Perhaps (Book 1) | ✔

ACT III - Scene 4

Professor Daniel Lee's Apartment

I woke up the next morning, the sound of the coffee maker in the kitchen bubbling away happily as it brewed. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and looked around me. My clothes, now clean, laid on the coffee table before me, folded and ready for me to put on.

I guess I need to head home.

I didn't really want to go home, but I couldn't just sit around Professor Lee's all day. I was sure he had Thanksgiving plans with his family; and, as I had said the previous night, I had already inconvenienced him enough.

Standing up, I stripped off Professor Lee's clothes, allowing myself to take in his scent one more time before I put on my own clothes. I carefully folded his and sat them where mine had laid on the coffee table, followed by the blankets he had used to make my bed. I tried to clean up any signs that I had been there: tidying up the couch cushions and refluffing the couch pillows he had moved aside so that I could lay down. Finally, I made to leave, but felt myself stop when I touched the doorknob.

I just want to see him one more time.

Walking quietly down the hall, I saw that his bedroom door was cracked a bit. Carefully, I pushed it ajar just enough to catch sight of him. He was still sleeping: his back was to me, and all I could really see was that his blonde hair was tousled because he was covered up to his neck. My eyes didn't miss that the second pillow on his bed was missing, and I bit my lip as fresh tears stung my eyes.

Walking back to the living room, I spied a small can of pens on the breakfast bar: next to a basket that held mail. I couldn't just leave without saying something, so I grabbed a napkin and scribbled on it a small note.

Professor Lee, thank you for everything you did for me last night. I will never be able to repay all the kindness and hospitality that you have shown me. I am sorry for any inconvenience I caused you. I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving. Gloria

I walked home, despite it being quite a ways away and despite the chill. I wasn't in any rush to get there; I honestly dreaded the thought of it. Mom was sure to yell at me for the scene I caused yesterday, and for also failing to come home the night before. I just didn't want to hear it. And I didn't think I could face Dad after everything I had learned about his affair with Eileen.

Today was cold after all the rain that had poured down the day before. The wind was even colder. The sun wasn't even trying to peek out from behind the thick clouds in the sky. I pulled my jacket as tight around me as I could, but nothing could stop the chill from cutting straight through the thin fabric.

The further I moved away from Professor Lee's apartment, the hollower my stomach felt. I wanted to turn around and go back. I wanted to snuggle beneath those warm sheets on his couch. I didn't want to go back home; I wanted to stay with him.

You can't stay with him, Gloria... Tears ran down my cheeks.

When I got home, Mom and Dad were in the kitchen cooking, though they weren't looking at or speaking to each other. There was a thick silence in the air, and I didn't say anything to break it.

"Gloria. You need to go upstairs and change. I need you down here to set the table and get everything ready. The family will be arriving at any moment." My mother addressed me without turning around to look at me. I mumbled a weak assent, and then climbed the stairs to my room.

I plastered a blank expression on my face when my extended family arrived, and I attended dinner and acted as if nothing was wrong. Just as Mom and Dad did. All three of us pretended like yesterday had never happened; but I wondered if they noticed the smaller things that a keener eye would see and use to pick apart the smiling masks they wore: how Mom barely touched any of the food she had so painstakingly made; how Dad's smile didn't touch his eyes.