O'Connell Bridge - Pt. 14

LC looked at the text message. “Do exactly as I say.” He saluted the phone. “Aye, Ms. O’Neil, as you wish.” Mac and Arthur were eating toaster waffles so LC took advantage of the opportunity to discuss housing.

“Guys. You know I am leaving on the 25th and won’t be back until the 5th. My guess is that I probably will just be passing through to head for a grad school somewhere. Maybe campout here just a night or two.”

Mac looked up with syrup dripping from his mouth. “Yeah, we know all that. Like, I think I told you; I need a private apartment for my senior year. Miss Aideen seemed to think it would be a good idea. And, she said she could help with the bills if I’d let her live there.” He chuckled. “So, I said, why not. We’ve found a place on Carolina Beach, remember.”

Arthur looked up. “Cool Mac. But, like, I don’t need to go anywhere, and the problem is I don’t really want to deal with new roomies.”

LC smiled. “I have an idea. This mostly affects Arthur. But, anyway, Betty Jo is moving out and Caitlin needs a roommate for the fall semester only. You could take Betty Jo’s room, the rent’s a whole lot less, and you and Cait could be roomies for at least the first semester.”

Arthur grinned and wiped his mouth. “What a very interesting proposition to consider. My mother would have a cow though. Come to think of it, that’s reason enough to do it. Are you in charge of this arrangement? What’s Cait’s take?”

LC grinned. “Cait’s cool with the idea. Then I guess you’ll do it. Cait and I talked about it. I’ll run down there and see what she thinks now that she’s had a night to mill it over, you know women.”

LC tripped down the stairs nearly falling, but managed to catch himself as Betty Jo was headed out the door. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself, decided to fall in?” she giggled.

“Yeah. Is Cait up?”

“She is, I don’t know what condition she’s in. I saw a zombie cross to the coffee pot about 30 minutes ago. Headed to brunch duty. Seeya all later.” Betty Jo waved and headed for her old Ford Fiesta.

LC knocked then opened the door. “Hey Cait, it’s just me.”

Cait came out of the bathroom dressed in an oversized sweatshirt. LC guessed that was the sum total of her clothes.

“Are you a knight come to carry me away from all this,” she teased.

“Well, I work at night. Does that count?”

She laughed. “Close as we’re going to get.”

LC plopped onto the couch and Cait sat in a side chair pulling her legs up under her.

“I talked to Arthur. He’s a go for a roommate in the fall.”

“Cool, have him come down sometime.” She took a long drink of her coffee. “Like I wanted talk to you about storage. When you leave in June you’ll need to store your stuff, you know, sheets, towels, and some clothes. Get it out of the apartment.”

“Why? Like it’s not being sublet.”

“LC, at least box yer stuff up. Mac may have friends up, and Murphy is hanging around. The door is never locked and you’re not going to be there to look after your stuff for a few weeks; plus, you might get a grad school somewhere.”

“Okay. I guess. At least all I’m not taking with me, and at this point, I don’t know what those might be.”

Caitlin uncurled her legs. “Hold that thought.” She went into the bedroom and seconds later came back. “Can you put everything in two large boxes?”

“I suppose.”

“The corner of my room is empty. I’ve got some shipping boxes in storage you can have. I’ll get those, then you just bring the boxes down. I’ll throw a blanket over them, then when you get back you can pick them up and transport them wherever. That way you don’t have to scramble to pack stuff.”

“Okay, if you don’t mind.”

“Like there’s nothing but a clothes basket in that corner right now. You’ve seen my room, I know.”

LC blushed. “It was dark.”

Cait grabbed his hand, “Come on, nothing secretive in there.”

LC scrambled to stand and follow Cait. “No cooties?”

“See look, nothings going to jump out at you.”

“Uh huh.”

LC stood in the doorway and Cait pulled him into the room. “Over in that corner.” She pointed with one hand while still holding on to LC’s hand. “I’m going to box my clothes too and I’ll put them in the same corner. That way Betty Jo’s cousin won’t have to worry about my clothes in her way. I’m going to clean out my closet.” She lightly squeezed LC’s hand and pulled him close to her body.

LC put his arm around her shoulders. He stuttered. “Okay, that works.” He walked with her that way to the couch and then released her to go back to the chair.

Caitlin sat again and pulled her legs up. “Have you told your folks what’s going on?”

LC shook his head. “I’m sure Mike has. He told me not to, which means he wanted to sell his side of the story first. I’ll call them next week and just say I’m taking a two week vacation before grad school, and leave it at that. I did touch base with Willie, he acted like, 'okay, so what?'.”

“Wish I could meet them. Your folks, that is.”

“They rarely came to Wilmington, at least not to see me. They came up when Willie got some school award, and I know they went to NC State when Mike got out of Architect’s school. They go to Raleigh regularly to see grandkids but to Wilmington; rarely. Dad lives to play golf, and mom is a socialite. If I walked in graduation, they might come up, at least for a couple of hours. I may be the baby of the family, but I am also the ‘oh darn, I can’t be pregnant again,’ child. I kinda screwed up their early retirement plans. My mother even said she didn’t plan to have five kids.”

“Oh. You’ve never told me that.”

“I guess it’s true confession time; what about your family? I need coffee.” LC got up and walked to the kitchen and began searching for a coffee pod.

“First drawer on the left. Cups are over the sink.”

LC made coffee and then came back and noticed Caitlin was fiddling with a magazine. “Well, listen, if you don’t want to discuss it, don’t. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“You should know. My parents split when I was very young. I don’t know what happened to my mother. Aunt Tess just said she went off with someone. I was like four or five years old and was sent to kindergarten, but Tess picked me up. She thinks maybe my mother was bipolar; anyway, nobody has heard from her since. Although my dad got divorce papers in Las Vegas; apparently she showed up then for a few minutes. My dad and my uncle both died in a boating accident when I was 11. There wasn’t even a real funeral, sort of a memorial service. His ashes were scattered in the Chesapeake. Aunt Tess raised me. That’s my story.” A tear rolled down her face and LC got up from the couch and knelt by the chair.

“Can I hug you?” He innocently asked.

Caitlin shook her head and LC sat on the edge of the big chair and put his arms around her. Caitlin put her head on his chest. They remained that way for a full minute. Caitlin tilted her head up and kissed LC on the neck. “Thank you,” she whispered. He bent down and kissed her lips. Caitlin put her hands on his cheeks and held him in an elongated kiss.”

He finally released her and stood. “Feel better?”

“Much.” She wiped her nose with her sleeve. “I know the house rules we made at the beginning of the semester—supposedly no touching in the house, yeah right; but I really needed that. I’m glad you were here.”

LC blushed. “Me too.” He put his coffee cup on the sink. “I would like to meet Aunt Tess some day.”

Caitlin looked up with wide eyes. “Yes, I can arrange that.”

“When I get back.”

“Yes, when you get back.” Caitlin picked up a tissue from the coffee table and wiped her nose.

“I better go, we’re getting a little dangerous here.” LC could feel his face burning with embarrassment; he knew that if he didn’t control himself, he would probably lose a good friend in Caitlin, even if she were willing. It was the wrong time.

Caitlin mouthed, “I love you.”

Arthur was behind closed doors when LC arrived. Big Mac had a game controller in hand and was engrossed, so LC knocked on Arthur’s door.

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Cait said good idea.”

“Cool.”

“You can move in on September 1. Our rent is paid here through July, so if you want to stay till then you are welcome. You know we paid the last month of the lease as a deposit. I won’t be back until the second week of July and then for only a short time. You’re on your own for August unless you negotiate something with Betty Jo or talk to the landlord and pay a month’s rent.”

“I’ll face Shallotte for August unless I have to escape, then I’ll make arrangements. Close the door.”

“I guess that’s it. I suppose I’ll do some sack time. Hey Mac.”

“Yeah.”

“Go to head set please. it’s bed time for we night people.”

“Okay, boss.” Mac plugged in the headset and continued his game.

“The world’s coming to an end Mac. Chinese bombers spotted over Wrightsville.” LC laughed. “Russian subs are docking at the port. And the crew is demanding Vegi pizzas.“ Good he can’t hear me and I can’t hear him. Hey O’Neil Corporation, y’all listening in?”

To be continued...