Copyright © 2007 Leigh Caroline
All rights reserved, Freya's Bower.
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Ellie’s oversized purse landed in a heavy thump on the floor. Her beat-up sneakers joined the purse with less noise, and she headed to her bathroom. Work had been far too long, and all she wanted was to go relax in a nice, hot bath and ignore the rest of the world.
The phone ringing interrupted her right as her hand touched the bathroom door. Ellie cringed, the shrill tone obnoxious tone sending the beginnings of a headache lancing through her skull.
“Great,” she muttered, heading over to the kitchen counter to grab it. She jabbed the on button as if it were responsible for everything negative in the world. “‘ello?” she said, her annoyance masked by habits trained into her from too many long shifts at work.
“Hello Ellie, it’s Edith Drommer from 241.” She always insisted on introducing herself like there was anyone else who called Ellie whose voice sounded like a cement mixer. The old woman lived diagonally across the hall from her and was all too often in her business.
“Yes Edith, what is it?”
“Well, the other day I was talking with Jessica Guerra, and she had ordered the cutest little thing off of the shopping channel on TV. It was this little figurine plate set...”
Edith just kept talking. Ellie tuned her out until she paused for breath. “That’s great, Edith, but I was very busy when you called...”
“Oh, but don’t you want to see what’s in your box?” the woman interrupted.
“My box?” she asked, puzzled. It was months until her birthday, and she couldn’t remember ordering anything.