Sickness

~Part 17~

The night was freezing, but it wasn’t that bad for us. It was almost like the entire city had been reset. The apartment buildings had all the keys hanging under the lobby desk; All of the hotels had the room keys in their designated room box in a lobby closet; All of the houses had their keys in their mailboxes, as well as all the business buildings. Everything looked and smelled like they had been freshly clean an hour before. Carpets were super white and hard wood floors were polished and waxed.

Gale and I walked went to the lobby desk of a 10 story apartment building, and pulled out a random key. Room 13.

The room also had been freshly cleaned. White linens and a Febreze fresh couch. It was a nice apartment, nothing big or fancy. It had tan carpet and basic appliances. Not big and fancy, but enough for a safe, warm place to sleep. Gale walked back the short hallway and looked through doorways.

“There’s two rooms and a bathroom.” He says as he opens each door.

“Perfect.” I say tightening my ponytail.

Gale takes off his jacket and tosses it on the couch then goes to the bedroom. I go to the kitchen and start opening cupboards. Fully stocked. I open the fridge. Fully stocked. Gale came out of the bedroom with a baggy blue t-shirt on. “Little big, aye?” I joke.

He lifts the shoulders of his shirt, “Maybe a little.”

He smiles a crooked smile and plops down on the couch. “Nice little place they have here.” He laughs and picks up the remote.

“Eh,… I’ve see better.” I say.

“Really?”

“No.” I look at him smiling as I lightly touch the star knick knacks on a small white bookshelf. “But I’ve seem photos of better. Of how it used to be.”

“Vala,” Gale says running his hands through his hair, “Don’t you see? This IS how it used to be.”

I sit down next to him with a big smile on my face, letting a tad of my good mood return. “Then maybe we should go find one of THOSE houses!” I say in a dumb voice.

“Well compared to what we’re used to, this IS one of those houses.” He mumbles smiling.

“Well, we should get some sleep.” I say slowly.

Gale nods and takes my hand. We walk back the hall and stop in front of my rooms door. “Goodnight.” He smiles and kisses my cheek.

I felt my cheeks get hot. “Thank you so much.” I say slowly.

“For what?”

I give him a side grin, “For taking care of me.” I lightly touch my stomach. “And not turning your back on me.”

“I could never leave you.” He says. “We should get some sleep.”

“Yeah, we need to do some serious catching up on our sleeping.” I laugh.

“Night.” I say as I turn and go into my room.

“Goodnight, Vala.” He said quietly as he watched my door close.

~   ~   ~

I close my door and lean my back against it. I let out a breath and feel a smile grow across my face. I open my eyes and look around the room. It was definitely a girls room. It was all purple. PURPLE. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind being girly sometimes, but I’m not one of those sissy girls, and I definitely don’t want anyone to know I actually think about all those weird girly things like other girls do. I’m tough. I run with the wolves, I don’t stay home and take care of the pups.