Yesterday, While In The Midst

My phone is set to a progressive ringtone, and when I'm involved in a successful Spider solitaire game, my phone is making lots of complicated noises by the time I get to it on the third ring.

There's not a name on the caller ID because it's not in my phone. I don't recognize the number.

"Oh, hey. I didn't wake you, did I?"

(slightly confused but not sloggy or fuzzy) "No."

"Oh. Darn. Well, this is Holly." My little sister's got her own cell and she doesn't call me very often.

"Hey, HJ. What's up?"

"I just bet Curtis that you and Just'In wouldn't be awake right now. That you'd be in bed."

I glance at the clock. It's only 10:22. "Uh, no. We usually go to bed around 12:30 or so nowadays. But Just'In was asleep around this time yesterday. What're you guys doing anyway?"

"Oh, just sitting around the table, talking."

"And what'd you bet him? Just curious."

"This rubber band."

"Is it like a special-shaped rubber band or something?"

"No, I was just playing with it and I bet him. It's just a normal rubber band."