"Well, I'm asking for another one."
She seemed to think for a minute before shaking her head, her hands going up. "No. No, that's too complicated. I don’t need anything complicated right now. I need simple. The goal of this whole thing is to give us space apart. Time to clear our heads."
"Yes, space. I get it. So, why don't you let me come over when you are out? Let me take Rory to practice or let me clean the house while you're doing that. Your mom shouldn't have to move in to help out when I'm perfectly capable."
"Since when are you perfectly capable? How are you going to get the time off?"
"I'm here now, aren't I?"
Her face softened, the skin around her eyes wrinkling subtly as she squinted at me. "Why are you here, Wes?"
"I wanted to see Rory. I told you to let me know about getting her to visit my new place, and you haven't contacted me."
"It hasn't even been three days since you told me you were moving into a place. I assumed you'd need weeks to get there and get settled."
"No, I'm in. I'm settled."
There was a wave of appreciation and shock on her face. Her jaw dropped open as if she was going to say something and then closed quickly. "You are?"
"Yeah, I'm all moved in."
"How is that possible? You’ve already been approved, paid the deposit, everything? You just borrowed the bed and picked up your things yesterday. I thought you’d just found a place. I assumed you’d have to wait a few weeks to hear if you were approved. I was trying to figure out where you were going to keep everything, honestly, but I’ve been trying not to pry."
"Pry away, Addy. I don’t mind. I didn't even have to apply. I moved in with someone."
"You wh—"
"A man. A friend," I added quickly. "The one I told you I met at the store the other day, actually. Do you remember a kid named Elias from high school?" His last name suddenly escaped me.
"Elias…" she said the name slowly, letting it weigh on her tongue as her gaze scanned the room. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide. "You don’t mean Elias Munn?”
“Yes, that’s it! Munn. Elias Munn.”
Her face lit up, and she clasped her hands over her mouth. “Oh, of course I remember Elias! Oh my goodness, he was always such a little sweetheart. How is he? Bless him… I had no idea he was still around here. I haven't heard from him in years." She tapped a finger against her lips, lost in thought, then she eyed me. "Wait a minute, you mean you moved in with Elias Munn?"
"I sure did," I said. "Is that a bad thing?"
She hesitated, studying my face. "No, I guess not. Don’t you think it’s a little weird, though?”
I shook my head. “He offered me the room for dirt cheap. He’s a little odd, but nothing I can’t handle.”
“No, it’s not that. I just… Wow, I just didn’t expect it. It was so sweet of him to offer you a room. I can’t believe that.” She shook her head in shock. “I mean, I can, I guess. He always was a sweet kid. A bit misunderstood… A bit odd. I just never thought he'd be someone you'd want to live with. I can’t honestly picture you with a roommate at all."
"I'm not marrying him, Addy. I'm just living with him for a little while until we can work through our stuff."
"Hey, I’m not complaining. I think it’s great. Really.” She nodded affirmatively. “Did you remember who he was? I knew you said you didn’t get his name that first day. You didn't exactly run in the same circles when we were in school. I'm surprised you even remember him now."
"I still don’t, really. I know he was the one who won that, like…multiplication olympics.”
She giggled. “Science decathlon, yeah. They were the state champs, from what I remember.”
“Yeah, right. He was younger than us, right?”
“Yeah, by a few years, I think.” She twisted her mouth in thought.
“Right, yeah. I mean, once he gave me his name, I realized who he was. I didn’t know him well, though. I would've never remembered him on my own."
"And he has the space for you? Does he have his own place?"
"Yeah, an apartment downtown. He has a spare bedroom."
Her brows shot up. "And that's where you're expecting Rory to stay? With you and Elias Munn?"
"Don't say it like that. It's a nice place. A really nice place, actually. Right across from the river. She can come over, and the two of us can go out to eat or shop or whatever she wants downtown, and then she can stay overnight… I'll give her the bed and crash on the couch. I just want to see her."
"Will Elias be okay with that? Doesn't he have a family? Plans? He’s not going to want you bringing a bunch of people over.”
My mouth dropped open slightly. Why did it still feel like it wasn’t enough for her? No matter what I did… “Rory isn’t a bunch of people. And he’s already told me how lonely he is. He doesn’t have a family. And I haven't run it by him yet, but I know he'll be okay with it. He's a really cool guy, actually." I hoped she didn't catch the bluff in my voice. Elias was far from really cool, but I didn't have a choice. If I wanted to see my daughter, I had to make the best of it.
"I think it’s great that you’re staying with him. It sounds like it’ll be good for both of you. I just don't know how comfortable Rory will be staying with you and some strange guy."
"Look," I said, fighting to keep the frustration at bay, "I don't know what you want me to do, Addy. We can't exactly afford for me to rent my own apartment.
