Abbey's Horoscope

Oh, no! Gasps Abbey

What is it? Lacey says looking past her magazine she was lazily perusing.

My daily horoscope reading says it's not advised that I leave the house today. I guess, I should call in today."

Lacy raises her eyebrow as Abbey reaches for her phone. "You're not serious?"

"I am." says Abbey.

"Lacey, you know I always go with my daily horoscope readings. Whenever I don't it's just always a lil' off."

"Umm I didn't and you're daffy." Says Lacey "You can't just call off work because of a paragraph on the internet." She says lightly scoffing and shaking her head.

"Hey, you believe bigfoot is a fourth deminsional being." Abbey points at Lacey." And I believe in this "daily article." She says placing her hand on her chest. "Statistically it has never steered me wrong."

"Never?" Pressed Lacey

"Never." Confirmed Abbey

Lacey tosses the magazine to the side rolling her eyes. She pulls on her grey knit sweater and throws her hair into a messy bun. "Well, you have things to do today Abbs. I'll see you at Mason's later yea." She says flinging her purse over her shoulder.

Abbey already listening to the rings on the other end of the phone absently waves at her roommate. "Penn and Myers Recruitment, this is Mary. How may I direct your call?

"Mary, It's Abbey I'm sorry to do this but I wont be able to make it in today."

"Abbey, please." Mary pleads on the other end. "You know we're short staffed as it is. Are you sure you can't make it? The big wigs are stopping in today." Mary whispered into her headset.

"I know Mary. Im so sorry but I think I have.. food poisoning. I havent been able to keep anything down." 

"Ok, I hope you feel better."

"Thank you Mare. Bye."

Mary breaths out a bye that was clipped by the tone of the receiver.

Abbey poured herself a bowl of cereal, grabbed the remote and settled in for a day snuggled in her plush throw blanket. Then she heard a loud crash right outside of her flat. Throwing the blanket aside she practically leapt to the window and there she saw a black sedan fleeing the scene. She ran out with her phone in hand yelling Hey! Stop! but the car was already rounding the corner onto the street. Just then another Hey! Comes hurdling toward her, a man on his bicycle nearly colliding with her. "Are you crazy!" She yells at the cyclist as he flips her the bird. "A-hole" she calls after him as she turns to go back inside. She begins to dial her insurance number when her screen flashes Mason Mahone across it.

"Hello honey, let me give you a ring back yea. I have to call my insur."

"Just real quick love. I wanted to make sure you remembered to be here AT four. We have to make that reservat." Abbey cuts off Mason

"Shoot, Mase we have to reschedule I cant make it today." Abbey says squeezing her eyes shut bracing herself for Mason's reply.

"What are you on about love?" My parents are on their way as we speak. Right now Abbey."

"Mase.." Abbey tries to interject.

"Remember, the whole reason for the reservation." Abbey can feel his frustration.

"I know Mase but.." she tries again

"My parents. Who are meeting you.. Today!"

 "Can we move it to tomorrow?" Abbey tries sweetly.

"You're joking. Im not laughing Abbs. You know my parents only visit once a year. We talked about this. This was planned, WE planned this."

"Mason i know b-but."

"But what?!" He says flustered. Abbey winces at his tone.

"My car just got hit."

"What?"

"Y-Yea this knob hit my parked car."

"Are you ok Abbey?" Mason's concern soften his harsh tone.

"Well, Im fine, I wasn't in the car."

"How bad is your car?"

"Im not sure it looks like the bumper is ruined. I have to see if my neighbor across the way got some footage of what happened." Abbey says looking out her window.

"Neighbor? You're home?"

"Well, yea. I called off today" Abbey says twirling the ends of her hair.

Why? Abbey imagined his sceptical face.

"Im... ill. Food poisoning I think."

"Abbey, we ate the same thing last night. I dont have food poisoning."

Abbey says nothing just puts her hands over her eyes. As if that could end this conversation.

"Abbey what's going on?"

"Nothing." Abbey says a little louder than she intended.

"Nothing, You called off work, your car "got hit" and you're trying to get out of meeting my parents tonight."

"Im not trying to get out of meeting them and my car did get hit Mason."

"Please, Abbey, take some medicine, get some rest and be here by four. Please I'm begging you. I have to go. I'll see you soon.

"Mason" Abbey called into the empty receiver

Abbey walked across her flat and had her hand on the door handle ready to walk to her neighbor's to ask if there was video of the car incident. She pauses. She thought about her parked car getting hit and then the cyclist almost running her over. Maybe I should just give her a call. Abbey don't be ridiculous she laughed at herself. It's just right across the way. Abbey cracked the door and stuck her head out. Laughing at herself again she opened the door and walked across to her neighbor's.

"Oh. My. God." Abbey stopped right next to her neighbor's lemon tree and touched the top of her head. She felt bird droppings in her hair and now sees it in her hands. "Oh my God, oh my God", she repeats to herself across her neighbors garden back into her flat and into her bathroom.

Abbey stared at herself through the fogged up mirror. She wiped away the condensation, still staring. I have a pimple right on my nose. Perfect! She shouted. After she got dressed she plopped down on her couch. Wrapped the throw around her as she had earlier feeling utterly exhausted. She felt her phone buzzing beside her. Mary Marsden flashed across the screen. "Hello." Abbey answered almost groaning.

" Oh, jeez. You do sound awful" says Mary.

Abbey rolls her eyes.

"Anywho, I know you aren't feeling well but i just wanted to call and tell you myself. I got a promotion!"

"My goodness, Mary. Thats amazing. What happened." Abbey forced out.

"Well, remember when we were discussing ways that we could be more efficient such as the onboarding process"

"Yea." Says Abbey slowly lifting off the couch.

"And the new survey to vet through the bogus resume's." Mary continues. "Yea. My idea" says Abbey.

" It was a collaborative effort Abbey, well the big wigs loved it and want to come up with a plan to implement them and they asked me to come on board." Mary stopped expectantly waiting for Abbey's congratulations. Abbey could hear the jingles of jewelry bouncing through her phone. "But those were my ideas." Escaped Abbey's mouth before she could stop it. The jingling stopped. "Abbey. I thought you'd be happy for me and like I said we all had those ideas."

Abbey said nothing "Look, maybe it's because you're not feeling well. I dont know but I dont understand this reaction from you."

Abbey still silent

"My mum is calling me i have to go." Mary hung up with one last jingle. Abbey wrapped the blanket around her again tightly. Wishing she could become the contents of the blanket. A stitch, a fiber, a piece of lint. Anything besides being Abigail Aberdeen.

 Overwhelmed, angry and out of sorts she cried herself to sleep.

 "Abigail!" Abbey startled awake. "Oh, no, what time is it?" Oh no is right! Scolded Lacey. "You missed it, I thought for sure "No, not Abbey shes daft but she's not thick! You're thick! I can't believe you. We were all there." Lacey threw a small box into Abbey's blanket.

"You stood up your fiancé and his parents. Your parents and everyone at the bloody dinner!"

Abbey picked up the box and opened it. A shiny diamond stared back at her.

"Well, he was suppose to be your fiance' i can't believe you because of a stupid horoscope. "

Abbey frantically starts looking for her phone forty-two missed calls. Abbey tries to call Mason and explain to Lacey "Lacey. I...Hello... Please leave your. Oh bullocks." Abbey tries again. "He won't answer. Heart. Broken."Lacey annunciates each letter. Then turns and slams her door to her room. "Mason, please answer." Beep. Abbey hangs up and opens her internet browser. The horoscope glaring at her. The advice she was so eager to follow to make sure nothing went wrong today. Wait today.There in black and white. That is not today's date. This is yesterday's horoscope.

   Today's horoscope: Go out and enjoy your day Cancer today will bring forth major opportunities and new beginnings.