Page 30 of Key Of Dreams

“I can’t believe that I got this lucky,” I tell her.

“Ditto. Now feed me.”

She nibbles, I devour. She covers her eyes with her hands when the scenes get graphic. I imagine the ways I would have killed the guy instead. She’s wine and I’m beer. But it works because she’s the sunshine that makes the darkness bearable. She’s a gift I don’t deserve but I’m going to keep, because now that I’ve had her light shine on me, I can’t go back.

Maya was wrong. She hardly made it through the first movie and nodded off after the opening credits of the second. My arm is aching from having her head on my shoulder for the last hour, but I don’t want to move. I’m about to reach for the remote when I hear a crash from next door. It sounds like it’s coming from Gertie’s place.

Maya hears it too and jerks awake.

“What’s that?”

I don’t answer, but race to the door and find that Phoenix and Kailyn must have heard the noise as well. I pound on Gertie’s door. Gertie’s apartment is sandwiched between ours, and a low moan seems to be coming from inside.

“Gertie! Gertie!” I call out. No answer comes from the other side. I turn to Kailyn. “Do you have the extra key?”

“Right here,” she responds in a shaky voice, and turns the key in the lock. The only light is coming from the bedroom. Kailyn pushes past me. Right behind her is Maya.

“Oh my God,” Maya exclaims. “Gertie. Gertie, can you hear me?”

Gertie moves, her eyes fluttering open. “I’m fine. I’m okay,” she says unconvincingly. “Give me a moment.” Gertie tries to pull herself up. When she fell, she took the picture hanging on the wall with her.

“Don’t move, Gertie. Let us check you out first,” I say.

Phoenix gently pushes Kailyn and Maya out of the way, and we come down on our knees. “Did you faint? Trip?”

“I tripped,” she mutters. “The carpet,” she adds. “I should have called to have it fixed, but I forgot.”

I slowly check to make sure there are no broken bones. Besides the goose egg on her head, Gertie seems to be all right. Phoenix carries her to her chair in the living room. The girls quickly snap into action. Kailyn grabs a pillow, and Maya spreads a throw blanket over Gertie’s legs to keep her warm.

“I’ll make you a cup of tea,” Kailyn murmurs and goes to the tiny kitchenette.

“Thank you, my lovelies,” Gertie says quietly, holding Maya’s hand tightly.

“I’m going to get my toolbox.” Phoenix stomps out of the room. He’s not happy, and neither am I, for that matter. Gertie has come to mean so much to all of us. Watching her be this quiet is unsettling. Gertie’s vivacious and never at a loss for words, and she looks so small and helpless sitting there.

Gertie catches me watching her. “Don’t look at me like that. An old woman can tumble from time to time. It’s bound to happen.” She diverts her attention back to Kailyn. “Make it decaf tea, lovie. I need to sleep tonight.”

Phoenix is back in no time, and together, we work on fixing the carpet, nailing it back into place and smoothing over other parts of the carpet that seem to be lifting.

“Tomorrow, I’m replacing this whole section,” I grumble.

“Can’t do that,” he responds.

“Why not?”

“It won’t be aesthetically pleasing,” he says, rolling his eyes.

“Say what?”

“If it doesn’t match the rest of the place, Gertie will have a fit. We either replace the whole thing or fix it best we can.”

“Then we do the whole thing.”

“Fine, but she needs to pick the carpet. This is her home; she needs to live here, and she needs to be happy,” he points out. “Problem number two is the cost. She’s a proud woman and won’t accept it if we pay for it.”

“We’ll make it a gift.”

“What’s the occasion, hot shot?”

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