THATCHER
My phone buzzes on the metal table across the shop, but I'm holding a steel rod with molten glass on the end, so I can't answer. It buzzes persistently, distracting me from my work. I roll the rod, and the glass gloops off to the side. "Mother fucker!" I yell, tossing it into the bucket of cold water. I can't concentrate today. The phone keeps buzzing.
"What?" I yell into the phone, seeing that it's my brother Tim calling.
"Whoa, there, man."
"Tim. I'm working. What's up that you called twice?"
He coughs. "Sorry. Alice asked me to make sure Emma was still coming to family dinner this weekend. She's out buying special lime leaves, apparently."
"Alice has my cell. Why didn't she call herself?" I don't mean to be so snippy with my brother. Actually, maybe I do. He was a dick to me, and he was fucking rude to Emma after that incident with Petey. At least he apologized to her.
Tim exhales noisily. I can almost see the veins pulsing in his neck. "She wanted me to call you myself," he says. He doesn't say that Alice has been giving him shit for how he's been treating me and he doesn't apologize, so I keep my cold demeanor.
"Emma and I will be there. I promise." After a beat, I add, "Please thank Alice for buying special food for Emma."
"Will do. See you then." He hangs up.
My concentration is totally wrecked. I can't even remember what I had wanted to do with that piece of glass. I pull the rod from the bucket and tap off the ruined glob. I'm about to dip back into the furnace for more when I hear my phone buzz yet again.
"WHAT?" I roar into the phone without looking at the caller ID.
"Jesus, Stag. I think everyone on the bus just heard you."
"Emma? I'm sorry. I thought you were my brother again. What's up?"
She squeaks. Actually squeaks. I can tell she's excited as she tells me about her meeting with her editor. The guy loved the story she wrote about me after our evening with Petey--Emma wouldn't let me read it of course. Said I have to wait until it goes to print. But what's really got her excited is that she got to pitch the story about Juniper.
"The whole staff was so pumped about the idea of the feature story about Juniper and they love the idea of looking into childcare in the work place. I'm going to do a whole feature, where I look at what Stag Law is doing and talk to some other companies with unique approaches to being family friendly."
I smile, and forget that she can't see me. "That's great, Chezz. I'm really glad this is working out."
"I feel so invigorated!" she says, her voice buzzing. "I can't wait to dive in and write all these stories. SO I wanted to thank you. It's not so bad faking a relationship with you in exchange for this career boost."
"Gee, thanks." I laugh. "Hey, while I have you, my sister in law went and bought special lime juice or something today. She wants to make sure you'll be there Sunday."
"Holy shit! She found kefir lime leaves? Oh my god. This is going to be amazing. I wouldn't miss it."
I make plans to pick her up with enough time to stop at the flower store--she insists she wants to buy a gift for Alice, which is pretty damn cute. I feel really glad that she wants to impress my family. By the time we hang up, I forget that I'm angry and I dive back into my work, ready to create.