Page 75 of Caught A Vibe

Dash

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

I reach for my phone and tap the screen blindly until it shuts up. It’s been taking me longer and longer to write my articles, and I’ve been hiding from my failures in video games. After another late-night gaming marathon, I’m exhausted.

This is my third slap of the snooze button, and I am still unable to even contemplate the thought of rising from bed yet. With a sleepy yawn, I roll over and Callie is staring at me with unblinking green eyes from her perch on Penny’s pillow. Penny must already be up, unless Callie is smothering her so she can claim Penny’s side of the bed for herself. I wouldn’t put it past her.

With that avenue of fun procrastination out of reach, I try to close my eyes again, but the clatter of pans in the sink keeps me from falling back asleep.

Pans. In the sink.

That sound rattles through my brain, trying to dislodge some half-buried memory. I let it roll around, a bit like a pinball wizard trying to hit the bonus.

Crap! The pans are still in the sink.I told Penny I would clean them yesterday, and then I’d gotten distracted by work and the game and I forgot. Maybe if I stay in bed long enough she’ll move past anger before I have to face her.

My phone beeps again, calling me on my bullshit. Before I can silence it and my guilt, Penny slaps open the bedroom door, and I sit bolt upright. Callie hisses and hits the ceiling before disappearing under the bed.

“For God’s sake, just turn it off!” Penny barks, before loosing a frustrated growl and stalking back out.

Shit.So much for waiting her out.

I yank on a T-shirt and some sweatpants and make my way to the kitchen.

I look at the clock and realize what time it is. Nine forty-five a.m. On a Thursday.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on a call right now?”

“I canceled the meeting. I can’t lie and tell everyone the world isn’t ending with a straight face today.”

“Here, let me do the dishes. I should have done them yesterday. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.”

It is clearly not fine. I can feel the waves of anger radiating from her. “Penny, stop. I’ll do them.”

Penny steps aside and gestures to the sudsy sink. “Fine. They’re all yours.”

Half of the dishes are already in the dishwasher. I wince. I blew it again. Why don’t chores work like video games? Why can’t I just remember to do what I said I would? Maybe I could design…

Penny clears her throat and snaps a towel against my butt. I yelp and put my hands into the hot water for a dish. “Yes, ma’am.”

With a quiet snort, Penny wipes down the counters. Then she sprays down the handles on her cabinet doors and wipes those clean. When I lean over to rearrange the load pattern, she is scrubbing out the microwave. I step out of the way as she sweeps around me, and yelp when the wet mop hits my bare feet moments later. I let the water out of the sink and retreat, careful to stay on the dry path she left me.

“Do I want to know what caused this cleaning spree?”

“A messy roommate? Maybe I should make a chore chart with stickers.”

My shoulders drop and I grab my hoodie from the table along with the hint and quietly leave the kitchen. Anger tries to make an appearance over being spoken to like I’m five, but sadness and resignation keep a firm hold on my emotional reins.

It’s happening. Penny is realizing she deserves more than I can give her. The fact that she’s talking to me like I’m a child who can’t remember to flush the toilet grates on my nerves, but I can’t deny I’m not pulling my weight.

Back in the bedroom, I pick up my phone and open the real estate app, hoping to find new rentals on the market. The governor said real estate is being moved to the essential services list soon. Maybe I’ll get lucky. I can feel my time with Penny coming to an end.

She deserves a real partner. Sure, I can salvage a date night with my imagination and impulsivity. But I lack the executive function to carry out tasks from start to finish on a regular basis. I don’t think those balance out on the relationship scale.

Everyone has their limit of how much Dash they can take.

Unfortunately, my name seems to fit.A dash will do.

---