The midday sun streams through my blinds, golden light piercing my eyelids and finally waking me from my deep slumber. I let out a long, drawn-out yawn, stretching my arms up and letting them flop back down into the bed. I open my eyes, not even needing to rub the sleep from them, and turn to my clock. 

It’s 11:17am. 

“Nice,” I mutter, turning back to face the ceiling and closing my eyes again. I knew I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep after that incredible night’s sleep, but it didn’t hurt to rest my eyes a bit more. 

My short-lived late morning peace was abruptly ruined when my phone vibrated on my bedside table. I let it buzz for a few seconds, ignoring the call. Eventually, it stopped, and my room was once again filled with nothing but the sound of faintly rustling sheets as I manoeuvre myself into a more comfortable position. 

The phone rings again. 

I groan, rubbing my forehead and briefly pulling on my hair, turning over and grabbing my phone. I don’t even look at who the caller is before pushing the answer button, and lifting the phone to my ear, laying back down as I do. 

“Hello?” 

“Charles!” yells the voice on the line. “Where the fuck are you? Why haven’t you answered your phone for hours?” 

I sigh, closing my eyes. “Good morning to you too, Nelson.” 

“Answer the questions!” 

“I forgot what they were.” 

“Where are you, dipshit?” 

I hang up. 

Not five seconds later, it rings again. I answer it. 

“Hello?” 

“Is this a joke to you, Charles?” 

“Oh, hi Nelson.” 

I can almost hear the sound of steam leaving his ears at this point. “Get. To. The. Office. Now!” 

“What office?” I yawn again, forcing myself to swing my legs over the side of the bed and slip on my waiting slippers. 

“This isn’t funny. There’ll be serious consequences if you aren’t here in the next fifteen minutes.” 

I walk to the en suite, turning on the lights and the exhaust fan, stripping my pyjamas and tossing them into the laundry basket. I turn on the shower and place my phone on the edge of the sink, turning it to speaker mode. “Fifteen minutes? I haven’t even taken my morning shit yet. That’ll take at least thirty minutes.” 

“Alright, smart-ass. You’ve just guaranteed yourself no Christmas bonus this year.” I can barely hear him over the shower, and steam starts to fill the room. I step in, lathering myself up with soap. 

“Oh dear, whatever shall I do with no two percent bonus?” 

“I swear, I am this close to firing you!” 

“Well, I’m not coming to the office, no matter how much of a tantrum you throw, so why don’t you go ahead and do it?” 

The phone goes silent. I pump the shampoo bottle twice, before rubbing it into my short hair, making sure my hands are covered in foam before washing it all off. “Is it because your tiny brain knows that I’m the only person who can run the machinery?” 

“We can always find other people to do your job, Charles. It’s unskilled work.” 

“Oh good! You won’t have an issue if I quit, then.” I rinse myself off, shutting the shower off and stepping out, wrapping a towel around my body.  

“You still need to come in. Two weeks’ notice doesn’t make you exempt from working.” 

“Oh, no I’m not putting in my two weeks’ notice. I quit today. This morning actually.” 

“Charles, you need to teach another team member how to operate the machines before you leave.” 

“I thought it was unskilled work?” 

More silence. I finish drying myself, putting the towel back onto the rack, and stepping outside to get dressed in my most comfy home clothes. “I’ll tell you what. As a compromise, I’ll write a very polite email letting upper management know why your team’s progress has come to a standstill. I’m sure they’ll be very happy to know the reason I left the company.” 

“Is that a threat, you asshole?” 

“A threat? I just told you it was going to be a very polite email!” 

“You piece of utter fu—” 

I hang up and immediately block his number. Out of curiosity, I check my call logs. 

Thirty-four missed calls. 

I smile to myself and toss my phone onto the bed, walking out into the living room and opening the balcony door, the sound of chirping birds and the occasional car driving down the street filling my apartment. I plant myself down onto the couch and pick up the book I was reading off the coffee table, turning to the page with one corner folded in. 

Today was going to be a great day.