The phone rang, waking David up from his slumber. He leaned over and grabbed the phone from the charger, noting the time on the clock. “Hello?”

  "Howdy, Raven."

  He smiled. “Hey Francis, how are you?”

  "I'm okay, darlin', but what about you?

  I just heard the news from someone at the meeting yesterday. I'm really sorry 'bout your job, how ya' holding up?"

  David sighed. “It doesn’t feel real. And now I’m having freaky dreams on top of it.”

  “Oh my, you poor dear… I've spoken with Chris and a few others at the meetin’, and they offered to lend you a hand if you need it.”

  Happy to keep things off topic, David asked, “Who else have you told? I know Chris, I get why you told him, but why would strangers have any interest in my problems?”

  "A young lady goes by the name Rowan who works in your office. She mentioned seein' you walk out on the day they laid all them folks off. She is a member of that alternative lifestyle group at your workplace. She done heard someone mentionin' your name in the hall. She reckoned it was you that I've been talkin' 'bout at the meetin's."

  David sat up against the headboard. “You’ve been talking about me at your meetings?”

  Francis let out a bubbly laugh. "Now don't ya' get too worked up, Raven. I simply mentioned your name and how I've been tryin' to persuade you to join us. These folks all have their own journeys with cross-dressin' and they know just how daunting it can be."

  David relaxed. “Oh, okay. Did the girl you mentioned keep her job then?”

  "I don't rightly know. She said she was fixin' to figure it all out today. She's some sort of manager and I reckon they're supposed to find out after y'all get your papers."

  David nodded. “Yeah, they had to lay us off before they got the boot themselves.”

  With a worried lilt to her voice, Francis asked, "What are you up to today, darling? And why ever did you not ring me back last night?"

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  He let his head fall back against the board. “I really wasn’t up to company yesterday. I just came home and put down a case of beer. Sadly, all I got for the effort is a splitting headache and some crazy dreams.”

  "Well, bless your heart. How are you feelin' today, darlin'? Do you reckon you're still up for company? No need to push yourself if you ain't feelin' up to it. We can always skip Maria's tonight."

  He shook his head. “No, that’s fine thanks. I can’t sit around all day feeling sorry for myself. I need to clean up and all, but then I can meet you all at Maria’s around, say, five this evening?”

  Francis' voice perked up, sugary sweet as ever. "Well, aren't you just a blessin', Raven dear. We'll be right there with ya, and don't worry 'bout a thing… drinks are on us. And if you're feelin' the need to keep drownin' them sorrows, honey, I can take ya home myself. No need for ya' to be drivin'."

  The line went quiet for a moment, then she came back, "In fact, why don't you just stay put and I'll swing by 'round four-ish? We can rendezvous at Maria's with the others."

  He smiled to himself. “Thanks, that will work out great. I can talk to you about all the dreams in the car on the way to the bar.”

  "I'll gladly lend you an ear, sugar."

  Her tone softened. "Darlin', don't let all of this get you down. Everything will work out in the end, just you wait and see."

  He smiled, grateful for the encouragement. “Thanks, I sure hope it does. I’ve got to get ready and go back to clean out my things. I’ll see you this evening, okay?”

  “Okay sugar, I’ll swing by this evenin’.”

  “Bye.”

  He ended the call, let the quiet settle, and reached for the radio—anything to fill the silence.

  The DJ's voice crackled through the radio, delivering the latest news update. "NASA has officially confirmed that the moon bombing experiment will proceed as planned, despite the presence of protesters demonstrating outside the gates of the launch site," he mentioned in his usual composed tone. "The missile deployment is intended to analyze the water content in the moon's polar caps."

  The DJ's voice filled the background as David shuffled through his morning routine. He dressed hastily, feeling the weight of the day bearing down on him. He got into his car and started the engine, anxiously waiting for the garage door to open.

  When it finally did, the bright sunlight flooded in and intensified his headache, mocking his already somber mood.

  He pulled out of the driveway and onto the street, the radio continuing its broadcast. “In other news, a recent survey shows that public opinion is divided on the upcoming lunar experiment. Supporters argue that it could lead to significant scientific discoveries, while opponents are concerned about the ethical implications…”

  David's thoughts drifted as he drove, the familiar route to his office bringing a mix of nostalgia and bitterness. Fourteen years of routine, now broken. He sighed, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

  As he pulled into the office parking lot, the radio host's voice broke through his reverie. “And now, we have an interview with Sara Williams, who is leading the protests against the NASA experiment. Good afternoon, Sara. How are you doing today?”

  David didn’t hear her answer. He was already reaching for the door handle, jaw set, heart numb.