Marlon.
I walkedin to hear the loudest, worst singing of my life.
“Fuck,this movie is so good! Again!”
“We already watched it twice, Ms. Rodriguez,” the TaskRabbit guy said, slouched into my couch like he paid bills here.
Rory stood in front of the TV, one hand on her hip, the other waving dramatically at the screen.
“But you are not getting the context of the movie!” she snapped, turning on him. “You have to understand the complexities of Tiana being a Black woman at the time and what it meant for her to open up a restaurant with no help! From her own damn pockets!”
“We understand that, Ms. Rodriguez—” Lavender tried, standing near the armrest with a blanket folded awkwardly in her hands.
“Do you see what they said about her background?”
“Yes. I?—”
“What the fuck are y’all three doing in my house?!”
My voice cut through everything. Rory turned immediately and smiled.
“Oh good! You’re home! I was just about to restart! Wanna watch?”
I stepped further in, taking in the mess with a slow sweep of my eyes—blankets on the floor and pillows thrown around.
“Aurora,” I said, voice flat. “Why are you in my house? And why in God’s name is the place a mess?!”
“We were looking for blankets,” she waved me off. “In here is freezing. Plus Chewy needed a place to nap.”
I looked in the corner and sure enough, the rat was on my blanket, snoozing away.
“I know you ain’t got that Goddamn dog on my shit.”
“What was I supposed to do, Marlon? The two of us were cold after you hosed us off!”
I looked her over and she was definitely in something new. “Cut the bullshit. I know you showered after that. You just wanted to fuck with me because I told you no.”
“I told her not to come here sir but she wouldn’t listen—” Lavender added quickly.
“If I were you, I’d shut it.”
Her mouth closed immediately, eyes dropping.
“Rude!” Rory snapped, turning back to me. “How would you like it if someone spoke to you like you speak to her?”
“You shut it too,” I said, stepping closer. “All y’all clean this shit up and get out!”
“I don’t get paid enough for this,” the TaskRabbit guy muttered, already grabbing the things off the ground, throwing them on the couch next to Lavender and heading out the door. Lavender started folding immediately.
“I’m not your maid,” Rory said, folding her arms.
“You made the mess!”
“Calm down, Marley.” She walked right up to me and poked me in the chest. “None of this would’ve happened if you let me come over when I asked.”
Usually, this was a kind of foreplay for us. I let her get away with a lot of brattish behavior but she took it upon herself to invite an audience. And this audience worked for me. I couldn’t just let my staff see me give her special privileges. Actions have consequences.
“Aurora.”
