CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
I jerk awake. The rattle of Aspen’s wooden door jarred against the frame so loud I almost fall off the couch in panic. Please, dear God, not another earthquake. Sunlight streams into the room and pools on the floor from a split where two curtain panels come together. The door rattles again and I sit up on the pull-out couch and bring the covers up to my chest.
“Aspen! Simone!” The noise carries through to the apartment and I breathe a sigh of relief. I’m pretty sure a robber wouldn't call out for us first.
Aspen’s bedroom door opens as she fixes her askew ponytail and walks to the kitchen. “I’m coming!” she yells toward the door. “Don’t worry. Only Finn, Mar, and my sister-in-law have the code, and only Jake has the meaty fists required to make the door shake with such passion.”
Her long fleece pajama pants are white with big orange SF logos all over them. They match the logo on her short sleeve shirt. She’s seems nonchalant rather than worried why Finn would try to break down her door at this hour of the day. Aspen makes it to the opposite side of the room and pulls open the door.
“Surprise.” I don’t recognize the voice right away, but I’m also still half asleep. Since Aspen doesn’t scream and run for cover, I assume we’re safe.
“Do you know what time it is, Finnegan?” she asks with a hand on her hip.
The door opens farther and Jake in a pair of jeans and a black fleece jacket walks in. Behind him, Finn in a similar outfit follows and Trey brings up the rear with a full cardboard drink carrier.
“Doyouknow what time it is?” Finn repeats her question and then stops to look Aspen over.
Trey walks to the middle of the room, his lips stretched across his face in the most joyful expression he’s ever worn. “It’s moving day." He takes a coffee cup from the carrier and passes it to Aspen. “A hot chocolate for the non-coffee drinker.”
“Thanks, Trey. You look happy today.” She smells the top of her drink container. “It’s odd and maybe a little scary.”
I can’t decide if her odd statement is about her hot chocolate or the goofy expression Trey’s had on his scruffy face since he walked in. As if my thoughts have called him, he walks over to me and places a quick kiss on my temple. "Coffee for you.” When he backs away, Aspen, Finn, and even Jake are left staring at us, all of their mouths slightly slack in question.
Their scrutiny racks up my nerves and I shrug. Maybe Trey’s on drugs. I lift the coffee to my lips, but move it back quickly. “One sugar?”
Trey smiles. “Of course.”
My eyes narrow at him. “Poured on the left side of the cup not the right?”
He, Finn, and Jake all laugh as they figure out my Melvin impersonation, but poor Aspen looks at the four of us like I’ve lost my mind.
Jake is the first to get back to business and he walks out to the hallway and comes back in carrying a stack of flattened cardboard boxes.
“Boxes?” I ask.
Trey grabs the stack from Jake. “Yeah, for your stuff.”
My head slants to the side as I process what he’s said. Out of the corner of my eye, Finn pulls Aspen to his lap with a quick head shake as they sit on the edge of the couch together. Even Jake retreats to the side of the kitchen. Everyone’s clearing the space and I worry I'm about to find out why.
“Most of my stuff is already in boxes, Trey.”
He drops the stack of cardboard on the floor. “Even better.”
All the words he’s said since entering the apartment hit me at once and I sputter for a moment. “Wait a second. Why is today moving day?” I have to ask, "Who’s moving?”
I didn’t believe it was possible, but his lips stretch further along his face. “You are.”
Granted it’s been easier between Trey and me since my closet freak out on Wednesday. We’ve eaten lunch together and played Dragons Reborn daily. I’ve even almost won Melvin's trust back since there haven’t been any additional jelly incidents. Of course I think Melvin might have tinfoil stuck to the underside of the baseball hat he refuses to take off, but that’s a problem for another day.
The point is Trey and I haven’t talked about apartments at any point in the last two days. He definitely didn’t mention showing up on Saturday morning with boxes. I’d remember that.
“Why is Simone moving?” Aspen asks from her spot on the couch next to Finn.
Trey sighs, obviously irritated by the lost time in answering questions he feels are redundant. “We have an open apartment on the second floor and she’s next on the list.”
His answer sounds simple, but I don’t believe it. “Aspen said there’s a six-month wait for new employees.”
A throat clears from behind me and Finn stands from the couch. “Let me give you some words of wisdom, Simone, if you don’t mind?” He waits for my nod. "When Trey sets his mind on a task, he’ll work until he gets it. At times like these, it’s best to sit back and enjoy the ride.”
