After five classes, including a pop quiz I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was go home, scarf down some pizza rolls and fire up the PS4 to play some Fortnite with my friends. As I trudged down the hall towards my apartment I reached into my pocket for my keys... and didn't find them. My eyes went wide and I started patting around the inside of my pocket like it was the TARDIS (you know, bigger on the inside), but of course no such luck. I checked my other pocket, but they weren't there either. I checked my back pockets, just in case for some reason I put them there, but again, nope. I pulled off my backpack and started rummaging through it in case I accidentally tossed the keys in there like I'd done a couple of times before, but not this time.
"Fuck." I muttered to myself and thunked my head against the door.
I knew exactly where my keys were. In the little clay bowl I had made for my mother back in kindergarten, on the bookshelf just inside the door, where they wouldn't do me any good. I glanced at my watch, it would be at least another hour and a half before my mother would be home. Even though I was a 20 year old college student I still lived with my mother for two very good reasons. One: the college I chose to go to was literally a 15 minute walk from our apartment complex, so it was convenient. Two: it was cheap, as in I didn't have to pay rent. At first my friends teased me about it, but when I pointed out that I didn't have to pay rent, worry about roommates being slobs or taking my stuff without asking and could raid the fridge whenever I wanted they realized my living situation was pretty good. About the only thing I couldn't do while living with my mother was throw wild parties.
My mother, Ginette, was a single mom. She had gone on a lot of dates before I was born, but for one reason or another she just never connected with any of the men she dated. There's an old saying; "you've got to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince", but my mother never found her prince. She wanted to wait until she was married to have kids, but when the dating scene wasn't working out for her, she did a lot of research on both artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization, carefully weighed all her options, and went to see a fertility doctor. She was lucky and got pregnant on the first try, and nine months later I came along. She'd heard how hard it was to be a single mother, but my mother is stubborn. If you tell her something is too difficult or she can't do it, she'll go out of her way to prove you wrong. According to family and friends, she was an absolute rock star when it came to balancing work and raising me. In short, my mom is awesome which is why she had no problem with me still living at home while I attended college.
I sighed heavily as I stood there debating what to do. My mother had the only other set of keys to the apartment, and I had nowhere else to go. So I sat down in front of the door and pulled my laptop out of my bag. I had a paper due next week, so I figured I might as well get to work on that while I waited for mom to come home. I fired up my computer, popped in my thumb drive and got to work.
About 20 minutes later I heard the elevator ding, and the unmistakable sound of high heels on linoleum. I glanced up as a figure rounded the corner. It was our next door neighbor, Valerie. Valerie and her mother lived next door to us for years. When Valerie's mother eventually retired from her job, she moved to Florida with her sister, and signed the apartment over to Valerie. Valerie was 16 when I was born, and was willing to babysit for free (although my mother insisted on paying her). When I got older and was able to take care of myself, Valerie would check in on me on the rare occasions mom had to work late. I always liked Valerie, and there was a lot to like. She was gorgeous, she had jet black hair that went down just past her shoulders, smooth tanned skin, brown eyes that a man could drown in, and a smile that lit up a room. Even in her business suit, it was obvious she had a body that wouldn't quit. I saw her once when she was dressed up for a date, and she sent my teenage hormones into overdrive.
She looked at me quizzically when she saw me sitting in front of my apartment, hunched over my laptop.
"Johnny, what are you doing?" she asked me.
"Would you believe I locked myself out?" I said.
She laughed, "Seriously?"
"Yep, forgot my keys this morning," I said, "I had an early class today, so I left before mom did. Usually if I leave before her she locks the door behind me. On the few occasions I've forgotten my keys, either I remember or mom notices before I get to the elevators, but not this time."
"Well, I'm not gonna let you sit here in the hall," Valerie said, unlocking her apartment door, "Come on in."
"Thanks Val." I said, as I saved my paper and shut my laptop down. I stood up, stretched and followed Valerie into her apartment. Of course, I'd been in her apartment many times when she was my babysitter.
"No problem," she said, "I think I have some soda in the fridge if you're thirsty."
Just then my phone rang, mom's ringtone. Out of habit I put the call on speakerphone. "Hey mom."
"Hey sweetie," mom said, "I'm sorry to do this, but you're on your own for dinner tonight. I've gotta work late."
"On a Friday?" I asked.
"Yeah," she sighed, "We've got a big project due next week, and everyone's working late tonight."
I was used to this, mom worked for an advertising firm, and sometimes big projects came in that required late nights, and a handful of times she even had to work on Saturday.
"Well, I should let you know, I forgot my keys this morning." I said. "But don't worry because Val's letting me stay with her until you get home."
"That's right Ginny," Valerie said, "I'll keep an eye on him. It's not like I haven't done it before."
"Are you sure Val?" Mom asked, "I wouldn't want to impose on you. I'm not going to be out of here until at least 9."
Valerie laughed, "Impose? Don't be ridiculous. I used to be your babysitter. Ginny don't worry, I didn't have any plans for tonight anyway. He can stay here, we'll watch TV and have some dinner. It'll be fine."
"Ok, thanks Valerie." Mom said.
"Don't mention it," Valerie said, "I won't even charge you this time."
Mom laughed, "Sounds like you're in good hands. I'll call you when I'm on my way home."
