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26

RED

R ed was looking around Ashe’s apartment, not impressed. It looked like a poor college student’s studio. Even for a studio it was sparsely decorated. “Acushla, this place looks like you barely live in it. You don’t have anything in here but necessities.”

“I don’t need much. And it makes it easier to leave.”

“Why would you leave?”

“Why would I stay?” He watched her starting to mess with a hot pot and stepped in to take over.

“How long have you lived here?” He pulled a cup off the shelf in front of him. “What am I making?”

“You mean like this address or Hawaii? The tea behind the pot, please”

“Of course. Both, I guess.”

“A couple years, I guess. This place is close to the station I’m based out of.”

“Why didn’t anyone come visit you?” He poured the tea, looked up, returning his gaze to hers.

“Red, I don’t know,” she shrugged, “maybe you scared them all away. I talk to some coworkers, but I do some rotations to Molokai, and I like it there.”

“When are you going back to work?” He had been disappearing from the hospital for PT in the morning and then would get back in the early afternoon. She shrugged again. “Should we take a weekend trip to Molokai so you can show me the place? Do you wanna take a shower, get out of those clothes. You need more rest.” She took the cup of tea he’d made and walked away as far as she could in the 600 sq ft apartment. She had a chest of drawers she was pulling clothes out of, which drew his attention to her bed. “Holy Jesus and Mary, Acushla! I’m as big as your bed.”

“I’m a lot smaller than you.” He took a deep breath, and she held up her hand to stop him from starting. “You can figure I don’t bring guys back here. So why are you complaining?”

“There aren’t any other guys, Acushla. There’s me. And this bed doesn’t work for me.”

“Red, it’s my place. It works for me. This size is big enough to sleep on and not take up a quarter of the entire space. Honestly there probably shouldn’t be more than a fold out couch.” She might be right, but he didn’t like it.