<strong>Michael Winters</strong><br/><br/><strong>RIIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIIIING…</strong>The silk sheets spilled over Michael’s athletic form as he rolled over in his large, king-size bed with a petulent groan, swinging his arm over his body to reach for the phone blaring insistently at him, his strong hand fumbling sleepily for the handset. Finally knocking the receiver from it’s base, Michael curled his thick fingers around the handset and brought it to his ear as he squinted with burning eyes at the clock. 6:00 am.<br/><br/><strong>”Hello?’</strong>he answered groggily.<br/><br/><strong>”Happy Birthday, Michael. I hope you like the sheets I sent you?”</strong>a sweet, sultry, feminine voice answered on the other end of the phone. Michael’s rich brown eyes fluttered closed again and his lips curved into a big smile as he fell back into his bed cradling the phone to his ear.<br/><br/><strong>”Yes, these sheets are amazing Amber, thank you. You always give the best gifts. And how is my baby sister this morning?”</strong>His sister chuckled on the other end and then sighed sadly.<br/><br/><strong>”I miss my big brother. I’m thinking I might fly out for a visit soon, would you like that? I’m in Malibu on a photo shoot but I should be back home in a couple of weeks. I could see you then, if that’s okay with you? I don’t want to impose.”</strong>Michael threw the sheet off of his body and sat up on the side of the bed, rubbing his face and feeling the stubbled growth.<br/><br/><strong>”You could never impose on me, Amber. Anytime you want to come visit, my house and everything in it is yours, you hear me? You still have the key to my place, don’t you?”</strong>he asked as he stood up and shuffled to the master bath, as naked as you please.<br/><br/><strong>”Of course I do, Michael. Well, I'm glad to hear you say that. I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with my big brother."</strong>she sighed as she realized the time knowing Michael would need to start getting ready for work soon.<br/><br/><strong>"Well, I suppose I should let you get ready for work. You can’t keep all those impressionable, young, pretty high school girls waiting too long, right? That’d just be cruel.”</strong>Amber laughed playfully.<br/><br/><strong>”Yeah, whatever. You be careful and take careful of yourself Sis. I’ll see you in a few weeks.”</strong><br/><br/><strong>”Okay, I’ll see you then. Bye Michael. Love ya!”</strong><br/><br/><strong>”Love you too, Amber. Bye”</strong><br/><br/><em>Click</em>! Michael press the END button on the phone and tossed the handset on the bed from the bathroom door. He switched on the small bathroom radio and then turned the shower on to hot. An hour and a half later, Michael was dressed and headed out the door on his way to work. He was running a little behind schedule and hadn't bothered with the t.v. this morning, entirely missing the news piece concerning the riots on the west side of town.<br/><br/>He locked up and shoved the last bite of toast with strawberry jam into his mouth as he walked to his truck. He tossed his thermos full of coffee along with his leather briefcase containing all of his graded papers today's lesson plans, and play diagrams for the team onto the passenger side of the bench seat and climbed in. Keying the ignition, the truck (http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q61/mrgerty/Equipment/3138984_1_full.jpg) roared to life and Michael sped away on his way to Rockford High School. The radio blasted the latest country music hit and Michael sang along.<br/>