A Little Bit of Sunshine

Chapter 22: Kara

I tossed a couple of Lena's stray Lincoln Logs into the barrel they came in before fixing the lid and standing it up next to the toy basket by the TV. My house smelled of cleaning products and a new candle that I wasn't completely sold on. The day hadn't necessarily been bad; more like cluttered. My brain, my desk, my house, everything was cluttered somehow, leaving me restless and compulsively cleaning.

Music played in the background, probably louder than it should be considering the fact that I had neighbors. It wasn't even my usual style of music. In truth, I was pretty sure the music was in German, and I didn't know enough of the heavy language to distinguish what it was they were singing about in the first place. The beat was good despite everything. I guess Spotify hadn't truly done me wrong.

All I could think about was that kiss. It hadn't been long. It hadn't been rushed, and yet, it left my whole body electrified. A kiss was the last thing I had expected from Lena. So much so that I was concerned for a moment she was doing it out of tradition or expectation. It had been past midnight on a new year. Everyone kissed someone when the ball dropped, but she had gazed at me like I hung the moon and my heart had nearly exploded right then and there. I loved that woman. She didn't know that, but that didn't change the truth.

Lena had been quieter through the day though, which was probably what prompted me to go into a tailspin of repressed confusion. Did she regret it?

Groaning, I fluffed the throw pillows on the couch for a third time before reaching for my phone. A text from Alex waited for me, letting me know she was on her way with potstickers. Lena's thread remained silent. 'She runs a multi-billion dollar company. She's busy.'

My front door opened a few minutes later and Alex came through, back first with her hands full of bags and beer. "Kar, I think your neighbor down the hall is obsessed with me."

"The one next to the stairs?" I smirked, taking one of the bags and the beer as she kicked the door shut.

"Yeah! Wait, how did you know?"

"Marsha asks about you every chance she gets. Totally obsessed with your 'bootie'. Her words. Not mine." The first time the older woman had brought it up had been a surprise I hadn't been prepared for, leaving me laughing once I was safely behind closed doors. She was easily 15 years older than Alex, maybe more.

Alex nodded once before shaking her head. "Well, alrighty then. I thought maybe it was just in my head. Isn't she like, 50?"

"I think she's 45? I can't remember. You should give her a shot. She makes a mean apple pie." I shrugged, trying not to snicker as Alex glared. "What? You got something against a 45 year old woman?"

"No, it's not the age thing. It's 100% the fact that barged out in her pajamas like she knew my footsteps or something." She began to unpack the food onto the coffee table. "Stalker tendencies."

"Yeah, I'll give you that one. I think she's bored and watches through the peephole." I shrugged. "Meh, she's alright though."

"So..." Alex threw herself down onto the couch heavily, dislodging the pillows and my hard work. She looked up at me expectantly. I knew that stare. She wasn't going to ask the questions out loud. Somehow, that tactic made everything so much more nerve wracking.

"So?" I retrieved the pillows and placed them back on the couch.

"Kar, you've been deep cleaning."

"Very observant of you."

Alex cocked her head, eyebrows raised. "More like, can't see anything else, or smell anything else for that matter."

Sighing, I sat down beside her, sweaty palms planted on my knees. Lena had given me permission to talk to Alex about her. What was holding me back? Everything was going to be fine.