Apartment For Three

Chapter 19

I sat in front of my typewriter, a towel wrapped around my nude body. By an oil lamp my fingers pushed at the keys. Quickly I wrote down stories based on the experiences no one in my life knew about. Not even my friends.

My friends.

"Is that about us?" Paul walked up behind me. Then began to read out loud. "Being a working girl in this modern age is much like a rollercoaster. There's ups and downs, but ultimately the outcome is worth it. Satisfaction, with a damned good story to go with it."

Bashfully I reached to take the paper out of the type writer. "It's bad..."

"No wait..." Paul held onto my hand, stopping me from furiously destroying the art I'd created.

"The working girl knows no bounds. She is contemporary in every aspect of her life. In the way she constantly tends to her career, each minute toward it much like a farmer sowing his crop. Hoping sometimes you may find enough leisurely time to have the simple pleasures in life. To enjoy the benefits one may find in a family, like making love and connecting with another person. But the working girl often finds difficulty in balancing such things. It's easy to make love but a connection is far greater a challenge." Paul read off of the page.

I kept my eyes down on the type writer, allowing each word to slip from his lips. He kneeled down, wrapping both of his strong arms around me. His lips brushing against my ear. I turned my head toward him, he kissed the side of my forehead. "Marriage. Is that what you want?"

"In the end... yes." I admitted to him. "But I find that impossible in this arrangement."

"Aren't you happy with us?" Paul asked in a curious tone. "Don't we fill enough of your life for you not to feel so empty?"

"Do you feel whole?" I dared to ask. Paul stood up, his nostrils flared as he contemplated the question. His long pause made the answer obvious to both of us.

"I'm working hard." Paul admitted. Then, he held my waist and lifted me up a bit, taking a seat in the chair and pulling me onto his lap. I stroked his curly hair as his arm wrapped around my waist. "It's just that I can't seem to gain a career at all. I'm working so hard at this... Broadway... television..."

"Maybe you need to try Hollywood." I told him quietly with regret. In a way I was selfish, hoping that he wouldn't agree.

"I can't do that." He told me, both of his arms tightening around my waist. My silk nightgown twisted under his grip. "If I were in Hollywood, I wouldn't have this. You... Marlon..."

"But things don't seem to be moving for you here." I shut my eyes. "It's simply not working for you. Nor is this writing working for me."

"Your writing is great." He placed a finger under my chin. "And you'll breakthrough— I just know it."

"But when..." I stood up from his lap. Chills ran over my body, I shut my silk robe around me. "How long until it finally happens?"

"I can't answer that." Paul admitted. "And neither can you when it comes to me."

Suddenly the telephone rang. I began to walk to it, but Paul immediately jumped from his seat and to get it. "I can get it." He insisted.

"Alright..." I rose a brow while taking back my seat at the typewriter. I drowned out Paul's voice as he spoke on the phone.

Eventually he put the receiver back on the hook with a clank and paced over to me. His hands touched my shoulders as he left a kiss on my cheek. "I've got to go."

"At this time of night?" I asked as he quickly paced to the door and began slipped into his loafers.

"Yeah, I've got something to take care of." He ensured me. Since he was topless, he quickly ran into the room to get a shirt. Then he went to the coat rack and picked up his trench.

"Do you have a ride?" I asked and he laughed.

"I'm taking the train." He told me as he rushed to where I sat.."

"Are you going far?" I asked but all he did was plant a kiss on my lips.

"I'll see you." He nodded then exited the apartment. Marlon walked from out of his room, noticing Paul being in such a hurry.

"That's strange." Marlon noted, a cigarette in his hand. "Where is he hopping off too at this hour?"

"He says he's got something to take care of." I answered calmly as I returned back to my writing. "I'm sure he has a reason."

"I'm sure he's up to no good." Marlon shook his head with a mischievous grin. "I wonder what that kid's got up his sleeve."

"Nothing worse than what you have up yours, I'm sure." I joked with Marlon.

"Ha, ha, ha." Marlon said sarcastically, switching on the radio that rested the fireplace mantle. Lazily he fell back onto the couch. "You know... I think we should be getting a television."

"A television?" I asked in a monotone voice, not once taking my eyes off of my typewriter. "Why would we need a television for?"

"I just thought it'd be a nice addition to the apartment." Marlon shrugged. "We'd finally he able to see some shows instead of just listen to it like chumps."

"I'm quite alright with just listening in." I told Marlon as my fingers glided along the typewriter keys. "Besides we can barely afford the utilities we already have."

"Guess how much I'm getting paid for this next film." Marlon egged me on.

My fingers stopped on the keyboard, then slowly I turned my body around toward him. "How much?"

"A whopping $100,000." Marlon reached his hands into the air. My heart sank. That was a ton of money. Enough money for him to be off and never see neither Paul or I again.

"That's really great, Bud." I nodded with a weak smile. "I'm happy for you."

With sadness, I turned toward my typewriter and began to write again. "I guess you don't need us anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Marlon said as he rushed toward where I sat. "I need you... this is for all three of us. Believe or not I need Paul too."

"And why would that be?" I asked sorrowfully. Marlon kneeled next to my chair, guilt written all over his face.

"I've got something to confess." He told me. My breathing stopped while I tried to prepare myself for the absolute worse. "I have more money than I let on."

"And what would that mean..." I squinted at Marlon.

"It means that technically I could afford this place on my own. I didn't really need to rent with other people." He admitted. I was utterly confused.

"So why did you?" I asked him.

"I felt something with you..." Marlon reaches for my hand, but I pulled a way. "I wanted to get to know you."

"Well you sure did succeed." I stood up from my seat. "Mar, I can't believe you'd pull something like this. Or should I say I didn't see it coming. Gosh I barely knew you!"

"And yet you moved in with me anyway." Marlon walked toward me. "Doesn't that say something?"

"What it says is that I'm a fool." I told him as I walked toward the couch. The radio was unbelievably loud to me now. It was aggravating to hear.

"Baby, I can take care of you." Marlon opened his arms.

"I never asked you to nor do I want you to." I told him coarsely. Then, I strutted toward my bedroom. Before entering, I looked back at him. "Goodnight. And make sure you turn that thing off."