Barbra's Reawakening-chapter 1 by Frodov

Barbra’s ReawakeningBy Frodov

This is a story that is based entirely on a true story from my past. Names and a few details have been changed to provide anonymity for those involved. Discretion is a precious commodity and is becoming rarer and rarer every day. I reached a way back to relive this story for everyone, I was the ripe old age of twenty eight years old at the time. Bear in mind that Cell phones were barely a novel idea at that time. The internet was taking its first baby steps and people were discovering the likes of A0L and to a lesser extent local messaging or electronic “bulletin boards”. How many of you out there remember dial-up modems? Cable TV was still mostly commercial free. Ah, good times. So in that frame of mind enjoy the memory.***

I stretched my aching back while sitting in my office chair at my desk in front of my computer. The trilling warble of the dial up modem as it made the connection to my favorite bulletin board Nightfriends. I leaned my elbows on the desk and rubbed my tired eyes with the palms of my hands as I waited for the log in screen to pop up on my monitor. I was tired and about ready for bed. I’d just got out of the shower after getting home from work that morning. The last night of nine days, or rather nights of work finally over. It’s hell when I have to cover for people out on vacation. Working my three shifts then covering for someone else’s three shifts, then pulling my own shifts again. Nine days…er..nights is bad enough but at twelve hours long it makes for a really long stretch. At least the overtime pays good. Still though, I was definitely ready for three days off. Over the last nine days I’ve not had much time to spend online or catch up with my “friends” on the bulletin board. Hell, I’ve not had time to spend with any friends, on or off line. Looking at the clock on my computer I see that it’s already going on nine o’clock in the morning. I really should be crawling into bed to sleep rather than goofing off online. Oh well, if no one is online I’ll just read my email and call it a night, or day, whatever.

After logging on I checked my credits, “ Yeah.. getting low.” I grumble. I’m going to have to go buy some more time later today. I pull up my messages next and see the expected questioning snippets from my usual contacts wondering where I’ve been and how come I’ve not been online to play trivia, or Trade Wars. Todd had left a couple, and there was one from Anne. Both asking how I was doing and that they missed seeing me online that week or so. They asked when I’d get a chance to come down to dinner and to give them a call sometime if I could get away from work. I leaned back in my chair to pop my back again and to adjust my crotch as my sweatpants felt a little tight from my junk swelling a little at the thought of Anne. A tired smile spreading on my face as I thought back a few weeks ago to the big snow that fell and the fun she and I had when she spent the night, I mean day at my apartment. I noticed that neither she nor Todd was online this morning but I made a mental note to call them this afternoon when I got back up from sleeping. I was just about to log off when I saw that a girl that goes by the nickname “Wildone” had just logged on. Deciding I could stay up a little longer I sent an invite for her to join me in trivia for a few minutes if she felt like it.

Wildone: “Hi there”

Fro: “ Good morning”

Wildone: “How are you today?”

Fro: “I’m exhausted, just got home from work, I am SO glad for a day off finally!”

Wildone: “I’ve wondered where you’ve been. You’re usually in here playing trivia with everyone in the evenings.”

Fro: “Yeah, been working a lot of overtime. Last night was the ninth shift in a row. “

Wildone: “Oh you poor thing. I’ll bet you’re tired then. Why don’t you go to bed?”

Fro: “I am, here in just a moment really. I was just logging off when I saw you getting online so I thought I’d at least say hello and talk with you a few minutes.”

WIldone: “Well that’s sweet. Thank you. I was just going to check my messages myself, I need to run to the store to get something for dinner tonight.”

Fro: “Big plans?”

Wildone: “No, not really. My son is coming over to keep his old mom company. I missed his birthday two days ago because we both had to work. At least he had dinner with his fiancé. But momma is making dinner for him tonight. I took the day off from work to make his favorite dinner. “

Fro: “Lucky guy. Is his father going to be there too? “

Wildone: “ You mean his step father, fuck no. That asshole isn’t coming home this weekend, again. He’s probably screwing his mistress.”

Fro: “ Mistress? And you’re okay with that?”

Wildone: “ Frankly? No, he’s her problem if she wants him. She certainly sees him more than I do. I told him he should just stay there in Indianapolis and do whatever the fuck he wants. All he does is bitch when he comes home anyway.”

I sat back and rubbed my eyes again as I recounted what I knew about this gal. She and her husband lived on the other side of town. She worked for a medical billing company transcribing doctors’ notes and orders so that patients could be billed. Her husband, (second or third?) worked for an IT services company and traveled around the country staying away from home for months at a time. I can’t recall his name but I know she’s told me what it was before. She goes by the nick name “Wildone” online but her real name is Barbra. Barbra is in her forties, ten years older than myself but still interesting. We play in trivia whenever we are both online or with other friends online. I know she flirts with several of the guys on Nightfriends because both she has told me that, and so have some of my friends, like Todd. I get the impression she’s neglected and lonely. I know the feeling on that count. Realizing I’ve been sitting there for a few moments and not typing any replies, I lean back and send some more text.

Fro: “Sorry, had to go see a man about a horse.”

Wildone: “Haha, had to pee huh?”

Fro: “Uh, yeah. I’m lucky I didn’t fall asleep standing there at the toilet. I’m dead on my feet.”

Wildone: “Well why don’t you go on to bed. We can chat later after you’ve slept. I have to go get groceries anyway. Goodnight Fro.”

Fro: “Okay, I’m smiling, Goodnight, or morning or whatever. Talk to you later girl.”

I watch as she vanishes from the screen and I myself log off as well. I don’t even remember getting up and walking over to my bed.

I awoke later to the sound of a door slamming upstairs and heavy foot falls tromping down the stairs to the building’s entrance door. Oh the joys of living in an apartment building when you work the night shift. Noisy bastard! I groaned and rubbed my eyes. I looked at my wrist and tried to focus on my watch to see what time it was. Of course I couldn’t see it as it was pitch black dark in my bedroom thanks to my black out curtains over my window and hanging across the doorway. I reached up and switched on the lamp on my bookcase headboard blinding myself with the suddenly bright light. Squinting finally I was able to make out that it was after four in the afternoon. I laid there for a moment or so thinking that I had no plans so I might just go back to sleep. Then two things occurred to me, I had told myself I was going to call Todd and Anne this evening and that my stomach was demanding to be fed.

After stumbling out of bed and emptying my bladder I washed my face and brushed my teeth before making my way to my kitchen to see what was in the fridge. Reaching for the milk I unscrewed the cap and took a sniff before I took a drink. But I nearly gagged when I got a whiff. “UGH!” I grunted as I looked at the expiration date and saw that it was four days past. I poured it down the kitchen sink and looked for something else. One lone can of Coke and two slices of baloney. “Yeah, time to go to the grocery.” I muttered and then remembered that Barbra had said the same thing earlier in the morning. I couldn’t help but to wonder how her dinner for her son was taking shape. I reached for the phone and dialed up Todd and Anne’s number as I ate one of the slices of baloney and leaned up against my kitchen counter while the phone rang.

“Hello?” Todd grunted on the other end

“Hey man! What’s up?” I asked.

“Fro! Hey bud! Where the hell ya been pard? I’ve not seen you online in ages! I thought I’s gonna have ta send out a search party to find yo’ ass. Haha”

“Yeah.. don’t bother.. but of course you could send Anne looking for me if you wanted. “ I chuckled as I opened the can of coke. “How are you guys doing?”

“Ah could complain but it don’ do me no good. You know how it is, same ol shit different day.” Todd lamented.

“How’s Anne and the kids?” I asked as I peeled off another piece of baloney.

“Kids are good, Anne is tired as hell, she’s been working extra shifts because one’ the gals at work is off havin’ a baby. Ah’d rutha her be home of course, but at least the overtime money is good.”

“ Don’t mention overtime, Fuck! I’ve been doing too much of that myself. Last night was nine days strait without a day off. “

“ Yeah that sucks man. You workin t’night?” Todd asked.

“Nah, I’m not doing shit tonight” I paused and looked at my last slice of baloney in my hand and added, “Well, except go to the grocery maybe. I’m high and dry and the cupboard is empty.”

“Well I don’t now about yuh cubbuds but I know someone that would be willing to help out yuh high and dry situation. “ Todd chuckled. “ Well if she wasn’t working that is.”

“ She working again tonight? “ I asked after swallowing the last of my baloney.

“Yup, she’s finishing up with her hair right now… I’m standing her playing with her ass and she’s squirmin’.” He chuckled again.