Jake woke when he heard the alarm go off. He looked at the time then checked his surroundings and realized that he lay in bed. Xavier lay next to him, snoring. He inched to the edge of the bed, slid his body, then swung his feet on the ground. He heard Casper snore near Xavier’s legs. Five in the morning was even too early for Casper. He studied Xavier and wondered why Xavier hadn’t stirred when the alarm went off.
He sauntered to the bathroom, closed the door, and turned on the light closest to the vanity mirror for illumination. He stepped in the shower and turned on the water, letting the liquid wake him up. The next few minutes flew by. After the shower, Casper got off the bed and headed to the kitchen so Jake fed him and gave him fresh water. He grabbed his toothbrush, toothpaste, an
