"We don't work nine to five, Steve! We work until the job's done! Figure it out!" as the steam clears in the bathroom mirror, David hangs up the phone and catches his own gaze staring back at him. Starting with his jaw line and clean shaven face, he eyes his entire frame, still covered in beaded water from the shower. At thirty years old, he stands confident at over six feet tall, his autumn brown hair darkened with water and slicked back on his head. David glances over his large biceps and toned chest, seeking out flaws or blemishes, of which he finds none. His toned chest flows smoothly into his toned stomach and down to a soft white towel tied around his waist. He lays his phone on the counter and smirks at his reflection before dropping the towel and turning away to leave the bathroom.
David takes advantage of living alone as he walks from the bathroom to the bedroom in the nude. His feet sink into the plush carpet and he admires the walls of his hallway, lined with photos. Ski trips, kayaking, European vacations all pass by him on the way to the bedroom. He pauses at the last frame, clearly the largest of them all. He kisses his fingers and pushes them against the glass of the picture.
"I love you, munchkin," he says as his fingers fall away and he continues into the bedroom. The finger prints leave a layer of moisture on the picture, right on the face of an adorable little brunette girl, Marcy. David's one and only child pictured here at four years old, from last fall. Marcy smiles and laughs as she sits on a swing next to her father. The two look identical, if not for age and gender. They share the same eyes and smile. Marcy's right arm is cut out of the picture and you can faintly see a mystery hand that belongs to Lauren, his ex-wife.
A mix of fresh brewed coffee, cologne, and new-car scent intertwine inside the closed cabin of David's new Jeep while he watches the garage door close behind him. His suit coat hangs behind his seat and his tie rests over the seatbelt while he drives out of his subdivision. At the end of the street, David's Jeep sits idly at the red light. Looking around, he notices a young woman jogging. Her brunette ponytail bounces each time her foot hits the paved sidewalk. He can't see her face, but finds himself entranced with her young body. His eyes trace up her capri yoga pants and light, exposed, thin waist. Just as she leaves his view behind a nearby bush, he is snapped back to reality by the honking of a horn behind him. The light has changed.
"Keep it together, Dave..." he mutters to himself as he turns down the road, waving at the car behind him to apologize. As he turns, he checks the rearview mirror, trying to get one last glimpse of the young woman, but she's gone.
A phone screen lights up and the phone rattles with vibration on the marble countertop. The young jogger, now barefoot with her pony tail down walks over and looks at the screen.
MELISSA: Did you get drunk and do bad things last night, or are you just getting home from an early run like a nerd?
She rolls her eyes and sets the phone back down, just in time for it to vibrate again.
MELISSA: Are you not responding because you're in some guy's bed?!? Did Brittany Mohler! Did you finally get a rebound lay?
She laughs out of humor and frustration before texting her back.
ME: No, weirdo! I did not sleep with some random guy last night! Some of us enjoy getting up early and having some semblance of responsibility, you know? :-P
She swipes across her screen and throws her phone on the towel sitting on the toilet back.
The young woman, Brittany, stands alone and annoyed in her bathroom. Marble countertops match the floor-to-ceiling marble shower. The cold floor is tiled with an art-deco combination of textured marble tiles. Brittany leans her delicate five and a half foot frame against the glass door of the shower, reaching in to turn on the water. She reaches across her body and pulls her sports bra over her head. Her long, perfectly brown hair has a natural wave and bounce to it as it lifts and then falls back over her shoulders. Her large breasts sit high, but move with the motion of her body as she pulls her yoga pants down with her underwear and steps out of both of them. Brittany's soft little feet bounce around the bathroom floor, grabbing a towel, scrubs, and other things out of the medicine cabinet before stepping into the shower.
Brittany stands under the chrome showerhead allowing it to wash away her lackluster love-life, realized again in her short text conversation. The water soaks into her thick hair and she exhales a deep breath as she pushes her hair back, creating a stream of warm water down the small of her back. Her stress quickly moves from sex to finances as she starts thinking about her upcoming year at college while lathering up her loofa. She spends the remaining time in her shower seemingly adding up a new expense with each rinse, counting tuition costs with each slide of the pink Schick up her leg.
Dried off and dressed in jeans and a Victoria's Secret PINK tee, Brittany comes downstairs to find her mother cleaning up in the kitchen.
"Hi, Mom." She greets her mother with doubt in her voice.
"Hey, sweetie. What's bothering you?" asks her mother, reaching out and rubbing Brittany's back. She leans into her mom, reaching out and grabbing a banana off the counter, starting to peel it.
"It's just school, money, wishing I took a scholarship instead of a year off after high school." She groans slightly while beginning to eat the banana.
"Well, honey, it's only May. You can do some work this summer and get some extra money. What about all those kids you used to babysit?"
"Mom! They're all in high school now!" Brittany mumbles between bites of her banana.
"Well not them, but I'm sure you could find something like that," She pats her on the back lightly, "but for now, there's a list on the fridge of some things your father and I need you to get done today. I'm off to lunch with the ladies!"
"Mom!" Brittany exclaims, almost coughing on her banana. She rolls her eyes and begins examining the list on the refrigerator behind her.
Back at the office, David is hard at work. He's a junior account manager for a large marketing firm. He was promoted pretty young for the job and has three people working directly under him. When Lauren filed for custody, David sunk all of his time into his job. He often thought of the double-edged sword it had become. He only sees his daughter every other weekend, but the need for a distraction from that thought has led to him being the youngest person in his position. His office is small, but along the wall with a beautiful view of the downtown area. His desk is kept clean and clear. Nothing but a slim laptop, two cell phones, and a picture of him and Marcy.
"I cannot believe we got that account!" a co-worker stands in David's doorway, similar in age. David looks up, smiling.
"I told you! Follow my lead and we got this! That's what I said, right? Are you ready for this workload?" David eyes a stack of files by his door.
"Strapped in and ready to go," the co-worker says, bending down and taking the box out of the office. As he starts to leave the doorway, David shouts back.
"Lots of 10 and 12 hour days coming up! Get some rest tonight!" The co-worker nods and exits. David closes his laptop before sliding into his leather shoulder bag, along with his two phones. He turns off the light to his office and heads down to the parking lot.
Before a full verse of a song can come through his radio, David's drive home is quickly interrupted by the phone. The in-dash display reads: EX LAUREN EX. He lets out an irritated sigh before answering.
"Yes, Lauren."
