Eliot Strange and the Prince of the Resistance

32) Going Back Home

After I'm on my way, I realize I'm not sad anymore. I can't be. It's too damn exhausting. I just feel relieved to know what happened to my dad. I am not worried about my mom anymore because she chose her path. If she is a bad guy, or a good guy, it was her choice.

All I know is that she didn't choose me.

I peddle with no particular plan in mind until I find myself on my street in front of my house. I am caked in mud, hungry, and thirsty. I decide to stop for the day, spend the night, do a little less crying than before, and head back to my new family, or what's left of them, in the morning.

I go inside and the first thing I notice is that someone has set a simmering pot over a sterno can in the kitchen. I peek inside and see noodles. There's some spaghetti sauce on the counter. Someone's making spaghetti. Torin's favorite. Torin is here. He has come to find me, but where is he? And is he Torin or Jack?

I realize I don't care. I am in love with a man, and I don't care if he is a prince or a bodyguard or a professional clown.

Though the evidence points to the fact that my possible clown lover boy is not in love with me, I don't care.

Still, he did come looking for me because he is here.

I am so excited that I don't hear the shower running in my mom's bathroom until I reach her room. Torin is taking a shower. Deja vu all over again, as Steven would say. I'm dirty too. I'm eighteen years old now, a mature woman who knows what she wants. And, it's the end of the world, and everybody else is doing it, so I take my clothes off too. I deserve this, I think, which is a weird thing to be thinking.

The bathroom door is not shut which makes it easy to sneak in. I am a beautiful, sexy woman looking for her man. I am completely naked and not afraid at all because I want this, and I want Torin to know I am ready. I am giggly with excitement and expectation. I feel sexy and desirable. No more playing games and flirting and parrying and getting a kiss on the check. I want this.

It's the end of the world, and I have lost everything. What have I got to lose?

Nothing.

I can see his outline through the shower curtain, and his back is turned to me. He has an adorable butt. I don't want to surprise him because he might have a gun in there, so I say, "Torin, its me. Eliot. Can I join you?"

I can tell he heard me because he freezes, but he doesn't answer back, so I say, "I'm quite dirty. I hope you found some shampoo, my hair needs a good wash. I been wallowing in the mud today with another boy. Hope you don't mind."

"Another boy does not mind at all," says Gus as he pulls the curtain back with one quick motion. "Come on in."

Now I'm the one frozen. I cannot move backward or forward because there is a completely naked man in front of me, and I won't lie, I want to look. I do. Except, I am afraid because there is nothing between me and this completely naked man but a shower curtain.

"Sorry," I say with my best manners. I try to think of something not completely stupid to say next. "I'm not completely comfortable stepping in the shower with you. I barely know you."

"Ah, but you barely know a prince too," Gus says.

Busted. My heart is pounding. I'm naked with no exit strategy, and I'm caught in a big lie.

Gus must realize I am scared because he says with his best manners now, "My apologies, Eliot. I'm being an arse. I did not mean to put you in a compromising position. If you'll toss me that towel behind you, I'll trade places with you. But let me warn you. It might be the coldest water in the world."

I hand him the towel. As we trade places I say, "Thank you."

Thank you for not killing me or worse. Most of all, thank you for being a gentleman when there are so few left, and the world has gone to complete hell.