Chase & Adrienne

45

CHASE 

MONDAY NIGHT

Before I know it, Carmen and Jeremy are driving away, Adrienne and me waving from the driveway. We're alone. I offer to help her clean up before her dad gets home in a few hours. He's working a graveyard shift tonight. We go back inside, picking stray popcorn kernels out of the carpet and piling the sink full of empty cups. The games are tucked in, nice and cozy, in the designated closet.

We go back to survey the den. As I watch Adrienne turn off the TV and straighten up the throw pillows on the couch, I pretend for a moment that it's ten years in the future. That this is our house and these are our throw pillows. That she's my wife, and our kids are sleeping upstairs. That there are dishes to wash and bills to pay and taxes to file and that we just don't care because we're together. I pretend that I'll get to fall asleep next to her tonight and wake up next to her tomorrow morning. Looking around this room, at all that is yet to come, I know that a life with Adrienne is all I've ever really wanted. 

"I think it looks pretty good," Adrienne comments, standing back and taking in the room. It's spotless. "What do you think?"

"I think I love you," I respond. Adrienne makes a face. 

"About the room, silly."

"This room," I say, stepping toward her and taking both of her hands in mine, "is by far, the most beautiful room I have ever seen. In my life. I don't think I could ever love another room as much as I love this room right now."

Adrienne blushes, biting her lip and looking down at the carpet. Her eyelashes nearly brush against her cheek, and I can't catch my breath for a second. Suddenly, she looks up at me, an idea playing in her eyes. I raise an eyebrow. 

"Follow me."

She lets go of my hands, exiting the den. I follow after her. She takes the stairs two at a time, but I take my time. What is she up to? Once upstairs, she disappears into her bedroom. The faint light of her bedside lamp flicks on. 

"Is this a good idea?" I ask, stopping in the doorway. "You are looking real beautiful, and it's very late, and your dad isn't home."

"Just get over here," Adrienne beckons, patting the spot on the bed beside her. I walk in slowly. I've been in this room more times than I can count, but this time feels so different. I don't want to taint the memory, the innocence, of this room. I take a deep breath and sit down. Adrienne begins walking her fingers up and down my thigh, pausing to trace lazy circles over my jeans. I swallow, trying to focus on the posters tacked to the walls and the books on her shelf and not her hand on my leg. 

"Adrienne..."

"Now that we're, like, together," Adrienne murmurs, "there's one more order of business."

"What are you talking about?" I ask innocently. She doesn't mean...? She couldn't mean...

"Wait here."

She slides off of the bed and walks into her closet, closing the door behind her. I sit there, totally frozen. What have I gotten myself into? What does she think she's doing? I'm misreading things, right? Through my thoughts, I can hear lots of rustling, hangers clanging against each other and clothing being thrown onto the floor. Oh, God. My heart is pounding. How am I going to get out of this? There's no way I'm gonna be able to say no to this. A million excuses run through my head, each one dumber than the next. 

Before I have time decide on a sufficient reason to leave this very second, the closet door swings open. The best reaction I can come up with his to squeeze my eyes shut. That'll buy me some time. Only about half a second passes.