Torn

“Now Lily pad, this is the caretakers flat, I know the building already has a part time caretaker, a guy from work I let move in on the cheap, he’s on the opposite side of the building, I’m also listed as main caretaker. Lily, if you need me please call me. If you’re needed in a man’s flat and it’s not life or death, try to get hold of me or Darren.” He kisses my head as I walk back from putting the last box in the kitchen.

“Dad this isn’t just the caretakers flat, this was my first home. I know where the hidden gun cupboard is, which floor boards mum hid her cigs under. You taught me about the plumbing of the building. I know that if it’s anything more than a blocked drain or broken furniture to call a professional plus I’ve just graduated from the academy, Dad I know all about safety laws.” I hug him. “I’ll be fine. Darren’s down the hall.”

I smile as my dad sighs and mouths ‘love you Lily Pad’ like when I used to get on a train home, I knew he never shouted it over the rumble but each time he mouthed it at me my brain gave me his voice. I closed the door on his retreating back and then collapsed behind it; I couldn’t believe I was now 23 and a rookie.

Okay so I might have inherited the forty flatted apartment building, 2 years earlier than planned, by my late mother, but I loved the idea of living in my old room it wasn’t too big, but my mum and dad had slept in the bigger room so I was turning that into a dining room for when I had people over as the lounge kitchenette was only as big as the new dining room.

I clobbered back to my feet and decide I need to prepare for my first shift in the morning; I opened my box from the academy and pulled out all my shower and bathroom stuff. Realising I have nowhere to put anything I grab the small bathroom cabinet I bought yesterday and decide to screw it to the wall and fill it with all my personal belongings.

I get the drill out and start measuring the positions for the pilot holes, once I’ve drilled them I hear a knock on my door, It’s barely 4:30pm nobody can be wanting me yet, especially since nobody knows I’m in the building. I put the drill down and start to walk towards the door when I hear another loud knock this one more professional, cop like. Sure enough I hear the words “OPEN UP POLICE” shouted through the door.

I open the door saying, the required, “I’m a police officer, don’t shoot.” I open it terrified I’m about to have it broke in.

The door swings open and I see Darren Sanderson my dad’s ex-partner and co-caretaker of the building in stitches.

I used to see all the time Darren when I stayed at my Dad’s from the age of 15 when he was 22.

Once he had found me wondering the streets once at 2 am when I had ran away from Dan’s after an argument and drove me to my Dad’s. On the way he told me the most horrific story of a girl who had disappeared, I had been scare shitless then and now. “Ugh” I say punching him in the arm, “You dick!” I turn on my heel as he speaks.

“You kiss your daddy, with that mouth?” I can hear the smirk in his voice.

“Yes of course,” I stick my tongue out as I pull my kettle from the Kitchen box.

“You going to invite me in?” he laughs.

“You’re not a vampire, just walk in.” I smile as he laughs at my reference to the summer I stayed at my Dad’s and had been reading true blood. “Still coffee two sugars?” I smile.

“No milk.” He smiles closing the door, and I laugh.

“I’m not going to make it like when I was 15, I didn’t know I had to re-boil the kettle and put the milk in first then.” I smile as he laughs, “I drink it how you drink it any way so I’m an expert on coffee.” I pull out my two new travel mugs and a jar of coffee. “Crap I don’t have any milk,” I open my fridge to see it full… huh? “Maybe I do.”

Darren is laughing, “Your dad filled up your fridge last night.” He smiles at me and points to the cupboard above the sink. I open it to find four cups and four glasses, and four sets of crockery.
I pull out the china cups and laugh; I had broken all of mum’s wedding china when I was five. Dad had always joked that he’d replace it when he knew I wouldn’t break it. I serve up two cups of coffee at the breakfast bar, which dad had put in when we lived here. I tried to climb on to the stool, only to realise it was a bit too high for my 5’ 7’’ ass to reach, before I could press the release button, to reduce the height, Darren had made it drop to child height. I smiled and pressed the button again until it was the required height I needed.

“So, I brought you this.” Darren announces pulling out a quick floor plan showing two floors of twenty flats… colour coded. “The blue ones are men only. Pink are women only and the purple are mixed.” He hands it to me with another piece of folded paper. I open it to find the flats listed and the most requested problem written next to it.

“Ugh!” I stand up and bang my fist on the worktop, “Not you too, please Darren, I’m a woman. I’m not some fifteen years old. You’re worse than my Dad; I know how to enter a flat. I know how to be safe.” I sit back down crossing my arms slumping childishly as Darren leans closer and kisses me on the lips. I sit up in shock.

“I know you’re a woman, Lily. I’ve had a crush on you for three years.” He looks at me and I punch him.

“How dare you!” I am near being in tears, I’ve fancied him rotten for three years also, maybe longer and only knew I had it bad when his hug was the only one besides my dads’ that made me feel better at my mum’s funeral.

“I’m sorry Lil.” He stands up to leave.

“I’m not finished! How could you keep it quiet for so long!” I look him back and see his eye is getting puffy. He looks me back and suddenly I’m hoisted on to the counter edge and we’re making out. Then my phone rings.

I stop him and listen to the answer phone, it’s my Dad. “Lily pad, are you there? I’ve left my key I’ll be back in five.” I stand up as fast as possible and see the same look of horror on Darren’s face as mine; he has a bruising eye to boot.

“Darren, my dad’s on his way back.” I look at him and he nods. “I can’t tell him yet, he still thinks I’m a saint, he probably still thinks I’m virgin.” Darren looks at me blankly. “Hello, numb nuts I’m nearly 23.”

“Your dad is going to kill me.” He looks scared shitless. “Oh crap.” He would have probably started hyperventilating if I hadn’t kissed him on the right then lips.

“It’s okay. You came around and you were helping me put up my cabinet as I heard the phone ring and turning around in a rushed manner hitting you with the handle end of the screwdriver. I was too busy giving you first aid to answer phone.” I throw him an ice pack.

“Okay, that could work.” He is still jittery.

“If you wash my lip gloss off your face it definitely could.” I smile cleaning mine and reapplying my mocha lip gloss.

I take a deep breath.