Chapter Text
I was frantically rushing around in the trailer trying to tidy up. There were clothes strewn everywhere – the trailer was an absolute mess. I stuffed the food wrappers and take-out containers in a trash bag, walked out to my truck, and tossed the bag in the back seat. I went back inside and tried to cram all my clothes in the drawers under the bed. How in the hell did I make such a mess in two days? There was a knock on the door and I just about had a heart attack.
“Dude, it’s just me.” Monroe let himself in. “Are you…cleaning?”
“Yeah, you know…it just got kind of messy in here.”
“Oh.” Monroe sat down at the desk. He started peeking in the drawers.
“You are so nosey, man.”
“Come on, you got all this cool stuff in here.” He opened another drawer. “You sure do have a lot of snacks in here, too.”
“Um…wesen literature makes me hungry.”
“Why do you have clothes in this drawer?”
“Um…I-I…uh…”
“Wait a minute. Are you staying here?”
I sighed. The jig was up. “Yeah, but just for the past two days.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t have anywhere else to go.” I plopped down on the bed, feeling utterly defeated.
“What are you – oh…Sorry.”
“It was bound to happen sooner or later.”
“Why didn’t you go stay with Hank? Or you could’ve come to my house. I have a guest room…not to mention running water and heat.”
“I don’t know. Everything’s just so complicated. This was just the first thing I thought of.”
“Well, get your shit together; you’re coming to stay with me.”
“Monroe, you don’t have to.”
“You’re right: I don’t. But I am, so let’s go.”
XXX
“You want peppers in your omelet?”
“You’re making me breakfast?”
“Yes. Cheese?”
“Um…yeah, both. Thanks.”
“There’s fresh-squeezed orange juice in the fridge or there’s coffee brewing. Help yourself. Toast?”
“Wow. Um, yes, please.” I poured myself some orange juice and sat down at the table.
Spending the night at Monroe’s house was like spending a night in a fancy bed and breakfast. There was this coziness here that – now that I think about it – was never in mine and Juliette’s house. It was weird; I never saw Monroe as being cozy.
Monroe placed a plate in front of me. That was the best looking omelet I’d ever seen. He sat down across from me with his own plate and I smiled at him. This was nice; why did I even think I could live in that cramped little trailer.
“Thanks, Monroe, for all of this.”
“It’s no problem, really.”
“This is delicious!”
“Thanks. So, I’m curious, how did you think living in that trailer was going to play out?”
“I don’t even know. I figured if Marie could do it, so could I.”
Monroe just shook his head at me. “Well, you’re welcome here as long as you need. I have to do some grocery shopping today, anything you want?”
“Um…cheetos?”
“Sure. Oh, I’ll go and get you a key made, too.” He seemed oddly cheery this morning.
Monroe got up from the table and put his plate in the sink. I shoved the last bite of omelet in my mouth and handed him my plate. I offered to do the dishes but he waved me off. I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but I just felt the overwhelming need to thank him. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug.
“Um…”
“Thanks, Monroe.” I let go of him and went to get ready for work.