The next couple of nights stayed the same, like a shower routine: lather, rinse, repeat. Only lather was fight and leave, rinse was come home, and then everything repeated, leaving both women emotionally drained and tired. Then on Saturday, something unexpected happened.
Alex walked into her boss's office, fully aware that the more time she spent in there, the less work she was getting done, and that means money she was losing. "Jodie said you wanted to see me, Henry." The only way to describe Henry's appearance was big and burly. He looked, to strangers, extremely intimidating, but those that knew him personally, knew he couldn't hurt a fly. He was one of the most devoted, and loyal people Alex had ever met, he would stick out his neck for someone he just met, and for that, everyone respected him.
"Yeah, I've noticed that you haven't been in great of a mood ever since you picked up more hours." He said leaning against his desk, motioning for Alex to sit down.
"I'm just tired, stressed, you know." "What the hell is this about?" Alex thought, taking a seat.
"Jodie told me things aren't so great at home." "That bitch! She had no right. This is none of their business." Alex could only nod.
"I think you should take the rest of the day off." "Awesome, now I'm the sob story."
"Thanks for the offer, but I really don't think a day off is going to help." She said honestly. "Me and Marissa's problems are rooted deeper than something a day off will fix."
"But it sure as hell couldn't hurt." Henry said bluntly. "Best worker I ever had, but she is so damn hard headed."
"I can't afford to miss any hours." "I could if I didn't have to pay tuition." Alex thought.
"It'll be paid time off. Jodie said she'd cover the work you'd be missing." "Alex is the only person I know that would refuse time off, but the only one that really needs it. If she says no to this, I swear I'll fire her."
"Why are you doing this for me?" "What the hell is his angle?" Alex asked herself, she couldn't figure out why her boss would offer paid time off.
"Try to keep up. You are a damn good worker. Damn good workers usually have a reason to be damn good workers. Your reason to be a damn good worker is your damn good-looking woman. If you lose said damn good-looking woman, you will no longer be a damn good worker." He said with wild hand motions, trying to display his meaning. "So if you fix things with your damn good-looking woman, you will continue to be the damn good worker you are. And you will continue to make me damn good money." He was talking so quickly, Alex was truly struggling to keep up. "You follow?"
A smile spread across Alex's face. "Yeah, I get it." "I get that you're crazy!" Alex thought. "I think he just broke the record for saying 'damn good' so many times in one paragraph."
"Good. Now get the hell out of my office!" He said in mock anger. "I'm glad I don't have to fire her." Henry thought as Alex walked out the door.
As Alex walked through the parking lot, it dawned on her that she hadn't had a day off since before Marissa and her started fighting. "Maybe that's the problem. We never spend time with each other anymore." Alex thought as she climbed into the jeep.
Alex walked through the door to her apartment a short while later and was surprised to find Marissa home. "Hey." She greeted closing the door behind her.
Marissa was as surprised to see Alex, as Alex was surprised to see Marissa. "Hey." She said from the kitchen. "You're home, like way early." She said glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Yeah. My boss gave me a paid day off." Alex said walking into the living room.
"Why?" Marissa asked, sitting on the couch with a tub of ice cream in her hand.
"Said something about me being a damn good worker, and that I made him damn good money so I deserved a day off." Alex smiled deliberately leaving out the part about her damn good-looking woman. "Why do you wanna know, are you hiding some guy I should know about in the bedroom?" She asked humorously. "I really shouldn't have said that. Please don't take that the wrong way!" Alex thought not wanting to go to a bar this early in the day.
Marissa smiled, "Oh yeah, you totally spoiled my afternoon delight, thanks a lot, Alex." She said with a heavy sarcastic tone. "Playful banter, when was the last time that happened?" They both thought simultaneously.
"I figured you'd be at school, or Newport, or something." Alex said trailing off when she said Newport.
"No, it's Saturday so I don't have class, and everyone was busy today, so I guess I'm stuck here with you." Marissa said. Alex could tell Marissa wasn't serious when she said those last words, so she wasn't offended.
"You're stuck here? What about me? I came home thinking I'd have the whole house to myself, and that I'd actually be able to take a nap in my own bed without any disturbances, and I find you, eating my ice cream." They both laugh.
"You want some?" Marissa asked, offering Alex's ice cream to her.
"Sure." Alex sat down next to Marissa. "What are you watching?" Alex asked looking at the TV.
"There's an old horror movie on." Alex smiles, remembering the last time Marissa uttered those same words. Back when life was easy.
"Works for me." Alex said. Marissa grinned, also understanding the reference to their past.
The two girls spent the rest of the day together, having fun, and enjoying each other's company. They joked around, laughed, and made fun of the cheesiness of old school horror movies together. But most importantly, they didn't fight. It'd had been a long time since they had had fun together, and they both missed those times even more now that they realized they were still capable.
Marissa yawned, and then said, "I'm, uh, kinda tired. I'm gonna go to bed."
Alex looked at her girlfriend, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. She didn't want the night to end. "Okay. I had fun with you today."
"Me too. I was thinking maybe, we could do this again tomorrow, after you get off work." "You know, not scream at each other again." Marissa thought.
"Yeah, I'll try to get off a bit early. I'll even bring some take out, so it can be like the good old days." "The days I want back so bad."
Marissa nodded, still not getting up off the couch. Then to both women's surprise, Marissa leaned in and captured Alex lips, for the first time in months.
After Alex's initial shock, she remembered to kiss back. Alex missed this feeling, the rush she got every time their lips were locked. The kiss ended too quickly, when Marissa reluctantly stood up. "Goodnight, Lexi."
"G'night." Alex said, not able to form full words. Marissa went to the room, and locked the door, not for the sake of keeping Alex out, but for the sake of reminding herself to stay in.
Alex went to sleep that night, full of content. She couldn't remember the last time Marissa used her nickname, let alone kissed her. For the first time in months, Alex was okay to sleep on the couch from hell.