All the beds were made up with fresh bedding. She had no doubt her aunt changed the bedding regularly when she visited.The last room she came to was her childhood bedroom. Not much had changed. The posters had been removed from the walls, but the furniture was the same. After taking a moment to look around the room, she walked into the middle, closed her eyes, and let thoughts of the past wash over her.
Eventually, she backtracked to the largest spare bedroom and placed her suitcase on the bed before making another trip to her car. She had brought two large suitcases and a few tote bags. Without completely moving in, she wanted to be comfortable and not have to bring things back and forth every time. She had packed plenty of work clothes, a few pairs of jeans and shorts, several shirts, and enough pajamas to only need to do laundry once a week. One tote bag contained her toiletries, while the other two carried her favorite coffee and breakfast essentials, and some snacks.
While unpacking her items, she was startled by a knock at the door. She closed the dresser drawer after placing the last of the items from her suitcase inside, then headed down to answer the door. With the number of calls she’d ignored, she fully expected to find her aunt on the other side.
“Hey,” Andy said hesitantly once the door was open.
“Oh. Hey. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“May I come in?” he asked.
“What are you doing here?” Samira asked as she stepped aside to allow Andy to pass.
He held out a white box. “I heard you would be staying here for a couple months. I brought you some soft-shell crabs and some crab cakes from my freezer. Figured you could use some real food.”
Samira looked at him, surprised. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to,” he replied quietly. “I’m sure you’re going through a lot just being here and haven’t given food much thought.”
“How did you know I was here? I just got here a little bit ago.”
“My mom showed up at my house and told me what was going on. Apparently, your aunt is freaking out. My mom wanted me to fix it somehow. I explained that it isn’t up to me to fix anything, but nothing could talk me out of making sure you’re okay. Are you?”
Samira saw nothing but concern when she met his gaze. He was wearing his signature jeans and t-shirt. His hair was slightly damp as if he had just gotten out of the shower, but he hadn’t shaved. His face had enough stubble that she considered it the beginnings of a beard. Her hesitation melted into relief. She was glad to see him. She didn’t want to be left alone with her thoughts just yet.
“I’m better now. Walking through the house was a little overwhelming. I’m glad to have a distraction.”
She took the box and headed toward the kitchen with a nod indicating she wanted him to follow. She opened the refrigerator for the first time since she got there and found it empty, aside from a case of water. She opened the freezer to find nothing but a few trays of ice.
“Freezer or fridge?” she asked.
“Depends how soon you want to eat it.”
“Food usually makes me feel better…”
“Works even better when food is mixed with good company,” Andy hinted.
She hesitated another moment before placing the box in the fridge. While she was at it, she began unloading the tote bags that she had left on the table, placing a few items in the refrigerator and the rest in the pantry.
“Have you had dinner yet?” she asked.
“No. I was taking a walk after work when my mom showed up in a panic. I took a shower, threw on some clothes, and headed right over to check on you.”
“That was nice of you. Even though I know your mom put you up to it.”
“I would have come to check on you as soon as I found out you were here regardless of what my mom said. That was pretty shitty the way this was sprung on you. You know you can talk to me about it, right?”
“Yeah, it was. But I’m handling it,” Samira said quietly.
“Have you figured everything out this fast? How are you able to drop everything to live here?” Andy asked. “You can tell me it’s none of my business.”
“I haven’t worked anything out yet, but for now I have some time off. I could go for a grilled cheese sandwich. Interested?” Samira asked. She knew it was an abrupt subject change, but she really was hungry.
“Please,” Andy agreed. “I hope you get it all worked out. Need me to help with the sandwiches?”
“Nope. Just sit back and relax. Not being alone in this big house is help enough. Thank you,” she said quietly. “I’m sure it will work out. It always does.”
Samira busied herself finding what she needed in the kitchen. She located a frying pan and a few plates. She placed the pan on the stove, and the plates on the counter. The bread was already on the counter, so she opened the refrigerator and took out the cheese and butter.
