Unhappy Endings Episode 3

Fatigue claws at my mind. I struggle to give the presentation. We are going to move this company forward by expanding our customer base. These are the companies we need to focus on. I must keep my mind focused. I look over at Harold, he looks like he had a rough night too. He holds his head... I must keep my mind focused. We can provide services that will help to save our customers money. I am tired. What a strange dream... Focus, Focus...

"Looks like you partied too much last night, eh Harold?" the presentation went well, despite Harold and I not feeling well.

"I didn't part at all last night. I just woke up with a pounding headache."

"Did you take an Ibuprofen?"

"Yeah, but it hasn't helped, I think it might be a migraine."

"Have you had those before?"

"Once or twice a year."

"Hmm, you never told me that you have migraines."

"It has been so long since I have had one, the subject never came up."

"Look if you need to go home today, I am sure Henry and William can pick up the slack..."

"Just hold a minute. Let me try one more thing." Harold pulls out a small brown bottle. "I must be nuts."

I stare at the bottle for a few moments, all of a sudden something feels weird. I can't place my finger on it. "What is that?"

"Its some sort of oil."

"You didn't get it from some crazy lady did you?"

"How'd you know?"

"She approached me yesterday as I was leaving. She said she wanted our company to market those oils."

"Weird eh... Like I said I must me nuts. But she said that this one can get rid of headaches. I might as well try it."

I watch as Harold opens the cap slowly and shakes some of the fluid onto his finger. Something still feels weird or wrong but without being able to tell why, I can't say anything against what Harold is about to do. He spreads the oil on his forehead. I watched him closely for a few moments.

"Anything?" I ask.

"I think you are supposed to give it a few minutes to kick in."

Harold closes the bottle and leans back and relaxes a bit. After a few minutes he sits up "Wow, this stuff works like a charm. I don't feel any pain in my head at all now."

"Hmm. Weird eh."

"Yeah, weird."

Harold just stares at the bottle. "I wonder how it works?"

"I don't know, I am not sure I want to know, something about that lady last night just seemed weird. I don't want to be doing business with her."

Harold gives me a look like I am crazy. He shrugs "If that is the way you feel about it. Ok."

I shake my head. "The day is still young. We have work to do."

"You don't look like you got a lot of sleep last night either John."

I freeze, I don't want to tell him about the nightmare. "I had some rough sleep. I'll be fine, don't worry about me." I walk out of the room with my briefcase under my arm ready to do what is needed. Focus... Focus...

I drive home, the clouds gather overhead. It looks like it may rain. "Figures" I say. It feels like I am in a bad scary story and that the weather is just adding to the mood. I park and sigh. Fatigue claws at my mind. I get out of the car and get to the door.

"Daddy..." the kids are pressing their faces to the window adjacent to the door. I can't help but smile. I come inside and drop my briefcase next to the door, that is how life should always be, a man comes home and he leaves his work at the door and doesn't pick it up till he leaves again. I crouch down and hug my children.

"Well hello," I say in a pleasant tone. "What are you all still doing up."

"They wanted to thank you for writing them those nice letters." Vanessa said while standing at the door.

"Is that so?"

"Thank you Daddy." the littlest one said.

"Don't feel bad Dad, we understand you have your responsibilities."

The children's words are sweet medicine for the soul. I talk with each one about their school. I ask how their friends are doing. But all too soon Vanessa finally chimes in that it is time to go to bed and the children are ushered to their rooms.

I try to sleep but bits and pieces of the nightmare play though my head. I hear someone walking along the hallway outside our room. It is probably Jack gone to get a drink as he normally does. Since I am awake I go and check it out. Sure enough it is Jack. "Are you getting a drink Jack?"

Jack looks at me and wipes at the sleepiness in his eye. "Yeah,"

"You having trouble sleeping?"

"Yeah."

I walk down the stairs with Jack and get into the kitchen, "Maybe I need a drink too."

"Are you having trouble sleeping Dad?"

"Yeah, I am."

I pour two glasses of water. We sit across from one another in the dim light and drink slowly. We are both tired and not thinking clearly.

"Do you know a man named Trent?"

My mind takes a few moments to process the question. I know a Trent at work, he is an accountant. I can't see how Jack could possibly know that Trent though. "I know a Trent, Why do you ask?"

"Mom has a friend named Trent. He comes over a lot. Mom says he's a business man like you." Jack pauses a bit, still thinking. "I wondered if he was your friend."

"Do you know if Trent works for me?"

"I dunno." Jack finishes his drink and puts his cup in the sink.

"I'll see if I know this Trent." I say.

"Ok." Jack yawns, "Night Dad."

"Night Jack."