Ten

When Maddy returns to her apartment with an armful of groceries and clothing, she is greeted with silence. No television, no talking, no arguing. Just snoring. She slides her shoes off and pushes them against the wall beside the door. She enters the kitchen on her toes and puts the bags in her arms down on the counter.

Maddy unloads the groceries first. She does so quietly and efficiently while thinking about what she'll make for dinner tonight. Maybe pasta, she thinks as she puts the apples and oranges into the fruit drawer. Maybe salmon steaks. She finishes putting the groceries away and then brings the new clothes for Solomon and Archer to the table in the dining room. She peers into the living room as she takes the pants and shirts and socks and underwear out of the bag.

Solomon is lying down on the sofa in the robe she left for him. His arms are folded behind his head and he looks clean and comfortable. Archer, on the other hand, is still dressed in the same clothes he's been wearing for the past couple days. He's lying back awkwardly against the bookshelf and she wonders what he's doing back there. She strolls over to him and notices the album in his lap. She smiles.

She kneels down beside him and lifts his hand just enough to slide the book off his lap. She closes it and puts it back in its place on the shelf before turning her gaze back to Archer's dormant face. She cups his cheek gently to adjust his head. His glassy eyes open slowly and he looks at her. He makes no effort to move his cheek away from her palm.

"You're back," he says. His voice is raspy.

"I just got back in now."

Archer nods.

"Did you like what you saw?"

Archer's brow cocks.

"My albums."

"Oh." Another nod. "Ja, Miss Bowen, you take nice photographs."

"Thank you, Mister Archer," she smirks.

Archer lifts his hand to put over Maddy's. Her knuckles feel soft against the palm of his hand. Maddy smiles a bit as she moves closer to him. Archer allows the gesture as he pushes himself to sit up straighter against the bookshelf.

"You haven't showered yet."

He shakes his head.

"I bought you clothes to change into," she says. She rubs her thumb over his cheek. "Jeans and t-shirts, nothing too American."

He cracks a smile that lasts only a few seconds. His attention falls onto the cut on her cheek, the cut that he gave her earlier. He's filled with guilt all over again and suddenly Maddy's hand feels like it's burning a hole in his face. He drops his hand from hers and goes to stand up, but Maddy is quick to hold him down by his shoulder. His eyes are met with hers when he looks at her.

"What?"

"Look what I did to your face, Maddy."

"I know what you did."

"Have you seen what I did?" He asks her. "Have you looked in a mirror today, Maddy?"

"Yes I have, and I told you, it was an accident."

Archer kisses the back of his teeth. "Ja ja, everything bad is an accident to you, Maddy."

"Archer."

"I'm a soldier, Miss Bowen. I'm what you Americans would call a brute," he says as he rolls his hand next to his ear. "I have no business being taken care of like this."

"You're more than that," Maddy shakes her head.

"What do you see in me, huh?" He demands, his eyes narrowing.

"Do you think I'm expecting something from you for taking care of you?" She asks him.

That's exactly what Archer thinks. He has never been on the receiving end of pure benevolence before, he's only used to receiving kindness in exchange for something else. Diamonds, money, a gun. He shrugs her hand from his shoulder as he stands up. He straightens his dirty shirt and watches as Maddy stands up next to him.

"I'm not helping you and Solomon because I want something from you," she tells him in a low voice. "I'm helping because I want to help, because it's the right thing to do."

"Ja, the right thing to do," he jeers as he stands.

"Archer."

"It was a mistake for me to come here, a'right?"

"Archer!"

Archer is startled at Maddy's tone — he's never heard her raise her voice before. He snaps his mouth shut and his brows pinch together as he stares Maddy down. She lets out an exasperated sigh before running her hand through her hair.

"Listen to me for a second, please, Archer."

He raises his brows expectantly. "I am listening, Miss Bowen."

"Don't mock me."

"I'm not mocking you."

"I know when I'm being mocked and right now, I'm being mocked."

Archer smirks and shakes his head.

"You know what, Archer, if you want to leave, I'm not going to stop you."

Maddy throws her hands up as she takes a few steps back from him. She motions to the front of her apartment and lifts her head to wait for a response from Archer, who is standing stone stiff in front of her. Solomon has roused as well and he's sitting up on the sofa looking at the two argue. Archer glances at Solomon. Solomon raises his shoulders. Archer looks back at Maddy. Maddy lifts her hands.

"Go on, Archer. Go if you want to go."