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Eli opened the front door of West and Penn's house while balancing the coffee tray and donut box. He wasn't sure if Holly wanted to eat, but at least the donuts would be there if she needed a snack.
"Hey, guys." He gently pushed the door closed with his foot. "I've got the java. Decaf, though."
Holly cuddled next to Penn on their cozy blue couch. She glanced up at him. “Hey.”
West got up from his easy chair and took the tray. "Thanks, D." He placed it in the middle of the coffee table.
"There's creamer and sugar in the bag. I wasn't sure if anyone was hungry, but I bought donuts." Eli set the box down on the table and took a seat at the end of the couch.
"Thanks, Eli." Holly shot him a grateful look. She dumped a creamer and sugar into her coffee. “I needed this.”
"Of course." He glanced around the room. "Where's the kitty?"
"In one of the guest bedrooms with some food and a litter box," Penn told him. "We didn't want her to get freaked out."
"I still can't believe this," Holly mumbled. "I just can't wrap my head around it. What am I supposed to do next? I know I have to contact the insurance company, but I don't even have clothes."
"We're going to help you," West assured her. “Our house is your house.”
"I appreciate that, but I can't stay here. I don’t know how long it will take until I can find another apartment. Maybe the renter's insurance covers a hotel for a period of time. That would help."
"You aren't staying in a hotel." Penn waved a hand. "You don't want strangers coming in and out to clean with Miss there. You'll stay here. We'll figure out the Bo situation."
"Ugh," Holly muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Guys, I appreciate the offer, but this is Bo's home. I'm not going to have you banish him to the basement or go to the puppy ranch for who knows how long until I can get my shit together. It's not fair to him."
"The student I sublet my apartment to for the summer is moving out in a month," Penn told her. "When she leaves, you are welcome to the place. It's less rent than you were paying before, and it's furnished. We just have to get you through the next thirty days."
"You can stay with me," Eli offered, picking up a coffee from the tray. "I have plenty of room."
Holly sighed. "No, I can't."
He held up both hands in front of him. "I just want to help, Wilkes. And you do have the feature to write. I was going to spend a lot of time with you over the next thirty days because of that, anyway. It isn't a bad idea."
"A feature to write when I don't even have a computer," she said with a sigh, then took another sip of her coffee. "This is a nightmare."
"It will all work out. Just take me up on the offer."
Holly rubbed her forehead. "Listen, I appreciate everything you guys are trying to do for me, okay? But I just want to go to sleep. My eyes are killing me, and I'm so exhausted I can't even think. Can we talk about this in the morning?"
"Of course." Penn squeezed Holly's hand, then leaned over to study her face. "Babe, your eyes look weird. Like they are drooping or something."
Holly stood. "Sometimes that happens when I'm tired. I'm going to crash for a few hours. See you guys in the morning."
She disappeared down the hall as Eli settled back in the recliner with his coffee. "I've never seen her look so defeated. What happened sucks, but she's always so full of fight, and that fight is gone."
"I know what you mean," Penn murmured. "She's always been a rolling stone. And she's never been attached to things or places. I didn't expect her to be quite so rattled. When Holly's upset, she rarely shows it. I'm used to her game face in every situation, and that's gone, too."
"Yeah, but you told me before that she really liked that apartment," West pointed out. "That it was the first place that ever felt like home to her."
"True."
West turned his gray gaze in Eli's direction. "Were you serious about her moving in with you, D?
"Yeah. She's been through some shit, and she needs her friends to step up and help."
"Is that what you are?" Penn asked, giving him a small smile. "Her friend?"
