He sleeps on and off throughout the day. Moving around when it constantly causes him pain makes him tired. I’m impressed that it doesn’t make him grouchy. It would make me incredibly irritable, but he seems to remain in a good mood despite the pain.
Once I’m sure he’s asleep—this time, hopefully without dreaming—I extract myself from the bed and leave the bedroom with my phone. My apartment isn’t large. It doesn’t need to be when it’s just me. There’s a central hall where the primaryentrance is, a coat closet to the left, and following along the hall is the living room.
It’s the largest room in the apartment. I could easily break it into a couple rooms, but again, it’s just me, so I don’t bother. It’s furnished with minimal furniture, a handful of pictures, and a television.
The second bedroom is at the back of the living room. It has a bed, a small connecting bathroom that’s accessible from the living room as well, and a tiny closet.
Following the hall again, my room is on the left, and the hall empties into the kitchen. One of the reasons I chose this apartment is that there’s a small balcony off the kitchen where I often eat my meals. It overlooks Oak Hill, which is a quiet neighborhood filled with trees, flowers, and grassy, park-like areas. In the distance, I can see Anaheim.
With phone in hand, I head outside onto the balcony, shutting the sliding door behind me. A phone call is long overdue.
“Boss,” Nori answers. “You’re alive.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “It’s been incredibly irresponsible and inconsiderate of me not to have called until now.”
“That’s okay. Arath called and told me what happened. Then Kairo called and tried to be a dictator, and I told him right where to shove his dick. Arath called again and told me I’m to take charge until you come back.”
I snort. “I’m sorry about Kairo. When Ara told me he’d have Kairo cover for a while, I wasn’t thinking when I agreed.”
“We both know I can handle him.”
She can. Better than anyone else I know, including Kairo’s own brothers. Kairodoes notlike being put in his place by a woman.Especially not someone like Nori, who is rather petite and uber feminine.
Kairo tends to have a very toxic outlook on people, and Nori is exactly the kind of person he finds weak and needing protection. Yes, it’s sexist, and that doesn’t serve him well. In some weird way, it’s also kind of the old, ingrained idea that men should be protecting their sweeter, softer counterparts—women.
I’ve enjoyed watching him get his proverbial ass kicked by Nori—a woman half his size—without her laying a hand on him. Still, he always walks away with his tail between his legs.
“I’m still sorry.”
“Thank you. Want to tell me why you’re out?”
Ah. Arath didn’t tell her. “A man was shot, and I brought him home.”
Silence.
I smile. Of everyone in my life, Nori knows how few people have been in my apartment. She knows my aversion to germs and obsession with sterility. Arguably, Nori knows me better than anyone else in my life.
“You brought him home.” It’s not a question. She’s repeating my words as if needing to hear them out loud again.
“Yes. I’m keeping him.”
“Like a stray pet,” she deadpans.
“No. I have his permission.”
Nori hums. “I see.”
“You disapprove.”
“I’m… surprised, Oxley. That’s all. This is the last thing I thought you’d tell me, so processing it on the fly is proving challenging. It’s so unlike you.”
I sigh. “I know. Do you disapprove?”
“I can’t imagine you’d keep someone against their will, so I’m going to believe you that you have his consent to be kept, though your choice of wording is interesting.”
“Yes, well… I like him.”
She snorts. “Indeed.”
