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When I give her a long look, she adds hotly, “Of my own volition.”
I try to feel guilty about enforcing my decision on her but I can only find satisfaction inside. “Fine.”
My answer obviously pisses her off because she hisses like a little kitten. “Don’t get too smug. There’s always tomorrow.”
Her renewed fighting spirit makes me feel a bit relieved that she seems to have come out of that subdued behavior that had me so much on edge. “I thought you had shopping plans tomorrow.”
“Well, I’ll go on Sunday then.”
“Don’t you have dinner plans with those friends of yours?”
She stops and narrows her eyes at me. “How did you—?”
I smirk. “Because you never stop talking, Halley.”
She glowers at me now.
I have to fight the urge to laugh. As we reach the elevator, I pat my pockets for my keys and my grin fades as I realize that I don’t have them. “Fuck!” I hiss out the expletive.
Alarmed, Halley freezes. “What’s wrong?”
“I forgot my keys at the office! Shit!” I growl. “I’ll have to go back.”
As I turn around, a small hand stops me. “Can’t you get the spare from the landlord?”
“At this hour?” I frown. “He won’t be awake.”
“But it’s already so late. And you’re tired.” She runs her fingers through her hair. “Why don’t you crash at my place, and you can get your keys from the Landlord in the morning?”
The idea is practical but I find myself hesitating, “I don’t think that’s—?”
“Oh, come on.” She looks annoyed. “It’s not like anything’s going to happen. I have a perfectly functioning couch. And I have an extra blanket and a pillow.”
The thought of going all the way back and then returning sounds tedious and, reluctantly, I find myself agreeing.
Halley’s place is a clear representation of her personality.
It’s loud and colorful with mismatched furniture and weird little figurines that look out of place but oddly, bring the whole place together.
There’s a large den, which opens to a kitchen, a bedroom, and a toilet. There’s a folding couch in the center of the den, placed behind a long coffee table and two arm chairs. There’s a flat screen facing the couch.
“Wait here. I’ll get you the extra blanket and pillow.”
I watch her leave the room and then move to the faux fireplace across the room from the flat screen. There are framed pictures on it.
One is of an Asian girl, a young man, and Halley. Both have their arms around Halley who’s beaming. Then there is a picture of Raymond, Halley, and two other people who I assume are his deceased wife and child.
They all look happy.
There is one of Raymond and Halley which seems to be taken a few years later.
There is no picture of Halley’s mother and I wonder if she has any.
“Here.”
I turn around.
My host walks in then dumps a blanket, which has little puppies drawn on it, and a fluffy pillow.
