The next morning I awoke groggily with my head feeling heavy. The hot sun was beating down on me. I fell asleep under the top of a play gym, how did I end up on the ground? I couldn’t figure it out. I came to the conclusion that I must have slid down the slide head first which would explain my headache. I stood up slowly and shook off the dirt. My leg hurt for some reason unknown to me or anyone else who was walking innocently by. I looked at my phone. It was already one O’clock in the afternoon and I was incredibly late for work. I also had three unheard messages. I grabbed my bag and began walking quickly towards work with my phone to my ear. The first message was a hang up but caller ID said it was Aiden. Second one was from Aiden too but he actually said something.

“Ash, it is way too packed today for me to deal with you being late. If you aren’t here by one-twenty, you’re fired.” I rolled my eyes knowing I was going to be at least another thirty minutes on foot. He wouldn’t fire me though. He never did follow through on his threats of firing me. I listened to the next message and I swore my heart sank only to be raised up so high.

“Hey Ashley, its Spencer. I was just calling to see if you maybe wanted to go out to dinner tonight.” I was so incredibly happy. She proceeded to give me her number and a good time to reach her. I closed my phone and put it in my pocket and continued to frolic happily to work. I even began to hum slightly to the tune of “I’m walking on sunshine”. It had been a long while since I had been that happy and I was taking advantage of it to the fullest. I picked a flower, which in all honesty was a weed, but it was a pretty yellow color so I kept it.

I arrived at work to see almost every table full and every waitress running around like a chicken with their heads cut off. They went to one table and then the next. With Janet on vacation and Rebecca’s unexpected departure, they needed me there. I walked inside and pulled my apron out of my bag. I put it on and began tying it until I ran into Aiden. Literally, ran into him. “Ash, it is one-forty five.”