The Mystery of the Man in Apartment 5B

He Needs Me

"Why are you upset?" I ask Andy as I enter the apartment.

"I hit you Mika...I-I-"

"You barely slapped me," I tell him as I storm to the room.

Andy is quick to follow me and is by my side as I wash my face in the bathroom. I glance up to see him just staring at me. I shake my head and then dry off my face.

"I'm sorry," he says to me. His eyes are beat red and his face is tear stained.

We stare at each other through the mirror.

"What are we going to do Andy?" I sigh.

Andy just shrugs and looks down. I sigh and exit the bathroom. He follows me through the room and to the kitchen.

"I don't want you around him," he tells me as I sit at the counter with my laptop.

"Fine," I tell him. "He's quitting anyways."

"He is?" Andy asks as he sits across from me. I nod without looking at him. "Good."

--

The next morning I run into Michael as I'm leaving the apartment. He just brushed past me without a word. I stopped him just before the elevator.

"I'm sorry for yesterday Michael," I tell him.

"I have to get going Mika," he says as he tries to brush past me again. I step in front of him though.

"Where are you going?" I ask curiously as I realize he's dressed in a decent suit.

"An interview," he replies as he reaches past me to push he elevator button again.

"For what?" I ask.

"Does it matter?!" Michael shouts at me. I jump at him raising his voice. He then sighs, "I'm sorry. I just have to go Mika. I'm sorry."

I nod and step aside. I wait to catch the elevator after he leaves. I don't want to bother him anymore than I already have.

Once outside, I walk down the busy sidewalk to meet Fortune and my sister Paloma for breakfast at the same cafe that Fortune and I ate with Michael. If I had it my way it'd be somewhere else.

"What took you so long?" Paloma asks as she stands to hug me tightly.

"Overslept," I lie. Fortune just shakes his head as he stares at the menu.

"So," Paloma starts as we sit down. "I heard that you and Andy are on the verge of splitting up.." My eyes dart to Fortune. "It wasn't him Mika. Andy's been talking to mama," she tells me.

I sigh, "I don't even know why he moved out here with me. If he doesn't wanna be with me then he should have stayed home," I say as I stare at the menu.

The same rude waitress comes to take our orders.

"He told her it was you," Paloma says to me.

"Me?" I ask as I point to myself in shock.

"He's the one who's been running back to his family whenever I come home. He's the one avoiding me. He's the one causing the problems," I snap accidentally at her.

"Okay Mika. Whatever you say," she says. "Anyways, mama is bringing the dogs next month. Not next week."

"What?!" I ask. Paloma nods. "Why?"

"Mamas sick Mika," Fortune tells me.

"I know, but-"

"But nothing," Paloma says.

The rest of the breakfast was a little more pleasant. On the walk back to the apartment the three of us run into Michael, again, in the hallway. Well we didn't run into him. He was standing by the window by the elevator arguing with someone on the phone. Probably his ex by the way it sounded.

"I don't care," he says as he leans against the wall and stares out the window blankly.

I kind of hover by the elevator as Fortune pulls Paloma away. "Just let him stalk," Forrune whispers to Paloma. I can hear the two burst out laughing as they round the corner to the apartment. I roll my eyes just as Michael turns to face me.

"I'll call you back," he says as he hangs up and then puts his phone in his pocket. Then the awkward silence begins as we both try to avoid eye contact.

"So," I start.

"So," he repeats as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

"Did you get the job?" I ask.

He shakes his head no.

"I'm sorry," I tell him honestly. Truthfully I didn't want him to get it, but I still feel bad. I want him to continue to work with me, wether Andy wants him to or not.

"Not your fault."

"You can work for me if you want, again."

He sighs and finally looks at me. "I want to, but-"

"Andy," I finish for him.

"Why are you even with him?" Michael asks as he approaches me slowly. Way to sexy.

I shrug as my eyes grope his amazing body. That body was once on top of me. Naked. I miss that body. I want that body. I want him.

He reaches behind me and presses the elevator button. The elevator dings as the doors open. He guides me backwards. Once the doors are closed he presses floor three.

Michael practically puts me in a trance with his eyes. They're gorgeous. I can't take my eyes off of them.

As the elevator dings again and the doors open, he grabs my left hand and drags me out, gently and protectively. I hope he never lets go. We stop in front of apartment 3C. He unlocks it and pulls me in.

"This was our old apartment. The one that my son died in," he tells me as he lets go of my hand and looks around as if it's new to him.

"You kept it?" I ask as I look around myself.

The apartment looks as if someone is still living there. It's clean. Almost spotless. There are toys in the living room and pictures on the walls.

"I couldn't stand to live here, but yet I couldn't part with it. I felt like if I gave it up then that means that I gave up on him," he says as his hands return to his pockets and his gaze drops to the ground.

"Michael," I say to him as I walk up to him and lift up his chin. "It's not giving up. Don't beat yourself up. He'd understand."

And then he loses it. He breaks down. His head falls onto my shoulder and his arms wrap tightly around my waist as he cries. We both fall to the floor as his knees give out.

"I miss him," Michael cries.

"I'm so sorry," I tell him as I hold him tightly and let some tears fall myself.

We stayed like that for almost an hour. The man has probably kept it bottled up since his son passed away. I need to be there for him.

I need him. And I think he needs me.