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I raised my eyebrow, not understanding.
“Vic and I wanted to give it to you so you know you’re welcome any time at our house. No more knocking.”
I stifled a laugh. Was she serious? After that dinner, I knew without a doubt Vic wanted nothing to do with me. My mouth opened in protest but she was too quick. She grabbed my palm and placed the small, shiny gold object in my hand. I looked at it like it was a spider about to bite me.
“I’m serious, Grace.” A beat passed between us, no words being said, and then Lennox glanced up. “Oh shit, it’s really pouring out here, isn’t it? I better get back before Vic assumes I drowned. Are you good to get home? Do you need a ride?”
“I’m okay but this key—”
“Don’t say another word. You’re family.” Lennox turned around and sprinted back to the restaurant, her body disappearing like a ghost in the rain.
It was only a little after evening, but with the injured, angry sky and my injured, angry heart, I was ready to crawl into bed and never wake up. I didn’t care that it was pouring and I was getting soaked as I walked up the few stairs to the apartment. I didn’t care that it took me five tries to get the key in the lock or that the rain pelted me as I tried. I welcomed it. I welcomed the water. It felt cleansing.
I dripped all over the nice, light wood floors. As I placed my keys on the counter, I dripped on them too. I felt like my soul was leaking, like finally it had filled up too much and burst.
One key remained with me: the key Lennox had given me. I didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t feel right adding it to my keychain; that would be acknowledging that it belonged there, that it belonged with me. At the same time I didn’t feel right throwing it away. So, it remained in key limbo, a weight in my pocket heavier than the key itself.
In my self-pity I guess I didn’t pay attention to what room I was going into. I pushed open what I thought was my room, prepared to fall into my bed. I didn’t care if I was still wet; I just wanted to disappear.
Naked.
Naked and doing things. In the brief seconds that I was stunned to the floor, wondering what the heck was going on in my room and why it was going on, I saw a very naked Vera, touching herself, moaning, and doing some very creative things with a phallic shaped object.
Then I realized I didn’t own a colorful bedspread or a purple lamp.
“I’m sorry!” I covered my eyes and ran out of the room. With my eyes still covered, I ran into the couch and then into the kitchen counter. I was like a chicken with no head. “I’m so sorry!” I yelled again, my eyes still covered.
“Grace!” I heard Vera’s voice behind me, but I kept my eyes closed.
“Vera, I’m so sorry!” I refused to uncover my eyes. I felt like such a sneak.
“Grace, for the love of god just lower your hands. I promise I’m not naked anymore.”
I unpeeled my hands from my face. Vera stood in front of me, butt naked. “You liar!” I covered my eyes again. I heard her laughter fade away with her footfalls.
I stood in the same spot, wet, with my hands over my eyes. Even as Vera’s footfalls returned, I stayed motionless like a statue.
“Okay, I’m really not naked any more.”
“I don’t believe you,” I muttered through my hands.
“I had to run out and catch you before I could put something on! You looked like you saw a ghost or something. It’s nothing you’ve never seen before.”
I guffawed, hands still over my eyes. “I’ve never seen that.”
I felt Vera’s cool hands gently removing them from my face. I held them firm. Eventually she gave up.
“Calm down. Have you really never seen that? Don’t you watch porn? Or, you know, do it yourself?”
I swallowed. Did I watch porn? Did I touch myself?
No.
“Remember how I said I had a job in the works?”
I squinted, opening my fingers like blinds. I peeked through them and saw she was wearing clothes, so I slowly started lowering my hands. “Yes.”
Vera shrugged, smiling. “You just walked in on it.”
