"You got it." London shook her head. This person would never cease to amaze her. “You know, I know there are people who don’t really get new technology but you are something else. I can't imagine what backworld planet you are from."
“It is very far from here.”
London laughed at zim, then realized she was the only one. Ze had the most confused look on zis face.
“Right. Okay.” They preceded to watch the movie in silence. Thankfully ze was quiet throughout the movie, and London found herself enjoying the break from reality. When she got up to grab a pop from the fridge, she noticed a confused look on zis face. She didn’t ask.
As the credits rolled, she looked at her clock. She had about an hour to get ready and be at work. She stood up and headed upstairs but stopped on the bottom step. “All right, I’ve got to get ready for work now. Feel free to put in a new movie whenever. Let me know if you have problems.”
Aillie looked up and stared at her. She nodded at him, hoping ze understood. She watched as zis confusion seemed to clear and then zis head bobbled in tandem as ze spoke, “Yes, I remember how to work the machines. I will watch more movies. This has been a highly entertaining experience.”
“Alright, you enjoy yourself. Um, there are lunch places around here. I mean, I’m sure you know that.”
“I do not require food presently.”
“Of course not. You know your eating schedule better than I do.” She paused again, seeing as ze was still staring at her. When ze didn’t ask anything, she gave another wave and hurried upstairs.
It took her a little under 30 minutes to get ready for work. It would have taken her less but she kept stopping to listen if her new tenant needed anything. When she was ready, she returned to the living room, where Aillie was sitting in the same spot as before, peering intently at the screen, watching another movie. Ze had the weirdest habit of sitting ramrod straight. The person must have really had a strict childhood.
She waved to get Aillie’s attention. “All right, I’m off. I wrote a list of numbers on this pad here,” which she waved to show off, “including the store number, my cell, and emergency numbers. Call me first if you need anything. I mean not anything, since I’ve got work to do. But yeah…” She trailed off as Aillie continued to look at her. “All right I’m off. I’ll probably be back around 9:30 tonight. So, I’ll see you then.”
London headed out, first stopping at her bank to deposit the money Aillie had given her. With that done, she headed to the mall, and her store.
The I&O boutique had a prime retail spot in the middle of the East Towne Mall, perfectly situated between the anchor stores and the food court. London felt herself relax. No matter how zany the last few weeks had been, here she at least knew what to expect.
She told herself she loved her job managing the small boutique store. It was a corporate entity which both allowed her to work for salary and enjoy managing her own franchise. And it was great that someone smart and far away was always generating new signage and sales. Every once in awhile, she’d get annoyed given that she was just another store in a long list of them. But she mostly enjoyed the challenges. There were times she wished she could make all of the decisions, but without the capitol or the space, she didn’t have a chance to open up her own store. She was determined to enjoy what she did.
That day however, London was more preoccupied during work than normal. Around 3 o’clock, Sophie, her friend and assistant manager, finally found her in the back room at her desk.
“Okay, so what’s up? Is it Reid?” Sophie asked, her arms crossed over her chest, bunching up the cashmere sweater she was wearing. She leaned against the doorway that separated the sales floor from the back office.
“What? No. It’s not … I haven’t heard from Reid since, you know, the incident.” She never wanted to think about her ex-boyfriend again. London busied herself with the order form that she’d completed half an hour ago.
“Okay, so then why are you hiding in the office? You’ve barely stepped out on the floor. You hate paperwork; you love talking to customers. Obviously something is wrong.”
“Ugh. I just keep expecting a call.”
“Oh,” Sophie said, her brows rising in hope of gossip. “What about?”
“Well, I rented out the room.”
“You were just talking about that Monday. It’s been, what? A week? Today?” Sophie looked out to the sales floor but stayed in the doorway. “So, that was quick.”
“Um, yeah. It was. I have a new tenant!” London grimaced down at her desk.
“Well, you did your research, right?”
“Oh, the person’s not in any system. I mean, I looked on the sex offender site, and the circuit court. I even paid one of those background check places. Great credit, no criminal record or bad financial history. Looks great on paper.” She shoved a hand through her hair and wondered how crazy it was looking. She was going to stay far away from the bathroom mirror until she found her brush. “I just don’t really feel comfortable letting him-- or zim,” she corrected herself, “stay in my place. Mostly, because it’s so new.” She got up from besides the desk, shooting the phone a last, impatient look. “I’m trying to convince myself that ze’s fine.”
“Call home.” Sophie spoke up from the door. “If it’ll make you feel better. Call home, see what’s up. Then you can decide if you should continue to be nervous.”
London shot her a grateful smile before grabbing the handset and dialing her home number. When no one answered, she punched in the number Aillie’d given her with shaking fingers.
The phone rang a couple times. London drummed her fingers on the desk, as it continued to ring. London glanced at her keys at the corner of her desk. She really didn’t want to leave work early just because she was uncomfortable. “C’mon, pick up, damnit.” She muttered the imprecation, reaching for her keys.
“Hello?” Aillie’s voice came on the line.
“Sorry, it’s me. London. Your new landlord. I just was wondering how you … and the house.. were doing.”
“I am doing well. I have not asked the house. Would you like me to?”
“Ha! No, sorry, just a joke. Uh, what have you been up to?”
“What have I been up to?” Aillie asked, a note of confusion in zis voice.
“You know, since I’ve been gone?” London asked, “What have you been doing?”
“I have watched two movies. They were very different. I was about to put in another one.”
“Wow, you’re a serious couch potato. Okay, cool. Just checking in.”
“I do not believe I am of the Solanum genus.”
“Funny. All right, I’ll leave you to your movie watching. And please don’t think I’m crazy or anything. It’s just unnerving having a stranger live in my place.”
“I do not think you are crazy.”
“Good.”
