New Year’s Day was warmer than usual as Jeff and Carrie hugged Morgan goodbye and drove off in Jeff’s truck. With all three of them helping, it had only taken a few minutes to set up Morgan’s bed and carry her few possessions into her new room.
The condo had three shoebox-sized bedrooms at the top of a cheaply-constructed set of stairs that led up from the living room, kitchen, and half-bath on the ground floor. Morgan was on her hands and knees, pushing a plastic bin filled with sheets and towels under her bed when she heard a knock on the doorframe.
“Morgan? Hi, I’m Harriet,” a friendly voice said. Morgan turned to see a very tall Asian woman in yoga pants, tank top, and sneakers greeting her from the doorway. “Sorry I’m running late; it looks like Sarah was able to let everybody in.”
“Oh, hi, Harriet!” Morgan smiled at her new landlord. “Your condo ith great!” She stood up.
“Thanks! You guys are lifesavers,” Harriet said. “Justin and I wanted to live together, but no way we could afford the payments on an empty place. I’ve got keys for each of you downstairs.” Morgan followed Harriet who trotted athletically down the creaking stairs to the tiny kitchen table.
“Hi roomie!” Elise smiled happily to Morgan around the pink appliances that filled her mouth and jutted her jaw forward. She and Sarah were unpacking newly-purchased plates and cups from a WalMart run.
“Thanks for sending back the lease agreement,” Harriet said to the three new tenants. “Here are keys for everyone,” she handed them each a metal key. “And a clicker for the parking lot gate. Trash day is Tuesday,” she said. “And thanks again for renting this place,” she said, giving them a genuine smile.
“You have bratheth, too!” Morgan said, surprised. Harriet had metal brackets with thick archwires and black powerchains on perfectly-aligned white teeth.
“Since late in second year,” Harriet nodded. “I told my orthodontist I’d better be done before graduation and my wedding.” She gave a wry laugh. “Seriously, though,” she looked at Elise and Morgan, “professional school is a great time to do braces. You’re studying all the time anyway, everyone’s supportive. Why not?”
-
“Can I get thome help with my thtuff?” Elise asked when Harriet had gone.
“I’m done unpacking,” Morgan said. “I can help,” she said, following Elise out to the parking lot. Elise’s battered Jeep was packed to the roof with clothes, a bedframe, and a twin mattress wedged at an angle from the tailgate to the passenger-side windshield.
“I’m tho exthited for thith apartment!” Elise enthused as they carried her things back to the condo. “I’ve never hadth my own room before. Or roommateth I like ath muth ath you guyth,” she smiled at Morgan.
“Aww, thankth,” Morgan said. “I’ve alwayth lived at home. I think I’m finally ready to move out.”
They chattered about school, plans for the spring, and their families as they unloaded Elise’s car and settled her luggage in the room. On the last trip across the parking lot and up the stairs, lugging the mattress and sweating heavily, Morgan backed up the narrow staircase holding her end of the mattress. She squatted down to place it on the bedframe. Elise raised her end of the mattress as high as her arms could reach to pivot the mattress through the doorway and on to the bedframe. Morgan stepped sideways through the doorway at the same time to make room.
“Thorry,” Elise lisped to Morgan as they squeezed past each other, her armpits passing in front of Morgan’s face. The thick stubble from several weeks without shaving was wet with sweat.
“No worrieth,” Morgan reassured her. She realized with a strange feeling that Elise smelled nice.
“Hey, you two,” Sarah said from the hallway. “I’m ordering a pizza. Any toppings I shouldn’t get?”
-
An hour later, Morgan heard the delivery driver knock downstairs. She checked the time and sighed. Going to the small shared bathroom, she unpacked her headgear pouch and untangled the straps. She inserted the facebow, clipped the straps around her neck and over the top of her head, then walked down the creaky stairs.
“Hey Morgan, thith ith amathing,” Elise said, holding up a slice of pizza. “Or maybe I’m thutht hungry,” she grinned, cheese and olives mashed in her braces.
“Here you go,” Sarah handed Morgan a slice on a paper plate.
“Thankth,” Morgan said, taking a bite. She looked at her new roommates. “Umm, I have to wear thith,” she gestured to her headgear, “twelve hourth a day. And I’m thuppothed to get more time in whenever I have the opportunity. Tho I’d like to have it in pretty much all the time I’m in the apartment,” she blushed slightly.
“We can remind you if you want,” Sarah offered, chewing on her pizza.
“Thankth,” Morgan nodded.
