very event in the time it took me to pick out a tie. I couldn't figure out how she did it, how she saw solutions where I'd knocked my head against a wall for a year.
She was right about me not fighting fair too. I'd really fucked up there. I didn't have a good excuse—not that I deserved to be excused—for my reaction. It violated everything we'd agreed upon and I had to fix that. I had to make it better.
Zelda didn't show it when she was hurt. She didn't lash out or melt down. She just took it and I didn't know anything for sure but I had the sense she'd taken more than her share. I hated that, but more so, I hated being another person who did that to her.
"When you say 'field of flowers,'" I started, "what do you mean by that?"
Rob swapped his plate for mine and swiftly yanked the tomato off the burger. "With Magnolia, it's at least ten new houseplants. But that's Magnolia. Houseplants might not work on Zelda. What does she love?"
I was prepared to confess that I didn't know but I realized that wasn't accurate. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and fired off a response to Zelda's newest message.
Ash,
This isn't how resignations work. When someone says "I'm out," you aren't allowed to debate that choice with them.
Please make an attempt at understanding.
Zelda
Zelda,
I understand completely but that doesn't mean I have to accept it. I'll be home soon.
Ash
Hopping off the stool, I clapped Rob on the back, saying, "Good meeting. Thanks for the drink. I gotta go."
Ash,
If you won't permit me to do the work necessary to keep your office moving along, there's no reason for me to work there. I would expect you to know this, given your ongoing concerns for efficiency.
Zelda
Zelda,
Traffic is the fucking worst today and everything is taking twice as long but we need to pause this conversation until I get home. I don't like talking to you when I can't enjoy the faces you're making.
Ash
When I arrived, I searched the apartment until I found Zelda in the most unlikely of places: the dryer.
Rather, only part of her was in the dryer, her legs hanging out the open door.
For the second time in a matter of hours, I asked, "Zelda, what the hell are you doing?"
"Of fucking course," sounded from inside the appliance. "Why can't I ever do these things without an audience?"
I decided I didn't need the details this time. "All right, love," I said, straddling her legs. "Let's get you out of there."
I hooked my only useful arm under her hips and hauled her out, setting her on her feet. She waved a hot pink bra by way of explanation. Then, "Got stuck. Couldn't get it un-stuck. Resorted to desperate measures."
I ran a glance over her body, intending to check for injuries but lingering over jeans and a pale, pale yellow t-shirt she'd changed into since leaving the office. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail that showed off her blue streak. "Evidently."
She wagged a finger—and the bra—at me. "Don't do that. No up-and-down eyes. I'm not having that with you right now."
After banging the dryer door shut, she marched down the hall to the guest bedroom with me following close behind.
Zelda busied herself with a basket of fresh laundry on the bed, angling her back toward me when she noticed me in the doorway. "I need you to stop what you're doing and come with me."
"Ashville." She sounded tired—or tired of me. "I'm busy here."
I clutched the doorframe to hold myself steady. This would've been so much easier if I'd pulled her out of the dryer and then immediately put her in a car with me. "Please come with me. It's important."
"You traffic in importance," she replied. "Forgive me if I'm suffering a touch of importance fatigue."
"You need to let me apologize," I said, knowing precisely how much it would tickle her into responding. Sometimes, I was an asshole and sometimes, she liked that.
"As a matter of fact, I do not." She shook out a towel with a vigorous snap. "And I believe I'm entitled to set the terms and conditions when I'm the one owed the apology."
"I can accept that," I hedged. "But only if you'll let me buy you some pancakes first."
She snapped out another towel. "I know you're all creative with the dirty talk but you've lost me on that one. Not to mention, I'm not having