1.7 | Something New

It was finally warming up in Lucky Palms, and I was glad. It was nice to walk outside and feel the sun warming my skin as opposed to being assaulted by icy cold wind. Work got to be busier than usual and I was working overtime a lot. I couldn’t complain because it meant extra pay and getting to know my co workers a bit better. I still missed working with the people at the corp, but I was starting to like quite a few of my new co workers. 

One day after work, I didn’t want to go home, but I was amped up from a new coffee machine that the boss had installed. I’d taken advantage of it and was paying for it with an insane caffeine boost. I thought about calling Sammi to see if she wanted to hang out, but I figured she was probably working. Her new job was taking a lot of her time too. I thought back to the last time I’d seen her which was when she found out that she had gotten the job, then I remembered the things she had said about Naomi. It still irked me when I thought about it. Naomi seemed perfectly nice to me.

So I called her.

Naomi picked up on the second ring. “Naomi Nita, speaking.”

“Hey, Naomi? This is Jin. We met at the art gallery?” I said, hoping she’d remember me.

“Hey, neighbor!” She said happily. I could hear her shuffling papers and moving things around. I wondered if she was at work too. “How are you?”

“I’m great.” I said, and realized it was the first time I had said ‘great’ instead of ‘good’ in response to that question.  “I was just … well, this might sound weird since we only met the once, but I was wondering if you wanted to hang out? Everyone else I know is busy, and you seem nice.” I thought I sounded like a total goober, but I was trying to get better at reaching out to people. I knew it was something Ginger wanted for me – she always thought I was too introverted.

“That sounds awesome!” Naomi replied happily. “Meet me at the park? The one with the soccer field. Also, prepare to get in a work out.”

She hung up before I could reply and I laughed softly. Naomi did seem kind of nutty, but in a very good way.

I stopped off by my house to change clothes and by the time I got to the park, Naomi was already there, waiting with a soccer ball balanced under one foot.

“Hey, goalie!” She called and then nodded her head towards the net. “C’mon, take your position.”

I smiled. “Naomi, I have no idea how to play soccer.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re the goalie – you just keep the ball from getting past you. Now, ready?”

I shrugged my shoulders and stood where she told me. After I got the hang of Naomi’s strong kicks and got over being afraid of the ball whacking me in the face, I started to have fun. After a while of playing, we switched positions and my kicks weren’t nearly as powerful. I made a mental note to get in some leg workouts.

Finally, we stopped and Naomi came over to me, laughing.

“You’re practically a pro!” She said and I shook my head.

“Not hardly. But I had fun.”

“Me too.” She smiled. “I’m glad you called! Y’know, I’ve almost stopped by your house a few times but usually by the time I pull myself out of research and stuff, it’s 4 am and normal people are sleeping.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Research?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I work at the science facility and I usually end up bringing projects home. Plus, I study different stuff for my blog.”

Sammi had mentioned the blog. I had been meaning to check it out, but I hadn’t found time since starting my new job. “Your blog?”

“Oh don’t act like you haven’t heard about it,” She said with a sigh. “Everyone thinks I’m nuts for it, but I like to think that they’ll thank me one day.”

I laughed nervously. “Okay, I have heard of it. But I haven’t read it. And I don’t think you’re nuts.”

“Thanks, but you haven’t read it.” She laughed. “I cover everything from zombie invasions to alien abductions. Also, I’ve been finding these really weird rocks around town and when I tested them at the lab, they came back as unrecognized!”

I frowned. “What do you mean unrecognized?”

“I mean that whatever they’re made of isn’t found on earth’s periodic table. It’s something entirely new, and completely foreign. I’m working on a paper about it and I’m thinking about trying to get published in a science journal.”

I stared at her with wide eyes. Naomi wasn’t a nut job, she was brilliant! So what if she believed in kooky things. I was raised Buddhist, and some people would think that’s kooky. I smiled at her. “Naomi, that’s great! I mean, that’s a huge find. Of course you’ll get published.”

“Hopefully.” She shrugged nonchalantly as if it wasn’t a big deal. Then she looked at her watch. “Speaking of, I have to go. I left something incubating! But Jin, I had fun. We should hang out again soon, okay?”

“Okay.” I said, then thought about my new work schedule and how it had been completely unpredictable lately. I had no idea when I would be free again. Even scheduled off days hadn’t been completely safe lately. “I’ll call you, okay? Maybe even at 4 am.” I laughed.

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Did you just offer me a booty call?”

I choked. “What? No! I meant … cos you said …!”

“Hahaha!” She laughed. “I’m just kidding! I know what you meant! Okay, bye.”

Then she jogged off.

I was left dumbfounded.

I returned home and immediately showered and changed clothes. I was dirty and sweaty from playing soccer with Naomi. Then I remembered to go out and check the mail. I hadn’t checked in three days due to being so busy with work.

Thankfully, there was a letter from Ginger. I was so excited I tossed the other mail down on the ground and ripped the letter open to read then and there. My hands shook. I had been so absorbed with my life that I had forgotten the joy of hearing from her, my beloved Ginger.

“Dear Jin,

If you’ve been paying attention – and I’m sure you have – my letters are coming further and further apart. That’s because I’m trying to say goodbye. I’m not entirely sure how many more letters I’ll be able to send you, but I know that there’s a lot I need to make amends for. I owe you so many apologies for so much. That’s why I wanted you to live again. Because you deserve to. Because I took so much away from you. I never regretted marrying you, Jin. That day was the happiest day of my life. But sometimes, I wondered if you regretted marrying me. I should have been more supportive of your passions. I’m sorry for always fussing at you to get a “real” job. I’m sorry for pushing you to be more extroverted. I’m sorry for not just loving and accepting you for everything you are. When I think about all of that, I truly hate myself.

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to write all that at once. I guess I just feel like time is slipping away from me. It’s funny how death has followed me all this time.

I want you to be happy, Jin. Are you happy? I pray you are.

Don’t waste this life, Jin. This wonderful chance at a second life. Please don’t let it slip through your artistic fingers.

I love you.
All my love, Ginger.”

I re-read the letter several times, shaking. I wanted to cry but I fought it all back. I was so confused. Why would Ginger say things like that? She had been a wonderful woman, a wonderful wife. She never tried to change me, or at least I never felt like she did. I had so many unanswered questions and again I thought to call Alestair, but I knew he woldn’t give me any answers. Ginger wanted to do that on her own time.

I was going crazy wondering how Ginger knew her death was coming. Was she sick? Or God forbid, had she done something to harm herself? I knew I wouldn’t be able to live if she had killed herself because I was dead. But how else would someone know that their time is coming to an end?

I was shaken from my thoughts by a strange sound. I tried to ignore it, but it assaulted my eardrums in a weird way, like it slithered into my head and made my brain vibrate. Clutching Ginger’s letter, I walked a little ways down the street, trying to find the source of the sound. 

Finally, I realized it was coming from … above me?

That’s the last thing I remember before I blacked out.