Legal disclaimer time: The people in my story are totally made up and shouldn't have any resemblance to any current or past hockey player. Once again I'm developing characters and plot, so be patient and hang in there!
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Song 2
java,
I love java sweet and hot,
Whoops, Mister Moto, I'm a coffee pot
Shoot me the pot, and I'll pour me a shot,
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!
"Java Jive" --Ben Oakland & Milton Drake
The next morning I awoke to the sun streaming through my bedroom window. I yawned, untangled Beau from around my knees, stretched, and looked at my alarm clock. I looked a second time, and went into what Annie refers to as my
Four Weddings and a Funeral
morning mode. You know the scene; Hugh Grant looks at his alarm clock, and then starts a stream of obscenities while he wakes his sister, who joins him using words that make you wonder if she kisses her Mum with that mouth. About once a month, I would forget to set my alarm clock, and just like Hugh I would wake up late, scream a string of words that would make a sailor blush, throw on clothes, and try to get out the door in time for my train.
I ran to my bathroom, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and threw on my make-up. This week was Red Ribbon Week at school, when we promote anti-drug themes. Today we were supposed to wear red, so I threw on my red checked blouse, red sailcloth skirt, and white cardigan. I pushed my feet into my red Keds, scrapped my hair back into a ponytail, and added a red ribbon with the same checked pattern as my blouse. (I blame my mom for the bow addiction. I know that at almost thirty it was probably time for me to give them up, but when I had been a baby with very fine hair she had scotch taped one in my hair, and the rest, as they say is history.) The only jewelry I wear are a pair of pearl stud earrings that had been my Grandmother Phillipa's, my class signet ring from W & M and the watch my parents gave me for graduation. (I used to also sport a rather large diamond solitaire engagement ring, but I wasn't dwelling on that anymore, and besides I had always thought it was rather ostentatious and should have been a clue that Richard didn't really know anything about my tastes!) I grabbed my canvas tote and ran out the door with fifteen minutes to spare.
Okay, it's confession time. I am a coffee addict in the morning. Even my kids know this about me. Just last week I overheard one of our kids Miguel tell M-squared that he always asks me if I am fully caffeinated because "Miss Rhys-Hall is really funny if she is fully caffeinated, but I've learned to just sit and keep my mouth shut if she's not." The truth hurts, but lucky for him there is a coffee shop right next to the entrance for my Metro Station, and I stopped every morning for my fix; the biggest skinny café au lait they made with one Splenda. Luckily, this morning Scott was the barista, and as soon as he saw me, he started my drink. He and I went through our usually morning banter, and I rushed out of the shop with ten minutes left to make my train.
I glanced down into my tote to find my rail pass when all of a sudden it felt as if I'd run into a brick wall. As Newton's third law of motion says "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction", so I found myself sprawled on my butt, wearing my coffee.
"Son of a super model!" I yelped using one of my favorite substitute swears I'd gotten used to using since I started my teaching career.
"A surgeon and pianist actually," rumbled the brick wall in a deep, slightly accented voice. I looked up to find a rather large hand up being offered to me. Having been taught at an early age the saying, "any port in a storm" I took it, and found myself being pulled up to my feet. As I continued to look up, I found the wall was bending down so that we could meet eye to eye as it were. Sky blue they were, intense and gulp inducing. The color alone, along with insanely long dark blonde eyelashes helped them stand out on his tan, angular face. His nose looked as if it had been broken, and saved his face from being too pretty. He was grinning at me, revealing a small chip in one of his teeth. His tousled hair was that sun lit blonde that some of my friends paid huge sums of money to obtain at the salon. As he straightened to his full height, I could see why I thought he had been a wall. He had to be at least six foot four, with long legs, broad shoulders, and a solid frame. I could attest that his percentage of body fat, unlike mine, was in the negative numbers. He was wearing running shorts and a Washington Capitals t-shirt.
"I'm sorry," the wall rumbled. "I was so intent on my pace and music that I didn't see you there. It is however, partially your fault. You really weren't looking where you were going."
"Look idiot boy, I snapped removing my hand from his large paw, "anyone with a smidgeon of sense knows that you don't run through Old Towne during the morning rush hour."
All of a sudden, I noticed a group of people coming up from the station. I glanced at my watch and realized I now had exactly three minutes to make my train. Swearing another blue streak, I picked up my tote and ran down the stairs two at a time to get to the tracks, and jumped on the train just as the doors were about to close. As I was running, I could have sworn I heard the wall chuckle, and say something in another language.
Angela worked in the city, so every morning Ted would drop her at the Metro station near their house and our school. She caught her train about the time mine came in, so Ted and I worked out a deal where I provided free overnight babysitting two nights a month and he picked me from the station and drove me to school. I loved not having to hassle with the drive, or trying to catch the bus. It had the added bonus of allowing me to spend some quality time with Theo who was dropped at his preschool on our way in. This morning, however, I was definitely not in a chatty mood.
"You look good in what you drink Pippa," Ted said as he cocked his eyebrow at me. "I guess this means you are not caffeinated this morning. I'll need to warn Miguel."
"Bite me Adamson," I groused at him. "Some giant jerk of a jogger ran straight into me as I came out of the coffee shop. Ok, so I was rummaging in my bag instead of looking up, but he should have had enough sense to be paying attention."
"So why didn't you just go home and change?"
"Not enough time. Besides, you know ever since I had to spend the day in a mustard soaked blouse and khakis I keep a change of clothes in my room. Now all I have to do is convince Lee to let me use the coach's shower in her office. Can you snag my kids if I'm not done by the time the bell rings?"
