"Eye!"

            Michelle called out, “Ephie! It’s five-twenty-fve!”

            I jerked my head up to look at the clock. Ugh. These early shifts are killing me. Throat’s a mess. Head’s groggy. Shower didn’t do much to wake me up.

            I ended up being about five minutes late, after flying down the highway. Good thing barely anybody’s awake in this city before six. Still, Ugh.

            Of course, the flip side is I get to come home early. When I walked in the door Celia was busy playing with our cat, sitting on its new scratching post. She hardly looked up at me.

            “Celia! I’m home!” I called out.

            She glanced over at me, then back at the cat. Hmm. Not the usual big welcome I’ve been used to. What’s up with that?

            I dropped all my stuff and lay down on the couch. “Celia! Come ‘ere!”

            Celia came tottering over with an inquisitive look on her face.

            “Hi sweetie.” I picked her up and sat her on my chest.

            “Eye!” she said, and poked my left eye.

            I laughed. Haven’t seen that one before.

            So, the verdict is still out on this morning shift. I think I’m going to go take my baby for a jog, while there’s still light. Maybe that’s the only real perk, so far. Daylight when I come home in the winter.