Tales of A Single Mum

Episode Twelve

...My alarm clock went off, making me reach for it without opening my eyes. I hit the snooze button. Then I heard the door. I waited to see if whoever it as would give up and just go away but the knocking continued persistently. I dragged my half asleep self out of bed and towards the front door. When I opened it, it was my friend Denise with a furious look on her face. She wore a red jump suit, a summer hat and cat eyes glasses balancing a brown paper bag full of fresh doughnuts and two Styrofoam cups of steaming Lattes.

“Jeez Margo! Why the hell haven’t you been answering your phone? She asked as she walked past me in a huff. “Like I’ve been calling since 7am!” She flopped on one of the bar stools on my kitchen counter and open the paper bag. I shut the door and walked over to the counter.

“Oh my lord!” I said biting into the cream filled doughnut.” This is amazing! You’re amazing” I said suddenly aware of my hunger pangs.

“I know!” She said taking off her cat eye glasses and looking me over. “We’ve got to be at the airport for 10am. Come on move your butt. Into the shower you go.”

I took three sips of my latte and got off the counter. “I’m so tired Denise. I barely got any sleep. I worked on the Trumman case all night.”

“Oh it shows darling. You look like a reject from the Real Housewives of the Bronx” She said staring at me an amused look on her face. I was wearing a tiger striped onesie, complete with slippers and furry tiger ears. “Josie and the pussycats” was boldly written at the back. It was my most comfortable sleepwear. I still had smeared make up on from the night before. Sighing I made my way to the bathroom. The trip to Cancun was going to be a much needed holiday. I had put off taking time out for myself since I moved to New York and joined the law offices of Arthur and Reed as a junior partner.

On my first day there, Denise Martiano had put me through. She had been patient and genuinely friendly which was unusual seeing that we would both be hoping to make full partner someday and she had already been at the firm for three years. We became fast friends. She relied on me for support through the marital problems she was having her husband, four-time triathlon Olympic gold medallist, Juan Martiano. I relied on her to help me navigate the dating game and keep me away from jerks.

Billion dollar automobiles engine manufacturing company Phillip Trumman had come to us to file a patent lawsuit against their biggest market competitor German company Eldoburg & Co. I was made head council on the case, my biggest account since I became a lawyer. If we won, Arthur and Reed wound become one of the most sought after law firms in America. I was determined to prove that I was good enough to become junior partner.

Winning the case also meant millions of dollars coming into the firm coffers and of course there was the hefty bonus I would get. I could finally buy a luxurious condo with the view of the Manhattan skyline. I had already picked one out.

My cat Khalesi , stared disapprovingly at me as I got out of the shower naked. “Sorry your majesty” I said ruffling her fur as I walked towards my wardrobe. I could hear Denise on the phone in the living room. It sounded like she was having another argument with Juan. My phone rang, making me jump. I picked it up and cursed. It was the chauffer calling to announce his arrival.

I slipped into a yellow summer dress and tied on a pair of brown roman sandals. After running a towel through my hair, I pulled it into a bun and secured it with a butterfly clip. Thanks goodness I had packed. I picked up my suitcase and headed for the door and bumped into Denise who was coming in to get me. The Styrofoam cup of coffee she was holding tipped, spilling its entire contents down the front of my dress.

“s**t Denise! that was my best summer dress” I cried on shock. There was no response from my friend. I opened my eyes to see that my son Andre had peed on me. I had fallen asleep on the sofa in my small apartment in Itoki. My mom had gone to see Aunty Nwando with Zion. I couldn’t believe it had all been a dream. I didn’t have a friend called Denise and there was no chauffer waiting outside, neither was I a high power attorney although I wondered if I would make a good one.

I stared at my boy in mock anger for waking me up from such a dream. He giggled as he watched my angry face, I picked him up and laughed. His pee definitely didn’t smell like coffee I thought as I changed his diaper. I hoped Denise and Juan had sorted out their problems wherever in the world they may be, I thought laughing to myself. Andre laughed along. He wished them well too.

Namaste!