After finishing with the bandage, Harriet said gently, “All done.
Just don’t wash your hair or get it wet tomorrow, or use a
waterproof bandage–there’s some in the medicine box.”
As soon as Harriet finished speaking, Ellsworth pulled her hand
and made her sit on his lap.
Their posture was quite intimate. When Harriet instinctively
tried to stand up, Ellsworth pressed his hands on her waist,
giving her no chance to get up.
After pushing Ellsworth a couple of times without success,
Harriet looked at him seriously.
Looking into Ellsworth’s eyes, she knew he was waiting for her
answer from earlier.
With the scent of medicine lingering in the room, Harriet
thought for a while and then asked solemnly, “Ellsworth, do you
love me?”
Harriet’s sudden question caught Ellsworth off guard. He just
stared at her, stunned.
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Harriet kept her eyes fixed on Ellsworth. Seeing that he was
slow to respond, she slowly got up from his lap and said softly,
“Get some rest early.”
With that, she left quietly without another word.
It wasn’t until he heard the sound of the door closing that
Ellsworth snapped out of it and turned to look at the doorway.
He stared silently at the door for a long while, then got up and
walked over to the floor–to–ceiling window. He picked up a
cigarette and a lighter from the side cabinet and lit one for
himself.
Smoke curled upward as he furrowed his brow slightly.
In the bedroom next door, after Harriet entered, she tidied up
the room a bit, put her changed clothes into the laundry basket,
then turned off the lights and went to bed.
Ellsworth didn’t want a divorce simply because, after three years of marriage, they were already familiar with each other. She accommodated him in everything, never interfered, and
always cleaned up his messes.
In the days that followed, both of them continued to come
home as usual, but they left early and returned late, so they
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barely interacted.
And after that night, it seemed there was no need for any more
communication between them.
When Saturday’s holiday arrived, Harriet dragged Kathie to the
real estate company early in the morning.
A few days ago, the two had their eyes on several apartments.
After comparing them for a while, Harriet had made up her mind
about which one to buy, so she called Kathie to go with her early
in the morning.
It was a never–lived–in, fully decorated second–hand apartment,
close to the river, on the twelfth floor.
The apartment was decorated by the developer, so there was
no furniture inside–they would have to buy it themselves.
After signing the contract, paying, and completing the
paperwork, Harriet and Kathie took the keys and went to the
new place.
The two of them did a rough cleaning of the apartment, then sat on the floor with the air conditioning on to rest.
Looking at this apartment that belonged to her, Harriet couldn’t
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help but burst out laughing.
Sitting back–to–back with Harriet, Kathie heard her laughter,
turned her head teasingly and said, “Ms. Chavez, you bought the
place in full–impressive!”
At Kathie’s teasing, Harriet looked up at the ceiling, smiled, and
said, “I feel at ease now. I won’t have to trouble Grandpa
anymore. I finally have a place to call my own.”
She added, “I’ll find some time to buy the furniture and
appliances.”
Kathie said, “Don’t worry about the furniture and appliances. I’ll
get them for you. I guarantee they’ll match the apartment and
you’ll be satisfied.”
Turning to look at Kathie, Harriet said, “Kat, thank you.”
Other than her grandfather, Kathie was the closest person to
her in this world.
Though a bit rough around the edges, Kathie always looked out
for her and had her best interests at heart.
Still sitting back–to–back in the air conditioning, Kathie teased
her again, “Now that you’ve bought a place, Ms. Chavez, isn’t it
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time to find a man for the house?”
Harriet was amused, her eyes crinkling with laughter. “You
introduce one to me.”
When two girls are together, these topics are always inevitable.
Seeing Harriet in such a good mood today, Kathie grinned and said, “Kenneth, Johnathan, Darrick, and Deandre are all great. They’re the top bachelors in Amberville. My top pick is Ells-”
Before Kathie could finish, Harriet quickly interrupted her, “Stop,
stop, stop! Kat, why are all the people you mention
acquaintances? I don’t want to date anyone close to me this
time–it’s too exhausting.”
She’d had enough of being tormented by Ellsworth, who was
right under her nose.
From now on, if she ever looked for someone, it wouldn’t be
anyone in her immediate circle.
Kathie was amused, “Once bitten by a snake, you’re afraid of
ropes for ten years?”
Harriet replied, “Exactly.”
