Research: Romance

Oh, Henry! My Henry!

Desi showed up at my apartment around 7pm. I had been pacing the floor after leaving the office, trying to think of any way to squirm out of Maizy's clutches, so it was easy to hear her footsteps approaching. My palms were sweating, making them slide on the door handle. However, just as I went to throw open the door and fall into her arms like a little sister, I heard a second set of footsteps and a throat clear.

"What are you doing here?" Desi asks, and I hesitate. Worried that it might be a reporter, or worse, Robin (who I am actively banished from seeing), I pressed my ear to the door and listened.

There was rustling, which sounded like food bags, and the jangling of keys. Silence seemed to stretch on for a long time, then Desi's voice sounded again, "And you felt the need to invite yourself, why?"

Finally, the counterpart speaks: "The same reason you ask mean rhetorical questions as a form of defense, I'm guessing."

Ah... Henry.

Desi is quiet. Desi is never quiet. It makes me think that they are going to start yowling like cats at one another before breaking out into an immense fight.

"You're right. This is Leah's place, and I know she'd be relieved to have your help... I'm sorry."

What?!

"What?" Henry sounds just as surprised as I feel.

The shadow of her footsteps under the door shifts and I am all but laying against the door. I hold my breath to hear better. There's a squeak of Styrofoam and another rustling of plastic. Then Desi's footsteps move away from the door. Henry clears his throat, a sign that he's been made uncomfortable.

"You're supposed to shake it." Desi says, tightly. "I'm asking for a truce."

Henry responds, hesitantly, "Does it bite?"

"It's my hand?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"You know what, never mind! You want to be a child and continue to punish me for what happened, then fine."

"Me?" He barks a laugh, "I have done nothing but try to talk to you about what happened for the past few months. This is the first time you've even ack--" Henry's voice drops an octave, "Forget it...That's what you want, right? For us to ignore it and hope it will go away. Okay. It's forgotten."

Desi breathes out in frustration, "I don't--"

"Great. Then we agree." The sound of plastic hits the ground, "Leah's is at the bottom. Yours is on top. Goodnight."

"You can't just leave, I'm sure she's heard us by now."

No response.

"Just stay."

Footsteps walk away.

"Hairy?"

Desi's footsteps chase.

"Hairy."

Finally, Desi's had enough, and she calls louder, "Henry! Stop!"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO!" He shouted angrily.

I rip open the door at the sound and step out into the hall. My mouth is agape as I look worriedly between them. Henry is standing at the elevators down the hall, and Desi is standing in the middle. There are two sets of take-out bags at my feet. My eyes scan between the two of them desperately, but I don't know what to say.

Desi stands shell-shocked like a statue. Henry has never raised his voice at anyone, and the fact that he raised it at her like that made the three of us vibrate with equal disbelief.