Chapter 3 - The Coffee Machine Dies
The first night without power was merely an inconvenience, an annoyance that Gavin and Alyssa brushed off as an act of nature. They slept with the windows propped open, swatting at summer mosquitoes while Alyssa complained endlessly about the humidity ruining her freshly blown-out hair.
""She probably went to her church group,"" Alyssa muttered into her pillow at midnight. ""You know how dramatic your mother gets. She probably packed a little bag just to make you feel guilty for setting boundaries.""
""Yeah,"" Gavin agreed, staring up at the dark ceiling fan that refused to spin. ""She always does that passive-aggressive routine. Tomorrow morning she'll come walking through that door with a bag of cheap bagels, apologize, and reset the circuit breakers.""
Except tomorrow morning brought no bagels. And it brought no power.
At 6:00 AM, Alyssa’s phone alarm blared with an ear-splitting buzz. She groaned, stumbled out of bed, and walked into the kitchen, blindly reaching for the power switch on her twelve-hundred-dollar Italian espresso machine.
Nothing happened.
She clicked the toggle switch back and forth. She unplugged the heavy cord and plugged it into a different outlet above the counter. Nothing.
""Gavin!"" she shrieked, her voice bouncing through the humid house. ""Get out here right now!""
Gavin stumbled into the kitchen, his hair disheveled and his eyes bloodshot from a miserable night of sweating against cotton sheets. ""What is it now, Alyssa?""
""The power isn't back on! My meeting with the regional director is in two hours, and I can't even make an espresso! Look at the street!"" She pointed violently through the kitchen window.
Gavin squinted into the bright morning sunlight.
Across the street, Mrs. Higgins was casually watering her petunias with a humming garden hose, her porch light glowing bright yellow against the morning gloom. Next door, the Henderson family’s air conditioning condenser hummed smoothly, sending ripples of cool condensation down their exterior siding.
Every single house on the block had full power.
""That doesn't make any sense,"" Gavin muttered, rushing to the front entryway to inspect the electrical breaker box behind the coat closet. He pulled the metal door open and examined the neat rows of black switches. Every single breaker was in the 'ON' position.
""Did you pay the bill, Gavin?"" Alyssa demanded, crossing her arms tightly, her voice rising into an accusatory pitch.
""Of course the bill was paid!"" Gavin snapped defensively, though a sudden bead of cold sweat formed at the base of his neck. ""I... well, I mean, the household bills are always handled. It’s an automated system!""
""An automated system tied to whose account, Gavin?"" Alyssa stepped closer, her eyes narrowing into cold slits. ""Because whenever I ask you for your half of the mortgage and utilities, you always tell me that living with your mother is 'virtually free' because of family arrangements! You told me this house was practically an inheritance!""
""It is an inheritance!"" Gavin shouted, his face turning red. ""I'm her only child! Everything here is going to be mine anyway!""
""Well, right now, your 'inheritance' smells like spoiled milk and rotting shrimp!"" Alyssa screamed, slamming the freezer door shut as another trickle of warm water spilled onto her bare feet. ""Call the power company! Now!""
Gavin fumbled with his phone, leaning against the front door where the cellular signal was marginally stronger. He dialed the customer service number for AEP Ohio, listening to the agonizing elevator music for twenty-five minutes before an automated voice finally answered.
""Thank you for calling AEP Ohio. Please enter your account number or the telephone number associated with your service address.""
Gavin tapped in his cell phone number.
""We're sorry. That telephone number is not associated with any active account. Please enter the primary account holder's nine-digit account number.""
""I don't have the account number!"" Gavin yelled at the automated system. ""Representative! Speak to a person!""
After another ten minutes of agonizing hold music, a polite representative came on the line.
""Good morning, thank you for calling AEP. My name is Brenda. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?""
""Hi, Brenda, yes, my power is out at 742 Maplewood Drive,"" Gavin said rapidly, trying to sound authoritative. ""There must be some kind of clerical error. Every house on my street has electricity except mine. I need a technician dispatched immediately.""
""Certainly, sir. Let me pull up that service address,"" Brenda said, the sound of keyboard clicking audible in the background. ""Can you confirm the name on the account?""
""Gavin Campbell.""
A brief pause. ""I don't see a Gavin Campbell listed as an authorized party, sir.""
""It's my house!"" Gavin snapped, losing his patience. ""Try Walter Campbell. Or Martha Campbell.""
""Ah, yes. Here it is. The account is registered under Martha Campbell,"" Brenda stated calmly. ""However, Mr. Campbell, there is no technical outage at this location.""
""Then why are my lights off?!""
""Service was terminated yesterday afternoon at the customer's direct request,"" Brenda explained cheerily. ""The automatic payment profile was deleted, and the primary account holder submitted an official shut-off order due to an extended vacancy.""
Gavin’s breath caught in his throat. His knees felt suddenly weak. ""What did you just say?""
""The account holder closed the account, sir. If you would like to establish new service in your name, there is a standard three-hundred-dollar security deposit, plus a background credit check, and the earliest available activation date is next Tuesday.""
""Next Tuesday?!"" Gavin roared. ""Today is Thursday! I can't live without electricity until Tuesday!""
""I'm very sorry, sir, but those are our standard processing times for new residential accounts. Would you like me to transfer you to our credit department?""
Gavin didn't answer. He let the phone drop from his hand, the screen clattering against the hardwood floor.
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Alyssa was standing three feet away, watching him with an expression of pure, unadulterated venom. ""Well? When are they turning it back on?""
Gavin looked at his wife, his mouth opening and closing like a fish pulled out of water. ""She... she canceled the account, Alyssa. Mom shut it off.""
