The Great Awakening

It was the oddest thing, this feeling she woke up with, a feeling so much better than just a good night’s sleep. The feeling seemed to have come right out of the night’s ether as she slept, entering along with her breath. The strangest part of it was… she did not dislike the feeling. In fact, she laid there a good while reveling in it.

Outside her window it was still dark. Thinking back, Liza couldn’t remember the last time she’d been up before light, at least not since those Christmas mornings when she was a kid. Her memory replayed pictures of one of those Christmas mornings, surprising her with how bright and shiny the images remained after all these years; the colored lights, the empty cookie plate with it’s half-finished milk glass, and the myriad of gifts, both wrapped and pre-assembled ones, which awaited she and her sister. Smiling was a novelty Liza rarely experienced anymore, but the thought of her poor father up all night, putting together all those doll houses, and EZ Bakes, and bicycles brought a big one right up! She even chuckled, thinking of how he, not the handiest of men, must have dreaded the days leading up to Christmas Eve. God, she had loved him! It was a shame, their falling out, but he was so old fashioned that he just couldn’t see the world the way it was today, the way Liza saw it.

And the old movies her mother used play every Christmas morning! Mother had always loved movies, and had drug her girls to all of the newest ones, splurging on popcorn, soft drinks, and candies that you couldn’t get anywhere else. How special those Saturdays had seemed! Liza had gone to see a movie just last weekend, but it hadn’t been the same. The theater was mostly empty. Of course, the movie was pretty lousy and the acting even worse, but the message had been important, and that was something. You would think that all those talented people in Hollywood could make a good movie with a modern message. Surely equity and diversity were stronger social constructs to build on than the joys of Christmas… were they not?

The sun was just peeking through the blinds when she heard the coffee pot click on. Liza waited for the familiar aroma to work it’s way through her tiny apartment before sliding out of her warm sheets. As she poured she thought about that new guy at work, the one who had taken to bringing her a papercup full every morning since finding out that Liza drank hers with just a touch of hazelnut, the same way he liked it. It must be costing him a fortune, buying two at that snooty coffee shop every morning. She should give him a few bucks next time, but she really couldn’t afford it every morning and wished he would just stop. It was nice of him, though. She couldn’t imagine what had started him doing it? Hell, he barely knew her and probably wouldn’t like her if he did.

But the new guy was still on her mind as she eased herself into the shower, checking the water’s temperature. He’d taken to having his lunch with she and Sophie, the new guy had. Of course, they only allowed it because he mostly just listened, although he did interject occasionally. His interjections were usually pertinent, though. He was pretty smart in a goofy, clueless kind of way, even if Sophie did usually make fun of him after he had gone. Of course, Liza teased about him too, but only because Sophie did.

Funny, that odd feeling was still with her when she stepped out of the shower. Liza was surprised to find herself humming. She never hummed! Especially not in the morning, but she didn’t stop! She was still humming when she wiped the circle of haze from the mirror and examined herself. Nothing looked much different but that whisper of a smile on her lips… but no. She couldn’t be smiling, could she? She was all alone, and it was first thing in the morning. Jesus, she was fucking losing it. But smiling or not, waking up early had left her with some extra time, so Liza spent it on her hair. She even applied some eye liner and lipstick. Just a wee bit, but enough to give her a glow. Sophie would get a kick out of that!

The ride into work was uneventful. Well, other than that song that came on the radio. The song took her back to her high school days, cruising the strip with Allie and Beth. She should call them up sometime, just to say hi. She would love to know how they were doing. It had been so long since she’d seen them though, and all Beth and Allie had wanted to talk about was boys, and marriage, and babies. How cliche. They had no idea about what was really important in this modern world. The trio’s old favorite still had Liza singing along however. She even caught herself at a stoplight shimmying to the beat. She glanced around to ensure that no other motorists had seen her. What in the world was she doing? She wasn’t a kid anymore, so why did she suddenly feel like one?

At her desk “He” stopped by with coffee, as had become his custom. “Hey, you look great this morning!”

”Do I?” One of her eyebrows raised quizzically. If that was his reason for bringing her coffee he was shit out of luck.

He was smart enough not to push that too hard. “Say, you want to meet for dinner?”

”Sure, me and Sophie are going at 11:00.”

”No, not lunch. Dinner.”

”You mean, like a date?”

”Yea. I’d really like to talk, to get to know you better.”

”You would?” She said it with some disbelief. She was not the type that guys asked to dinner, or wanted to get to know better.

”Yea,” he said. “I really would.”

Shit! Why did his smile have to be so fucking cute?

Her heart reminded her that it was still down there, never-minding her head as it gave a great forward leap, blurting it out before her mind had time to think the offer through. “Sure, I guess.”

”Awesome! Gotta run! See you at lunch?”

”Yea. See you then.”

When he was gone Liza could not temper her excitement. Her hands were actually shaking! She wondered if she should tell Sophie? No, Sophie would think she’d lost her mind. And maybe she had lost it? How else could she explain her morning, with all of this “allowing herself to feel happy” shit?

But she did feel happy. And she liked it. Maybe she could share the feeling? Should she dare? On a whim Liza took out her phone and texted her father. “Do you mind if I come by this weekend? Just to hang out?” That would shock the shit out of him!

“Hallelujah!“ The reply was incredibly quick. “I’ll make chili.”

Uh oh! Liza couldn’t resist texting back, hoping it wouldn’t ruin everything. “No meat?”

Again with the quick reply. “No meat.” Followed by a smiley-face imogee. Her dad used an imogee? Ugh!

“Isn‘t this the craziest thing,“ Liza thought. “Waking up not woke?”