AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don't know how long it'll take until I am.”
“Tell me what I can do to help.” I rub his back, not ready to let him go.
He steps back a little, looking up at me. “Don't stop what you're doing.”
“Alright. Come with me to the kitchen and I'll fix you some food.”
“You have food here?”
“Yeah, I have groceries delivered when my cleaning guy is here. He puts them away for me.”
“You really do belong in this house.”
“I don't always feel like I do.” Taking his hand, I drag him to a stool in front of the kitchen bar. He sits down and never takes his eyes off me as I open the fridge.
“Do you now?”
After grabbing the eggs, cheese, and bacon, I turn around and smile at him, kicking the fridge door shut behind me. “More than usual.” I approach the stove and turn it on before taking a pan down from the rack above me. “I'm finally cooking here for the first time in months and now I have a guest over to break in my unused couch.”
He cracks a smile. It's not a laugh, but I won't stop trying until we're back there again. He's less fidgety after he eats twosandwiches and chugs back a soda, no longer kicking his feet forward. After I clean up the kitchen, I show him the bedroom and can tell we're a lot closer to that glorious sound when I putJurassic Parkon the TV.
“I thought I'd play something in here for you while I jump in the shower.”
Wearing a half smile, he shrugs out of his jacket and kicks off his shoes. “Is this the first time you're using this TV?”
“Yes, but I don't really watch TV, so it's not that weird for it to be.”
His eyes are as big as saucers. “You not watching TV is weird all on its own. Why do you have one?”
“Same reason I have this house and keep my fridge stocked. Because it's what normal people do. I like to sometimes feel like I have the choice to be one of them. Being here in a fully furnished house with plants and someone who comes by to clean regularly helps me create that illusion. It's kind of hard to do alone sometimes though.” Why do I keep talking to him like he's some long lost friend I'm playing catch up with? I'm sharing too much of my life with him, and I didn't think I had enough of one to share.
Plopping down on the bed, he crosses his ankles. “You're not alone now.”
“No. No, I'm not.”
“So in this normal life, what job would you have?”
“I don't know.” Shoving my hands in my pockets, I glance around as if I'm going to find the answers on the walls. “Maybe a realtor or accountant. A job where I get off work by five and always make it in time for dinner. Maybe I’d go to the gym after or before. Maybe I’d have a dog or cat.” Maybe I'd have a cute little pink haired guy keeping my bed warm until I return. No. Entertaining these thoughts is going into dangerous territory.Nothing bad has come from it so far but it's only a matter of time.
Looking up at me, he taps his chin and squints. “You strike me as more of a dog person, and I'd definitely go with a realtor over an accountant. I always imagined my life differently too. A school teacher who attends book club and bakes on the weekends. I'm not sure I'd be a house person though. Maybe more of a condo or apartment guy. I hate the idea of yard work and rolling out the trash can.”
“Yeah?” I ask half-heartedly. “I don't think I mind those things so much. I actually miss having a reason to spend more time outside.” How is he doing this? Does he have some magic spell on me? Usually people can't get more than a short sentence at a time out of me, yet here he is making me spill desires and dreams I didn't think I had anymore.
“We’d make a good pretend normal couple then.” He looks down at his feet and back at me, his expression changing. “Don't forget when you get done showing your last house tomorrow we’re supposed to meet up with Ted and Susan for drinks.”
“Ted and Susan?”
“You know… our overly friendly neighbors who sometimes get our mail.”
“Oh. Right. Ted and Susan. You don't think they'll invite us to their big anniversary party, do you?”
“Probably. If it lands on black-and-white movie Saturday, then we're not going.”
We both burst out laughing the next time we meet each other's eyes.
“I'm going to shower now. Will you be okay?”
“Yeah. I think so.” He lies down on the bed, stretching his arms and legs out.
