For the first time in my twenty six years, I did not dream. My body, my mind, and my soul were in peaceful slumber. I was in blissful blackness, with not a care in the world, when I heard the shrill ring of my phone.
My eyes were pasted shut, and I felt like I was climbing through cotton to get them to open. When they finally did open, the bright sun light caused me to close them again.
"Oh my god! Leave me alone!" I had no idea who on earth would be calling me. My mind felt like it was swimming in a mud puddle; with no energy to tread the murky water.
The ringing would not stop, and I was becoming irritatingly more awake. I reached over to my nightstand to pick up my phone, my face still buried in my pillow.
"What do you want?" I mumbled. Maybe they would realize they called the wrong number and hang up.
"Jenny? It's ME. You're still not in bed are you? Hello?"
My mind started clicking into gear, and I realized the voice on the other end of the phone sounded vaguely familiar.
"Jenny? Hell--oooo?"
I groaned. "I already asked you, what do you want?"
I heard laughing at the other end of the phone. "Jennifer? Is that any way to talk to your sister?"
My eyes flew open; my brain snapping to reality. My sister! "Maddy?"
I heard laughing again. "Are you still in bed? It's four thirty!"
I rolled over in bed. "Morning or night?"
I forced my eyes open again. I realized from the glare of the sun coming through my windows that it couldn't be morning.
I heard my sister groan. "Jennifer, you have to get up right now! Get dressed and come outside."
"Outside? For what?"
"Because I am outside in your driveway. I have come to take you to the beach."
"I don't wanna go to the beach." I knew I was wining, but I didn't care.
I heard the car horn honking. "Is that you out there making all that noise?"
Maddy laughed again. "Yes, and if you don't promise you are getting up right now I will be forced to make a hell of a lot more noise!"
I groaned. "If I hang up, I am going back to bed."
"I will be forced to throw a brick through your window!"
I gasped. "You wouldn't! I would call the cops!"
"Hmmm, that sounds like a yummy, delicious thought. He would cuff me, use his night stick on me..."
"Enough! God, you obviously are still the same!"
I realized I hadn't seen Maddy in almost a year. I had bought my house, and I moved away. Maddy had gone off to college. It was a shame that we never seemed to make time to get together except for holidays and birthdays.
Maddy giggled again. "Come on!" Now she was whining. I imagined her sticking her lower lip out. She got away with far more stuff than me with that famous pout of hers.
I heard my door bell ringing. "I am giving you ten minutes to get your ass out here."
I was going to spout off my own comment, but I realized the bitch hung up on me.
I threw the phone across the room. I grabbed my pillow and placed it over my ears. Maddy was outside ringing the door bell, nonstop, and pounding on the door.
I knew she would be getting out the bricks soon. I rolled out of bed. I felt like I had been to war and back; my tongue felt fuzzy and thick.
I stumbled to the front door, and I unlocked it. As soon as I opened the door, Maddy came running into the house.
"Hell. You look like shit."
I rolled my eyes. "Thanks. You too."
I didn't mean it, and I knew she knew that. She was beautiful with long brown hair, flawless skin, and big, blue eyes. She was wearing flip flops, cut off shorts, and a tight green tee-shirt. I could clearly see her tits through the thin material. She certainly didn't look twenty years old!
"I was planning on kidnapping you, but honey, your going to have to take a shower and change first." She took me by the hand and led me down the hallway to the bathroom.
I grumbled and complained while she undressed me. "I wanna go back to bed!"
She pushed me in to the shower. "Nonsense! Now get yourself washed while I pack your over night bag!"
The warm water did help to ease the thick fog in my muddled brain. I quickly washed my body. It made me feel better, but I wasn't going to admit that to Maddy!
My mind replayed the events of last night. "Jeremy!" I remembered kidnapping him, kissing him, and seducing him. My body flooded with desire, and I ran my soapy hands over my breasts.
I screamed when the shower curtain was ripped open. Maddy gave me an evil grin while she turned the water off. "Just checking to see if you are using your massaging shower head! I heard a lot of moaning going on in here!"
I gasped. "Bitch!"
"Come on. I want to go to the beach!" In record time, my sister had me dressed, packed, and buckled into the passenger seat of her car.
The tires squealed as she pulled out of the driveway and onto the street. I groaned. "Maddy, if I don't call the cops on you for kidnapping me, I WILL call the cops to report your horrible driving!"
She gave me a grin. "Here, let me dial the number! I would love to be arrested by a cop."
I laid my head back against the seat rest. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. I wanted nothing more than to dream about Jeremy. I left him in his hospital bed this morning. I had kissed him so tenderly, and I promised I would be back later on today. "Shit!"
Maddy almost ran off the road. "What? What's wrong?"
"I can't go to the beach. I...I promised to do something today."
Maddy gave me an odd look. "Since when did you ever make arrangements to do anything? You always hide under a rock. Why do you think I had to come and kidnap you? I knew if I had called and made plans like a normal person, I wouldn't be able to track you down for three months!"
I knew she was right, but thanks to Jeremy, I was going to try to change. I was going to make myself available to people. I was going to open up more, even if it meant getting hurt; because that is how you know you are alive.
"Give me your cell phone. I have to call the hospital."