The Hum of the World by Grant Wamack

Author:Grant Wamack [Grant Wamack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nictitating Books
Published: 2023-04-13T00:00:00+00:00

TIME TO SHINE

Josephine Wilson opened the door to her home and was greeted by darkness. She tossed her keys on the living room table, hoping to push back the fresh memory of her audition gone terribly wrong. She remembered the stoic faces, her gym shoes squeaking on the freshly-waxed stage, the pens scribbling on lined paper, important people judging her as she choked, forgetting her lines on this day of all days, her 25th birthday.

“I need a drink,” she mumbled aloud, searching for the light switch on the wall.

On cue, the lights flipped on, and a melee of familiar faces jumped out of nowhere, shouting and screaming happy birthday. Pink and white confetti rained down from the ceiling. There was the mandatory cake, massive balloons, smiling faces of friends who might as well be family members, and of course the man who orchestrated this event, her stunning husband, Ezra.

Josephine hugged him and kissed him full on the lips, taking in the pine scent of his well-groomed beard. She playfully tugged on the black gauges embedded in his ears.

“I love you,” she whispered. “Thank you for doing this.”

House music filled every crevice inside the two-story home and people danced while others took part in meaningless conversation. Josephine moved around on her toes, nearly forgetting her audition, and relished the joyful energy thrumming through the air. She opened small gifts and started downing shots a she tossed aside elaborate ribbons and birthday-themed wrapping paper.

Ezra cleaned up the mess without a word, always showing his love and support through his actions rather than his words. He was never a huge talker, but she liked her men somewhat quiet. It felt like she had access to a secret person the rest of the world overlooked. He took her soft hand in his, squeezed it, and led her out back to their wooden deck.

“Why are we going outside babe?”

He smiled at her and led her down the steps into their modest backyard enclosed by palm trees and large shrubs with fairy lights adorning the green foliage. The house music grew faint and dead leaves crushed under the weight of their footsteps.

“This sounds stupid to say out loud, but I feel like a princess,” she exclaimed, almost drunkenly tripping over a twig as she looked up at the night sky full of stars. They pulsed with an intense light, hurting her eyes and making her dizzy.

“Whoa there.” He steadied her, wrapping his hands around her waist. “I have a surprise for you. Something you've always wanted.”

“Ezra, you’ve already done more than enough. I feel great. My friends are here. You got me a boatload of gifts. What else could I possibly need on a night like this?”

“Fame and fortune,” he grinned. The shadows fell on his face in strange ways, perverting his handsome features into something hard and sharp. Something she barely recognized as the man she called her lover. “The works.”

Josephine's brown eyes lit up, riding the high, then suddenly dulled. “You have to be kidding, right?”

“No, no, not at all.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.