Long Time, No See

IIIIIII: III

Denver

Space?

She wants space? 14 years of separation and after a couple of weeks... She wants space?

I enjoy when she so much as looks in my direction, and she wants space...

I slump my head further back on Nigel's sleek, white, leather sofa, releasing a loud, dejected sigh as I exhale.

I returned home from work earlier, after talking with Denise and haven't been able to do much else but sulk. Dinner was supposed to be almost prepared by now but one look at the kitchen and all thoughts of standing up leave me as I remember cooking for Denise that night... Before she wanted... Space.

Minutes spent in silent, sullen solitude, are interrupted when the sounds of keys jingling and tired footsteps entering the house fill the air. I turn my head slightly to witness a practically catatonic Nigel, sleepwalking into the house having just gotten back from his long shift at work.

As per his usual ritual, Nigel takes off his backpack as he reaches the living room, dumping it haphazardly by the front door without stopping. Next comes off his shirt which he flings on his shoulder, yawning as he walks down the hall into his bedroom to change. I sit up a little higher bringing my watch up to my face and begin exactly counting two minutes and forty-two seconds, a habit I've acquired over time from watching his behaviour;
for some odd reason he's always without fail out of his room by that time.

Unsurprisingly like clockwork, at exactly one minute forty-one seconds the door reopens revealing a half-naked Nigel; his red, satin pajama bottoms and matching red slippers being the only article of clothing on his body.

Scratching the top of his head, Nigel turns his neck and finally acknowledges me with a tired "hey" and a smile.

I hide my smile and greet him back, deciding to watch in slight amusement as he sits at the dining table in the other room expecting to see some food there.

3...

2...

1-

"Wait, what?!" His voice rings out and his neck whips around so quickly to face me that I'm surprised he doesn't break it in the process.

I hear his hurried steps before I see him because by now I'm laying back fully on the sofa looking up at the ceiling.

"Yo, Den! Where's the food?" He asks leaning over me with a look of abject horror so pure that it almost makes me chuckle.

Almost.

I shrug, closing my eyes trying to block him out now that the fun is over and I'm back to feeling like crap.

"Hello! I know you hear me! There's no food, what gives?" He continues now nudging my shoulder incessantly to get me to reopen my eyes-- However, all it's doing is ruining my mood further.

"Not now Nige, I had a shitty day and couldn't be asked to make anything," I grumble turning away from him.

I hear a distinctly patronising scoff leave his lips before he continues on. "You? You had a shitty day?! I just finished working a sixteen-hour nursing shift, with a sandwich, five cups of coffee and a chocolate bar to keep me going throughout the day. How bad could your day have been that it warranted no dinner!?" He irately questions and I sigh before turning to face him and sit up.

"Denise is insisting that she needs space. She feels like I'm crowding her and unjustly inserting myself in her business," I mumble with my shoulders hunched over staring at my feet.