Salvage

Seven - Part 2

Aurora squinted in a bright shaft of sunshine and sat up, wiping a trace of drool from her lip. The hand that came up to wipe her face was coated in a yellow rubber glove. She groaned and pulled it off, tossing it aside and looking around. It only took her a moment to remember where she was. She hadn't been able to sleep when Adam left, so she'd started to pack. She'd pulled everything out of her kitchen cupboards and stacked it on the carpet in the living room, and had started scrubbing it. She'd gotten through all the cupboards, countertops, even the freezer, but by the time she'd gotten to scrubbing the floor, she'd needed a rest. She must have fallen asleep with the sponge still in her hand.

With a sigh, she tugged off her other glove and tossed it to the floor, pushing herself to her feet. It was still early, but she could see through her kitchen window that the day was going to be beautiful. All shiny and washed clean from the rain.

She needed to see Ros. Usually she'd would be in the middle of her morning yoga routine right about now. Aurora had joined her before for an impromptu talk. Decided, she stuffed all her books into her bag and slung it over her shoulders, then started out from home. She kept her chin up, not even looking at the upper house in case the landlord was there lurking. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing the effect he'd had on her life.

Driving as quickly as she dared, she sped through the quiet morning streets to the student housing where Ros lived. It was only five minutes away, and Ros didn't have a car, so Aurora just pulled into her assigned spot just in front of the door. Climbing out, not bothering to take her backpack with her, she came up to the front door and knocked loudly.

"Come in!" came the muffled cry from behind the door. "It's unlocked."

Aurora pushed open the door, kicking off her boots into the large pile of Rosalind's shoes littering the tiny front foyer. Down a narrow hallway, she turned into the main space. It was a studio apartment, and most of the area was dedicated to the kitchen, so that's where Ros was perched, one leg extended up with toes pointed towards the ceiling, the other planted on the floor.

The whole place had a warm, homey feel, and smelled of fresh flowers and incense. Ros loved collecting odds and ends from yard sales or estate sales, and she'd transformed the tiny space to a cute fairy cottage.

"Hey, babe!" Rosalind grinned brightly and brought her leg down from the ceiling, looking up now as she began lifting the other one. "I figured it was you from the sputtering of that shitty car."

"Admitting you're not psychic?" Aurora took off her thick hoody and stood in the kitchen opposite Ros, starting to do a more normal-person version of the stretch.

"And, of course, I sensed your approach, through the mystical energy waves." Ros wiggled her fingers next to her temples. She looked up, toe just beginning to point, but face serene as ever. "Are you all right? You look... weird."

"Not great, actually," Aurora admitted, looping her hand around her thigh to help lift it higher. "Last night I got an eviction notice from my landlord."

"What?" Ros exploded, her foot falling and her torso jerking upright abruptly. She winced and shook out her thigh, massaging the muscle. "You got evicted? Are you okay? You're moving in with me, obviously. What an asshole!"

"Yes, I know. It's all very horrific." Aurora slid down to sit on the tiled floor of the kitchen, and Ros followed her down, pulling her legs into a contorted pretzel. "Five days. He gave me five days. And yes, I'm okay. I didn't sleep much, and obviously I'm stressed, but I'm actually okay. And... Yes, he's an asshole."

"Five fucking days?" Ros's voice got even louder in her indignation, and she stopped herself abruptly, taking a few deep breaths as she straightened her posture. "Wow. What a dick. Do you want me to kill him? You should sue him. What is he even kicking you out for?"

"What? No, we're not... killing anyone..." Aurora paused, then gave into the urge and laughed helplessly. "Wait wait. I haven't even told you everything. So last night, Adam stopped by while I was at work."

"Tell me everything."

So Aurora did. It was a relief to pour out all the issues, her thoughts and feelings. Ros didn't disappoint, her expressive face mirroring Aurora's own emotions, validating her reactions. When Aurora concluded the tale, Ros was deep into the splits and nodding thoughtfully, her face drawn into a frown.

"Huh. So Adam, good guy Adam, nice guy Adam, just has an extra room he wants you to live in for free." She inched down a little further into the split. "Good sense would tell me to be dubious, but I support whatever you want to do, babe. I know you're smart enough to make a good decision."

Aurora blinked, then smiled softly. "Thanks, Ros." She had thought, at first, that she was coming here for advice. But no, she came to Ros for this acceptance. Because Ros would never try to control her. "I love you."

"Love you too."