the not so happily ever after

 Poppy felt bad that Alfie left. Honestly, he was the best roommate she ever had. He did all the cooking and most of the cleaning too.

After the shock wore off that Jory was really here, she knew it was the right thing. It wasn't really LIVING TOGETHER and yet it was.

Perhaps confusing.

True, the livingroom space was neutral ground. So was the bathroom. After all, he was her boyfriend, too. She didn't want it to be clumsy but it was. It was almost like a timer would go off when the ten o'clock news began. It was time for bed. He'd click off the remote so she could go her way and he would go his. 

Sometimes, she thought he didn't want her in his room. Of course, when she peeked in, it was like looking at someone's bed in the barracks. It was bare to the bone and every single thing in it's place from his sneakers to his deodorant at his desk. And he didn't even have a computer.

While Poppy was much messier in her creative territory. Of course, she knew where things were. But she didn't know if she wanted him in her space.

And the meals. He expected her to do everything. It was very old school. She didn't like his attitude at all. Yet, she knew he worked full-time and he couldn't even heat up soup. He ate a lot of peanut butter sandwiches. 

"I'm not your wife yet," she informed him. "Besides, if..well..if I were I would still want you to help me." She thought they should cook together.

"But I don't know what to do," he shrugged. She gave him an onion to chop up. He snarled his nose up as if that was too much. "You need to peel this first and then chop it." She got out the cutting board and a knife.

"Peel it?" Seriously, he made her want to laugh although Jory was very serious and unsure what to do.

"OK, I'm going to show you, but I want you to at least learn to chop an onion this week. Next week celery and if you get good with those two veggies then carrots and potatoes." She did help Alfie with the prep work and the clean up. It was the least Jory could do if he was going to be living here.