I pull a breath in and slowly blow it out. “It all depends on work. I’ve been so swamped, I’m working on weekends. If I can get caught up enough to take some time off, it would probably be towards the end of the summer.”
She tsks. “You work too much. Don’t forget to take time for yourself, too.”
I smile. “What do you think I’m doing right now?”
She huffs. “I’d rather it be on PEI.”
I nod to myself as I watch Winston chase after the husky again, as if he thinks he can keep up. And even though he looks like he’s one second from falling to the ground in complete exhaustion, he catches up to him.
“I know.”
“Well, I’ll let you go,” Mom says, and I can hear the sadness in her voice even though she’s trying to hide it. I know she’d love for me to visit home more. But it’s just so hard with work to get the time away… and I know I should be trying harder. I do miss my family a lot, and it sucks when I miss out on things like Thanksgiving or random weekends when they’re all together.
“Love you, Mom,” I say.
“Love you too, honey,” Mom says. “Talk soon, ok?”
“Of course.”
I end the call and look out over the park, at the green space wrapped in glass and steel, as people pass by, walking briskly like they’re perpetually late.
This city has been home for years now, and the pace of it still excites me. I’ve only grown to like the rhythm of the city more the longer I’ve been here, and I’ve found an odd comfort in it. I know Mom would love to see me slow down, but this works for me. I like constantly doing, building, moving, and being a part of something big.
But… sometimes I do miss the slower, quieter way of life back home on PEI.
My phone buzzes in my hand, and I look down as my screen lights up with a text.
Daniel
Hey man! We’re heading out for drinks tonight. You in??
I smile, immediately tapping out my response. If there’s one thing we can count on with Daniel, it’s a Friday night out.
Fuck yeah
I’m sure I’ll slow down eventually. But not yet.
My alarm blares, and I roll over with a groan, slapping my hand over the bedside table until I find my phone and shut it off.
Winston immediately hops onto the bed, planting himself over my chest as he stares down at me like he can’t believe I’m not as awake as he is on a Monday morning.
“Hey, bud,” I say through a yawn, and his tail immediately starts wagging. I chuckle and give him a pat, gently pushing him back so I can sit up. “Morning to you, too.”
He hops off the bed and rushes out of the bedroom as I get up and follow him, still feeling it a bit from the weekend. Friday turned into drinks that lasted longer than planned, and Saturday blurred into a concert and another late night. And Sunday disappeared under a pile of half-finished work I forced myself through. I’mtired.
I slide the balcony door open with another yawn, and Winston heads to his potty patch I have set up at the end of the balcony for those morning pees before we can head out for our walk. It’s a bit chilly this morning, so I leave the door open justenough for him to come back in when he’s ready, and head to the kitchen to get coffee started. Just as I reach for the bag in the cupboard, my phone lights up on the counter, buzzing again and again. It’s 7:00 AM, who the fuck is texting me this much, this early? I pick it up and see my co-workers name, Ben, lighting up the screen with a string of texts.
Ben
Dude
Did you see??
The fuck. How did this happen so quietly over the weekend?
Did you know? No one I’ve spoken to had any idea.
What the fuck?
