Running Late

Rainey

An ear-piercing alarm shattered my peaceful sleep. I sat up in bed and attempted to catch my breath after being startled awake. I’d set Killian’s ringtone to be the most annoying sound on the planet, so I’d know exactly who it was when he called. Hearing it that early in the morning wasn’t the most pleasant way to wake up. I grabbed my phone, ripping the charger from the socket. I pressed the END button and tossed the phone on the bed before throwing myself down on my back again. I shoved my hair out of my face and tried to calm my racing heart. It was a shitty way to wake up and he probably thought it was some sort of hilarious joke.

Why the hell was Killian calling me so early? I glanced over at the clock and my heart ramped up again.

Shit! Shit! Shit! I launched myself off the bed. Why didn’t my alarm go off? I grabbed my phone again and checked the clock app.

Damn it!

I accidentally set it for six p.m. instead of a.m. It was a good thing I pulled out my clothes for the interview already. They were hanging on my closet door next to my full-length mirror.

I did a double take when I saw my reflection. God, I looked awful. I’d forgotten to remove my makeup last night, so there were streaks of mascara cascading down my cheeks. I looked like someone from KISS. I licked my finger and tried to get it off, but instead, I made it worse, the streaks were longer now, making me look much more bedraggled.

I groaned and ran out of the room.

I knocked on Tanner’s door once and then burst in. I flipped the light on but he didn’t budge. “Tanner, honey, we have to get moving.” I clapped my hands together a few times, allowing some of my nervous energy out along with attempting to wake him from his slumber. He slept like a rock. Like mother like son.

The small bundle under the covers didn’t move.

I gently rubbed his back. “Tanner. Wake up. It’s time for school.”

“Nooo,” he moaned. “Too early.”

I smiled and moved the comforter aside. Tanner curled his little body into the fetal position and with his eyes still closed, reached for the comforter. I pulled it further from his reach.

“Honey, we’re running late. Mommy needs to get on the train to the City for her interview. Be a good boy and get up so we can get you ready for school.”

He groaned and buried his face in his pillow. “Come back in five minutes.”

I tickled his foot. “If you get ready now, you can have one of mommy’s breakfast bars.”

With those few words, Tanner jumped out of bed as if he had springs for legs. He went to his dresser and started pulling out clothes.

“We need to be downstairs in five minutes!” I called as I sprinted from the room.

After scrubbing my face, brushing my teeth and putting on a heavy amount of deodorant to mask the fact that I had no time to shower, I changed into the brand new outfit that Mom bought for me. It looked nice on me in the dressing room yesterday but for some reason when I paired it with the new shoes I really looked good.

The silky black slacks with the pumps made my legs look fantastic and thin. And paired with the matching blazer that fit almost too perfectly, I had to be noticed by this mogul. I wasn’t trying to be seductive, I wanted to be accepted on my own merit, but I had to admit I was looking good. The ego boost gave me the energy to expertly rally Tanner and get him downstairs. He had a tendency to be distracted, so I dangled the breakfast bar above his head like a carrot.

He’d finished the bar by the time we arrived downstairs in Mom’s kitchen. She and Dad were already showered and sipping coffee at the table. They were early birds, a trait they hadn’t passed down to their only daughter. Dad glanced over the top of the newspaper at me and then continued reading. He was a man of few words. I noticed the buttons on his shirt were strained by the several pounds he’d packed on since the summer.

“Good morning,” I said to both of them.

Mom glanced at the clock. “Cutting it close?”

“Yeah,” I said, not having the time to get into it with her. I loved her to death but she had a way of saying the most unhelpful things sometimes.

“Are you going to do something with your hair?” she asked.

My purse vibrated with Killian’s ringtone. I groaned and let it go to voice mail again. “I’ll do my hair on the train.”

Mom raised an eyebrow and I mouthed the word, “Killian.” I didn’t want Tanner to know his father had been pestering me all morning. He’d insist on talking to Killian and then I’d really be late.

“Mom bribed me with a breakfast bar!” Tanner said randomly.

“Traitor!” I hissed.

Mom tsked. “You know those have a lot of sugar in them.”

Ignoring her, I kissed the top of Tanner’s head. “I gotta go! Love you all!”

“Love you!” Mom and Dad chorused as I dashed out the front door.