She came in through the bathroom window

The sun is shining right in my eyes. I'm in my car heading home. I have my sunglasses on but the sun goes right through them. I'm too tall to put the visor down. If I do then it covers my vision and I can't see anything. Fortunately I'm tall enough to get shade from the tinted top of the front window to my car.

I'm stuck at a light that is taking forever to change. In an endless sea of cars and exhaust. The former Wonder Bread truck turned contractor truck on my side is spewing exhaust all over the street. So much so that I had to close the window on the passenger side of the car to keep from suffocating. As I stare straight ahead the exhaust fumes flow over my car like thick fog.

I have my mp3 player plugged in and its currently playing Otis Redding's "Dreams to Remember". His words float around my head and make me think of everything that's been happening as of late, and how I'm getting ready to change it all again.

As the light turns I realize that I'll be sitting here longer. There is no way I'm going to make it all the way through the intersection while the light is green. I move up about 6 spaces before it turns red again, and begin the 5 minute waiting process all over again.

I touch the top of my lip where I cut myself shaving the day before. I cut it really bad but it's healed so well that you couldn't even tell now. And I think about how it happend.

Mix Tape Girl called me a few days ago. Her parents were cooking dinner, and they wanted me to go over. I thought it was weird as usually MTG is the one to ask me over. But her parents wanted me to come this time. Though extremely late at night for dinner. 10 PM? Okay?? I went over and MTG wasn't home just her parents. She had gone to the store with her sisters to get a few things. I knocked and knocked and rang the door bell once too. No one was coming to the door, I thought they were pulling a prank on me. After about 5 minutes or so her mum finally showed up in her night gown. "Oh MTG isn't back yet?" she said. She invited me in. I felt like I shouldn't be there for some reason. There were few lights on and I really didn't smell any food. Her dad was actually already laying down in bed.

MTG showed up a minute after her mum let me inside. I helped her and her sisters with grocery bags. Dinner was already prepared but was pretty cool, thus no real odor. Her dad came out after getting dressed again. I was thinking am I late or something? But I wasn't. This was odd. Her dad said hello and the usual greeting. A couple more of their friends showed up, so at least I didn't feel so alone. MTG set the table and brought out the food. Setting aside a spot for me next to her. We all sat down to eat making small talk.

Her father however seemed to enjoy me being there for whatever reason. But after some wine this kinda seemed to change. It went from polite chit chat to little playful insults that he was throwing at me in front of everyone. Having a few cups of wine myself I was quite amazed that I was able to turn these insults into jokes quite quickly. (Me being the subject of the joke that is) This went on pretty much the rest of the night. Their other friends who got back from a trip began showing her father and I some pictures of their trip. Nice pics but their laptop screen was so dark to me that I could barely see all but the brightest pictures. While looking at the pictures it ended up just being MTG's dad, one of their friends, and myself looking at them. MTG's dad sipping wine and throwing an soft insult or two every so often for kicks.

MTG was in the living room with her other friend copying a CD for her. After the second part of the dark picture show was done I decided I had enough insults that I wanted to leave. I excused myself and said a quick goodbye and left. MTG pre-occupied with putting songs on the CD that I just waved bye to her.

I was thoroughly tired when I got home. I stripped off my clothes and threw myself into bed. It had finally gotten super cold down here so I had a ton of covers on me. I wrapped myself in a cocoon of blankets and fell into a deep sleep. So deep in fact that I never heard MTG come in the house in the middle of the night. (3 am) I didn't notice until I felt the light from the bathroom come on. The dim light shining on my face while the bathroom door was partly closed. At first I kinda panicked and wondered who's in the house. But then I made out MTG's silhouetted from the light, even though I never put my glasses on.

MTG slinked across the room in the darkness. Being careful not to step on the paperwork I have lying all over the floor. I have tons of paperwork around in piles that needs to be filled out before I register my business that I'm starting. Each type in its own unique pile. I'm almost fully asleep again when I feel MTG crawl into bed. I expected her to just cocoon herself like me and go to bed but she didn't. The next thing I know she's leaning over me. I turn around to see her face. It's lightly coloured in the darkness but I can still see into her eyes. "How..when did you get in here?" I ask. "Just a minute ago, through the bathroom window," she giggles. "I'm sorry about tonight" she said softly. "Believe it or not dad really likes you. It was his idea you come over." she continues. I'm looking at her in the eyes. Mine small and sleepy, hers still awake and bright. I'm thinking though that its not the best thing to invite someone over and poke fun at them, even if you are just being playful. Well one or two is okay but not all night. But I just stare into her eyes, and say "It's okay. It was probably just the wine." My voice muffled as the only part of me showing are my nose and eyes from my cocoon. MTG leans forward more, pulling the blankets from my face at the same time, her hair falling on my face. Her breath is cold from brushing her teeth. She rubs her nose against mine. "Oh my word," she says, "your nose if freezing." I laugh as this is because that's the only part of me visible when I'm in my blanket cocoon, I still have to breathe somehow so I leave a breathing hole in it. She gently rubs my nose with her fingers and kisses it till its warm. I say nothing as she does this. I'm actually far to sleepy to respond. I end up sharing my cocoon with her, our limbs intertwined in warmth. Before we fall asleep she asks me, "How'd you know grandma would be ok?" I don't tell her how I truly know, I just say it must be intuition.

As I get ready for work the following morning, MTG comes up behind me while I'm shaving. She surprises me by putting her freezing cold hands on the back of my neck. Unfortunately I was shaving the top of my lip between my nose and nostril and the startle made me slice it my that small piece of flesh wide opened. The cut is not wide but very deep. (For some reason I'm one of the few guys left to shave with a straight edge and not a regular razor.) MTG's laughter turns to horror as blood trickles down my mouth and chin. She quickly gets a towel and smushes it into my face. It hurts worse when she does this, it only succeeds in getting blood all over my face and in my mouth, which the tang of it tastes funny when I speak to her. After a couple of minutes I stop bleeding and wash my face and finish shaving. MTG putting some anti-biotic stuff on the cut, that burns like hell. She looks sad and keeps apologizing. I tell her not to worry its just a cut, it hurts like hell but is just a cut.

It's still early so we decide to stop at a cafe for breakfast. MTG looking through a jewelry magazine she got in the mail. Cooing over a few things. Saying it would be nice to get this and pointing to something, but jokingly. I do my best to not tell her I bought her X-mas gifts already and its pretty much exactly what she's pointing at. I hid the gifts in a box that was far too heavy for me to carry yet. Placing the gifts in a box full of electronics that weighed probably 150 plus pounds, which I don't think I've been cleared to pick up stuff that heavy yet. Next time I'll think of something easier. (Sock drawer!! Hello?!?!)

As I think of this the muscle I pulled in my chest lifting that stupid box over my head in the garage starts to hurt. The light finally turns green and I have enough time to make it through. As I approach the next light the MP3 player plays "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window," and my mind starts to think again.