Often times I hear my mother cry when the house goes dark. Hearing her muffled sobs makes me wish things were how they used to be. Back when I was younger mother would tell me stories about her childhood. Living on a different planet that had bodies of water that went into all the way down to the center of the planet. How it was so dark down there that scientists got the term black hole from the ocean. Not the ones that scientists capsule up and turn into our trash cans.
Sometimes when the house is dark and I can’t go to sleep I recount my mother’s stories. Often imagining that I am my mother, living on a different planet and swimming in the ocean. I would lay on my back lets the waves wash over me taking me out into sea. I’d just lay there and float atop the salt filled water while the current washes me away. I’d look up at the night sky and see different shades of deep blues and odd purples. The sky speckled with little dots instead of the blinding suns that I’m so accustomed to. Watching as the moon changes shape from the full round, to completely black but still somehow visible, to a half circle and then to a crescent and then back again. And when I grow tired of watching the moon shape shift, I would plunge into the black hole and drift aimlessly into the nothingness until I fell asleep.
“Hey, what time is it again?” Andrew asks aloud.
“11:57. Why do you keep asking?” Cyncere follows up placing their phone back into their pocket. They arch their head over the back of the couch so they could look in Andrew’s general direction. The TV being the only light source in the room does a poor job of illuminating him but Cyncere can vaguely make out his brown hair glistening even in the dark room and his slender frame. “If you are playing with yourself you might as come over here.”
“You deadass?” All Andrews movement stopping all together.
“No.”
Andrew steps out from the shadows. Even in the dark, his eyes a deep shade of green still captivate but he wears a goofy smile that usually means he is up to no good.
“Andrew I was joking. If you come over here with your dick out don’t expect to leave with it attached to your body.”
“What time is it?” Andrew asks.
“Huh?”
“Quickly Cyn. What time is it?”
Cyn pulls out their phone and checks the time. “11:59. Why do you keep asking?”
The smile on Andrews face grows even larger. He dash back into the depths of the room but just as quickly as he disappeared he reappears 3 seconds later with something hefty in his hand. It is too dark to make out what it is. With no trace of his mischievous smile it is hard to tell what he is thinking. Instead his face now holds a wholesome smile and concentrated eyes on whatever it is he is holding.
“You still got your lighter on you?” Andrew asked.
“I always have my lighter on me.” Cyn proclaimed proudly.
Andrew walks closer until he is now standing next to Cyn and the ice cream cake he is now holding becomes visible. The words read ‘life may suck, but it gives worse head when you’re around.’
“Andrew you bought me a cake?” Cyn whispers.
“No. This is my dick with icing on it, yes I bought you a cake.”
“But… why”
“Well when you hit me up earlier today to hang out i figured your family was being… well, your family. So before I came to pick you up I called the ice cream shop down the street and picked it up. You would have loved the face the cashier made when I asked her to write that on the cake. Priceless.”
“Andrew” cyn tries to talk as the tears start to stream down their face.
“Hey now, I don’t want your tears to ruin the cake. I want a slice too.”
“Shut up. Im only crying because it smells worse now that you are closer.”
“Hahaha real funny. Would you light the candle already and make a wish already. Your birthday is probably already over by now.”
“And whose fault is it for waiting until 11:59 to want to give me a birthday cake” Cyn says as they push Andrew away. “Why would you wait until the last possible minute to do something so sweet anyway?”
“It’s not about how you start the day Cyn, it’s about whose basement you decide to spend the last minutes of it with.” Andrew jokes.
“Yea, clearly I am in the right place then” Cyn chuckles.
They both pause to look at one another and after a slight second of intense eye contact they shift their gazes to other things. Cyn wiping her tears and Andrew looking at the TV.
“Light the candle already so we can eat this thing.” Andrew says.
Cyn pulls the lighter out of their back pocket and lights the candle.
🎶Happy birthday to you🎶
——————————————————————— Not a birthday party per se but c’est la vie.
7:30 couldn’t come soon enough Work is rough, but with only one bathroom break you time accordingly Excuse me, pardon me, I’m just trying to get by Two ply and a cold plastic seat Will greet my yams Door slams open, I see a heavy fellow walk out No doubt in my mind what he was in there for this time That slime Ron, from accounting always ruining my day No way I’m going in without a little spray
“What happened here” my wife asks? I turn my head to look at her and see those big innocent eyes staring right back at me. I could tell that she was looking at me to provide some type of rational to this situation. Some solace amidst the chaos we return to. Two weeks ago we finally left on a trip out of the country. Flying away to a remote island to enjoy some quality ‘us time.’ I was apposed to it at first, due to the nature of both of our jobs. Constantly requiring our attention 24 hours out of the day but, since she was able to get time off, who am I to turn down the love of my life. Plus things weren’t exactly cherries and peaches at home so I guess you could say this escape was needed. “WATCH OUT WATCH OUT” my wife screams! I turn the steering wheel hard left and step on the gas as a 4 story building sails over the roof of our Honda. Some debris from the building smashes into the windshield shattering it shooting shards of glass throughout the car. I slam on the breaks hoping to bring the car to a stop but not before we slam into the side of the bridge. The airbags spring open hitting both of us hard. After a few seconds the ringing in my ears start to subside. I shove the airbag down and immediately turn to check on my wife. Face firmly planted on the airbag but she is appears to be fine. I quickly place my hand on her pulse just to be sure. “I’m alive” she groans. “Good. I don’t think the insurance company would believe ‘died while dodging flying skyscrapers” I replied. “Of course they wouldn’t. We live in the suburbs. There are no skyscrapers.” I chuckle a little. Being able to joke in a situation like this is precisely why I married her. I watch as she leans back in the seat and smooths her hand over herself. She lets out a shaky breathe as she touches her stomach. “Everything alright honey” I ask tentatively? “Yes…” “What’s wrong. You seem hesitant?” I have to brace myself because I know what comes next. “Dear. Im not crazy am I?” “Well you did marry me so I’m not sure how sane you could really be.” “Darren. I’m being serious right now.” This is the second time my wife has ever used my real name aside from the time at our wedding. “No honey, you are not crazy.” “So why the hell am I still alive right now?” “By the grace of god my dear.” I offer up a pitiful smile. I can tell by her expression that she is not buying it one bit. “Darren, I saw a rock the size of of a tire make direct contact with the windshield. We BOTH should be dead and yet neither of us has a scratch.” “A tire? Are you sure you didn’t just-“ “Darren don’t you fucking dare try and gaslight me right now. I know what I saw!” All I can do is stare. Those big hazel eyes of hers probing, searching for answers. Answers that I shouldn’t give. In that instant, almost as if she was reading my thoughts she asks “what did you do Darren?” I could only stare at her at her and bite my lip. I hate lying to her. I’ve only ever done it once and it damn near broke us apart. But I can’t tell her the truth. It’s for her own good. Surely she understands right? As if my thoughts were her own tears start to stream down her face. I reach out to wipe her now stained cheek. She doesn’t stop me but this feels like rejection. A barrier has been built and I need to knock it down. Just as I open my mouth to speak another car slams into the trunk of ours. The force of the crash sends me and my wife through the front windshield over the bridge. Falling from the bridge the only thing I can focus on are those big hazel eyes. They hold no panic, no fear, just a calm serenity. I grab one of her outstretched arms and pull her in against my chest. “Don’t worry, I vowed to always protect you.” She meets my gaze and says “you always have” as we submerge into the sea.
