Almira - In Which She Receives a Phone Call

It is almost dark when she wakes, except for the incessant blue glare from the television. She’d left it on when she fell asleep, she realizes, in the middle of “Dangerous Minds.” Damn, and the movie was getting good. She squints at her watch and barely makes out the time: half-past two. In the morning. On a workday. It is shaping up to be an awesome day.

Almira stumbles through the darkness of her one-bedroom apartment and sighs with relief when her hand hits the light switch in the kitchen. She favors her left foot; she’d stubbed her big toe on a gigantic stone vase that she still planned to return to Target, someday. It had been a gift from the cousin of her best friend’s ex-neighbor — long story. But the stupid vase just had to go. Tomorrow I’ll return it. Or ask Daegen to return it. I wonder where the receipt is? I know her cousin gave it to me.

The cold glass of cranberry juice in her hand is frosting. She slowly sips while she stares at her left hand. Or, more specifically, the ring on her left hand. It is a simple gold band with an emerald stone. She is still getting used to its added weight. Daegen had proposed to her only two days ago.

Daegen McCallister. His name is almost stereotypically Irish, and the man lives up to the stereotypes. Chivalrous to a fault, and yet unable to fully comprehend the meaning of Women’s Lib. Almira smiles at the thought of him. Suddenly, her shirt is too tight and she is too hot. She cannot wait to be his wife.

The television is still on (an infomercial for yet another As Seen On TV weight loss product causes her to glance woefully at her thighs), but she can vaguely hear the hum of her cell phone over the TV announcer’s voice. She sets the glass down and runs back to the living room, where she rummages through her oversized purse. This purse is too damned big, I can’t ever find anything. Why do I feel the need to carry my life around? I’m going to develop a bad back. I’m only twenty-six, I don’t need a bad back. Maybe I should invest in—

Aha! “Hello?” It’s 2:40 in the morning. Who the hell are you?

“Hi, Almira. It’s Nick.”

“Oh, hi Nick! It’s great to hear from you. Do you know what time it is?”

“Oh come off it, Mira. I knew you’d be up, you little insomniac. Hey, would you mind if I stayed with you for a few days?”

“Why?” You’re one of my best friends, Nick, and I love you, but could you quit imposing on me so damn much?

“I swear, Mira, it’ll only be for five days, tops. It’s a long story—”

“I’ve got the time. What else could I be doing at almost three in the morning, besides talking to you?”

Nick laughs. “Very funny, Mira. Seriously, though, I have to meet with a gallery owner in the City on Thursday and I don’t want to stay at my parents again. I do have a place in Trenton, you know.”

“It’s just that you’re always here, Nick. Here in the city, I mean. Why don’t you just move here? I’ll see you more often, and you won’t take up residence on my couch all the time.”

“Jersey’s cheaper, Mira. You’re about to graduate with a law degree, you can afford your apartment. I’m an agent for a starving artist. I’m not exactly guaranteed a steady paycheck. So…?”

“Come on over,” Almira says. She sighs.

“Thanks, love. See you in a [few] couple of hours.” He hangs up. Nick never says goodbye.

They dated a long time ago, Nick and Almira. But he is an idealist and she is a realist, and while that combo makes for a smashing friendship, it made for an awful relationship. So they mutually decided to call it quits and just be friends. Oddly enough, he and Daegen have never met. They’ll need to before the wedding.

Almira sets her alarm clock for 7 a.m. and heads to bed. She falls to sleep thinking about the stupid stone vase. Why the heck would anyone even make a vase that damn big? Flowers just aren’t that tall. I really must return it.