“Ahhh,” I murmured to myself as I sank deep into my ivory clawfoot tub, a glass of red wine on the shelf, my Kindle resting on top of a towel on the floor. My calves relaxed for the first time in months. My neck graciously welcomed the foam pillow as I drank in the peace and tranquility of the moment.
Giddy I had the whole night to myself, I planned to enjoy the quiet, drink my fill of vino, and hog all the covers.
When was the last time I savored an hour to myself, let alone a whole night?
The last part was an every-night type of thing for me, but tonight I didn’t care.
This night was about me. I swished the lavender scented bubbles around my breasts and breathed in the moment. It was only about me…
Laurie, another mom, was set to pick up Abby and the other girls for a sleepover. With a large farmhouse and a full staff, she didn’t need to wrangle a few minutes to herself. She took her minutes as needed.
When my fingers looked like prunes, I dried off and took my trusted Kindle to bed. Snatching the wine bottle off my nightstand, I topped off my glass and fell into the pillows. The story, a sort of multicultural affair, complete with espionage and romance, captured my attention until my eyes drooped. I didn’t remember exactly when the book fell to my lap and my eyes closed fully, but I remembered being woken up.
My cell phone trilled on the nightstand, ringing into the empty room. It wasn’t Abby’s ringtone, and I considered turning over and ignoring it when it started going off again.
I swiped my finger without looking at the screen. “Hello?”
“Claire? Were you sleeping? I need you to get up. Claire!”
I recognized the voice as Laurie’s, strung out beyond belief, not her typical laid-back tone.
Immediately, I was in hypervigilant mom mode despite the wine in my system and the sleep in my eyes.
“Laurie? Is everything okay?”
A whimper came across the line, and then a sob.
“Laurie? What’s wrong? You’re scaring the shit out of me.”
By now I was sitting all the way up, my feet flung to the floor and feeling for my slippers.
“Turn on the TV. Channel five,hurry. There’s been an accident.” She hiccupped as I reached for the remote.
