Page 10 of Under One Roof

“So, when did you get home?” Dahlia asks, and I roll over to set my chin in my hand as I hold my phone up to keep myself in frame.

“I didn’t.”

Her eyes widen, and I turn the camera to show her my room. “I’m at a bed-and-breakfast in West Chester, Pennsylvania.”

“Where’s that? Why are you there?”

I recount the story of what happened, and by the time I finish, she’s practically frothing at the mouth. “Andrea May Halton. You were rescued by an actual hot firefighter and didn’t get any more information from him? How can you finally break your dry spell without knowing how to find him?”

“Ma’am.” When she eyes me critically, I try on my best scowl. “First of all, it’s not a dry spell?—”

“Your cuca’s drier than the Mojave,” my best friend says, and I scoff.

“You are so rude.”

“Is it rude if it’s true?”

“To point it out, yes.”

“So, you agree?” she says in her best impression of Regina George, eyeing me with a smile. “You need to get fucked.”

I don’t answer. I was raised in a conservative small town, going to church on Sundays and attending bible camp during the summers. I was taught to believe sex before marriage was bad, and while I may have removed myself from that world a long time ago, I haven’t ever been able to dig myself out of the hole I’d been shoved into when it came to sex. Even with Dahlia’s influence.

But when I tell her about how my vibrator went off while Captain held my bag, I have to wait almost a full five minutes before she calms down from her laughing fit. “Oh, it’s too good. I’m sure he went home and fantasized about that all night.” She points her finger at me. “You need to find him. Mission one while you’re there.”

“I would have no idea where to start.”

She shrugs and suggests, “With a fire?”

I can’t keep the amusement from my face, even as I try. I bring my phone into the bathroom with me, and we talk about her upcoming gigs while I pee and brush my teeth. On her end, Dahlia makes breakfast, and it almost feels like I’m still in California and not 3,000 miles away. When I’m fully dressed, Dahlia moves closer to the screen, like she always does when she has something important to say, speaking almost nose to nose.

“Seriously, what’re you going to do?”

I flit my gaze to the windows of my room, where the sun shines outside. Something tugs inside me to follow it. “I’m not sure,” I tell her, “but I think I’m gonna stay here for a while.”

“You know you can always come back,” she reminds me, and I nod, although I’m not so sure that’s true. I don’t have anything to go back to anymore.

“I love you,” I say, and she blows me a kiss.

“Te quiero.”

I tuck my phone away and loop my purse over my shoulder to go exploring. West Chester is a quaint and quiet town, more walkable than I’m used to. I pass a few parks, a university, and eventually find myself downtown with cobblestone sidewalks and boutique shops. I check out the pet store with homemade dog treats, browse around the record store, and try on but ultimately decide against buying the super-cute bell bottoms in the secondhand store. I need to save all the money I have to pay for my car and the bed-and-breakfast.

Even so, I wander into a lingerie shop called Lux & Lace, drawn in by the colorful window display.

“Hello, there,” a bubbly voice says, and I turn to find a woman about my age with a Sabrina Carpenter vibe. “Can I help you find something today?”

“Oh. No, thank you. I’m just looking.”

She flicks her hand. “That’s what they all say.”

“It’s actually true for me. I’m sort of checking everything out around here,” I say, motioning behind me, to the whole of the town.

She leans her elbow on the rack. “Oh yeah? You here visiting or…?”

“Or…” I trail off and then laugh at myself. “I’m not really sure. My car broke down yesterday, and I’ve suddenly found myself here. I think I might be staying for a while.”

“Well, hi!” She lights up, introducing herself. “I’m Clara, one of the owners here, along with my wife.” She points to a Black woman behind the counter, who is busy on the computer. “That’s Marianne, and we’d be so happy to give you a tour and answer any questions you might have.”

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