Last Note (very short story)

**Branflakes** · July 12th, 2003, 12:12 AM

OutBox Items (1 unsent)

Subject: Here?s your Sunday love note

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]

So, it?s Night #2 and I?m doing better this time. Not jumping at every little noise and shadow like last night. Those were some strange noises, though. What amazes me is the very contradictory feelings I have while you?re gone. That initial ?Woo Hoo!!! I can party! The whole place is mine!? kind of excitement. Like I?m free from something. Like a relationship is some sort of trap. Must be that ?grass is greener on the other side? kind of myth we always want to apply to life. At night, though, when I?m sitting here trying to finish this email so you?ll have it in the morning, I get the other feelings. I?m lonely in this apartment, especially in the bedroom. The bed is cold without you. I just can?t sleep like we usually do; I have to wear a shirt. There?s no reason to be naked if someone?s not there to appreciate it. I get the same feeling in the bathroom, when there?s only one toothbrush in the holder or when I go to put mousse in my hair and there isn?t any, because you packed it. We really need to get an extra bottle if you?re going to travel so often. I miss you when you?re gone. Saying ?I love you? over the phone or in email just isn?t the same. I love you.

It?s funny what I thought I?d do while you weren?t here. Like, play video games until the wee hours of the morning (okay, that did happen on Friday). Today, I just didn?t care to turn the thing on. I did manage to watch the rest of ?Witches of Eastwick?, though. Did that while I exercised this morning. That?s something I don?t do enough of when you?re here. We need to start working out again. I swear it?s true what they say about married couples and gaining weight.

I was supposed to get up early and wash the cars, clean the bathroom, and check those new apartments over on Wakeforest. I?m such a bum when you?re not around to haul me out of bed. I did manage to check out the apartments. The rent?s higher than what that locator told us, but I think we can still swing it. They?re nice, and, yes, they really do have crown molding. No washer/dryer connections, though. I think we can handle dragging a few baskets down to the laundry room or over to your mom?s if she ever decides I?m good enough for you. Oh, and I did remember to call the management office about the torn screen on the living room window. Not that they?re quick to respond. Everything else will get done tomorrow before you?re home. Your flight?s in at 5, right?

There goes a noise. Sounds like that one I told you about when you called to say goodnight last night. It would be easy for me to start acting paranoid again, but I?m not going to do it. I felt like such an idiot, I?m really not in the mood for a repeat. I think new people moved in upstairs. That?s got be what the sounds are. They?re so loud. And what do they do that makes a scraping sound?

There it goes again. I can?t quite hear what it is, what with the ceiling fan in here making its little whirly noises. I hope I don?t have to complain about these people. At least I haven?t heard any blasting music from them. Thank God they don?t think they?re future rock stars. Damn, it?s getting loud. Sounds like it is right outside the bedroom door. Guess I should go check it out. For all I know, they?re putting holes in our ceiling. We?re definitely getting renter?s insurance at the next place, by the way.

oh my god not upstairs outside the door i?m sending this now be