The characters belong to JE. I receive nothing from this, but it sure is fun.
Chapter 5
Joe's POV
I woke up to the sound of a beeping alarm. The room was pitch black, so dark that I couldn't see anything but the glowing red numbers on the alarm clock on the night stand. I was feeling disoriented, not surprising since it was only 4:30 in the morning. I don't remember setting the alarm last night. I never set the alarm on my day off. I had called in yesterday so that I could use today to look for Cupcake. It's bad enough I had to waste most of my day yesterday driving all over Trenton looking for her, before picking up a case of beer and stopping by Pino's to pick up four meatballs subs. I decided to get two for Bob, one a sub for me, one for Cupcake in case she came to her senses and showed up at my house last night. She didn't show up and now I going have to waste a day of paid vacation to look for her. If she would just marry me, stay home, and take care of our future children, she would cause a lot less problems. I'll decide to deal with her later, so I turn over and go back to sleep.
When I woke up the second time I was still feeling disoriented. I sat up, allowing my eyes to focused and discovered why. This is not my bedroom. Wherever I am, it's obviously expensive. I could never afford this expensive furniture. There's nothing that really appears personal so I must have decided to stay in that new swanky hotel that just opened, since I don't know anyone that can afford a place like this. There's no telling how much this room is costing me. I'm going to need to work over time for a month or two to pay off this charge on my credit card. The room I'm in is sparsely decorated, mostly in blacks and grays. I look over at the nightstand and notice a picture of Cupcake next to the alarm clock. I don't remember having that picture, but I must since I apparently brought it with me to the hotel.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I woke up in a strange place, since I had way too much to drink last night. Sometimes when I drink too much I wake up in unexpected places. One time I woke up in my truck on Stark Street and on occasion I wake up in my truck in the parking lot of Cupcake's apartment building. There has also been more than a few occasions that I have woke up in Terry Gilman or Robin Russell's bed (but only when Cupcake and I are in an off again phase of our relationship).
I stand up and start looking for my clothes. All I'm wearing is a pair of black silk boxers, which I also don't remember owning. This is getting stranger by the minute. Not seeing my clothes anywhere, I decide to grab the black robe that is hanging to the door to the bathroom. I decide to look out into the hall just to check things out. When I open the door I discover that it leads to a living room. I must have rented a suite. It may take more overtime that I first thought. Too bad Cupcake isn't here to enjoy this. She would absolutely love this place. I would probably never convince her to leave.
I walk into the living room, which is decorated similar to the bedroom. It's your standard fancy hotel room with nothing with fancy black leather couches, an expensive looking coffee table, and a huge television. I would have to cut of eating Pino's for two years to afford this television.
I was about to turn of the television when I heard a knock on the door to the suite.
"Good morning. I brought your breakfast. The guys wanted me to check on you since you didn't show up at the gym this morning." A Hispanic woman who appeared to be in her fifties said.
Guys? I didn't have plans to meet Carl and Big Dog at the gym this morning.
"Uh…you said that you brought breakfast?" I asked. I tried clearing my throat since my voice sounded deeper that usual.
"Yes, I brought the usual since you didn't call and request anything special. There's smoked salmon, a toasted bagel and lox." She said as she lifted a silver plate cover revealing breakfast.
Salmon? For breakfast? "Uh…no offense, but I can't eat that."
"I'm sorry, Dear. Are you not feeling well? I could make you something else. You know I don't mind." She offered.
"I'm feeling okay. Would it be too much trouble to get some blueberry pancakes, sausage, and some scrambled eggs with cheese?"
"Are you sure that you're feeling well? You never ask me to make those things unless Stephanie is here. Are you expecting her to join you this morning?"
"Uh…you never know." I shrug. How would Cupcake know that I had spent the night in a hotel? And how does this lady know Cupcake?
"Alright, I'll be back in a little while with your breakfast." She said giving me a strange look. "And you're positive you're feeling okay? You're not acting like yourself."
"I'm great." I assure her, not that it's any of her business.
"If you say so." She said slowly as she turned and walked out of the hotel suite.
I decided to take a quick shower while I waited on my breakfast to arrive. I walked through the bedroom and into the bathroom. The bathroom was the size of Cupcake's whole apartment. The bathroom even had a separate room for the toilet. I was immediately drawn to the shower. Man, I wish I had this shower at home. It has three shower heads, one that is overhead and two that are on each side of the shower walls. The only downside of the shower was that the shower gel was that same stuff that Cupcake loves that Manoso wears. As much as I hate it looks like I'm going to have to smell like Manoso all day. I turned on the shower to allow the water to heat up. It didn't take long to the water to heat and the mirrors to be completely fogged over.
I spent almost twenty minutes in the shower. I spent most of that time enjoying the feel of the warm water with my eyes closed. I only got out because I was sure that my breakfast would be dropped off at any time now. I needed to ask that lady if there was a shop in the lobby where I could buy a razor and a toothbrush. I decide to put the black boxers and robe back on since I didn't have anything else to wear.
Lucky for me, she had let herself back in and was setting breakfast out on the dining room table when I walked back into the main room.
"Is there a place nearby that I could get a new toothbrush, some toothpaste, and a razor so I can shave?" I asked.
"I replaced all three yesterday in your bathroom. It's all in the top draw like usual." She replies giving me another strange look. "Do you need me to pick up anything else for you?"
"Um….I can't seem to find my clothes."
"Did you try your closet?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Uh…no. I guess I should have looked in there, huh?" I said with a uncomfortable laugh.
"If you don't see something in particular that you want, call me and I'll check the laundry." She offered. Why does this lady keep looking at me like I've lost my mind? It's not like I've ever stayed in this hotel before.
"Alright then." She smiled. "The boys said to tell you that they went ahead and had the morning meeting without you. They assumed that you were not feeling well when you didn't show up this morning. You can check in with the boys of five when you feel like it."
Meeting? Did I have a meeting this morning? Surely someone would have reminded me last night when I called the station and told them I was taking today off.
"I know that you don't like to admit it when you're sick, but your mother would skin me alive if I didn't take care of her baby boy while he was sick." She adds.
"You know my mother?" I ask incredulously.
"Only my entire life." She said placing her hand on her hips. "You seem really out of sorts today. I know you're worried about Stephanie, but I think you need to go back to bed for a while. I'll send someone up to check on you later." She said before walking out of the suite.
Who does this lady think she is? My mother? I'm getting out of here as soon as I brush my teeth and shave.
I walked into the bathroom and opened the top drawer of the vanity sink. A tooth brush, tooth paste, razor and shaving cream were sitting in the top drawer just like she said. I sprayed the shaving cream into my hand and worked it into a lather, before looking up into the mirror.
"Argh!" I screamed, taking a few steps backwards. That's not my face, its Manoso's. I looked down at my hands and finally notice that my skin is much darker than usual. I looked back in the mirror where Manoso's face was still staring back at me. This has to be some sort of trick. I decided to test that theory by waving my hand. Manoso reflection moves in sync with my body movements. I try making a funny face, which Manoso's reflection does at the same time. I even try walking out of the sight of the mirror and back into view. Manoso's reflection is still in sync with me.
This isn't possible! This is some sort of bad dream. Maybe that lady is right. I should go back to bed. I can fall asleep and when I wake up everything will be back to normal.
I run back to the big bed, climb in, and throw the covers over my head. I'm going to sleep and when I wake up this would have all been a dream. Unfortunately, I so freaked out, I can't go back to sleep. When the cell phone next to the bed begins ringing, I about jump out of my skin.
"Hello?" I answer shakily.
"Sir, Morelli has been causing problems all morning. He called her countless times looking for Bomber and now he's in the lobby, demanding to see you immediately. He's refusing to leave. Do you want me to have him escort of the premises or escort to one of the conference rooms?" The voice asks.
"Who is this?" I ask.
"Uh…it's Junior, Sir. You assigned me to man the front lobby this week."
If I'm in Manoso's body, then he must be in mine. Oh God, Manoso is going to kill me. I would never admit this in front of anyone, but he kind of scares me sometimes.
"Send him up to me on the condition that he understands it's not my fault and he promises not to kill me." I tell him.
"Sir, if you think he might try to kill you maybe we should send him to one of the conference rooms on the second floor with armed guards. Its protocol when dealing with Morelli that he is never allowed in your apartment on seven."
Manoso has policies on dealing with me. Why am I not surprised? He would do anything to keep Cupcake away from me.
"I don't care about what the normal protocol is. Just send him up to me, but not until he promises not to kill me." I said before hanging up.
Maybe I should look for a gun to protect myself.