Page 22 of Nave
My hand went to my belly, which felt stretched to bursting. So much sugar and so many carbs. I was going to crash hard once the adrenaline wore off.
“No. My math says I’m only maybe nine weeks, give or take a few days.”
He nodded at that.
“Okay. Look, I think I might have an idea for somewhere you can stay where you won’t have to worry about being caught on any cameras. But I’m going to need to call my cousins and discuss it. As for work, you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Except I kind of do.”
“You’re not going to have rent or anything like that.”
That sounded way too good to be true. But I wasn’t going to argue with him about it.
“But I still need to work. Babies cost money. And not to mention the fact that I don’t have medical coverage and having babies costs, what, like fifteen grand?”
“Like I said, you don’t gotta worry about it.”
“I can’t ask—”
“I’m offering.” I opened my mouth to object, but Nave held up a hand and gave me an understanding nod. “Look, there are a lot of kinks to iron out moving forward. Let’s just focus on the next step ahead right now, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed, shoulders relaxing. “I can do that.”
“So the next step is letting you go steal my room to wash the road off of you. Maybe get some sleep if you can over the racket. The door locks from the inside. There are no cameras.”
“That’s almost a foreign concept,” I admitted.
“You’re gonna get used to it. Privacy. Sheets that don’t gotta get cleaned every single day. Shoes in the house if you want. A second cup of coffee. Baked goods and junk food…”
The moisture gathered in my eyes too quickly to blink away before he saw it.
“Hey,” he said, head falling to the side. “It’s going to be alright, okay?” he asked, reaching out an arm, offering a hug without forcing one on me.
As if I would turn that down.
I hadn’t had a hug in too many years to remember.
I all but fell into his arms, feeling him wrap me up tight enough to squeeze the air from my lungs. And all I did was press closer, wrapping my own arms around him. Like if I held on tightly enough, maybe I wouldn’t feel so unmoored, so adrift.
I turned my face into his neck, relieved to find something other than bleach and antiseptic soap.
Nave smelled a little spicy, from his soap or deodorant, but underneath that, just a little salty. Human. Real.
“Everything’s gonna be okay now, Loll,” Nave said, and I could feel his lips moving on my hair even as his hands drifted up and down my back.
I might have stayed just that way forever. But there was a collective cheer from somewhere in the backyard that had me jumping and Edith barking.
We both pulled away, and I reached for Edith’s leash as I shushed her.
“You picked a noisy night to drop in,” Nave said, tone apologetic.
“Honestly, I kind of like it. Everything the last few years has been so quiet.”
“Except those fucking HEPA filters. Those things would drive me up a wall.” Nave flipped the lid of the donuts closed and picked the box up. “Come on. I’ll give you the nickel tour.”
We moved back past the pool and hot tub, then inside the building where the sounds of the party seemed to be reaching a fever pitch.
Nave led me past the bar and down a long hallway full of doors.
