Page 9 of In Somnis

I have no idea what I should do, and no one to ask. Well, except him. We’re sharing a meal. Sharing meals is a thing friends do, right?

Glancing over at him, I ask, “What would you do?”

He doesn’t answer but keeps chewing as steady as a metronome, and I take it as wisdom, a sign, or maybe proof I’m desperate enough to find meaning in a stranger’s silence. Worst case, I’ll end up stuck there for three months, in the prettiest season, in a place that might turn out to be pretty nice too.

I can live with that.

“Yeah, you’re right. I should go for it. Do you think they’re still answering phones this late? It’s already eight.” I look up at him again, and he takes a sip of his water in answer. “Right. I can only try.”

Pressing the call button, I’m already mourning the rest of my burger going cold in front of me. Priorities, I guess.

A man’s voice answers on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Uh, hi! Yeah, hi. So, um… I saw this… apartment? Online? Yours? Maybe? I mean, the one you’re renting? Is it still… like… available?”

Smooth Lennon. Queen of first impressions.

“Sure? You’re interested?”

“I am! But I’d need to, um, stay there… like, right now.”

“Right now?” He clears his throat. “Okay, I mean, yeah, we could do that. I’d need a deposit, of course, but you could see it first, if you want. I’m here for the next half hour.”

I wince. “I probably won’t make it in less than two.”

“That will be too late for me, sorry. But we could meet up tomorrow morning?”

“Okay.”

What did I expect? Miracles at eight o’clock?

“Do you know of any hotels around you that might have a room for the night?”

“It’s high season. I don’t think you’ll find anything on this short notice. Did you look online?”

“Yes. Nothing.”

“Thought so.”

“Okay…” I blow out a shaky breath, “… I can make do with another night in the car, it’s fine. Is there a parking lot outside the building where I could park until morning?”

At least then I’ll be close and already where I need to be.

A heavy sigh crackles through the speaker. “Listen, I’d wait for you, but I can’t. I have to pick my daughter up from her grandparents.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I get it.”

There is a pause, and then he asks, “You’d really sleep in your car?”

“It’s fine,” I say too brightly. “I’ve managed it the last few nights.”

Great, Lenny. Now he’s wondering if you smell like a hamster cage, which you probably do.

I sneak a quick sniff under my arm, and when I glance sideways, Scruffy Guy is watching me, the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Was that a smirk?

“Please don’t make me regret this,” the landlord mutters. “Okay, listen. At the entry to the complex, there’s a big rock on the side, and behind it is a smaller one. I’ll leave a key underneath it for you.”