Midlife // Joji

Thirteen

I raised my hand and wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead. I had chosen the worst possible day to install flooring in the apartment I was renovating.

Now, you're probably wondering, 'Ella, what the hell do you know about installing flooring?' Well the answer is a fair amount now. Considering this is my second time installing it in this very apartment, the first time I did it wrong and ended up having to rip it all up and start over. So, I would say I'm very experienced now.

You're next question is probably, 'Ella, why are you renovating an apartment?' Well, the answer is I tried to hire a contractor to do it and he gave me attitude, so now I'm doing a job that was supposed to take a crew of 6 men less than a month to complete. You might be able to guess that it's taking me much longer, about three months if you were wondering.

And you're final question may be, 'Ella, why are you sweating so bad?' And the answer to that is I broke the air conditioning unit in the process of ripping out the floor, the second time. To add to the situation, Brooklyn is in the middle of a record breaking heat wave, so it was hot in here.

Renovating the apartment wasn't totally awful, it did keep me busy while George was on tour. He got back less than a week ago and for the most part all he's been doing is sleeping. I can understand why though, he traveled all over the place for two months, performing in different countries every couple days.

It was easier to be apart from him this time. We talked often and I also didn't have the big unknown of what we were looming over me. I knew he was my boyfriend, and that he cared for me. So what if George was thousands of miles away, he was still mine.

I took a long drink from my water bottle, feeling the ice cold water pour down my throat before getting back to work.

Suddenly a loud banging on the front door drug my attention away from the work that needed to be done.

I groaned.

It better not be another noise complaint, cause if it is I will be pitching a fit. I have every right to make as much noise as I want between 8am and 5pm, after all I own this building.

I stomped over to the door, completely ready to chew  someone out, only to fling the door open and find Judy on the other side of the door. She looked like she had just seen a ghost.

"Whoa, what's up?" I question.

She exhaled deeply, "I'm sorry Ella, I didn't know what to do," she was clearly shaken up by something, the only other time I'd seen her this worried was when I showed up asking to see Robert, two and a half years ago.

"Hey, hey- it's okay. Take a deep breath, whatever's wrong we can fix-"

She quickly interrupted me, "they're here Ella. I didn't know what to tell them and then he started raising his voice so I gave them your apartment number."

I could feel my face contort in confusion, "What are you talking about? Who's at my apartment?"

Judy pulled her thin bottom lip into her mouth and anxiously chewed on it, her face was filled with sorrow, and I just knew I wasn't gonna like her answer.

"Your family, Ella. I'm-"

I swear my heart stopped, my ears began ringing and my face suddenly felt boiling hot.

I didn't hear a single word Judy had to say after that, I didn't bother to ask what they wanted. I just left the apartment and began heading back to mine.

It felt like I was moving in slow motion. Even though I was trying to hurry, it seemed there were cement blocks chained to my feet and with every step closer I got, the heavier they became.