Lorelei had yet to grow used to the smell of Christina's apartment. Christina had not said a word to them since they entered. She reeked of alcohol, her eyes were bloodshot, and rubbed her temple. She was failing at hiding her hangover. Jesse did not complain because Christina's not speaking meant they could throw out most of her belongings.
Christina sank into her recliner and buried her head in her hands. Lorelei and Jesse went into the kitchen. The smell grew stronger and made Lorelei gag when she saw all the moldy food. The masks they were wearing did not save them from the stench. Jesse chuckled.
"You can work in the ICU, but these rotten carrots are getting to you?" Jesse asked.
"Bodily fluids and mold are two different things," Lorelei said.
"Yes, bodily fluids are much grosser."
Lorelei giggled, and she held the garbage bag open. Jesse grabbed with his gloves handfuls of paper plates, old take-out containers, and open boxes and cans. Lorelei could hear Christina groan, and she looked over her should see her rubbing her forehead.
Jesse grabbed and tied the garbage bag when there was a knock on the door. He furrowed his brows, and Christina raised her head from her hands.
"Are you expecting anyone?" he asked.
"No," Christina said.
Someone pounded their fist on the door. Jesse set the bag down before going over to the door. Jesse's sister Marlowe was standing in the doorway. She had on a pair of overalls and a bucket full of cleaning supplies in her arms. She sighed and shook her head as she looked around the apartment.
"Seriously, Mom?" Marlowe asked. "This place is disgusting."
"Why are you here?" Christina snapped.
"You only have a few days left. I thought you could use all hands possible. Plus, I got a babysitter for Logan."
Jesse handed Marlowe a mask and a pair of gloves. She put them on before putting her hands on her hips. She looked around the apartment, shaking her head. Christina scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Marlowe, if you came to be judgemental, you can leave," Christina said.
"Mom, I came to help," she said.
"Then go help."
Christina waved her hand to motion toward the kitchen. Lorelei could not see the lower half of Marlowe's face, but by the way her eyebrows creased, she could tell that she was scowling. Lorelei bit on the inside of her cheeks. Was there going to be another big fight in Jesse's family?
"Mom, you're the one that is going to be homeless," Marlowe said. "Don't make Jesse and Lorelei do all the work."
"I don't feel well," Christina said.
"How much did you drink last night?"
Christina balled up her fist and slammed it on the chair's armrest. Lorelei jumped, but neither Jesse nor Marlowe reacted.
"Get out!" Christina said.
"Not until this place is clean," Marlowe said.
"Marlowe Jane Williamson, I said get out."
Lorelei's chest tightened, and her heart pounded as she listened. Christina used the full name of both her children when she was angry. Lorelei wanted to turn and continue to clean, but she was frozen. She thought her family was dysfunctional, but they never yelled like this.
Marlowe turned, but she grabbed her bucket instead of walking to the door. She did not say a word as she poured a cleaning solution in before filling it with water.
"Marlowe, get out!" Christina shouted.
"Not until this place is clean," she said.
Christina stood. She staggered as she took a step forward. Her fists were still balled up at her sides. Would his family get physical?
Jesse stepped in between them. He held his hands out, and they both stopped, but they glared at each other.
"Mom, we need to work together," he said. "We're running out of time. We need Marlowe's help."
"Not if she is going to be a bitch," Christina said.
"Mom!"
Christina let out a deep breath and flopped back into her recliner. She crossed her arms over her chest and slumped in the chair. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Marlowe fill the bucket. The tension was thick in the air, and Lorelei swallowed past the lump forming in her throat. She turned and grabbed another garbage bag.
They worked silently as Jesse and Lorelei removed the last bits of garbage. Marlowe scrubbed the counters and cupboards. Jesse took the bag out of Lorelei's hands and added it to the pile by the front door.
"Let's go do my old room," Jesse said.
Lorelei looked around the living room to see that it was almost cleared. Only Christina's recliner and old television were in the room, with the odd piece of junk on the floor. Lorelei followed Jesse down the narrow hallway to the first door on the left. Jesse pushed his shoulder into the door to force it open.
Piles of clothes filled the room. There was a narrow path to the bed and a mattress on the floor with a colourful pattern. Old band posters were peeling off the wall, and a few picture frames of teenagers. Lorelei squinted and leaned in to try and see the photo better. It was a picture of a boy with long hair swooped over his face and dressed in all black with a lip ring. By the bright blue eyes and single dimple, Lorelei could tell it was Jesse.
"You had a lip ring?" Lorelei asked.
Jesse cringed as he looked at the photo. He ripped it off the wall and held it to his chest. Lorelei giggled as she tried to pull it away from him. She wanted a better look at the picture.
"I want to see," Lorelei said.
"I was a moody teenager," he said. "There's nothing to see."
Lorelei stuck her lip out in a pout, but Jesse shook his head.
"That won't work on me," he said.
"I can show you a picture of me when I was sixteen," she said. "I had braces and acne."
"I doubt it."
"Trust me. It was awful."
Jesse chuckled and shook his head.
"You would have never dated me in high school," he said.
"I totally would have," she said. "Besides, when I was starting grade nine, you were starting college."
Jesse shuddered before he tossed the photo onto the bed. Lorelei reached for it, but he snatched her arm and pulled her into his body. She giggled and wanted to lean up to kiss him, but they were both wearing masks.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you more, baby girl," he said.
He tightened his grip on her before letting go. They gathered up the piles of clothes and tossed them into bags. The stench of urine came off them, and Lorelei was confused by the smell until she saw a rat run by her feet. She screamed, dropped the clothes, and took a step back. Jesse wrapped his arms around her and pulled her over to the door.
"What is it?" he asked.
"A mouse," she said.
"There are mice all over this apartment," he said. "I can't believe you haven't seen one yet."
Lorelei's eyes went wide when she turned to look at Jesse.
"You slept in a room full of mice?" she asked.
Jesse broke eye contact with her. She wanted to touch his face and force him to look at her, but her hands were in the soiled gloves. She wanted to get out of this apartment, knowing there were rodents. How did Jesse grow up in this?
"Jesse," she said.
"We should bring the garbage outside," he said.
Lorelei sighed and nodded her head. She was glad to get away from the mouse or potential mice.
"Jesse!" Marlowe screamed. "Jesse, come quick!"
He ran, and Lorelei followed close behind. Marlowe was kneeling on the floor. Christina was sprawled across the carpet. Her body was jerking and thrashing. Lorelei instantly recognized it as a seizure. She had witnessed many during her career. Marlowe had tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to hold Christina down.
"Call 911," Lorelei said.
She rushed over to Marlowe and pulled her hands off Christina's limbs. Jesse's voice was drenched in fear as he was on the phone with the paramedics.