The Functional Arrangement

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Wait," Ami said, quickly placing her hand on the door. "I haven't seen you in awhile. I wanted to know how you've been."

Marcus jerked his head toward Morgan. "You can see how I've been. And that's why I want you to leave."

"But what if you and I can just --?"

"He said that he wants you to leave," Morgan snapped, and the next moment she marched up to the door and closed it in Ami's stunned face.

There was a heavy silence for several long seconds after Morgan shut the door, and pretty soon they heard the sound of footsteps walking slowly away down the hall. Marcus had no idea what to say, and with Morgan still facing the closed door, he couldn't read what was on her face.

Is she upset? Angry? Pissed off at me?

Finally, Morgan turned around and looked at Marcus: her face had settled into a rather stoic expression, though she clearly tried to hide it with a more unreadable look. "We should finish putting away the groceries," she muttered, turning and heading toward the kitchen. Koda happily trotted after her.

"Morgan, I'm so sorry about all of that," Marcus said apologetically, following her to the kitchen. "I had no idea Ami would follow us around all day today and then come to my door. It was completely inappropriate for her to do."

"It's not your fault, Marcus," Morgan said staunchly, moving over to one of the grocery bags and unloading the food onto the counter. "Having a crazy ex is something I can relate to, unfortunately."

"Still, it's not something I wanted us to have to deal with today," Marcus said, shaking his head. "I can't believe after two years, Ami thinks she can just come to my door and expect me to accept her apology. Hopefully she won't come back here again."

Morgan let out a derisive snort. "Of course she's going to come back here again, Marcus."

Marcus frowned. "How do you know that?"

"Because it's obvious she wants you back," Morgan said matter-of-factly, carrying a tub of yogurt to the refrigerator. "What other reason would she have for coming here?"

"I don't know. To tell me she got a job?" Marcus shrugged, scratching the back of his head. Now that he said it out loud, that did sound like a weak excuse.

"She came up here because she saw the two of us jogging in the park and then go grocery shopping together. She got jealous," Morgan explained. "She likely thinks we're a couple living together, and that by turning up here she was potentially throwing a wrench into our 'happy relationship'. Then we'd fight, break up, and she could then worm her way back into your life. And to be honest, if we really were in a relationship, that sort of move would probably work."

Marcus scowled. If that really was the true reason Ami came here, then that made her all the worse in his eyes. "God, what a bitch. All the more reason why I'll never get back together with her."

Morgan paused while removing food items from the grocery bags. "Why not?"

Marcus blinked, not expecting her to ask that. "What?"

"Why won't you get back together with her?" Morgan asked, now resuming putting groceries away. Marcus thought she was deliberately avoiding his eyes. "She's single, you're single, and she's obviously interested in getting back together with you. And perhaps she really is sorry about what went down two years ago."

Marcus shook his head again - Morgan really didn't know Ami. "She's not sorry Morgan. Even though it's been two years since I last saw her, I can still read Ami like a book: if she really does want to get back together with me, it's only because she hates working and she wants someone to depend on so she can quit her job."