didn’t appear to be any damage so she walked back to the driver side door. Pulling the handle and beginning to open it, something hit the door and slammed it shut.
Startled, Barb screamed and stepped back. In front of her stood a man. Walking into the light she clutched herself and shouted, “Mr. Hopski!”
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15
Kay stared into Barb’s empty gray cubicle. It was 10:45 am and she hadn’t shown up for work yet. This was completely out of character for her best friend and it was causing Kay to become nervous. She knew Barb didn’t have a good day yesterday; however, she never thought it would keep her away from the office.
Just as she was about to make a phone call, Jeffery walked over. They both stood there for a moment staring into the vacant space.
“Have you seen Barb at all today,” he asked.
“No, I haven’t and I’m worried,” said Kay.
“Well, we talked at lunch yesterday and I know she was upset,” he said with a hint of concern. “It’s just that…”
Kay perked up at what Jeffery was leading into as she cut him off, “Do you know what would keep her away from work?”
“When I left her after lunch, she seemed alright,” Jeffery was slightly uncomfortable talking about it with her. “Barb, uh, she, um….asked me on a date yesterday.”
“Oh...oh...wow,” she responded with a cross between bewilderment and interest. “So, uh, what happened with that?”
“Kay, I’m going to tell you something that’s just between us,” he started to whisper. “I’m moving to Florida in a few months.”
“Whhhhhaaaaat!” she responded loudly at first, but rapidly lowered her tone. “Why?”
“My brother is sick and needs help with his accounting business,” he responded.
“Well that’s sweet of you,” she smiled. “So what did you tell Barb about the date?”
“Because I’m moving, I don’t want to get involved with anyone on an intimate level right now,” he explained. “She’s an amazing woman, who’s attractive, energetic, and fun. I feel bad though...I didn’t know she liked me, otherwise, I would have gone on a date with her much earlier.”
“That’s a bummer...you two would have made a cute couple,” said Kay.
“Thanks,” he said while his cheeks became flushed. “We’re supposed to go out this Saturday for dinner before she leaves...but just as friends. Do you think we should be troubled that she isn’t here today...I mean, should we do something?”
Kay looked at her watch, then said, “I’m going to keep calling...if I don’t get a hold of her by late afternoon, I’ll leave work and head over to her apartment.”
“If there’s anything you want me to do, just let me know,” said Jeffery. “You don’t think Mr. Hopski secretly fired her or something...do you?”
“No, I would have heard about that,” said Kay. “She’s most likely embarrassed and angry; enough so, that she just wasn’t able to make it into work.”
“Will you please call or text me if you need anything or have any updates?” he asked.
“You betcha’,” said Kay. “I’m going to head back to work...I’ll see ya later.”
“Thanks, see ya later then,” said Jeffery as he started walking back to his department.
Kay looked over at Mr. Hopski’s door and saw that it was slightly ajar. Out of curiosity, she decided to casually stroll by his office and give a peek. Approaching the door, she saw him talking on his phone. Stopping nearby, Kay tried to listen in on his conversation. It was nothing more than usual business chatter; however, she wanted to wait until he was done.
Once he was off, she popped her head inside and asked, “Hey...I was wondering if you’ve seen Barb today?”
Acting casually, he responded, “No...no I haven’t.”
“Did she call in sick today?” asked Kay.
“How would I know,” he responded with irritation. “Didn’t she leave for her trip already?”
“No, she’s working this week and doesn’t fly out until Sunday night,” Kay replied with umbrage. “You’re her boss, you should know that...especially since she’s one of your best employees.”
Mr. Hopski took a deep breath, bit his lip and then responded, “Mrs. Hass, I’m a very busy man...is there anything else!”
Kay wanted to scold him, but it wasn’t her place to do that...yet, “There is, but obviously your work is more important, so I’ll let you get back to that.”
“Thank you,” he said sarcastically.
Kay glared at him from the doorway as he returned to work without acknowledging her presence any further. She purposely lingered to see if he would look up. After an agonizing thirty seconds, the tall and feisty redhead left. Once she departed, Mr. Hopski turned in her direction with a squinty glare. Grabbing his cell phone from his pocket, he walked to the door and shut it.
Over the next several hours her knee wouldn’t stop bouncing as she watched the clock like a hawk. Barb had not returned any of Kay’s calls or texts and it was 3:15 pm. It was impossible for her to focus on paperwork at this point.
Looking over at her co-worker, she asked, “Pam, I have a personal and family situation...do you mind if I head out early today...would you cover for me?”
“You betcha’ Kay,” she responded with a Minnesota nice smile. “Go take care of that situation.”
“Thank you so much, Pam, I really appreciate it,” she was grateful as she grabbed her purse and winter gear.
On her way out of the building, she caught a glimpse of Barb’s boss getting out of his car and heading back inside. He was on his cell phone and he looked flustered. It gave the appearance as if Mr. Hopski was arguing with someone on the other line. Kay stepped behind a pillar in the lobby, took out her own phone and acted like she was making a call.
The front doors burst open as she heard him yell, “I DON’T CARE...JUST TAKE CARE OF IT!”
Once he was in the elevators, Kay slipped outside and bolted for her car. She drove with ferocity to Barb’s apartment. Her car wasn’t in its designated spot as Kay’s heart dropped. Luckily, she had a key and permission to enter any time she needed. The steps rumbled and shook while Kay grappled her way to the third floor.
Knocking, she yelled, “Barb...are you in there?”
There was no answer as she banged loudly one more time. The keys were in her hand so she unlocked the door, hoping to see her friend inside. Kay knew the apartment well as she often took care of Barb’s cat, a chunky brown and black tabby, whose name was Sea Tea.
“Hello...I’m coming inside,” said Kay as she noticed all the lights were off and it was eerily quiet.
It appeared as if someone had been home at one point. Kay turned on the lights, but that didn’t give her any more information. Nothing was blatantly out of place. There were a few clothes strewn across the bed. This didn’t cause any alarm though as Barb was packing for her trip, plus, she often left clothes lying about in a similar fashion.
“Sea Tea, are you here kitty,” she said while making kissing noises.
The only sound was the solitary ticking of a wall clock. Kay proceeded to check every room, yet there was no sign of Barb or her cat. She took out her cell phone to check if there were any missed calls or messages; however, there were none.
“Girl, where the heck did you disappear to?” she asked herself.
Before leaving, Kay decided to sit on the edge of the bed and think for a moment. Time was precious, so she contemplated her next moves carefully, just in case Barb was actually missing. Before getting up from the mattress she heard a box shift underneath the very bed she was sitting on. Kay jumped up and grabbed the closest object on the edge of the dresser, which happened to be a precious moments figurine of a little girl playing with a cat.
“I’ve got a knife,” she looked at the figurine in her hand, rotated it to look like she was holding a weapon, then cautiously stepped towards the end of the bed. “You better come out with your hands up!”
The air was ripe with tension as the ticking of the clock was obscured by her racing heart. It was a standoff as Kay’s mind raced to the image of whoever was hiding under the bed.
“If you hurt my friend I will beat you in your face!” she said, not knowing if that was a sufficient threat or not.
Kay didn’t care anymore as her adrenaline was at its maximum. She reached for the blanket and was about to lift it up when something brushed the back of her leg.
“OH MY GOSH!” she screamed while jumping nearly a foot in the air. “Darn it Sea Tea...you scared the crap out of me.”
The cat jumped on the dresser and started purring. With her attention averted for the moment, she heard something move again from underneath the bed. Regaining her warrior stance, Kay quickly threw the blanket back. At that very moment, a mouse scurried beneath her feet. Leaping out of the way, while nearly having a heart attack, the kitty bolted after the tiny menace.
“This is madness...pure madness,” she said while clutching her chest. “I’ve got to find you Barb!”
Kay hastily poured several scoops of food into Sea Tea’s dish and gave him fresh water.
“I’ll deal with you later Mr. mouse...I’ve got to find my friend first!”
The sun was setting and it was almost 5:00 pm. Kay raced to several locations nearby, which Barb frequented. Chipotle was busy, but there was no sign of her there. Her usual table at Panda Express was occupied by a young couple. She poked her head inside Burger King but didn’t see her. Kay scanned Jimmy John’s interior with no visual luck. Running into Little Caesars she showed them a picture of Barb; however, no one saw her pick up any pizza. Frantically driving to one of the last possible places she would be, Kay ran into the library.
Jogging to the help desk, she showed them a picture of her friend, “Have any of you seen this woman come in since this morning?”
Several of the women apologized for not being able to help, until one woman said, “You know...I think she came in this morning and checked out a few books.”
“Are you certain?” asked Kay.
“I’m not a hundred percent, but I swear I saw her early this morning,” the woman explained.
“Do you know what books she checked out...I can give you her name!” pleaded Kay.
“Oh, I’m sorry, we can’t give that information out,” she was apologetic.
“Will you please put this in an envelope,” Kay started scribbling on a piece of paper, “and if my friend shows up, will you give it to her...I would sincerely appreciate it.”
“Um, well, okay, but I can’t make any promises,” said the woman behind the counter.
“Thank you so much,” Kay handed her the folded paper as the other woman put it in an envelope. “Her name is Barb and her last initial is Q.”
“Alright, we’ll see what we can do.”
It was completely dark outside as she exited the library. Grabbing the phone from her jacket, she called Jeffery.
“Hey, has Barb showed up at work yet?” she asked.
“No, she hasn’t,” he said with a worried tone. “I’ve casually asked around and no one knows where she is either. I’m leaving work soon, is there anything you want me to do?”
“You know, I’m going to swing by my place and see if her car is there,” said Kay. “If it’s not there I’m going to drive around the metro for a few hours...maybe I’ll spot her...I don’t know. If you’re up for it, you could check around East of the Mississippi; focusing on food joints and libraries. I’ll stick to the West of the river if that’s alright with you.”
“Sure, I can do that,” he stated. “I just hope she’s alright.”
“Me too,” said Kay.
“I’ll contact you if I see anything,” promised Jeffery.
“Thanks, and I’ll do the same.”
Kay drove around for hours with no sign of Barb or her car. She even did a drive-by at Mr. Hopski’s residence but to no avail. It was 11:15 pm and although she wasn’t giving up, Kay decided it was best to head home and collect her thoughts.
Her own house was dark as she flipped the light switch and went to the fridge for a glass of milk. Closing the door with the gallon jug still in her hand, she saw a picture with both of them at a work party. A tear started to form in Kay’s eye as she leaned against the refrigerator.
After a moment of reflection, she slumped her way into the living room. Sitting on the edge of the couch in silence, Kay simply stared into the distance with her phone-in-hand. She was exhausted and didn’t know what to do. Barb, work, family, Mr. Hopski...it was all weighing her down. After some time, Kay glanced at her phone. The last text message was from Jeffery, informing her that he didn’t have any success locating Barb.
The time was 11:58 pm and Kay was on the verge of calling the police. A pair of headlights appeared in her driveway as she bolted for the door. After opening it, she realized they simply belonged to some stranger turning around. Watching the car drive off, Kay glanced again at her phone as 11:59 pm lit up the screen.
“If I don’t hear from you soon girl, I’m calling the cops!”
Closing the door and locking it, Kay felt the phone in her hand vibrate and then ring. The moment 11:59 pm slipped into 12:00 am she read the name on her caller ID… “Barb is calling!”
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Kay about jumped out of her skin when she saw that name appear on the screen. In hasty fashion, she was about to answer the call when the thought of it not being her friend on the other end crossed her mind. With her finger, only centimeters from sliding the answer button, Kay prepared herself for any voice possible.
The exact moment her trembling skin pressed against the surface, the screen went dark and a small white circle appeared in the center.
“YOU’VE...GOT...TO...BE...KIDDING ME!!!” screamed Kay as her cell phone’s battery died.
With berserk determination, she ran into her bedroom and grabbed the charger. Tears were streaming down her face as she frantically stumbled to untangle the charger and plug it in. Knocking the nightstand over, she missed the first two attempts at the wall outlet. The third try resulted in success as she plugged the other end into her phone.
The black screen lit up with a slightly bitten white apple, “Charge you stupid S.O.B!”
It mocked her as she knelt on the floor in impatient disgust. Seconds might as well have been hours in her mind. Finally, it was charged enough as she swiped, entered her passcode, then called Barb back. It rang, Kay gulped, and it rang again. Two desperate rings turned into three. Four gave way to five as it eventually went to voicemail.
“NOOOOOOOO!” she yelled, promptly hanging up and then calling again.
The taunting and hollow ring reverberated in her ear. Just as she was about to lose it, hope interrupted mid-ring.
“Kay,” said a familiar voice. “I’m here…”
“Oh my gosh Barb...are you alright?” she interrupted.
“Well, I’m safe...but, alright...that I’m not so sure about,” said Barb in a solemn tone.
“Sweetie, what’s wrong...and where the heck are you by the way...I have been worried sick?” Kay lovingly scolded her.
“I know...I’m sorry,” she apologized to her worried friend. “I’m actually at a hotel in Rochester…”
“ROCHESTER...What the...please tell me Minnesota and not New York!” Kay was flabbergasted.
“Yes, Minnesota,” Barb chuckled.
“No wonder we couldn’t find you,” she explained.
“We...what do you mean we?” asked Barb.
“Girl, I’ve got something to tell you,” said Kay as she climbed off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. “Jeffery was worried so he helped me look for you after work. But, but, hold on, get this, he told me he would have gone out with you. He likes you...and, oh man, that sucks he’s leaving.”
“Really, he said that?” asked Barb.
“He did and he also told me that if he’d known you liked him, he would have pursued you,” said Kay.
“Huh...crazy, did he tell you I asked him out?” Barb was curious how much he told her.
“He did,” stated Kay.
“That does suck...but I guess that’s the story of my life,” she said with disappointment.
“It doesn’t have to be though…” Kay disagreed with her. “You’ve got so much going for, all that other junk is just in your head.”
There was silence for a moment, until Barb said, “I know...you’re right.”
“I know I’m right,” smiled Kay. “Unfortunately, I’m only right about your life...my own on the other hand, well, that’s another story.”
They laughed and talked for the next hour, reminiscing about their friendship and each other’s lives.
“It’s getting late,” Barb yawned. “I’m going to leave Rochester at check-out, then I’ll head back up to the cities.”
“Can we get together for dinner?” asked Kay. “Oh, and before I forget, I fed Sea Tea…”
“Thank you, I was kind of hoping you would stop by and take care of him,” Barb was grateful. “I left in such a huff, all I could do was think about getting as far away from there as possible.”
“Oh honey, I understand,” Kay assured her. “Just shoot me a text, even if you tell me you don’t want to talk...but we a need some code words so I know it’s you and that you're safe.”
“You’re funny,” Barb laughed. “But, that’s actually pretty smart.”
“Darn tootin’ it’s smart,” Kay raised her voice. “Especially after today...so what’s our secret word?”
“Um...oh jeepers, I don’t know,” Barb thought for a moment. “If I’m safe, I’ll use the phrase, Sea Tea misses you.”
“Perfect, now what about if you need me?” asked Kay.
“Oh...I’ve got it,” Barb thought of a duress phrase, “do you have any spare onions?”
“That’s perfect,” Kay laughed, “If there’s one food you don’t like, it’s onions.”
“Thanks for talking to me, even after I had you worried sick,” said Barb.
“You’re my best friend, I’d do anything for you,” Kay told her.
“Let’s try and meet around 7pm...can I call you later and we’ll decide where?” Barb asked.
“Sure sweetie, I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Kay said good-bye.
Barb hung-up as she laid, curled up in her hotel comforter in the dark. A box of kleenex with several used tissues cluttered the nightstand next to her. She brushed the hair out of her face as tears started to form. Pulling the blanket closer she started to cry and sob uncontrollably.
“How can I go on like this?” she asked through gushing tears.
TO BE CONTINUED...
(If you would like me to write more...please comment and share on any social media formats you would like😀. I do this on the side and in my spare time because I love writing...so hearing from you might inspire me to keep building the story! Thank you for reading🙏😃)
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