Neanderthal Seeks Human(67)

“Before we have our picnic I want to show you something.”

With no further explanation we waited for, then entered, the elevator. We stood next to each other, holding hands, as the elevator ascended. Everything about the moment struck me as odd, surreal, and I wondered how I’d arrived at this moment.

I brain-rewound and reviewed how I got here: it all really started that night, weeks ago, at the bar and the Saturday morning after. Fast-forward to last Wednesday, when he bumped into me at Smith’s. Then Thursday followed and the cell phone incident. Friday day was good, normal; then it wasn’t normal, but it was still good, and he kissed me, three times. Saturday was both clarifying and confusing.

Which brought me to Sunday, another kiss, and this moment, holding hands in the elevator.

Despite my best efforts I was now adrift in a labeless ocean of unknowns trying to find my sea legs with no map or figure with footnotes. I felt distinctly terrified and excited… and terrified.

Despite all my brain-rewinding the elevator trip was actually very short. The doors slid open to a long, plain white hallway with four doors. Plastic covered the marbled floor and it smelled heavily of paint. Quinn placed his hand on the base of my spine and ushered me out and to the end of the hall. He withdrew a set of keys and unlocked the door then, giving me a small but clearly expectant smile, motioned me in.

I hesitantly crossed the threshold, stepping onto ash colored hard wood floors and glanced around what I now recognized as a very, very nice apartment. It was unfurnished so the wood panels fanned out uninterrupted and crisscrossed with the horizontal spears of light emanating from three large floor to ceiling windows off the living room, which overlooked Millennium Park. I walked slowly into the large living space, toward the windows, and noted the height of the cathedral ceiling as I half spun. My footfalls were loud and reverberating. The walls were painted a plain white, as were the crown molding and baseboards.

“The kitchen is over here.” Quinn’s voice also echoed from my side; I followed where he led to a spacious, blue-grey marbled kitchen. All the appliances were stainless steel- double oven, gas range, dishwasher, giant fridge- except the sink which was white porcelain and huge. It was a kitchen that was meant to be used for cooking.

The kitchen looked a little sad without small appliances, cookbooks, and food littering the countertops, like a kid waiting to be picked for a dodge ball team.

After giving me a minute to survey the space he placed his palm on my back and gently led me to a hallway with two bedrooms beyond. They were very similar in size and both had ensuite bathrooms. The main difference was that the slightly larger of the two also had a view of the Park and the bathroom contained a cistern sized jacuzzi bathtub.

My eyes widened when I saw the tub. It was an impressive tub; I don’t think I’ll ever quite get over the sight of that tub and the images it conjured of me and my seventeen closest friends taking a bath together. I literally could have held knit-night in the tub.

Quinn seemed to sense I needed some time with the tub so he waited for me in the master bedroom. When I emerged I gave the tub one last longing look then turned my attention to Quinn.

Tub plus Quinn equaled Quinub or Tubinn. I decided Tubinn sounded more alluring; I let that thought wash over me: Tubinn with Quinn.

I didn’t even try to fight the blush that followed.

“Hey.” He was sitting on an inset window seat; I noted it could be used for storage.

“Hey.” I responded, letting out a slow breath, trying to find a subject other than Tubinn or the tub to discuss.

“What do you think?” He prompted, motioning with a tilt of his head for me to join him on the wooden seat.

“It’s really nice…” I walked to him slowly, still surveying the room, “Are you thinking of renting it?”

“No, not me. I was thinking it might be nice for you and Elizabeth.”

I full-stopped about four feet from where he sat, “What?”

“You mentioned you were looking for a lager place, you and Elizabeth.”

“Yeah, something larger not something…” I lifted my arms around me in a movement I suspected looked like slow motion flapping, “Richy Rich McMansion huge.”

His grin was immediate, “It’s not that big.”

I tilted my head at him in the way I often saw him employ, hands moving to my hips, “I am fairly certain it is well outside of our price range.”

He also titled his head, “See, that’s the thing, this floor and the four beneath it belong to Cypher Systems. They were specifically purchased for employees.”

“You mean, you mean the company owns these apartments?”