Facade

Chapter 3

Once Naia stepped from out of the car, Lenny closed the door behind her and began making his way around to the front door. Naia followed behind him closely. Where he lived was much different from the city. The city was loud and bright. Here everything was quiet and serene. She understood exactly why he had a place on the outskirts of the city rather than in the midst of it. Within a few seconds later, he pushed the door open and stepped inside the house.

"Take off your shoes."

She stared at him with a confused look on her face. Even moreso when he began taking off his shoes and sat them by the door.

"Seriously Leonard?"

"What I tell you about calling me that?"

"It is your name!"

"Stop being difficult and take off your shoes, Naia." He instructed once again while he closed the front door.

"Fine!"

Naia sighed deeply as she took off her heels. She thought that was pretty weird, then again he was a hippie. So she wasn't that surprised.

"Now what do you want me to do with them?" She asked as she held her cream colored heels in her hands.

"Sit on them. Put them by the door Naia and come on."

She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before ultimately setting her heels next to his by the door. Lenny strutted over to the large kitchen area. On the granite counter sat a basket of fruits and various vegetables. Naia picked up a banana that were overly ripe. It had turned black.

"Uh, don't you think it's time you threw this away? It's gone bad. Very bad."

"Nonsense. Now is the best time to eat it!"

"No. It's disgusting. It belongs in the trash."

Naia quickly placed the banana back in the basket with the other fruits and vegetables. She leaned against the counter as she watched while Lenny got two shot glasses from out of his cabinet.

"So tell me. What's up with your thing with taking your shoes off before you walk fully into the house?"

"I think it's better that way. And if we're being completely honest, it's a tradition I picked up while over in Japan."

"This is why you've known as 'Lenny with the dirty feet' back in your home Island in the Bahamas."

He laughed hearty at her remark. He was one of those people with a contagious laugh. She couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Oh hush." He pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels from another cabinet and walked over to the counter Naia leaned again.

She watched as he poured the liquor into both of their shot glasses. Truth be told she was a bit nervous about drinking that. She had never tried dark liquor before. Let alone Jack Daniels. Lenny downed his shot of the liquor with ease. Not wanting to seem like a wuss, she quickly downed her shot of the liquor. It burned her throat immensely. She tried with everything within her to hide the discomfort on her face. Lenny stared at her with an amused look on his face as he poured himself another shot of the Jack Daniels.

"How are your parents doing? I know they must miss you terribly with you being so far out."

"They're doing fine. My mom she's in L.A. doing her own thing and of course you know my dad. He's working and touring as usual. I would hope they miss me because I miss them too. But with everything that happened in L.A. it was for the best I move out here."