Page 53 of June

“I’ve had one sip and won’t finish it. It was mainly for something to do and because Candace would keep bugging me to get me a drink until I just ordered one,” Enid explained.

Logan nodded and said to Rory, “I don’t have a key to your place.”

Rory pulled out her purse and her keys. Then, she removed a key from the key ring and handed it to Logan.

“That one’s mine, but I have an extra one at home. I’ll give it to you.” When Logan’s eyebrows lifted at that, Rory added, “Yes, you heard me right: I want you to have a key to my place.”

Enid felt like she shouldn’t be hearing this private moment between the couple.

“Babe, this is, like, a relationship step thing… It’s not something you just–”

“It’s a key,” Rory interrupted. “I want you to be able to come by whenever you want, but it’s also practical. You work late, and sometimes, I have to get up to let you in. This way, you can come in, shower, and just climb into bed with me.”

“I like that idea,” Logan replied.

“Then, take the key,” Rory told her with a smile.

Logan slid into the booth, gave Rory a quick kiss, and Enid looked away in time for the second, much longer kiss to begin. Finally, Logan stood and said goodnight to both of them before exiting out the back.

“Sorry,” Rory said. “I wasn’t expecting her to make out with me in front of you.”

“You just gave her a key, Rory. It’s a big deal.”

Rory smiled and replied, “I love her. I want her around all the time. She’s been spending most nights at my place anyway.”

“The neighbor?”

“Part of the reason. My place is also nicer than hers, and I think she still worries that I don’t want to stay there. I do, though. I don’t care where she lives. I just want all my nights with her.”

Enid thought about that and knew that she didn’t want all her nights with Jill. She never would. She wasn’t sure yet aboutCaroline. She had spent a few hours with her, at most, but therewassomething there that Enid wanted to explore. When she pictured her nights, though, she tried to imagine an apartment or a house and not her teenage bedroom with her small desk and full bed. She tried to think about a bathroom that she didn’t share with a teenage brother, and for a second, thinking about all that put a smile on Enid’s face. It meant possibilities to her, something more than what she had now. It meant her getting back on the path she’d set for herself years ago. Then, she thought about the kitchen and the living room and how she would like it to be a little modern, with some classics thrown in. Enid laughed when she thought about what she’d name her TV, her microwave, her refrigerator, and everything else.

“What’s so funny?” Rory asked.

“Nothing,” she replied.

???

After dropping Rory off at home, Enid headed home herself and, for the first time in a while, found something comforting in the fact that her parents and her brother were sitting on the couch, watching a movie together.

“Hey, we’re watchingGoonies. Want to?” EJ asked.

They’d all seen this movie at least a hundred times together, but she loved hearing her brother yell, ‘Hey, you guys!’ every time, so she sat down next to him and put her hand in the popcorn bowl in his lap. As much as she wanted to get out of here, she also loved her family and moments like this.

“How was your date?” EJ asked.

“Good,” she replied. “We’re going out again.”

“Cool,” he said.

“You really like her, huh?” her mom asked.

“Who?” Enid asked back.

“What do you meanwho? The woman you’re dating.”

“Oh,” Enid said. “Um… I’m dating two women.”

“Shit,” EJ said. “You’ve gottwo?”

---