The Stripper Equation

Lock It Up Before I Go Go

I got to work folding her towels and trying to put her apartment back together.  When I was satisfied I sat in Daphne’s apartment waiting for her to come home. It was early evening and I was starving. There was barely anything in Daph’s apartment, as usual. I pulled open her menu drawer and decided on Chinese food. I called it in and waited for the delivery. When the knock came on the door I was reluctant to unlock the dead bolt. It made me think that since Noah wasn’t here to check it when I’m done it wouldn’t be as safe as it was when he was here.

I felt the adrenaline rushing through my body. I wondered how in less than 24 hours I have become so paranoid. I hated it. I opened the door and was greeted by a smiling delivery boy. Even though he was non-threatening I couldn’t help but picture him lunging at me. I quickly exchanged my money for his food. As soon as he turned the corner I pushed the door closed.

I couldn’t breathe until the door slammed shut. I locked the door and twisted the dead bolt. Somewhere after eating my food and realizing there wasn’t anything worth watching on t.v. I fell asleep. I woke up around 7.30. It took me barely an hour to go through all the reading material Daphne had in the apartment. So I did what I did when I get anxious and I cleaned.

Daphne isn’t a pig or anything but she definitely isn’t a clean freak. And due to the lack of cleaning products I had to resort to scrubbing her counters and floor with baking soda and vinegar. Lucky for me she had recently read an article about losing weight by taking shots of vinegar throughout the day. In typical Daphne fashion she quit after about two days so there was an abundance of vinegar available to me for cleaning.  I figured it was the least I could do after Mark had demolished her apartment. 

I went to take some clothes I had picked up off of her floor into her room.  I saw there were baskets of laundry that were piled one on top of the other.  They may or may not have been a casualty in Mark’s attack.  I figured I would fold them regardless.  When I was finishing up I heard a knock on her door.

I walked out of her room as quietly as I could. I stopped and stood there staring at the door. There was another knock. “Lennie?  It’s me Steve.  Daphne’s boyfriend.  I come bearing gifts.”

I walked the rest of the way towards the door and opened it. Steve was standing there wearing khaki’s and a polo. I had to laugh. “Hi, Steve. How are you?”

Steve stepped in and laid the bags he was carrying onto the counter. “Wow this place looks great. Must’ve been a hard split.”

I was taken aback by his comment. “Huh?”