Dear Heart, You May Speak Now.

Chapter 21

An hour later, we're in the Elevator, going up to Chloe's apartment now. For some reason I feel nervous, Chloe seems carefree as usual.

When we step inside her door, I start taking mental snapshots of her apartment. I don't know why? Maybe because I want to remember it forever. I know I will never see it again after these few days.

She gives me a tiny tour after I put my suitcase by her couch.

All the walls are a light beige colour, she has books everywhere, on the coffee table, the kitchen counter, the couch, the kitchen table, on top of the microwave.

Art works ripped out of a art book, taped up on the walls, her washroom has plants hanging from the ceiling hooks, a bright yellow shower curtain ,a yoga mat on a large carpet in the living room, a medium sized television, tulips in a vase on the kitchen counter, and the most distinctive thing, her apartment, it smells like her.

Her room is simple, just a big bed and a little vanity where she has some pictures in photo frames. Her copy of Please Ignore Vera Dietz, a brush, a watch, jewellery in pretty boxes. I notice one of the photo frames has a picture of her, me, Leon, Selene and Cora sitting on a couch at a party I can remember really well. We all look so happy. Big smiles on our faces.

I pick up the frame and look at her. She smiles "That was such a happy night. Remember all of us just kept laughing?"

I laugh "Leon was so drunk, remember we all kept singing American Pie by Don McLean?"

Chloe laughs "Oh my god, yes! That was so funny." I put the picture back, and say "Now what?" Chloe says "Well you already saw my washroom, if you want you can freshen up, and I'm gonna cook some dinner for us. Pasta? Sound good?"

I make an uncomfortable expression "Chloe how about I just order take out? I don't want you to go through the trouble." Chloe says "Oh god what is it with you and being so overly kind. Just stop. Just go wash your face or whatever."

She opens her dresser drawer and throws me a medium sized clean towel. I catch it and say "Okay."

After I wash my face and pee. I neatly fold the towel and leave it on the washroom rack, whenever I go to anyone's house, I do that with my towel.

I've been sitting on a chair by her kitchen table, shyly admiring her, while she's cutting up cilantro, and telling me about her various adventures in different cities.

So far my favourite story that she's told me is the one where she lived with this painter named Costello. She met him when she was sitting in a restaurant.

Anyways he offered her to come live with him but he didn't want her to pay any rent, but just to sit in front of him every day for one hour so he could paint her. She did this for two months straight.

She said that he wouldn't show her the progress that he was making, but he would show her the final result. Chloe said that he had captured her in a way that she'd never seen herself before.

That painting he did ended up selling for more then any of the other paintings this guy had done before. He had requested Chloe to stay with him, but she refused. But she promised if she'd ever come back, she'd sit for him again.

I watch her move gracefully in her kitchen. I can watch her forever. She checks on the veggies and meat she has frying up in a pan. The pasta she's boiled is already in a big bowl.

She adds whatever sauce mixture she's made separately into the big bowl, then the vegetables and meat. She stirs everything together, then puts big portions onto two plates.

She grates cheese on top and puts a fork on each plate.

Then puts it in front of me and says "Tell me what you think. And what do you wanna drink?"