Moving In

He was going to ask her to move in with him. They'd been together now for a year and he felt like the next logical step in their relationship was to cohabit and to build; to create a home life.

He knew that she loved her apartment but he wanted her at his, more than just someone he visited, dated, had sex with. He wanted his girls to have a mother. The girls sometimes felt like little aliens to him. And he wanted her there with him, a companion, sharing his life. He needed help, a female for so many reasons. Selfish reasons, he would admit but why wouldn't she want to be with him? He did love her.

Later, he was at her apartment as she cooked the dinner. She was singing while she moved, her gestures smooth and harmonious. He asked if he could do anything and she smiled warmly and shook her head.

"No. I've got it," she assured him. "I've got this all under control."

He looked around at her place. Folds and pleats and ordered bookshelves. Crisp lines with no clutter. His house was chaos despite his best efforts and he craved its restructure. He hoped she'd say yes, was sure of it.

She placed the dinner on the table, still humming, popping a cherry tomato from the salad bowl into her mouth as she sat down.

"This looks wonderful," he said, and she smiled graciously and said,

"Thank you."

They ate in silence, enjoying the food and each other's presence.

Sated, he leaned back.

"I have something to ask you. And I'm hoping you'll say yes."

She arched an eyebrow, coyly and took a sip of her wine, before saying,

"Oh yes?"

"Yes," he continued, warming to his mission. "I wanted to ask if you'd like to move in with me?"

There was a pause.

She drank more wine.

"No," she said and the emphatic quality to it harboured no room for argument.

"Oh," he said. He was dumbfounded. "I thought you would want to." He sounded petulant, hated himself for it.

"I like it how it is." A statement.

She got up to tidy her kitchen.

He felt deserted.

***

366 words

I like moments in relationships where things can change and this can be good or bad, depending on what is being asked or revealed.

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