Chapter 210 - Just Doing My Job Ma'am
Packing up the apartment she had lived in for the past three years was a bittersweet experience for Keeley. She put it off until the last minute because she didn't want to acknowledge she was really leaving.
She could have started weeks ago, right after the wedding, but no. She just had to procrastinate. Now she was moving out in two days and wasn't even half done.
Valentina was already gone. Their official move out day was Friday July 12th but she didn't have time during the week so she moved her things over to her new place on Sunday.
She promised they would still hang out but when would she ever be free? She practically lived at the hospital.
Jennica was back from her honeymoon and had resumed auditioning. She was dead set on getting one more good play in this year so they could begin family planning. Neither of them were getting any younger and they wanted multiple kids.
She was a bit jealous. Having kids was a far-off dream for her. She needed job security first since she would be a single mom.
All of her friends were moving on without her and Keeley had no idea how to deal with it. At least Ryan hadn't changed anything on her. He was still working the same job and would probably be down to hang out like usual.
She looked around her bedroom at the piles of clothes, knickknacks, books, DVDs, and cat toys. How had she accumulated so much junk? She certainly didn't have all this stuff when she first moved in.
Her dad was going to hold all of her stuff for her in her old bedroom but the two suitcases she would need to survive a week at Aaron's place. He didn't know who she was staying with, only that she was going to be housesitting for a friend. He would never let her live it down if he knew it was his favorite son-in-law candidate.
'Sorry Dad, that's not happening in this life or the next,' she thought.
Molly was having a lot of fun jumping in and out of the boxes she was using to pack things she didn't need immediately but it made packing a lot more difficult. It would be a nightmare if the cat accidentally got taped into a box.
Keeley had already decided to start over fresh when she eventually moved since she didn't have anywhere to store all of this furniture and couldn't afford a storage unit. Selling off unnecessary pieces like the couch had already begun.
Moving into a furnished place might be her best bet. Worst case scenario, she would hit up a lot of garage sales. The only things she kept were kitchen appliances that didn't come with the apartment like the microwave. The couch, lamps, kitchen table and chairs, side tables, dresser, and bed frame all had to go.
Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Aaron.
'Hey, I'm heading out tomorrow morning so I left my spare elevator key with the doorman. All you have to do is show photo ID and he'll give it to you'
'Okay thanks' She felt a little awkward since he was doing her such a big favor so she sent a second text. 'Have a nice trip'
'Thanks. Feel free to use anything in the fridge or pantry and let me know how Dinah's doing once in a while'
'Will do!'
Keeley sighed. There was still so much packing to do. She wasn't ready for this temporary move at all. And it was going to be really weird staying at Aaron's house while he wasn't there. At least she would be able to watch as much TV on that giant screen as she wanted.
His apartment was a lot closer to NYU than this one was too. It would cut her commute nearly in half. She tried to think positive and like it wasn't totally weird that she was going to be staying in her ex-husband's house for a week.
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"I'm Keeley Hall; I'm here to pick up a key to Aaron Hale's apartment?" It was supposed to be a statement but she felt so awkward that it came out more like a question.
This doorman clearly still remembered her. He was probably wondering what the heck she was doing moving in after they fought so dramatically before. She wanted to explain that it was only temporary but that would probably make things worse.
Resigning herself to her fate, she put on her most confident smile. It probably came out making her look a bit constipated.
She was standing there with two suitcases, a hooded litter box, and a cat carrier; people in the lobby were giving her strange looks already. She clearly didn't belong here in this ritzy building. Her face heated in shame. She never should have accepted Aaron's help!
"Yes ma'am, let me help you with your luggage," the doorman said professionally.
He took the two suitcases and left Keeley to carry Molly and the litter box before leaving her things in the elevator as she pushed the button to keep it open. "Thank you!" she said as nicely as she could.
"Just doing my job, ma'am."
When she got upstairs she wondered where to even begin. She didn't want Dinah and Molly to get into a fight…Molly had no experience with other cats that she knew of. It might be best to keep her in whichever guest room she chose to stay in for now.
It was easiest to find the one she had stayed in previously. She set up the litter box and let Molly out, who sniffed everything cautiously before jumping onto the bed and sprawling out. With that taken care of, she went back down to feed Dinah.
"Hey pretty girl," Keeley cooed as the cat rubbed against her ankles. "Do you miss your dad?"
Dinah purred in response and continued asking for affection by rubbing even harder.
"I'll take that as a yes."
She filled up the food and water bowls when her own stomach began to rumble. She hadn't eaten anything yet since leaving work because she was too preoccupied with moving all of her stuff over after her dad dropped her off out front.
Opening the fridge, she realized that Aaron had left quite a bit of food there for her. She could easily make an omelet out of all this.
A small smile appeared on her face. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.