Chapter 2
Waking up the next morning, I get ready for work and see a text on my phone. It's from Michael.
M: Good morning Carrie.
C: Good morning Michael.
M: How did you sleep?
C: Better than I have in a while. You?
M: Good but was thinking about something.
C: What's that?
M: Maybe talking on the phone. When you're ready of course.
C: Maybe. I was thinking about that too. Do you work today?
M: Yeah. You?
C: Yeah but I don't work weekends.
M: It's Friday. No plans?
C: Just me and a glass of wine. Or maybe a bottle depending on how today goes.
M: Everything okay?
C: Yeah. Just normal work stuff. Everything's good.
M: Good. Well, I better head to work. Can I text you later?
C: I'm heading to work too. Text me later. That's fine.
M: Have a good day.
C: You too.
I look at my phone and see myself smiling a little. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. I walk into work and Mandy walks right up to me and ask "Well?" I show her my phone and she says "At least you're keeping yourself open. Are you going to talk to him or just keep texting for a while?" she asks. "I was thinking about seeing if he wanted to talk tonight." I tell her. "Go for it. Just take it a step at a time. At your pace." she tells me and I just nod. We finish out the work day and I am off for the next two days. Sitting on my couch, my phone dings.
M: How was your day?
C: Good. Yours?
M: Good. Busy.
C: You want to talk instead of text?
M: You sure you're okay with that?
C: Yeah Michael. I think I am.
M: Good. You want me to call?
C: Sure. 555-254-2258
I sit there for a minute and wait on my phone to ring. It seemed like it was taking hours but it was only a couple of minutes before it rang. "Hello?" I ask. "Carrie?" he asks. "Michael?" I ask. "Yeah." he says. "How are you?" I ask. I hear him let out a sigh and say "Really good. How are you?" he asks. "Better now. Wow. I really like your accent." I tell him laughing. He laughs too and says "Yours is better. You said you're from Georgia, right?" he asks. "Yeah. Just a small town. Barely a blip on the map. So, tell me a little more about you." I tell him. "What do you want to know?" he asks. "Tell me more about what you look like." I say. "I'm about six foot tall, dark hair and dark eyes. Average build. Tattoos." he tells me. "I like tattoos. Which one is your favorite?" I ask. "I have one on my left forearm. Mark 9:35." he tells me. "And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, if any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." I say. "Impressive." he says. "Grew up in the bible belt. You'd be amazed at what actually stuck with me." I tell him laughing. "Tell me a little more about what you look like." he tells me. "You really want to know? You can avoid it if you back out now." I tell him laughing. "Seriously. What do you look like?" he asks softly. "Okay. I am five foot tall. Shoulder length brown hair. Brown eyes. A little thick. Nice rack." I tell him. "I like thick girls. More to snuggle." he tells me and I start laughing. "Oh I can snuggle. We're better in bed too." I tell him. "Really now?" he asks. "Yeah. We can be manhandled and not have to worry about breaking." I tell him. "Good to know Beleza." he says. "What's that mean?" I ask. "What?" he asks. "Beleza." I say. "Belle. You're a southern belle so it fits." he tells me and I laugh. "So, what do you like to do?" I ask. "Snuggle on the couch and watch movies. That's my big thing." he tells me. "I like that too but none of those sappy romance movies." I tell him. "Why not?" he asks. "It gives off a false impression of what romance really is. It's different for everyone." I tell him. "What's it like for you?" he asks. "For me? Romance is touching my hand when you pass me in the house. Bringing me a cup of hot chocolate if I'm having a bad day. Fill my gas tank up so that I don't have to get out and do it when it's cold. Simple things like that." I tell him. "You're not really high maintenance are you?" he asks. "No. Someone wants to show me they care, little things like that." I tell him. "Well, you asked me. Now I'm going to ask you. Do you have any tattoos?" he asks. "I have one. It's on my left shoulder and it's if a celtic cross. My grandmother loved them so I got it when she died. It's my way of honoring her." I tell him. "I bet it's beautiful." he tells me and I can't help but smile.
We talk a little longer and I start to yawn. "You getting tire Beleza?" he asks. "Yeah and I have to get up early in the morning." I tell him. Looking at the clock, I see it's after midnight and we have been talking for two hours. "Can I text you in the morning?" he asks. "I'd like that." I tell him. "Dormir dulce mi Beleza." he says. "That sounded beautiful but I have no clue what you just said." I tell him laughing. "I said sleep sweet my Belle." he tells me. "Sleep sweet my Outlaw." I tell him and he starts laughing. "Talk to you in the morning." he says before we say good night and end the call. I fall asleep with a smile on my face.