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“Okay, well, if you’ve figured it out, I won’t harp on it. I’m sorry. I’ll send you money through PayPal to take care of the rent to August. Our lease is up then. You’re finished with school in June, so hopefully you’ll find a job and can manage, but in the meantime, you’ll have a little buffer.”
“Well, thank you very much. That is generous of you.”
There was silence at the end of the line. “Goodbye, Amber. Take care.”
“Wait, Dave, who is she?”
He hung up.
“Are you sure you want me to move in?” Dave asked once more.
“I’m positive, but just an FYI, I never even lived with a guy before.”
“No way. A girl like you should have had a lineup to choose from.”
“I never even thought about it before now. I’m not scared to be lonely. Isn’t that the reason most couples stay together after the expiration date?”
“I’ll have to ponder that one,” he said, chuckling. He looked down at her, grinning. “Why’d you change your mind with me?”
“I love you. You’re my person. You complete me. I need you here with me.”
“I’m as lucky as hell, then. I don’t want to get in your way though.”
“I’ll be fine sharing my space with you. We’ll work on making a place for you.”
During the three days Katrina was out of town, he was miserable, missing her so much he was barely functioning. The couple talked constantly, sometimes texting hourly and using Facetime throughout the day. As soon as he was able, he switched to day shift. Katrina made it clear that she wanted him in her bed at night.
“As long as we have to work, let’s do the same hours,” she had said.
When she got home Friday night, he helped her get her bags out of the car, got her in the house, and wasted no time in making love to her. This would be their routine from then on. She’d travel part of the week; he’d work overtime while she traveled, and then they’d make up for lost time first thing.
The weekends were filled with love. She told Maggie about Dave moving in right away. Now that he was no longer with Amber and she wasn’t with Alphé, there wasn’t any betrayal.
“I’m thrilled! We’ll be quasi sisters-in-law,” Maggie said.
They spent part of the weekends at Bayou Cottage with Maggie and Justin and the rest of the time, they preferred to stay home in their enchanted cottage.
“Do you feel it?” Dave asked. “It’s our hiding place.”
Nestled up against his body, she’d agreed to whatever he said. “I love it here. It is our love nest.”
The next weeks flew by in a whirlwind of growing in love, learning routines, making spaces in the cottage to be together and apart. Several times per month Katrina left town for work and it was torture for both of them. Work in Saint John’s Parish or New Orleans or Baton Rouge during the week filled the rest of her time.
Then in a fluke, she had an entire week of working from home. It was nice; they felt like an actual couple where she’d be home to get up with him and they’d have coffee together before he left for his shift. If he was able, he’d come home for lunch, and then in the evening, they ate dinner together. After dinner, they lay around reading, or if there was something good on television, they’d watch.
On Monday morning after her shower, there was a sense of something missing. She was rummaging through a cabinet under the sink when she saw the box of tampons. The familiar box triggered what it was and the period tracker app on her phone filled in the missing information. There it was in black and white. At the trusty paper calendar, she flipped through the months.
Then she closed her eyes and pictured Dave getting ready to have sex with her. She saw him kneeling between her legs, rolling on a condom. Had he used one every time?
What about that first time? After that month of flirtation, he’d shown up at her door. Chills danced over her skin at the memory of how intense it was, how passionate; they were in the shower together and he lifted her up, pushing against her in the shower stall. There was no rubber in use, no diaphragm, just penis and vagina.
“Ugh,” she cried out, trembling. What would it mean for her to be pregnant already? She wasn’t even sure he wanted to have kids.
It was early enough before work, so she could run to Saint John’s Parish to get a pregnancy test that morning. She sent him a text.Running into Walmart. Do you want anything?
He answered in seconds with a list of food items he’d like her to get. Dave had figured out Katrina’s cooking ability was about as limited as was his, so he didn’t hesitate to bring food home, stopping at restaurants around the area. He’d taken over the meal preparation duties, too, fixing simple things. Since she was going to the store, he’d have her stock up.
Do you mind food shopping? Is that why you’re going?He texted.
