“You can take my bed. I’ll take the couch. Nothing more has to happen between us,” I say. “It doesn’t have to be a big deal.”
Cleo licks her lips like she doesn’t understand what’s going on.
“I don’t know why you’re being so kind to me.”
“I don’t want you to go looking for a place to stay tonight. It’s the middle of the night. You shouldn’t have to go back to Marsha’s place either, not after the way she treated you earlier.”
Cleo gulps. I can see that her features are softening. She doesn’t know how beautiful she looks. She doesn’t know what I am willing to do to keep her here, to make her see what I see. We are meant to be together.
“Thank you for everything, Irwin. I promise I’ll be out of your hair by the morning.”
“You must be tired. The bedroom is through there. You don’t have anything to worry about,” I say.
Cleo is staring at me like she has something more to say, but I’m not going to push her. I don’t want to ask her anything she doesn’t want to tell me. All I want is for her to feel safe and secure here tonight.
“Goodnight, Irwin…I…I…” She looks lost for words. I smile at her and she smiles back softly, then turns and walks to my bedroom. At the door she gives me one last look.
This is not a one-night-stand. I am going to see her again. I am going to make sure she knows she can trust me.
Cleo
I didn’t expect to fall asleep so easily, but I did. I sank into Irwin’s warm cozy bed and just drifted off. I hadn’t even realized how exhausted I was.
Now it’s morning. I’m startled at first because I am in a new room, but the scent of him on the sheets and the pillows instantly remind me of where I am.
I can smell something being cooked in the apartment. Is he making me breakfast? I lay back on the pillows with a smile. Waking up here feels a lot different from what I’m used to at Marsha’s place.
I went to sleep in the dress I was wearing last night so now it looks crumpled. I look exactly like someone about to do the walk of shame. But I have no other option but to leave the room in it. Irwin has been more than kind to me already and I should probably get out of his hair.
I wish things were different. I wish I could truly appreciate him, but there are so many things holding me back. The last thing I want to do is be a burden to him.
I see him in the kitchen now, where he’s making pancakes. He looks up at me as I enter the room.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he says with a smile. “Coffee?”
I can’t resist it. The smell of strong delicious coffee draws me in. I also can’t help but take note of how happy it makes me to see him in the morning. The apartment is bright and sunny. It smells great in here. Irwin looks handsome with his stubble and big bulging biceps. He’s wearing nothing but his pants and I have to say it’s a good look for him.“Yes please...and I just want to thank you again for your kindness, Irwin.”
“Cleo, you have to stop thanking me. I didn’t offer my bedroom to you because I was expecting gratitude,” he says firmly as he flips some pancakes onto a plate.
I pour the coffee in a big mug and take a sip.
“Okay, then why did you offer? Why are you being so good to me?”
“Because I didn’t like the way your friend treated you. I get the feeling she always treats you like that. You said you owe her a big favor…”
“She took me in when I had nowhere to go. The banks took away my house. My family house. My mom and I were struggling to pay the mortgage for many years. After dad died…we just couldn’t afford it. Then they declared we were going to be evicted. All our things. Our lives. Dad’s memories. Everything was going to go. But I was going to figure it out. I was going to work harder. I wanted to make it work.” I didn’t expect to tell him all this. I rarely speak about it, not even to Marsha.
Irwin is staring at me and it looks like the color has drained from his face. I can feel hot tears pooling in the corners of my eyes.
“As long as I had mom, I would have been able to do it. I would have pushed through it all.”
“Where is she now? Where is your mother?” Irwin asks.
I stare at him, trying to keep a straight face. I haven’t said the words aloud to anyone before. I don’t think I can do it.
“She died. She had a heart attack the day the officials came to evict us. She died right there in the house they were kicking us out of.”
Irwin
There are tears streaming down Cleo’s cheeks. I go to her and take her in my arms. She rests her head on my chest. Her voice is muffled but I can hear her.
“I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do anything after that. I was ready to give up. I lost my job. I lost my home. I lost mom and…and Marsha was the one who offered her apartment to share. Just till I find my feet again. I didn’t know what else to do so I took her up on her offer. I didn’t realize she would expect me to attend to her every whim and fancy. I am her assistant, private secretary, sidekick…all rolled into one.”
I’m stroking her hair as she speaks. Her crying has diffused a little now and I hook a finger under her chin, tilting her face up so she can look at me.
“I am sorry for everything that has happened to you so far. I wish I could
