You Are What You Eat

9.

3 days later ..

All of the girls went to work today and Helen had to babysit. I walked into the living room and I noticed everyone was gone but a letter rested on the coffee table.

"Blake– I got called in to babysit today so you have the house to yourself. Please just help clean around if you want to keep yourself busy. The trash needs to be taken out. —Helen"

I left the note back on the cherry colored coffee table and I helped clean around, just little things. I decided to do a little extra and to impress Anne, I wiped down the stove and countertops in the kitchen so they were spotless, a little more than they were before. I made sure there were absolutely no dishes in the sink, and I made myself some soup to eat. My stomach still ached from the weird reaction I had to the dinner last night. While it was heating in the microwave, I remembered the last thing I had to do was take out the trash.

I took the bags outside and to the garbage can. I looked around and I saw a middle-aged woman with curly black hair, one of their neighbors taking her garbage out too. She made eye contact with me and smiled, and walked over to me. This was getting awkward.

"It's been a while since I've seen a new face around here, did you just move in?" She asked kindly.

I shook my head. "No, this isn't my house. I'm just staying here for a while," I replied.

She made a small 'o' with her mouth and quickly replaced it with a smile. "Oh, so the girls still live here."

"Yeah." I replied.

"It's weird, I hardly see the girls. And when I do, they're always bringing someone over." She said. What?

"Oh?" I replied. I didn't want to engage in conversation.

"Yeah. I assumed they just enjoyed the company. What's your name?" She asked me.

"Blake." I told her.

"I'm Nancy. It was nice to meet you." She said, but after we talked a little more she turned on her heel and went back inside her house. I did the same.

I ate my soup on the couch and watched the TV. It felt like forever since the girls were here, although I actually do enjoy being alone. I finished my chicken noodle soup and washed the bowl and spoon I used and placed it on the drying rack beside the sink.

Colleen was supposed to let me use her computer but hasn't let me use it yet. I knew I shouldn't just be using their stuff without their permission, but I really needed to find a job.

I looked in every room to find Colleen's, and I finally reached a room across from the one I'm staying at. The theme for this room is blue, everything is blue. From the bed set to the carpet to the curtains. There was also a white dresser and nightstand. I spotted the computer at the white desk. I sat and tried to turn it on. But here's the thing. It wouldn't turn on. From the looks of it, it was broken.

Why didn't she tell me her desktop was broken? Why did she say I can use it later if she knew it wouldn't work?