I smiled, wondering how real it looked. I'd given up trying to bully my mother into living with me, which is why I finally relented with Latham.
He would be crushed.
And, truth be told, I was crushed too.
'I have a buyer for the condo in Florida. I brought some papers for you to sign.'
'Great.'
'I should be ready to move in next week.'
'Great.'
Mom set down the cat and hobbled up to me, putting a wrinkled hand on my cheek.
'We'll talk more later, dear. We caught an early flight and I'm exhausted. Do you mind if I take a short nap here on the couch?'
'Use my bed, Mom.'
At least someone would be using it. For something.
'Go grab something to eat with Alan. I know you have a lot of catching up to do.'
She gave my face a tender pat and limped into the bedroom.
Alan stood by the window, hands in his pockets.
'Are you up for breakfast?' he asked.
'No.'
'Would you like me to go?'
'Yes.'
'Are you taking anything for depression?'
'Why would you think I was depressed?'
He shrugged, almost imperceptibly. Much of Alan's emotional range was imperceptible.
'Your mother seems to think you need someone now.'
'So you came running to the rescue? Isn't that odd, considering the last time I needed someone, you fled like a thief in the night.'
He smiled.
'I didn't leave like a thief in the night.'
'Yes, you did.'
'I left in the mid-afternoon, and I didn't take a single thing with me.'
'You took my jacket.'
'What jacket?'
'The one you're wearing right now.'
'This is my jacket.'
'I'm the one who wore it all the time.'
'Why don't we fight about it over breakfast?'
'I don't want breakfast.'
'You need to eat.'
'How do you know what I need?'
Alan walked past me, and I wondered if I hit a nerve. I followed him into the kitchen.
'I said, how do you know what I need?'
'I heard you.'
He found a mug, poured some coffee, and handed it to me.
'I don't want coffee.'
'Yes you do. You're always pissy until you have your first cup of coffee.'
I whined, 'I am not pissy.'
Alan started to laugh, and I had to bite my lower lip to keep from grinning.
'Fine. Gimmee the coffee.'
He gimmeed, and I took a sip, surprised at how good it tasted.
'If you don't want to go out, I can cook.' Alan opened the fridge and pulled out a single egg. 'It's your last one. We can split it.'
'I'd like my half sunny-side up.'
