A Charitable Scandal

The Solitary Cabin

At first I felt uneasy about stripping down naked in Alec's bathroom when it was so close to his bedroom and his large, welcoming bed. However, once I got a good look at myself in the mirror, it was enough to throw all caution to the wind. My hair jutted out at odd angles, makeup around my eyes had smeared so I resembled a raccoon, and crusty flecks of who knew what had collected at the corners of my mouth. I may have just heaved right then and there had I continued to gaze upon my radiance for a single moment longer. Instead, I jumped into a warm, steaming shower.

After a good cleanse, I pulled a clean towel from the rack and patted myself dry so I could comfortably redress in the same clothes I had come in. The sour smell however, still clung to them and I worried that the stench may just soak right back into my skin. It was so bad that I actually turned towards the door and contemplated the robe hanging from off a hook. The fact was, I still had a day of shopping with Emily ahead of me and if that stench found it's way back on me, all the sales clerks would kick us out before we could look at the first dress.

I put my underwear back on, not willing to go full commando in Alec's robe, but I did choose to don the terrycloth cloak. However, I determined I would not leave the bedroom until Emily arrived with something more suitable for me to wear in front of my boss.

After 10 minutes though, I'd already grown impatient with Emily and bored with the inside of Alec's bedroom. So I afforded myself a little leeway. I tiptoed to the door and looked out in order to survey the situation. Outside was a small hallway that opened up into a living room. To the left of the living room, and out of sight from the hallway, appeared to be a kitchen. I could hear dishes clanging in a metal sink and the low, soothing hum of some light tune. I smiled to myself, enjoying the carefree melody. I wasn't sure what it was, but I hoped that he was into it enough that I could sneak out and get a quick look around his apartment.

In the hallway I saw that the plethora of pictures in the bedroom was characteristic of the apartment as a whole. Frames of various sizes composed the vast majority of the wall. All of them with a focus on nature. Mostly plants and landscapes, with a few up close shots that were more geometric in nature.

I was particularly taken by a photo of a rolling mountainside in autumn, the leaves gradating from red to orange to yellow. The hazy sky accented the colors with a backdrop of steely blue. Below it was a little picture of a log cabin sitting near a low cliff that overlooked a sheet of still water which reflected the trees like a mirror. In fact, I spotted that very cabin in a few photos, just at different angles. I wondered if perhaps it was Alec's cabin, however, I never found the little log home with anyone in front of it. Instead it always sat in solitude amongst the trees.

Feeling brave and intoxicated by the photography, I wandered farther into the apartment. I'd even reached a point where I could see Alec wiping down the countertops in the kitchen. I didn't want to step much farther than that, but I was intrigued by a little cluster of photos not far from me. Unlike the rest in the apartment, these focused solely on the human element. They ranged from intimate shots of one or two youthful faces to large group portraits. What they all had in common, though, was the slight resemblance in the angularity of their jaws, the bend of their noses, and the seriousness in their eyes. I picked up one photo from off a bookshelf and inspected it closer. It was two little girls with sparkling brown eyes and ringlets of hair. I wondered if Alec's cheeks would be that rosy if he smiled like that.

"They're my nieces, Annabelle and Isabelle."

I dropped the photo out of surprise and my hands shot to the opening of my robe, pulling it together to make myself as covered as possible. Thankfully, a quick hand sprang out from behind me and caught the tumbling picture frame. For a moment I felt the press of Alec's chest against my almost naked back and the warmth of his breath across the nape of my neck. It only lasted a moment though. He pulled away once he restored the frame to its spot. In doing so, he stepped out from behind me.